Star Crossed, Sammisawr [ereader for textbooks .txt] 📗

the exact spot he was yesterday, sleeping peacefully. She watched him breathe and carefully removed a strand of his hair from his eyes, heart beating fast as she attempted the act. Surprisingly enough, she managed to do the act and he moved slightly, causing her to draw her arm back.  
 
As he fell back to sleep, Helen gazed at the young face before her, wondering on how such a tender person could be so distant at times... yet so caring.
William awoke 5 minutes later; blinking his eyes several times he smiled as he saw Helen sitting in front of him, looking much better. Squeezing her hand he sat up straighter, "Feeling better, I presume?" 
Helen woke early the next morning alone. She was disappointed that William wasn't there with her. It was slightly frightening to realized how much she liked being around William. She knew it wasn't right either. You couldn't have any kind of affection for a ghost because they were dead. No matter how hard she tried it wouldn't change the fact that if she got to attached to William, there would be problems.  
Not to mention the other ghosts. William had said that if another ghost touched you in a foul mood, you would become ill. How long could she stay in this house when her well being was always going to be in danger? 
Smiling, she nodded. "Yes, much better than before, thank you." She said, leaving her hand in his. She wondered if he had forgotten about their argument earlier as she let her eyes wander around her room, taking in details from the decorated walls. Her eyes traveled back to William; "Were you here all night long?" 
"Yes, I think so." He smirked, "Is that bad?"  
 
Helen smiled in response to his smirk, "No, not in the least." 
Helen went back under her covers, earning raised eyebrows from her companion. She laid on her left, facing him with a hand under her head. "I wonder what father will say if he sees me now." She wondered aloud. "He comes interrupting at the most crucial times."  
 
"Evidently so." William agreed. "Do you still feel weak?"  
 
"No, not much." Helen answered with a warm smile. "Why, how long is this supposed to last?" 
William shrugged, "Not very I think. The waves will come in waves for the next one or two days...I'm not sure. It varies from person to person."  
 
Helen nodded, "I see..." pulling her hand which held his closer to her face she felt no coldness, only the warmth that comes from love. 
William looked down at her, noticing the calmness of her pose. He felt partly guilty that she had been touched; yet, a part of him thanked the event. Looking at her, he started to wonder on his feelings again.  
 
"What are you thinking about?" He asked her after a while of silence.  
 
Blinking, she raised her eyebrows. "What?"  
 
"Your thoughts."  
 
"Life." She said after a moment of hesitation. 
"What about life?"  
 
"Well..." she said slowly. "I guess about you, the other Existence, the old photograph in the attic, everything I guess. What about you?"  
 
William shrugged. "Nothing...just about how your father will probably come barging in in a couple of minutes."
Glancing at the clock beside her, Helen scowled at the time; "Yeah, definitely in a few minutes." She sighed, closing her eyes.  
 
William watched her with interest but turned his gaze to his hand. Her hand did not go through his, oddly enough - it was as though she knew how to care for him..  
 
"Tired, still?" William asked.  
 
"Nope." Helen answered. "I think I hear father..." 
 
William smirked. "As do I. Well," he picked up her hand and kissed it softly, "until next time I hope." And he vanished.  
 
"Darling are you sure you're feeling better?" he asked walking into her room. 
"Yes, father." Helen answered, sitting up to prove her point.  
 
"You still look a bit pale." He said, advancing forward. Placing a hand on her forehead, a smile crossed his lips. "Well, you're doing well since last night, that's for sure. Can you handle breakfast, do you think?"  
 
"I believe so, but only a small portion today." Helen answered.  
 
"Very well." Her father answered, kissing her on the forehead. "I'll make sure it's ready downstairs. In the meantime, go and have a bath." 
Helen nodded pushing back her covers. As her father left she grabbed a change of cloths and headed towards the bathroom. Running the hot water for a moment she clogged the drain and added some bubbles.  
 
Taking off her cloths slowly she settled in the tub, sinking in so the bubbles covered everything but her head. She sighed, it was peaceful.  
"William! What are you doing here?"  
 
"Well now, this would be awkward if I was looking now wouldn't it?" William said appearing on the sink, his hand over his eyes. 
"..You weren't, were you?" Helen asked cautiously, pursing her lips.  
 
"No, of course not." He answered with a smile, making her sigh in relief. "I was just making sure you were alright." He said, resting his head on his hands.  
 
"You just asked a few minutes ago." Helen pointed out, holding back a smile. "Why the sudden concern?"  
 
"One can't be too careful." William said mischievously. 
"Or one can never be too nosey...” she added with a smirk.  
 
"That too," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "But tell me, what's it like?"  
 
"What's what like?"  
 
"A bubble bath."
Helen bit back her laugh at his question, pressing her lips together. "It's... soothing, really. Feels clean and foamy." She furrowed her brows, trying to find a decent explanation to the ghost.  
 
"Clean and foamy? I'd think so after what happened last night." William said with a wide smile, rolling his eyes playfully.  
 
In return, Helen scowled at him. "Well, of course it is!" She laughed. 
"If I keep my eyes closed can I put my head up, I'm getting a head ache," William said, sounding like a little kid.  
 
