Tuesday

“Good morning Zitao!” Oh the always so cheerful Sally. Too bad that Zitao mood was a little down.

“Good morning.” He quietly mumbles back. Honestly he had had a bad night, barely able to get any sleep, so he could be a little grumpy.

“Oh... You’re mad at me… I’m so sorry I didn’t meant to leave you alone in there! I’m so so so sorry about yesterday!  I got so overworked, I got myself all freaked out and I can’t believe I actually left you alone but the time I came to my senses I was already at home.” She takes a deep breath “I’m sorry! It was so silly of me to get all worked up over nothing. I mean a ghost right? It’s not like those things really exist. The spooky atmosphere was just playing tricks on my mind.” She smiled. Zitao could have smiled too but he knew better. “I got all overworked and excited over nothing I started imagining things that weren’t there at all.” She said sheepishly.”I really am sorry you know…?”

Zitao looked up at his friend's face. It was truth that she had dragged him to school at night to catch some imaginary ghost and it’s also truth that she left him alone to deal with the consequences alone. But looking now at Sally he couldn’t manage to be mad at her. And something that she said made a click on his mind, most probably him mind was also playing a trick on him, the scenario plus the story helped a lot at it. Yeah, probably.

“Hey… You’re right.” He smiles the best that he can. “Our minds were playing tricks on us. The school is pretty creepy after dark, I bet my- I mean our imagination ran out of control and got the best of us.”

“Exactly! Does this mean you’re not mad?” She asks hopeful.

Tao nods “I’m actually feeling pretty better now, thank you Sally.” He beamed.

-⌛-

“I’m going to write some problems on the board, please copy them into your notebook in silence and try to solve it.” The professor voice ringed through the classroom. “And you can’t manage to finish here, complete it at home as homework.” You could hear everyone in the room grumbling and groaning and cursing under their breath.

‘This doesn’t seem that difficult’ Zitao thinks to himself. All that equations and weird symbols had a place, you just had to pay attention.

It was a god thing that math took all his attention. It kept his mind from wandering from other things like ghosts and school at night and a blunt idiotic blond alive ghost guy.

After some minutes Zitao stared blankly at an equation. ‘Math hates me’ was all he could think about.

“That one is pretty tricky isn’t it? Hum… I think you need to carry the seven tho.” A sudden voice said behind him.

‘Oh no...’ He grunted on his mind. It couldn’t be. ‘Don’t look over your shoulder. Don’t look over your shoulder. Don’t matter what, don’t look over your shoulder!’ He repeated it in his mind like a prayer. It couldn’t be truth! But his mind wouldn’t trick him in plain day light! Unless he was starting to get crazy… Getting eated alive by his own curiosity, Tao growls to himself. ‘Damn! I have to look!’

When he finally made his decision and was sure of it, he slowly looked over his shoulder. And there it was. A pale, tall, lean figure looking over his shoulder with a pleased smile.

“This thing is the worst isn’t it?” The ghost, Kris, said casually. “I don’t get how teacher managed to understand this!”

An unmanly surprised squeal left Zitao lips as he jumped with the ghost proximity. If people didn’t hear his embarrassing sound they sure heard the loud BANG CRASH PUM as he felled off his chair and kicked it in the process landing with a loud thud on the ground. Yeah, he fell off his chair. God this was embarrassing.

“Oh my…! Oooopss! I didn’t actually meant to scare you like that! At least not to the point where you would fall off your chair.” The ghost thing said shocked before hiding his mouth with his hand “Although that was pretty funny. I can’t believe you fell off your chair!” He said trying to contain his laugh.

‘Oh great now only did the ghost actually exist but he is laughing at me!’ Zitao whinnied in his head while staring unbelievingly at Kris.

“You… You… You…!” He stammers, not knowing what to say.

“Oh my god… I hope I didn’t break your brain!” his eyes widen and then he looks down with a sorrow look “I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were still coming tonight…”

What…

“I … I never…” Damn mouth, why don’t you work?

Kris face brightens instantly as he gives him one of his best smiles “Great! That’s a date!” He shouts excited. “Just don’t back out or forget ok?” his face suddenly darkens “Or I’ll have to keep coming here and remind you.” His tone was warning and serious.

“… … …” All Tao could do was stare helplessly at the human being, a death one, that was standing in front of him.

Kris stared back at him with the same serious expression on his features until his lips turn into a small smile and his cheerful voice makes notice “Well, I’ll see ya tonight!” He grins before vanishing.

And just like that he disappeared the same way he appeared.

‘What the heck just happened?’ was all Zitao could thing about before being pulled back to reality by his teacher strong voice.

“…ao! Zitao! Huang Zitao!” His teacher voice ringed strongly through the classroom.

