"Twenty years ago, I was a man of quite a high stature in Harlem. My clothing store was a marvel, ladies would come from across the continent to purchase one of my dresses, men would pay fortunes to get there hands on one of my suits."

I glanced at Cedric's attire and nodded. Even in death, Cedric was an extraordinary fashionable fellow.

"I grew faster than any other business man in Harlem, they hated me for it. I became an outcast, but I was a queen! I had no care for little mortals!"

I listened, shifting in my seat, the rocking chair creaking underneath my weight.

"But when Charles Pouting came into my store, I felt as if I was finally seeing eye to eye with someone in Harlem. He was an fine specimen, I'll tell you that, and even better, he treated me with kindness," he talked opening, his blue arms swinging.

I sighed dreamily. "You loved him. You loved Charles, didn't you?"

A pained expression filled Cedric's eyes, the blue orbs seemingly glowing with whatever reminiscences were traveling through his mind.

"Loved, adored, cherished. All of it. We planned on using the money from my business to run away together, to start a life of our own away from the judgmental pricks of Harlem."

His eyes suddenly darkened. "But I was wrong about Charles. He only ever wanted my money. We planned on meeting behind my house after everyone in the village had long gone to sleep. When I stepped outside, he was there, waiting for me. I didn't even speak one word before he was stabbing me with a dagger. I'm so sorry, he said. They made me do it, he said!"

I gasped, leaning over to put my hand over Cedric's. To my amazement, my hand didn't pass through his but instead felt a hardness. It felt like a normal hand but lacked the warmth of one.

"Oh, Cedric! I'm so sorry."

He patted my hand. "So for twenty years, I've been trapped in this place, forced to watch while Charles and his family spend my fortunes and rejoice in my death! You'd understand why it would be difficult for me to move on."

I gasped again, my back finding the back of the chair as I leaned back in astonishment. "He would dare spend your fortune?! I must put a stop to this!"

Cedric grinned. "For me to find my peace, my murderer must not only be reaped of what was stolen from me, but he must also express his guilt at what he did. It is the only way for any of us to go back."

My eyebrows raised. "So I need to get your money back and get him to be sorry for what he's done?"

Cedric nodded. "Well, actually, we really only need his grief and sadness but the money part is just to rub salt into the wound."

I shrugged, considering his request was quite reasonable.

"Cedric, I want to help, really I do! But I can't just walk into town and demand for your money back and for Charles to beg for your forgiveness. Those people will probably murder me as well and I'll be just as stuck as you are."

Cedric sighed and reached out to pat me on top of my head endearingly.

"You poor soul, I'm an artist! And the art of revenge is much more discreet and strategic than causing an aimless upheaval."

My leaned back against my chair, a small grin spreading across my face and I finally understood what Cedric wanted me to do. Discreet, sly, and strategic enough that I could get them bowing at my feet without them even realizing.

"Of fun! What do you have planned? Destroying their businesses one by one, spreading rumors of a secret mistress? Oh, how about sabotaging the next city council meeting?"

Cedric sent me a supportive look but his eyes were strained. "You're not a revolutionary, Maren! Think smaller! Think about how we could get Charles to crack under the slow pressure."

A lightbulb lit up in my head. I gasped, my eyes widening slightly as I went through this thrill.

"A haunting."

This, made Cedric pause and he stroked his chin with a thoughtful expression. "A haunting, indeed. The only issue, nobody except your wondrous self can see me."

I stood, my joints cracking and groaning at the sudden movement.

"He won't have to see you. If he really loved you, he'll know its you. He'll know you're looking over his shoulder, following him as he spends you're money, watching him live his life as a murderer. Of course he'll crack! Any sane person would, when ghosts are involved."

Cedric grinned, his blue face turning the shade of a summer sky as it brightened.

"You're truly a godsend, Maren Marrow, an angel surrounded by demons."

I blushed, brushing my hair out of my eyes and behind my ears nervously. "Oh, Cedric. Where do we start?"

"The ball. We start at the ball."

My eyes widened and I felt my stomach drop. "I thought you wanted to be discreet? The ball? Oh no, Cedric! Please tell me I won't have to go to that hellish event!"

Sending me a flat look, he started shuffling through my closet with a huff of distaste. "It's killing two birds with one stones. Firstly, we get to get an idea of what Charles has on his mind in regards to me. And secondly, I get to make you look like the beautiful angel you are before I'm sent to the pearly gates."

I groaned, my hands rising to find my suddenly pounding head. Suddenly, Cedric was sitting through my closet.

He clicked his tongue with distaste, his fingers pulling at my various coats and leather with a disgusted frown.

"Devils horns, girl. Have you only worn leather, wool, and fur since you were popped out of the womb?"

I moved to stand besides him. I loved my long, warm coats. Especially since this damned village was always ice cold.

"Practicality, Cedric. I doubt that word is in your vocabulary."

He scoffed, walking to my dresser and squeeling when he set sights on my mother's old sewing machine. I've never thought of using it, but it comforted me seeing it sitting out.

He rubbed a finger over the dusty contraption. "Well, at least someone had a taste for fashion in this house."

I sighed. "It was my mother's."

He looked over his shoulder, nodding slightly. I opened my mouth to ask what had been on my mind for many years. Where my parents where. Had they been stuck In Between for all these years?

But Cedric was already on another tangent and walking toward the door.

"Grab your horrendous coat! Let's go!"

I followed suit, grabbing my long hooded cloak from my closet and rushing after him. "And where are we going?"

He looked over my shoulder with a sly grin, flinging the door open with a flourish. "To my shop. I think we owe Charles a visit."