"Yes, I suppose so, I'm covered in bubbles anyway."  
 
Lifting his head he rested his chin on his hands and looked at her through closed eyelids. "So your dad believes you?" 
"I have no idea." Helen answered, making him raise his eyebrows. "He's been accepting all answers from me lately. I think he might suspect something going on."  
 
"You should find out." William replied. "Still, it might not be too serious. He's a doctor and even though they don't tend to worry much, they definitely will to their own children."  
 
"Oh, obviously so." 
 
"What are you going to tell him?" William asked.  
 
"About what?"  
 
"Us, you and me. I mean he's going to wonder who this mysterious boy is who you keep talking to."  
 
"I just won’t tell him, easy as that."  
 
William rolled his eyes, "you know that’s not true." 
Helen sighed and settled further into the bubbles, pondering deeply. William had a point - there is no way her father would allow her to be quiet about it... especially after she had mentioned the word love associated with William.  
 
"Sooner or later, the truth will out, yes..." Helen started, biting her lips.  
 
"But..?" William urged, sensing the graveness in her tone.  
 
"But... how will he accept it? William, look at me." The sharpness of her tone made him open his eyes, gazing deep into those green ones. "He can't even see you." 
"Only because he doesn't believe..." William said hovering above the sink and moving closer to the tub. "If he truly believed in me he could see me. Like you did. But question, why would he question you about me any further? Just tell him I'm a friend from down the lane or something."  
 
"...I don't think I can..." she said slowly.  
 
"Well why not? It's not like you said you loved me or anything, I mean we just met," he said trying to be casual.  
"If we were that casual over friendship, then why would I even bother to tell him in the first place?" Helen pointed out. "If he believes in you... would he really be able to see you?"  
 
"Do you believe in ghosts before you came here?" William asked.  
 
"No, not really. I just expected to see you when I saw that flicker."  
 
"There's your answer." 
"I don't know why would you say something about me?" he asked referring to her earlier question.  
 
She raised an eyebrow, "you tell me."
"What do you mean?" William countered, evidently surprised.  
 
"After all those... surprise scenes, he would definitely need an explanation. I... I've been asking him a few questions." Helen answered. "In any case, he knows I love you anyway. It's just your identity which is still a shadow to him." She continued, blushing deeply.  
 
Struck cold by her answer, William gazed into her green eyes, minutely speechless. 
"So..." he knows I love you anyway.  
See I told you she loves you. Now open your heart and love her back.  
"Shut up," he muttered.  
Fine, just because you won't admit it doesn’t mean it's not true.  
"I have to go..." he said putting his feet to the ground and walking through the door. 
"William, please..." Helen whispered, stopping him in his tracks. "Don't go."  
 
He turned his head around and looked at her in a pained expression. Helen's eyes met his icy blue ones, but eventually, he turned and left, leaving her alone. With a sigh, Helen stood up and grabbed a towel, keeping her eyes on the closed door. 
"You know you really shouldn't keep leaving her like that," a little boy said coming up beside William.  
 
"And you really shouldn't listen to other people’s conversations, Jimmy. Go away," William said, continuing to walk.  
 
"Fine…just keep pushing her away…It's your fault if you can't get through…" Jimmy said skipping away. 
William reached out and grabbed the boy by his collar. "What did you say?" He challenged.  
 
***  
 
Helen chose a deep blue gown from her wardrobe, nodding her thanks as the maids helped her into it. She sat by the dressing table and brushed her damp hair, reminding herself to plait it later. As she finished fastening her silver locket, she descended the stairs and saw her father on an armchair in the living room.  
 
"You sure took your time, but the wait is worth it." Dr. Watson greeted her, kissing her cheek as he stood up. "Better than before, most definitely.  
 
"Thank you." Helen replied with a smile, allowing herself to follow her father into the dining room.
"I said it's your own fault if you can't get through!" Jimmy yelled vanishing from Williams grip.  
 
You know he's right...  
"I thought I told you to SHUT UP!" William yelled sinking through the floor, his hands over his ears.  
 
***  
 
"Now, about this William boy. He's the one you say you love?" Dr. Watson asked his daughter, setting down his coffee cup.  
 
"Yes, Father."  
 
"I want to meet him."
Hearing William's pained voice, Helen raised her head in surprise, moving her eyes towards the direction of the voice. Her father followed her gaze, seeing nothing of interest.  
 
"Helen?" He asked softly. "What is it?"  
 
"William..." She whispered worriedly, enough to reach her father's ears.
"He's in this house? Where?"  
 
***  
 
"Just...Go away! I don’t want you here anymore! Please! Please...just...go away..." he said falling down onto his knees in the middle of the main hallway. "I...I don't want you here...Helen...just...leave..." he said. Breaking down he started to dry sob, saying as ghosts can't cry.  
 
He was so confused. He had feelings for Helen, true. But he also didn't want to get too close. For if he got too close, it would only end up hurting one of them. The only way to make sure of that was for her to leave the mansion. Forever.
"Father... William... William's a ghost." Helen said softly, lowering her head. "I met him when I looked around the