“Ye-yeah?” His voice breaks as he looks up in complete shock.

“Are you ok? Did you hit your head ?” The teacher was looking at him closely.

Shaking his head Zitao stands up and goes back to his sit. “No, I’m fine.” He mumbles embarrassed.

“You’re sure? Well in that case stay there and if you feel unwell tell me right away.” He demanded while turning back to the board after a short nod from Tao’s part and a whispered apology.

Unable to pay attention for the rest of the class, Zitao argued with himself if he was the only one able to see and hear Kris or if he was slowly turning crazy and Kris was just part of his own imagination.

Thank God math was his last class.

-⌛-

It was dark, cold and all Zitao could think was ‘I can’t believe I’m climbing this gate again!’

He debated with his mind all evening about if he should or shouldn’t go back that night and see Kris.

But seriously, he wasn’t actually looking forward to have a ghostly visit to his every class. His teachers would think he was crazy or something. And his classmates were already talking about him thanks to that math scene.

Looking up briefly Tao almost stops dead on his tracks as he sees a pale ghostly figure from one of the windows. That figure was … waving at him?

Without losing more time he quickly enters the doors. Seriously, they should start to lock them what if someone entered and steal everything. They wouldn’t even notice until the next day. Like, seriously? Oh ok.

“You came!” A shout of joy come from his right side.

Spinning on his heels Tao becomes face to face with Kris.

“You kind of didn’t give me much choice.” He frowns while talking.

“Well… Yeah. But you were being really mean!” Kris face mimics Tao frown. “You were the first one who could see me and talk to me! You were the first person I’ve spoken to in a whole year! And yet you were trying to pretend I didn’t exist!”

Tao felt a guilty feeling creeping his way to his chest.

“Well… when you put things like that…” he mumbles looking down. “I’m sorry… It was just too much for me to process. I shouldn’t had let you feel alone again. I didn’t meant to.”

His words where answered with silence. Curious he looks up and is faced once again with the ghost smiling face.

“It’s ok now. I feel like I got my revenge today anyway!” he says cheerful once again.

Without noticing Zitao lets a relieved sigh escape his lips.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re going to pay for that, mark my words!”

“Oh OH!!! A challenge?! Bring it on!” Kris laughed excited.

“Anyway, I’ve been thinking… I showed you my memory before but you were actually able to interact with the Past me.” His voice was serious now and his face showed confusion and hope and curiosity.

Tao nodded “Yeah, but only past you tho. No one else could see me or hear me. It was like I was…” He trails off while looking at Kris understanding face.

“Like me?” He offers.

“Yeah…” He whispers feeling even worse for deliberatingly ignoring Kris.

“But still!” Kris says getting back his excitement. “That’s pretty amazing! I didn’t even know I could do that! I thought I was projecting this scene on my mind or something but now it’s clearly not that! I think…” He trails of, biting his lip nervously before continuing “Now I think that maybe I actually sent you to my past.”

“What?” Tao blinks “That’s… That’s…” he looks around trying to find the missing word.

“Impossible?” Kris offers once again, earning a nod from the smaller. “Well it doesn’t seem like it.”

“Look!” Tao snap “I’m at the point that I have to acknowledge that ghosts actually exist. But you’re saying that time travel too? I have a limit you know?” He nearly glares at the pale boy in front of him.

“Yeah I know. It sounds ridiculous. I’m not sure if I believe it myself.” The ghost boy sighs and shakes his head “But it’s the only explanations to what happened yesterday.” He shrugs and looks up at Tao. “What if you actually went into my past? Do you know what that mean?”

“… …” Tao shakes his head.

“You could save my life!” He shouts excited, a glint of hope showing in his eyes. “You could stop whatever it is that kills me and- and I wouldn’t have to be a ghost anymore! I could finally get out of this damn school! I could finally go out and feel the grass and the running water of the river. I could be alive again!”

His voice hold so much hope and despair that it was impossible to turn his back that him.

 “Okay. It’s worth a shot.” Tao nods.

“Really? You’ll really do it? You really really mean it?” Kris eyes reminded the staring sky of how brilliant there were. “Oh God! You’re- You’re just- You’re the best!” He shouts with the biggest smile Tao had even seen on someone.

“So what is it that kills you?”

“Uh?” His eyes get wide.

“Everyone knows that you died in an accident, but what kind? That’s actually kind of the big mystery in the school.”

“Oh, really?” Kris tilts his head, furrowing his brows while thinking. “Well I just figured we’d try a bunch of memories and hope to get lucky!” He says sheepishly but with the ever present smile on his face.

“Are you kidding? You don’t even remember how you die?” Tao almost chokes surprised and terrified.

