~read A/N at the end~

-Prologue-
Jake Wood

Cassidy Morris is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. And believe me, I’ve seen plenty of girls. But she’s not the most beautiful one because she’s perfect or breath taking. It’s not about her looks, God knows there are prettier girls out there. She’s beautiful because she’s Cassidy Morris.

She a cute brunette with a messy, –and when I say messy I really mean messy– curly hair. Almost like Merida from her favourite movie, Brave. She’s always fighting with her hair, trying to tame it but it’s hopeless, though I believe she’s even cuter when she’s yelling at her hair in front of the mirror. She has a lot of freckles and she hates them, but they look so cute on her skin. I adore the ones that adorn the bridge of her nose and when she puckers up she looks adorable. She also has these incredible green eyes with long dark eyelashes. That’s the only feature she likes about herself. She also always complains that she’s too short, but I find her height perfect for when I hold her in my arms, the top of her head is right under my chin. She’s skinny, she says she’s boyish skinny and that her body forgot going through puberty, but that it’s not true. She has her curves, they are just not luscious curves like other women’s. She is adorable, she has the cutest smile and most melodious laughter you’ve ever heard.

And that’s not all! She’s kind, she’s funny, she’s smart, she’s compassionate, she’s sensible. She’s also a coward. When we watch horror movies she is always hiding and can’t sleep alone after that.

She is my best friend and I’m madly in love with her, but I’ve never had the guts to tell her how I feel. That until today. I’ve finally made the decision, this time I will tell her, I’ll take the risk. Maybe she only sees me as a friend, but I have to tell her. I can’t keep it this inside of me anymore.

But maybe I should’ve waited.

It’s not a good idea to drive when you’ve had a few drinks already, when your mind is already misty and you’re led by your impulses. It’s a bad idea to cry out loud that you’re going to tell her everything when everyone around is drunk and no ones is able to stop you from doing something stupid. It’s not a good idea to drive when you think you’re invincible, because you’re not.

It’s not a red light what stops me when I’m driving at top speed to her home. Nope. It’s a bright white light that blinds me and makes everything around disappear. I have to raise my arms to cover my eyes and I try to turn the wheel, but there’s a reason why you can’t drive when you’re drunk. You can’t react properly, your body doesn’t respond the way you want.

In a matter of seconds, the noise of crushing metal is thunderous, the light is still blinding me as my body hits the airbag with my face getting trapped somehow. I’m not sure, but everything seems to be spinning and the seatbelt breaks loose and I’m bouncing against the car walls, my body like bag of something really heavy. Potatoes, maybe.

From white, everything goes to black and red. I can’t see anything and I try to move, but I feel trapped. I can’t hear anything for a few moments until the screams and sirens fill the air. I try to crawl out of the car but I feel like I’m leaving something behind. I wonder why I’m not in pain, it’s obvious I crushed and badly, but I barely feel my body at all. Maybe later all the pain will come.

I get out of the car and finally I can see, but everything is blurry again. I look back and I cringe. My car doesn’t look like a vehicle anymore, it’s just a junk pile and there’s smoke coming out of it. I try to smell something, but I can’t. I don’t recognise any smell at all and I wonder if there’s something wrong with my nose. Maybe I broke it or something.

I touch my face but I don’t feel anything. Maybe I’m too injured, but how’s that I’m standing?

I spin around again to call for some help and all I see is a truck incrusted in a shop, smoke coming out of it as well. People are gathering already as firemen arrive and the ambulance. Women are crying, begging for help and I wonder why no one has noticed me standing next to my car. I wave at them, but if they see me, they are ignoring me.

“Hey!” I call. “Some help over here!” I cry out much louder now, but they are too busy helping the unconscious truck driver. What about me? “Oi! Over here!”

“They can’t see you nor hear you, so stop. You’re making a fool out of yourself,” someone says and I turn around to find a guy, probably my age, dressed in white trousers and white t-shirt. Isn’t he cold? We’re in the middle of winter, after all.

“Who are you?” I ask stepping back. “I’ve been in an accident, you should be helping me!” I cry next, realising this guy is just standing there, oblivious to the chaos next to him.

“There’s nothing I can do. There’s nothing anyone can do, for a matter of fact. You’re dead already,” he says like he’s just talking about the weather but I catch my breath.

“No. Of course I’m not! I’m talking to you! Stop this and help me!” I demand and I turn around to call the paramedics when I see them already running towards my car, but they walk past me as if they can’t see me. “Hey, I’m here! Not in the car!”

“You are in the car, Jake Wood. I told you, they can’t hear you. You’re dead.” I glare at the guy, ready to yell at him to mind his own business when I see the paramedics taking something from the car. I even forget that this guy knows my name.

