Almost close yet far away 2

Leo walked out of the kitchen with a cup of warm milk and handed it over to Nicole. he sat on the sofa across her and watched her as she drunk the milk. When she looked up, she had a line of milk around her that made her look like a man with a moustache.

Leo chuckled looking at her.

''Why are you laughing?'' Nicole asked him and he continued to laugh shaking his head.

''You look so weird right now, Nicole'' he said and she frowned.

''Weird, what's weird?''

''Wait'' he suddenly stood up and touched her lips and she stiffened. He wiped away the milk and looked at her and she blushed. He took his hand away quickly and sat back, ''sorry'' he realised his actions were a little intimate.

''Oh. Thanks for the milk'' Nicole said, trying to make it less awkward. ''I'm sorry you had to hear all those words from Miss Betty''

''It must be hard, right?'' Leo looked at her and she smiled clutching her fingers around the mug.

''No, is not hard. Is rather normal, coming from her. She is probably scared I might end up alone'' Nicole said. Her voice sounding weak and soft.

''Can I ask what happened to you? Your mother mentioned an accident!'' Leo realised he couldn't let those words go. he was even now more curious about her life.

''Don't ask, I hate talking about it'' she said as a matter of fact. Her voice was a little loud and she looked a little coldly towards him at the mention of the accident. It was the matter she had never spoken about since waking up.

''Ok'' seeing that she didn't want to talk about it he didn't push further. They sat silently looking at each other for some time and Nicole spoke up.

''Lizzy wants revenge!!!''

Leo looked at her, ;'What did you say?''

''I know what I'm going to say may sound crazy but I just want you to believe me'' If he didn't believe her, there was little she could do.

''Alright''

''The thing is, Lizzy came to me; as a ghost to ask for my help. You do know that u can see dead people, right?''

'Yes, I do. I would be the crazy one if I didn't believe you after witnessing so much in the last few days since we met''

''Crazy, right?''

''Yes, but you said I should believe you so I will just believe it to be true. Though I am curious about how that happened, but I know you won't tell me''

''You are right. We are here because of Lizzy and we are only going to talk about her. Lizzy wants revenge; she wants you to make sure those people are arrested.

''Ok, I already asked someone to look into her death. A private investigator''

''You did? I see. Lizzy will be happy to hear this. I mean the fact that you are looking into her death''

''I owe Lizzy an explanation''

''She said you would feel that you have to do something about her death, so I should help you find those who killed her''

''She finally found you after death'' Leo suddenly said and chuckled.

''what do you mean she finally found me after she died. Was she looking for me?'' Nicole furrowed her brows.

''She was always looking for you since the day you disappeared. She did so many things just to find you but I guess death was the only way she could be reunited with you'' Leo said and stood up, 'she went to the school and asked if she could see the transfer documents but since they were confidential, they didn't let her''

''Lizzy looked for me?'' Nicole eyes flickered.

''Nicole, I never got to apologise for being such a jerk back then. I'm sorry for what I did that day. Now that I am looking back, it was the lamest thing to do. I was foolish back then''

''I need to go!'' Nicole stood up and ran out.

''Hey wait!'' Leo ran out and saw her get into a taxi, 'she sure knows how to walk fast''

###

''Listen, you just need you to find out who that little bitch. Get me every fucking information about her down to the most insignificant news about her'' Priscy screamed into the phone and hung up. She sat across Ray who was sipping wine and asked angrily, ''Ray, seriously? Is this the time to be drinking wine? I told you I saw them today. In fact, he left the meeting ground early just to go and meet that woman. What do you think their relationship is for them to even have lunch together?''

''Priscy, you are acting on your emotions. I will find out from Ray who that woman is'' Ray said calmly and continued to sip his wine. He looked at the wall were a giant picture of the three of them hanged and smiled. ''This was on your graduation day, remember?''

''Yes, and I planned to confess my feelings to him but he instead dropped the bomb in the name of Lizzy''

''Priscy, if you rush certain things, you will end up losing more than you've gained''

''But, I can't help feeling that Leo might like that woman. She is the same woman who came to Lizzy's funeral the last time''

When Ray heard that, he sat up and removed his shades and asked, ''the weird looking woman who had her entire body covered up? How do you know she is the one?''

''She had a scar around neck. I saw it when she bowed in front of the photo of Lizzy that day. That's not all, it seemed that scar reached to her hands because I saw it when she shook Leo's hand''

''Really? This is strange. Who is she? A friend of Lizzy or what?''

''I don't care what she is. I just need her away from Leo. Sun can only belong to me, Ray. I have loved him for the past 15 years of our lives''

''Don't be too obsessed with Sun, Priscy. It isn't good for your health''

''What? Obsession? If I am obsessed, then what about you? You were practically lusting after Lizzy. Don't preach to me''

''Lizzy is gone; do you want to experience how it feels to lose the one you are crazy about?'' Ray raised an eyebrow at her daringly and her face turned green.

''What? Don't you dare lay your hands on Leo''

''Don't worry, Sun is my friend. I won't do anything as long as he doesn't cross my path''

###

Nicole arrived at the cemetery and went inside. She saw Lizzy and the others and walked to them. Lizzy's eyes were fixed on a glass on a grave stone. Nicole stood next to Candy silently.

''Concentrate Lizzy, you can do this'' Lizzy fixed her gaze on the glass and it fell down and broke.

''That was a close one'' Candy said. They were teaching her how to control things with her gaze since her body wasn't strong enough to hold objects.

''Granny can I rest for a while? I'm so tired'' Lizzy sighed tiredly and turned to see Nicole, ''oh, Nikki is here''

''En, I'm here to send you home'' Nicole said.

''Let's do this again tomorrow'' Granny agreed.

''You guys are doing pretty well. I'm sure Lizzy will be able to master the art of gaze control very soon'' Nicole said as they walked out of the graveyard.

A man came out from behind a tree, taking pictures of Nicole.

####

Nicole and Lizzy laid on the bed chatting as the former flipped through an album of their photos she had kept with her.

''Why didn't you tell me that you were looking for me before you died?'' Nicole asked.

''Tsk!! Would you have believed me if I told you?'' Lizzy looked at her.

''You could have tried. Like the way you did until I agreed to help you''

''I've seen you anyway. So, I don't have any regrets. I think I would have not been at peace even if I died under normal circumstances if I didn't get to meet you again''

''Did you miss me that much?'' Nicole smirked and Lizzy chuckled shaking her head.

''I'm tired. Lizzy closed her eyes and ignored Nicole.

''Hey, I'm not done''

''This bed is so cosy and warm'' Lizzy stretched her arms on the bed. ''It's late, you should catch some sleep, stubborn girl.

''I missed you Lizzy and I wished we spent more time before your death''

''Forget it, I don't need your fake love now''

''This is my sincere heartfelt words''

''I know, just sleep, okay? Nikki looked at her and also closed her eyes. ''Tell me! What happened today? You didn't look so cheerful when you came to see us?'' Lizzy asked.

''I had a fight with my mom. This time around, she really went overboard and I'm not going to see her again.

''Was Leo there?''

''Off course; it was a total embarrassment for me''

''She worries about you, try to understand her Nikki''

''She never considers my feelings anyway, so why should I?''

''It doesn't matter Nikki. She is still your mom no matter what.

''So thick skinned''

They both laughed.