God know how long will it take until they find the right memory. And let’s be honest, Kris wasn’t exactly the sweetest person when he was alive.

“It’s confusing being dead ok?” He defends himself looking annoyed. “It’s like my head’s all messed up. Every day I forget something new.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. That sounds terrible…” Tao looks down stabbing himself mentally for being such an idiot.

“Hey…” Kris voice was soft “Don’t worry about it ok? If we do this right, I’ll never have to worry about that stuff again.” He smiles “So… Partners?” He holds out his hand to Tao.

Confused at the other gesture, Tao stares for a while until he finally gets it. His hand goes straight trough Kris’ making the smaller gasp in surprise.

“Should have expected that uh?” A small sad smile appears on the taller lips before being replaced by a happier one. “Oh well. Just a little bit longer and I’ll have all the human contact I could ever want, right?” He looks straight at Tao eyes.

The younger can’t help but smile and nod.

“Right! So just hang on in there!”

“Thanks.” Kris smile widens before something passes his features and he looks at Tao curiously. “Hey you should tell me your name.”

“Ah! Right. I-I’m Zitao!”   ‘Why did I stammer?’

Kris nods and smiles even more. “Nice to meet you, Zitao.”

A light blush covers the smaller cheeks as his name rolls out of the others lips.

“Okay c’mon. I’ve got a good feeling about this way!”

-⌛-

“The gym?” Zitao frowns looking up at the ghost beside him, who just shrugs.

“I just feel it. Are you ready?” He asks turning fully to Tao.

“I guess…”

Taking that as an answer, everything turns white.

-

Rubbing his eyes from the bright light, Zitao wonders if he’ll ever get used to that.

He notices right away how noisy the gym was. Spinning on his heels, feeling extremely disoriented, his face pales as he notices he just appeared in the middle of a PE class. In the middle of the field. While guys were playing basketball. Oh great.

“Hey, look out!” He hears someone shout behind him.

As he turns around SMACK!!

‘Basketball … right … in the … face.’ He face palms to himself.

“Why the hell were you-!” Zitao eyes widen in terror when he recognizes the owner of the voice. “Oh, it’s you.” The alive Kris says annoyed.

‘Well excuse you, if I’m trying to keep you for dying.’ Tao thinks dryly.

“You’re always exactly where I don’t want you.” He says even more annoyed now.

“Kris, c’mon! We’re in the middle of a game here!” Toa hears Dan shout.

“Hang on! I’ve gotta deal with this idiot first!” He couldn’t be more annoyed or bored than right now, it wasn’t humanly possible. He kept his glare on Tao.

“What the hell are you talking about dude?” Dan frowns looking at Kris like he was crazy.

“Oh here we go again.” Another boy said while rolling his eyes.

Tao looks at Kris shocked. ‘He doesn’t realize he is the only one that can see me. I need to get him out of here as quick as possible!’

He looks around trying to have one of his brilliant ideas when something pops up on his mind.

“Hey, can you take me to the nurse’s office?” Zitao looks up to Kris not getting up from his place on the ground.

“You’re kidding right?” Kris raises a brow considering the option of this weird kid in front of him being crazy or just a plain idiot. “You walked right in front of the ball! Now walk yourself to the nurse’s office!”

Looking around was possible seeing everyone looking at Kris like he was crazy. How could he not notice the stares?

“No arguments! Come on!” Zitao demands taking Kris elbow and dragging him out of the field.

“H-hey! Let go of my arm!” The blond shout surprised.

Once passing through the locker room Kris lets out a big sigh.

“Seriously you can let go now. I’ve come this far.”

“… Fine.” Tao quickly lets go of his hand.

“What were you even doing in the gym? You’re not even dressed for PE.” The blond says curious staring at Tao's normal uniform.

“That’s… complicated.” It’s the only answer that he gets.

“Complicated?” Which clearly doesn’t make him pleased.

“… …” suddenly his frowning face breaks into a smile “You’re very weird did you know that?”

Zitao can’t help but notice how different his face looks when the other laughs.

‘Maybe he is not the worst person on this planet after all.’ The dark haired boy thinks pleased.

“Okay c’mon weirdo. At first your ugly swollen face was funny but now it’s just kind of grossing me out.” He says still smiling.

Zitao sighs inwardly at this boy antics.

Some minutes after, when finally arriving at the nurse’s office, Kris knocks at the door while already opening it.

“Deliver for the school nurse! You ordered a fat-faced idiot right?” He jokes while entering. “Oh! Hello? Hum, she’s not here.” He pouts a little looking around.

Zitao can’t hold a sigh of relieve. It wouldn’t be funny if Kris told the nurse to take care of the invisible kid face.