Everything seems to stop when I see my own body covered in blood, limbs in awkward positions and lifeless eyes. It’s me. I’ve seen my face in the mirror for nineteen years, of course I know the person on the floor and I know it’s me. But I’m standing here! That can’t be me!

“I told you. You are dead. Now come with me,” the bloke speaks again and this time he tries to grab my arm but I snap at him.

“No!” I scream. “I’m not dead. I can’t be dead!”

“Ugh, not this again. Why do I always have the worst cases? Jesus Christ!” He cusses looking at the sky, as if he’s talking to somebody. “Yes, Jake, you’re dead. That is your body. You died almost immediately after the collision with the truck. The other driver survived, which is good because this accident is your fault. Didn’t your parents tell you not to drive if you are drinking? What do kids of nowadays learn?”

This bloke is mental.

“Who are you? Why are you doing this? I can’t be dead. I’m not dead! I have to tell her, I have to!” I remember. I just can’t be dead without telling her how I feel. I can’t. I can’t.

I can’t!

“I’m Louis and I came here for you. Your life here is over and now you have to come with me. Come on, I don’t have the whole eternity.”

“Are you… are you an angel?” I mutter as I still hear the paramedics trying to bring my body to life again but giving up after a few minutes. One of them even closes my eyes.

“So young,” he whispers shaking his head and I start freaking out. I’m not dead. I am not!

Louis rolls his eyes at me. “Do you see wings? Of course I’m not an angel.”

“Good, because you’re really rude! What the hell are you then, uh? Why are you here?”

“I’m just a carrier. I come here, take you to the Next World and then my business is done. I don’t have to be nice, I just have to take you with me. Lead you out of this dimension where you don’t belong anymore.” He looks at me like a teacher looks at the worst student in the class, disappointed and exasperated because the boy can’t understand.

“But– but I can’t leave. I haven’t told Cass I love her.” At my words, Louis snorts. “Oi! This is important to me, okay? I was… I was driving to tell her I’ve been in love with her since I met her. I can’t just go without telling her. She needs to know. Cassidy needs– oh my God. What’s going to happen to her when she knows I’m dea–?” I choke when saying those words. I still have troubles accepting I’m dead, but my body is on the floor, this time covered. “I can’t leave. I don’t care what your job is. I won’t leave until I tell her!” I cry out, determination filling my body.

Do I still have a body? Can I say that?

“Oh yeah? And what do you plan to do? Be a ghost and haunt her every day of her life? You can’t go back to your body, it’s too damaged.”

I look around, desperate to find a way out of this. Until it comes to me. “Wait… if my body wasn’t that damaged I could come back, right?” I look at Louis, he seems taken aback and furrows his brow at me.

“You can’t. Your body is useless now,” he states putting himself together again.

“But maybe there’s another body,” I think out loud, not sure of what I’m doing or will do. “I won’t go, Louis. You won’t take me until I tell her.”

Now he glares at me, but I’m determined. I won’t go until I tell Cassidy I’m in love with her, even if it’s not in my own body. “You’re talking nonsense. Now come with me, Jake.” Louis holds his hand at me, as if he’s waiting for me to take it.

“No. I won’t go with you. Somehow, I’ll tell her!” I cry out and before he can do something, I run away.

I sprint out of there as I do every time I have training. It’s a good thing I was in the tracking team.

I don’t know where I’m going or if this is going to work, I just know I have to find a body. Someone who will allow me to come back and tell Cassidy what I feel for her. I can’t leave until she knows how I feel about her. That is all I know.

Somehow I get to the hospital and no one stops me from running in the halls. There’s no denial that I’m dead, after all. I’m just a ghost running, desperate to find a way to stay.

I don’t know what is guiding me, I just keep running until I get into a room where several nurses and doctors are trying to keep a boy alive. He’s probably my age and he’s in his bed, but he’s also next to himself, desperate to go back but he’s not moving, I can only see the desperation in his eyes.

He looks at me; brown eyes filled with panic on me and I know he can see me. “Help me!” He cries out and I swear to God I don’t know what I’m doing, I just act.

I grab his wrist. “You’re not dying and I’m not leaving!” I state as I pull him to his body again while the machines keep screaming that there’s no heartbeat. I don’t let go of his wrist and as he disappears into his body, I’m dragged along. Soon, everything is black again and I start to lose conscious of myself.

The last thing I hear before everything goes completely black is: “this won’t be like you expect, Jake Wood.” And I recognise Louis’ voice.

I don’t care. All I know is that Cassidy must know I love her, that I will always love her. That’s all I am now, a purpose: To tell Cassidy Morris I love her. 

-:-:-:-

Dedication to @snipergirl101. Thanks for you support and for the excitement. I hope you liked the prologue.

Bel, xx