_

Waking with a ghost put more of a toll on my body than I had expected. Looking down at Cedric's feet, the best way I could describe the way he moved, was floating. His feet touched the ground, barely, but it was as if his body didn't know whether to pull upward or downward and it resulted in a simple lightness.

"Oh, slow down!"

Cedric was determined, his eyes set on the smoke of the chimneys rising from the village. "You need to hurry and get the fabric. I only have until tonight to pull a dress together. I'm a genius but not a miracle maker!"

I huffed, my long legs struggling to keep up. "I still think this is a bad idea. They'll see me and they'll wonder why I'm there during the week."

He sent me a long look. "Have you ever thought that maybe they think you're weird because you only show your face once a week for groceries?"

I shrugged, tucking my cold hands into the lining of my coat. "Nope. They think I'm weird because I see ghosts."

He scoffed, pausing as we neared the square. "Okay, you know the plan?"

I nodded, straightening my coat and pulling the hood over my head to hide my hair. "Yep. Incognito. Get the fabric and get out."

He reached out and patted my head. "Okay let's go."

And then we were creeping through the square. Thankfully, it was more empty than I had originally expected. Only a few stragglers walked through the cold morning, to get breakfast or to get ahead of errands before the afternoon wave of people.

We walked around the edge of the square, a route that I've never taken but Cedric took my upper arm and pulled me along. He knows the square well.

We turned a corner and I gasped as I collided with something hard. I staggered backward, my arm ripping from Cedrics grip.

"Lord!" He exclaimed, looking deeply at who had run into me.

I looked up and my stomach dropped to my feet. I stepped backward hastily.

"Maren?" He asked, bringing his hand to pull back my hood. I cringed, pulling the ends of my hair to hide my face.

"Lincoln. Hey."

Cedric poked my arm painfully and I hide my hiss. "You know this fine specimen? Oh lord, Maren, where have you been hiding him?"

Of course, Lincoln couldn't see or hear dear ol' Cedric and continued to stare deeply at me. "Lincoln, Hey? Maren, what are you doing here?"

I looked up into his chocolate eyes and wondered how easily I could just let myself get lost in them.

"Am I not allowed to come to the square? You're starting to sound like Justine and her side kicks."

Cedric scoffed, pacing around us dramatically. "Don't be mean to him! He's a teddy bear! Love him!"

Lincoln's eyes darkened and he stepped toward me menacingly. "If you think I'm anything like them, perhaps I was wrong about you."

Cedric kicked dirt and Lincoln looked down at the cloud of dust briefly before he looked back up to me.

"You don't know me at all, Lincoln."

He stepped forward again and I gasped as I felt Cedrics hands on my back pushing me forward violently. I tripped over my own feet and into Lincoln's arms.

His arms were strong as he held me, pulling against his broad chest. He stared down at me, our bodies pressed together and his eyes flickering down to my lips.

"I don't. But I'd like to get to know you, Maren Marrow. I'd really like to."

My hands found the sleeves of his coat and I gripped hard, my whole world spinning out from underneath me.

"Kiss him, you little devil!" Cedric said, leaning over Lincoln's shoulder to grin at me.

"No!" I exclaimed to Cedric.

My hand slapped over my mouth as I realized I had yelled at Cedric out loud. Lincoln pulled away from me, holding me at arms length with a scowl.

"No? Maren Marrow, you've hurt my pride more than any woman has ever!"

I pulled out of his grip, crossing my arms over my chest. "You have a lot of nerve! I've only known you for two days and you've threatened everything! And then to blame me?"

His thick brows furrowed and he looked frustrated and angry. Because of me. Because I could never be friends with him. Or anything more.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you're so uncomfortable with me. When those pesky walls in the strange head of yours are ready to be let down, let me know."

I scowled, Lincoln frowning at me. "Don't hold your breath. They've been up for a long, long time."

He sighed, finally turning to leave. Maybe that had finally done it, maybe that had finally gotten rid of him for good.

"I'm used to taking on impossible feats. Known for it, actually. You aren't any different, Maren Marrow."

But I was already waking away, not waiting for Cedric to follow. My heart was pounding, threatening to burst out of my mortal chest. Is this what dying feels like?

After we were a good distance away from Lincoln and his confident brooding, I felt Cedric's hand on my shoulder and he was leaning down to grin at me.

"He could break down my walls any day."

I huffed, my palms sweaty and my heart still racing from Lincoln and I's heated encounter. I was frustrated and thrilled. I was terrified and excited. I couldn't decide what to feel, so I stick with anger.

"Cedric, he's a threat!" I whispered angrily, looking around our secluded corner to make sure nobody was around.

Cedric scoffed. "A threat? To your horrible attitude, right?"

I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my palm, cringing. "These villagers are horrible, Cedric. He's one of them. I won't risk being hurt and discarded because of some silly little crush."

I continued walking, making sure that Cedric knew that I was done talking about Lincoln and whatever was happening between us.

Cedric, with his damned weightless body, quickly maneuvered himself in front of me so he could lead.

I furrowed my eyebrows at his glowing back. I got ready to fire something smart at him but he halted, his eyes going up to a store front.

I recognized the shop. As I young girl, I only remember bitter feelings and sadness when passing it. I used to ache to come in here, try on dresses and feel the fabrics between my fingers. But I grew up.

"Is this it?"

Cedric only nodded, wordless for the first time since I've met him.

"Well?"

I expected him to be angry with me but instead, a grin curved his lips.

"There was this quirky knock that I used to do when I came into the shop. Something only I know. If you do that knock, he'll freak out."

It took him only a few seconds to explain the knocking combination. Another to execute the combination with a glare over my shoulder. And another for a startled scream to echo through the store.