Chapter 14
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Ren whispers to me, and I blink my eyes open to see him lying on the bed next to me, his head resting on the other pillow yet leaving no imprint. I should be scared, but instead, I find myself just simply staring at him, wondering why he doesn’t scare me one bit.
“Why don’t I see other ghosts here?” I ask first, not moving as he reaches over almost like he wants to touch my cheek, but he can’t.
Ghosts can’t touch.
“Do you miss seeing them?” he questions me back. I take a second to actually think about it, because for the longest time, I hated my ability to see ghosts and thought it was always ruining my life. I couldn’t go on holidays because being in new places meant new ghosts. I couldn’t even go into the park near the woods in my town because three ghosts of children were always there and they scared me.
Everything about ghosts scared me, and now...I almost miss being something different, because my powers were the different part of my life. I felt like I had a destiny, some reason in the world for why I have these powers.
But now, in this magic world, I’m just normal.
“Yes...it always felt like seeing ghosts made me different, and now I’m just another angel in training in this academy,” I admit to him.
“Whatever you are, Kaitlyn Lightson, you are not just another angel,” Ren almost softly tells me before he slowly fades and leaves me alone on the bed. Whatever Ren is, he isn’t just another ghost.
And I think we both know that. Rubbing my eyes, I get out of bed and have a quick shower before blow-drying my hair. I get dressed in black skinny jeans, a purple tee that says, “I’m rubber and you’re glue,” and my Doc Martens before eating some of the breakfast off the tray. I knock on Ves’s door before going inside to see she is still fast asleep on the bed, snoring away. I decide to leave her to it and head out to meet Thallon in the greenhouse, even though I’m a little bit early. The academy is oddly silent as I walk through the halls, and I head outside this time, walking through the gardens until I get to the other side of the building. At the doors to the greenhouse, Thallon is waiting with a light angel woman with long black hair in a complicated braid. They both turn to look at me as I get closer, and the woman breaks into a big smile. She is super pretty with long eyelashes surrounding deep blue eyes, and she has a model-like body, unlike my own skinny ass. I wish I had curves like her.
“This is Kaitlyn Lightson, the girl I was telling you about,” Thallon introduces me. “Kaitlyn, this is Hazel Jackman, and she is an old student who is here visiting in her time off. I was telling Hazel about your incredible piano skills as she loves to play as well.”
“It is very nice to meet you! My brother is the only other person I know who can play the piano here right now. It seems like a lost art,” she cheerily says and looks over my shoulder. “Oh, here is my brother now.”
Without having to look behind me, I know Henry is there; his presence is like a wave washing over my body every time he is in the room. Henry stops next to me, his hand brushing mine for a brief second, and that’s all it takes to make me shiver. Hazel kisses Thallon’s cheek, quietly saying something as she says goodbye and goes to Henry.
“Let’s go and chat up, brother. I have a lot to tell you,” she says, and he smiles at her. Actually smiles, white teeth and all.
“How is your new husband? I don’t have to break his face any time soon, right?” Henry asks, and Hazel rolls her eyes.
“Always so dramatic, little brother. Times were easier when you only cared about Sonic the Hedgehog games and if I ate your chocolate yoghurt,” she says with a small giggle.
“I loved the old Sonic games, and of course Amy was my favourite,” I say, and they both turn to look at me. I see the similarities straight away when they are next to each other. Same nose, same cheekbones and smile.
“Why? All she did was follow Sonic around,” Henry asks with a frown. “At least be cool and admit you loved Tails.”
“Because she loved him no matter what. It’s quite romantic, and I always preferred their story over princesses’ fairy tales,” I say, and he smirks at me.
“It was lovely to meet you, Kaitlyn,” Hazel says, tugging her brother away. “Bye, Thallon!”
“Have fun gardening,” Henry says with a patronising smirk, still eyeing me curiously as he walks away with his sister.
“We will,” Thallon replies and smiles down at me. “I thought we could cut some of the roses as they need tending. You can even keep some for your room if you want. I can get you a vase from the kitchens.”
“I’d love that,” I reply as we head into the greenhouse. The familiar smell and comforting warmth fill us as we head through the empty pathways to a small shed at the side. Thallon gets out two sheers and two pairs of gloves, which I slide on as he gets out a basket for the roses to go in.
“Tell me about yourself, what you did before here,” Thallon asks as we get to the roses. “Only if you want to, that is.”
“Why not?” I answer as I cut one of the red roses. “I lived in the Lake District with Riley as my best friend, and my family were well off. Which, considering the world is messed up at the moment, it gave me a good life when others don’t get that.”
“You are talking about the destruction of New York, London and most of southern Europe so many years ago?” he questions. “I’ve heard of it, but it’s been a while since I’ve been on earth.”
“Yes. It made a lot of people travel to England in hopes of work promised in the cities. London might have been gone, but gangs run the ruins there and promised anyone a job. So soon enough, people overran the country, and jobs became harder to come by. Food banks became lifelines to so many, and the rich hid in the towns far away from the cities to protect their children. It’s exactly what my parents did, and yet they still lost me,” I say, feeling sadness tugging at my heart.
“At least you have good memories. If it helps, your parents won’t remember you. You don’t just die when you become an angel, your existence on earth is gone,” he gently tells me a bombshell. The rose drops from my hand, and he catches it, cutting his finger on a thorn.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, taking his hand in my mine and turning it over. I press my finger on the cut and look up to find Thallon staring at me.
“I’m sorry you didn’t know. They used to tell us that, but perhaps times have changed,” he sadly replies.
“Thank you for telling me the truth. I feel like no one does that with me anymore,” I admit.
He purses his lips, pulling his hand back and offering me the rose. “The truth can be painful, it seems.”
“So can thorns, but the rose’s beauty is worth the pain.”
“Kaitlyn, at least you know in your heart that your parents are happy and at peace now. They would have been lost in grief otherwise,” he reminds me.
“I don’t think we should be the ones to make that choice for them. If it was my child, I would want to know,” I answer, and he nods in agreement. We both stay silent for a long pause before I smile at him.
“On a less depressing and heart-shattering note, what’s next after the roses?”