I rub my glasses with a cloth again, it's probably the hundredth time I've been doing this today. This horrible smudge keeps appearing on the right corner of the right lens and no matter how many times I clean it, it keeps on coming back irritably.
I can't wear contact lenses because of a medical condition so I have to stick to glasses.
I sit back sighing as I pay attention to the conversation going on in the group.
"...and he legitimately was there, like right there. You look and you find nothing but when that photo prints out of the polaroid, bam! He's there" Yana says excitedly.
"I need to try this" Derrek says.
"Come on, you aren't falling for another one of her 'Ghost observation techniques' are you" I say.
"It only requires a polaroid camera so yeah I will try" Beca says.
"Whatever" I sigh.
"Maybe you're only resenting it because you might come across your psycho ex's ghost" Paul laughs.
"Ha ha" I say distastefully.
"Alright fine guys, I'm gonna go now, I have work tomorrow" Derrek says.
"We all do" Yana fusses.
"Nah Paul doesn't" I say and everyone laughs in agreement.
"It was great catching up, you idiots, see you soon" Beca says.
As I'm driving back home, I notice that the smudge has reappeared and sigh. Obviously it doesn't cloud my vision, but it does irritate me a lot.
My mind drifts back to Sarah, she had been such a good person when I met her. But then she became obsessed with everything, me, neatness, illness, everything.
I had to let her go as it was hindering her life and she accepted the change, but she never failed to keep pursuing me even months after the split.
One day out of the blue I heard that she had been involved in a fire and lost her life. I visited her grave and asked her for forgiveness, I felt that somewhere it had been my fault.
That was a month ago.
And only a day later the smudge problem started. I changed a couple glasses but nothing worked so I tried to adapt to it, must be some bodily error.
Beside me Beca yawns loudly.
I stroke her cheek lightly.
"We're almost home" I say and she smiles.
When we get home I change and sit on the bed, gulping down a large glass of water.
"Hey Babe?" Beca calls out.
"Yeah?" I ask going over to her, she mischievously points to the Polaroid camera in her hand.
"Just one, please!" She begs.
"It's not like you'll actually see something here" I fuss.
"One...please" she says and I nod reluctantly grabbing the camera and positioning it.
Click.
I give it back to her, she pulls out the photo, a faint picture slowly appearing.
Click.
She clicks a picture of me and laughs, and runs out, happily.
"Can we go to sleep now, my boss will kill me tomorrow" I say, switching off the lights of the bathroom.
"Honey?" I call out.
I walk into the bedroom and see her sitting silent on the bed holding up the picture in her hand.
"Did you capture a ghost or something?" I joke sitting beside her.
"Caleb" she whimpers as she shows the photo to me.
My soul leaves my body at the sight of my own photo, as I stand flinching and on my right side stands Sarah, her face pale and burnt in patches, facing me.
Her lips are right next to my glasses, partly open, and reality hits me right then and there.
"Always there" I hear Sarah's voice echo in my mind as I remember what she always said to me, when we were together and even after.
As I look at the photo again, I can feel her whisper those words to me as the smudge appears on my freshly wiped glasses again.