Are you enjoying it so far? :)

- Sian

"What're you so giddy about?" Tom asked, pouring himself more soup.

"Nothing," Alfie said, looking at his watch even though he checked five minutes ago.

"Do you have a client? There's not one scheduled for tonight," Molly said, appreciating Tom's abilities to cook good food.

"Yes."

"Is it the boy from yesterday?"

Alfie nodded.

"So, do you know him?"

"Yes. He's in my art class."

"Who does he want to communicate with?" Tom asked.

"His mother."

"Poor kid. Did she die recently?"

"The week before last." Alfie rechecked his watch. It was 6:30 pm. He did say for Koda to come anytime after six, so he technically wasn't late. Still, it didn't do anything good to Alfie's nerves, knowing that his crush could knock on the door at any minute.

"Are you friends?" his dad asked.

"Not really. I don't think he knew I existed before last week."

Tom nodded. Not once in his son's life had he brought a friend home or a girlfriend. As far as he was aware, Alfie showed no interest in relationships of any kind.

"Oh, Alfie, your art teacher phoned earlier," his mother said, taking plates to the sink. "I have to go into college tomorrow to talk to her."

Alfie thought back through the last few college days. Miss pecan avoided him like he was a contagious disease. He worried that she was feeling guilty because she might be kicking him out of college. Alfie knew he deserved it. He wasn't a very interactive student and put minimal levels of care into his studies. "Did you tell her about my ghosty situation?"

"Yeah, and her reaction was very bland."

"Weird," Tom mumbled before the doorbell rang and his son dashed from the kitchen at an impressive speed, screeching that he would answer it.

Alfie hauled the door open to see a postwoman with a parcel for his father. He wanted to slam the door in her face, but it wasn't her fault.

"Thanks," he mumbled, but before he shut the door, from the corner of his eye, a familiar figure paced back and forth at the bottom of the driveway. Alfie pulled his sleeves down and wandered towards him.

Koda faced away from the house, thinking about leaving for the tenth time since he arrived. Then he thought about his mother and turned back around, almost walking into the short kid. "Jesus!" he breathed and placed a hand over his frightened heart.

"No, but close enough." Alfie crossed his arms and pretended like he wasn't bubbling with excitement. "How long have you been out here?"

"A while."

Alfie leaned against the fence. Koda wore a flannel shirt that fitted him very well. His eyes threatened to stare at his chest every time he looked up. "You can come in you know. I'll make you some tea, and we'll take our time. I don't want you to have a nervous breakdown on me. I'd panic with you."

Koda nodded and stopped himself from pacing. "It's just so weird, you know? All of this is just odd. What the hell am I doing here?"

Earlier, Koda was fine; now he was the definition of anxiety. Alfie knew it was the grief. Koda was usually very chilled and happy, not caring about the rush around him and living at his own pace, the opposite of the Koda standing in front of him.

"Relax, you're overthinking this. I'm not going to force my crystals down your throat or anything." Alfie turned and marched up the path, stopping when he didn't hear footsteps behind him. "Come on, I don't have all night," he lied. He would wait forever for Koda Oaks.

When Koda followed, Alfie guided him to his office, thankful that his parents didn't pop up to see him. They didn't know he was gay and if they saw the way he acted around his classmate, they might suspect something. Alfie wasn't fond of anyone. He was always very blank and blunt around people. He was still like that around Koda, just a little less.

When Alfie shut the door, Koda sat in one of the velvet chairs, taking time to look around the room. It was small and box-shaped. The walls were dark blue with posters of a starry sky, palm reading, the layout of a brain, and a poster that had nothing but trippy colours mixed together. There were shelves all around the room. Some holding Alfie's impressive crystal and stone collection, books, candles and random objects scattered everywhere. Alfie seemed to be the person who would call his mess organised.

"A crystal ball? Really?" Koda reached out to touch the globe in the middle of the table, but a small hand smacked his away.

"If you're going to insult it, you can't touch." Alfie watched his eyes dart around the room again. "You probably have questions." He crossed his arms and made himself comfortable. "Ask if it'll help."

Koda felt better now that he was sitting down. "Why are you so vocal about being a medium? You get bullied for it."

"And? Are you saying that I shouldn't be myself?"

"No, I'm saying that you might have friends if they thought you were normal." Alfie felt like Koda had thrown a hammer at his head, and Koda could see the shock in his eyes. "That came out wrong, like really wrong. I didn't mean for it to sound so horrible."

"It's fine; I know what it's like not being able to think before you speak." Alfie looked away, thinking back to the first words he spoke to Koda.

"What I mean is-" Koda paused and sighed. He couldn't dig his way out. "You're so confident and proud. Do you not wonder what it would be like if you kept it a secret?"

"Do you have any other insulting questions?"

"I didn't mean-"

"I know, I'm joking. I get that you're a non-believer and you're curious." Alfie could take insults as easy as he gave them.

