Chapter 3

Heather

I've been seeing ghosts ever since I was a kid. I've also seen how spirits got separated from their bodies when people died, just like what happened to my mother. My eyes aren't innocent either, cause I've witnessed even how a spirit's time on earth is up. I've never seen a grim reaper though, so I just assumed that when a spirit starts to fade, it's a sign for them to go to other places rather than the earth. Because after they fade and disappear like how flames did to a paper, I could no longer see them again.

That's why I was so sure that Rozen was dead. Because aside from the separation, his human body was hopeless, his brain was literally out! And even if miracles exist like souls being able to go back to their body even if they got separated, his case was still exaggerated! He is unreal. There's something wrong with him but I can't really identify what it was. My mind is so messed up, I can't even concentrate on my class.

"Aaaah!" I screamed in lowercase as I tried to take a nap on my armchair. You see, he can't just wake up from the dead after smashing his head on the road! His brain was all over the place!

"Girl, I know you're not much of a believer, but isn't it so hard to believe it's a miracle?"

In a snap, I was dragged back from my reverie. Good thing it was break time so I had the chance to loiter in one of our classroom with my Snow White bestie. She was albino and even her hair was white. She's also sensitive to the sunlight, that's why she always stays in the darkest places, and that's where she found me.

And yes, her name is Snow.

"Plot twist, I do believe miracles can exist, I just don't believe that's what happened to Rozen yesterday. It doesn't make any sense because he was hopelessly dead."

"But miracles don't need to make sense, don't they?"

I sighed. "You know what, I'm gonna summon his spirit via Ouija Board. If his soul came, then it means the one who's using Rozen's body isn't him anymore." I stood up and searched for something in my batlike backpack.

"What if you summoned someone else?" Snow sheepishly asked, ended up for me to give her an assuring smile.

"I'm good, I can punch them in the face."

"What if it's stronger than your usual encounters?" She worries too much.

"Then I'll leave it to the Gods and Goddesses of Heathenian Mythology. Amen." I put my palm together and closed my eyes. After a while, I then finally found the thing I've been looking for.

The Ouija Board. Well, it's my big notebook in Literature, the design just happens to be like that but anyway I can still use it. There's no such thing as impossible for kids who were labeled as weird.

I was planning to use it later when I'm on my own, but as I was trying to clean it up, my eyes couldn't help but to widen the moment I saw a familiar figure walking towards our direction.

He has a fur coat with a maroon inner polo and black slacks. I can't believe he's still wearing shades even though he's literally inside the Social Sciences Building. Too far from his sweet sweaters and glasses just a day ago.

"Have you summoned him already?" Snow whispered, staring at the same man I was locking my eyes with.

"Nope, I didn't do anything yet."

"Oh my goodness, Heather! I've been searching for you everywhere, and what's that? Is that an Ouija Board?" He unapologetically barged right inside the classroom and stole the notebook from my hands.

"Are you planning to do something dangerous? Huh?" He scanned it like his life depends on it, but what he found is just some random notes from random subjects. "Oh, it's just a notebook."

I can't believe he's still talking to me right now despite how I told him not to. I pushed him away and even said the things I've been bottling up for how many years, but here he is. And although Rozen would casually talk to me before, and even if he's insensitive towards others, he sure still has his pride. When people directly told him to stop doing something, he usually didn't push further and would step back to save his dignity.

But this guy in front of me doesn't seem to have it anymore. He's shameless.

"Why are you even here? This is not your building." I can't help but utter, but instead of answering he just ran his shades through his hair and wore it like a headband. Then pointed where his heart is. "I'm missing you so much."

"What the fuck?"

"My heart is hurting and I feel like seeing you would stop this from aching. But you're hating me right now, so it's aching even more." He seemed to lose his strength and even held on to the desk beside him for support. All of that while still holding his chest like an idiot.

When did he become this dramatic? Is this what miracles do to people with serious head injury? I sighed and got Snow and my things away from that room. But to hell be with that, he just followed us like a dog on the empty corridor.

"Heather, I know you hate me but I have things to accomplish and the only person who can help me is you. Just don't look at my face if you hate it that much."

This time, I signaled Snow to give us some privacy and when she did, I immediately grabbed this guy into his collar.

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone? And if you're going to use someone else's body, at least respect their acquaintances' wishes and don't bother—"

"Aaah! Shh!" He immediately pulled out from my grip and covered my mouth. "Don't say such unrealistic things. I am really Rozen, nobody's using someone else's body or anything. Shhh!"

My initial response was to wrestle with him, but I was too preoccupied by everything already. By how close we are to each other, by the most random conversations we're having and the way he's holding me right now. It felt so real. It's just like the nightmare I had yesterday, where he seems to become everything I wished for when we were younger. A better man.

"S-so you're really not him—"

"Shhh!"

I'm an idiot. I just discovered that a random soul is using the dead body of Rozen, but my first reaction is to be this hurt?

"Are you okay? Why are you crying? I really am Rozen, I promise." His eyes were so endearing as he examined my features. His fingers were so gentle while wiping the tears on my cheeks.

He held me so lovingly, it felt so real, I almost believed this was real. Rozen is a great liar, but the person I'm facing right now is a terrible one, making my tears burst even more.

"Please don't cry. It's hurting me too." He suddenly pulled me into a hug, and I honestly didn't have what it takes to push him away, anymore. Even his warmth felt so good, I just let him be.

Am I disappointed that it wasn't Rozen who's saying everything I wanted to hear? Am I shattering because he wasn't the one who's making me feel so loved right now? Saying that he needed me the most and he missed me so bad?

"You can stop lying now, I know you're not him. He would rather keep his pride than to keep anyone in his life."