“Hum, ok sit down there.” Completely oblivious at Zitao thoughts Kris points to a chair in the corner.

“What? Why?” Tao looks blankly at the boy which earned him a roll of eyes.

“Just sit down and let me put a cold pack on your head.” He says completely ignoring the wide eyes the younger gives him.

“No! You don’t need-“

“Look it's kinda my fault. I know that. I‘ll take responsibility.” He says calmly looking back at Tao.

“Uh… Ok then. Thanks.” The younger says looking surprised at Kris, a smile slowly making its way to his face. He didn’t seem that bad.

Keeping trained eyes on Kris, he watched closely as the older boys is reaching for the upper shelve to take the first aid kit. And his back, Tao could see his muscles…

-Hey! Don’t get too distracted. Remember why we’re doing this.- Kris ghostly voice appeared on Tao’s head.

Jumping surprised he quickly double his attention to what Kris is doing. His eyes widen when he notices the shelf wobbling.

“Hey! Look out!” Tao shouts while grabbing Kris shirt and pulling him back towards himself. Just in time of the shelf falling down making a loud CRASH on what could be a severe injury to Kris.

“Phew that was close!” He sighs in relieve looking to Tao. “You’ve got a pretty good eye uh? Thank you, I owe you.” He says smiling in appreciation.

“You know, you already owed me for hitting my face with a ball.” Tao smirks a little.

“You’re really so… ballsy.” Kris laughs quietly shaking his head. “Ok well I’m not cleaning that mess. So let’s hurry up and get out of here before anyone blames us for this.” He says grabbing the cold pack and walking to Tao.

“Here put this on your cheek.” He says leaning on his knees pressing the pack on Tao’s face.

Feeling himself blush at the proximity, Zitao can’t help but notice how Kris face is actually stunning and how his hands are so gentle on his face.

“S-Stop staring at me like that.” Kris blushes a little too, looking embarrassed. Only causing Zitao’s blush to redder.

“S-Sorry! I’m just- distracted!” He whines.

“Well, focus!” Kris whines back.

“On what?” Zitao pouts.

“A-anything!” Kris adverts his eyes from Tao’s face to the pack in his hand.

“Hum okay. Then let me ask you a question.” Tao says trying not to stare too long at Kris, biting the inside of his mouth before asking. “Why are you so different when you’re around your friends?”

“… I’m not.” Kris says dryly.

“You are. You really, really are.” Tao softly argues.

“Oh yeah? How am I different when I’m with you?” Kris stubbornly looks at him.

“You just are.” He says shrugging. “You’re… nicer.”

“… …” Kris stared for a while at Zitao before breaking eye contact and sighing “Ok, I think the swelling is over now!” He stands up and walks to the door. “I’m going back to the class now. Take care of that face ok?” He asks smirking a little “Now that I’ve seen it up close… It’s not too bad you know?” He chuckles running out of the room.

“Wait!” Zitao calls but it’s too late and Kris’ already out.

“Woah, I can’t say if I’m smooth or totally inept.” An amused voice said beside Tao. Kris ghost was standing there shaking his head with a light smirk on his face. “It’s weird looking back at yourself. I can’t even imagine acting like that.”

“Yeah… You’re really- different now.” Tao nods in agreement.

Suddenly the white light glows.

-

“You’re telling me. I guess death changes a person.” He said chuckling. “Oh, and good job with the shelves back there. You totally saved me.”

“… …” Zitao looks down and shakes his head.

“… Hey, what’s wrong?” Kris frowns looking worriedly at him.

“Saved you? I didn’t save you. You’re still here and all transparent!” He says depressed.

“Yeah… I guess that was just an accident and not the accident uh?” he asks smiling and shrugs.

“How many accidents do you used to have?” Tao raises one of his eyebrows. “That shelf and before on the roof! You were just the most unluckiest guy in the world?”

“.. I don’t remember. Maybe I was.” Kris sighs “Or maybe the accidents are new.”

Hearing this, Tao frowns a little. He was frowning a lot lately.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m trying to fight fate, right? Maybe this is fate fighting back.” He observes.

“Woah...! That makes sense.”

“You’re scared?” He bits his lip again, nervous.

“A little.” This time Zitao shrugs nonchalantly.

“Me too.” He smiles softly looking at the dark haired boy.

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Omg guys, I'm finally over with school, now I'll have like... one month and a half of vacations. Omg I wasted 2 months ugh. So that's the main reason why it took me so long to actually finish and post this, I'm sorry.

But hey, things are getting interesting aren't they? 

Remember, english is not my first language and I still have a long way, I still have much to improve. So I hope you just enjoy it.