Koda tilted his head and studied Alfie for long enough to make the medium's cheeks burn. "What?" Alfie asked, feeling himself heat up. He felt so exposed in the gaze of someone who's judgement mattered.

"Why are your eyes two different colours?"

"Genetics. My dad has them too."

Koda nodded, rubbing his chin like he was genuinely interested. "I'm here for you to prove to me that ghosts are real and that you can see my- my mother."

"She's not here yet. We can try to summon her?"

Koda's face drained of colour. "That's a thing?"

"Yes." Alfie eyed Koda's hand, knowing he'd have to hold it to make a deeper connection. He could feel his own getting sweaty. "Only if you want to talk to her today. You don't have to yet if you're not comfortable."

Koda rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd like to learn more about what you do. Can you prove to me that ghosts are real?"

Mister Dorinto stood in the corner of the room with a big grin.

"I have a ghost here who will help with that. Tell him to move anything in this room." Alfie wished Koda's mother was here so he could tell Koda stuff that only his mother would know. That was how he usually persuaded people.

"Even your crystals?" Koda asked.

"No." Alfie turned to Dorinto. "Touch them, and I will figure out how to kill you again."

Koda watched the short kid speak to someone who he couldn't see. He wondered how long it would take for him to get used to it. Right now, it made his skin itch with uncomfortable emotions.

"By the way, it's okay to freak out. Non-believers are the most amusing people to convince, but your reactions concern me. If you're going to faint, there's a couch in this room for that reason."

Koda sat up straight and rubbed his eyes. The situation felt like a mad dream. He was surprised the most by Alfie. He was rumoured to be insane, weird, and just someone to avoid, but there was nothing that odd about him other than the fact he could see ghosts. Koda couldn't believe he had fallen into the trend of staying away from Alfie, just because of the rumours. "Um, move that little vase."

On a shelf behind Alfie, a small red vase sat in the middle of the wood, holding a pink carnation. Alfie turned and watched Mister Dorinto walk up to it and lift a hand near. The ghost closed his eyes and the medium felt the tension in the room getting thicker. The energy from the spirit prickled the back of his neck. Alfie fought harder to keep the connection going.

After a few seconds, the vase flew off the shelf and smashed on the floor.

"He said to move it, not break it," Alfie groaned and turned back to his crush. "Are you going to faint?" Koda was so still, he didn't look real. His eyes fixed on the vase, and they didn't move, he didn't blink. He didn't even look like he was breathing.

Koda then cleared his throat. "How did you do that?"

"That obviously wasn't me." Alfie rested his elbow on the table and his chin on his palm. Non-believers were in denial for the longest. "Ask him to move something else."

Koda looked around the room. "Move the plant." By the door, a big Areca palm plant sat in an even bigger white pot.

"That's quite heavy. It uses a lot of my energy-"

"Are you saying he can't move it? Or are you worried because you haven't rigged it?" Koda challenged, crossing his arms.

Alfie raised a brow and sat back in his chair. "Move it Dorinto."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Mister Dorinto made no sound on the creaky floorboards as he knelt by the plant. He hesitated, staring at Alfie until he knew he wouldn't change his mind.

"Watch," Alfie said when Koda was still staring at him.

As the atmosphere grew even denser and a high pitched noise drowned out the sound of Alfie's heart, the plant started to shake before the pot moved to the left by a few inches. Koda leaned closer with big eyes. He couldn't see anything that would make it move, like strings or a magnet. The pot was made of stone.

He stared with an open mouth until Alfie said, "enough."

The plant pot stopped moving, and Koda's interest diverted back to the medium. Alfie had a hand against his head with closed eyes. A small dribble of blood was coming out of his nose. "Are you okay?"

Alfie heard the concern. "I told you it would use a lot of my energy." He wanted to drop his head against the table and sleep until morning.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed for it."

"You shouldn't have, but I understand why you chose something heavy. Next time, believe me when I say it's hard."

Koda nodded as Alfie reached for a box of tissue's that was conveniently in the drawer next to his chair. Koda wondered if he dealt with nosebleeds often.

"Is he still here, the... the ghost?"

"His presence is, but I can't see him anymore."

Koda played with his fingers for a while. He felt strange like someone had proven something impossible. Alfie tried, but there was still doubt in the back of his mind, though he was very close to believing him. All Koda needed now was to speak to his mother. "Okay, I want you to summon her but not today. You've done enough."

"What are you, my parent?" Alfie scoffed. Deep down, his core warmed over Koda caring about his wellbeing. "I'm fine. I'll bounce back quickly."

"No, I don't want you to push yourself. I need to process what I saw anyway." Koda stood up. Something about Alfie's office calmed him. Maybe it was the smell, the silence, or the fact that he liked small spaces. Or maybe it was Alfie's presence and how his real personality was easy to be around. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait." Alfie hauled himself to his feet. He knew that what he was about to ask wasn't necessary. He usually contacted clients by email, but Koda didn't need to know that. "Can I have your number?"