"I am telling you..." Bella sighs, a far away look fills her eyes. "He is completely different than the others. He is so handsome and such a gentleman."

Forcing a smile to my face, I nod. "Good. You deserve someone decent. The last one was a jerk."

And the one before that and the one before that..

I've known Bella for years, but I also know she goes through men like I go through cell phones and I'm pretty clumsy when it comes to keeping them in one piece. She wants her Prince Charming and I'm afraid he is yet another jackass in tin foil. But she has to make her own mistakes, I just have to be there to put her back together and wipe any tears that fall. 

"What about you? How is your love life going?" She gushes, looking for some juicy gossip. 

"Meh." I shrug. "It's the usual. It's not you, it's me.."

A small frown fills her head. "Don't worry, you'll find the one really soon."

To ease her concern, I smile. "I'm in no rush. As of right now, I don't have to share a bathroom or bed, I'm winning."

Looking out the window of the diner, I notice a group of people across the street, all hanging around the old bar. It had shut down a few years ago, after a fire that wiped out half the structure, they rebuilt it but it never fully recovered, especially when a newer bar opened up down the street taking all their customers.  

"Look's like they are out of luck." I nod to the group before cradling my hot coffee in my hands to try and warm myself up. 

Bella turns and hums. "They are investigating there tonight."

"Investigating what?" I ask. 

"Ghosts."

I roll my eyes. "I thought that was just a myth to keep the teenagers out?"

"Yeah but I've heard stories and they seem pretty convincing."

"Can't sell a story if it is full of holes, huh?"

"Maybe, but then there is no smoke without fire, as they say." She answers. 

We go back to our coffees and I listen even more to Bella's new Beau, wondering when I will meet this unicorn, when the door to the diner opens and the group outside begins filtering in. 

4 men, decked in black clothing step in and assess the place. City people. You can tell the kind, as they all check their cell-phones for service and ask if the place had Wi-Fi. I almost choke on my coffee when Jack, the 75 year old Diner owner, tells them to put their phones away and have a real conversation. 

Bella is about to fill me in on yet more of her love life when she pauses and looks up to the man who has approached the table. 

"Hi. My name is Zak, are you two local?" He asks. 

I take one look at the beanie, glasses and extra wide legged jeans and answer. "No."

As Bella chimes a "Yes."

Brilliant.. Just brilliant.

"Awesome, do you mind if I ask you both a few questions, about the bar across the street?" He probes. 

"Fire away." Bella beams as I kick her under the table for being so damn eager.

 Where is my gossip?! Screw this guy! It's then I notice the doe eyes... Damn she works fast. She was only just talking about Darren or was it Daryl? Or Dave? Did his name begin with a D? Was it James?

"How long have you two ladies lived around here?"

"All our lives." She smiles.

"So you know about the bar and the fire?"

"Oh yah." 

I glare at Bella, wishing my friend would button it. The more questions she answers, the longer this guy is gonna hang around. Before I can kick her again, he points to the seat and Bella nods her head enthusiastically, inviting him and his friends to join us. 

Shoot me now.

This guy, Zak looks at me curiously before turning to Bella, obviously getting the idea that I am not interested in participating any information. "Have you heard that the place is haunted?"

"Absolutely, we were just talking about that actually. Weren't we?" She says looking to me. 

"Well, I said it was a load of crap. That the stories are simply to keep kids out." I answer, picking up my coffee again. 

"Ah, guys we got a skeptic." He says to his little crew. "So you think it's all bullshit?"

"I do." 

"What if I told you that I have proof? That I believe it is haunted?" He challenges. 

"Then I'd tell you that it's tough being gullible. But I don't believe in it. The only reason the place has shut down was because of the bar down the road."

Zak smiles, it's almost a smirk and I hate it already.  Leaning on the table, he tilts his head. "How can I change your mind?"

"To believing about ghosts? Walk out the door holding Casper's hand and I'll admit I am wrong."

"I do love a challenge.."

He turns his attention back to Bella and I feel relief that his piercing blue eyes are not on me anymore, shifting in my seat, I nurse my lukewarm coffee. I'm half in and half out the conversation, letting my mind wander before pulling back into the diner to drop in on what they are talking about now. 

"I've been possessed." Zak says. 

I don't know where it comes from or why I suddenly do it, but I snort into my cup as I go to drink. 

"Something funny?" He asks, clearly offended.

Lowering my cup, I set it down on the table. "No, I just have a hard time that you were walking up walls and your head was doing 360 degree movements."

"The exorcist.. You know that film is based of a true story.."

"And a lot of fabrication. It was never a girl possessed, but a 14 year old boy from Maryland. Only elements of that story was used in the film."

He tweaks his head. "You know your stuff."

"I like to read." I respond.

"Well I wasn't quiet like that. Aaron was there when it happened. I blacked out. Right Aaron?" Zak says looking to his friend who has his head buried deep into his phone. 

"Yeah bro. Poveglia was the worst."

Zak looks at me again, the blue eyes are a little disarming. "How much of a skeptic are you?"

"There is an answer for everything. You tell me the sky is blue, I'll argue that it is the gases in the sky reflecting the earths surface, which is mostly water."

He chuckles. "I like your attitude. Okay, so explain a bang in the middle of the night, pitch black, nobody has moved?"

"Is there a window open? A draft could have caused a door to slam or a piece of wood to fall."

"Scratching?"

"Rodent infestation."

"Disembodied voices?" He throws in.

"Thin walls. Outside filtering in through air vents or pipework." I chime. 

He sits forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Unexplained scratches on the skin?"

I sit forward too. "Medication or a rash. I'd suggest going to a doctor and getting cream."

The cocky smirk on his face, fails to disappear and he sits back. "Okay. I love a challenge, so how about you and Bella come in with us? For an hour tonight. Let me prove to you that the afterlife exists."

"What if I say no?"

"Then I'd call you, a chicken." 

My own confident smile falters slightly. "Fine. Time and place."

"At the bar, at 10pm." He responds. 

"Add some Red Velvet Cake over there and you got yourself a deal. You can try to prove the afterlife and I will tell you why it's a load of all BS."

"Hey, City slickers! Your order is up!" Jack shouts from the diner's bar. 

"See you both tonight." Zak grins as he gets up and heads away with his entourage to get their order. 

When they leave, Bella gasps. "Oh my god, he is perfect for you!"

"Excuse me?" I ask. 

"Oh come on, he was totally digging you! You were digging him too."

"I was not." 

"Bullshit. Since when do you like to read?" Bella says. 

We both laugh. "Okay, I will admit, I didn't read that. It was on TV the other night and I was in an ice-cream tub coma, I couldn't be asked to find the controller."

"You totally handed him his ass though." She smiles, looking out the window to Zak and his little group across the street. "Both opinionated. I think you should get his number."

"Please." I scoff. "He is just another guy with his friends passing through town. He is a non-starter."

Bella is about to reply when Jack arrives and sets down two plates. "City slicker ordered these for you two."

"Thanks Jack." I answer as Bella squeals. 

Bella pulls her plate in front of her and digs in with her fork, humming at the first mouthful. "Say what you want about him. But he had the hots for you and he bought you cake."

As I pull my fork from the napkin, I see something black, unravelling the napkin entirely, I find Zak's name and number underneath as well as a small drawing of a ghost. I shut it quickly, before Bella sees and starts planning a freakin' wedding.

 Looking out the window, my eyes land on Zak, who winks before disappearing into the closed down bar. So I guess I am going ghost hunting tonight with his crew and Bella. Who is already singing the mans praises. She is easily swayed. Me? Not so much. 

But a deal is a deal and he did get me cake, after all...