Dead Guy Magnet Part Two

After swearing to all things important in my life, that I would help him, Corey finally left me alone. We planned for him to show up just after school tomorrow. I tried to finish my homework but thats kinda hard when you have a murder to solve. So I decided to get down to business. I started by calling my best friend Asha, she is one of those people who somehow happens to know everyone's business, sometimes before even they do. She is also one of two people who aren't my in my family or supernatural in some way who know about my gift. She is also Wiccan, not just some goth kid who says stuff like "blessed be" and the like, she was raised Wicca, her mom is a witch too. So, yeah, I thought talking to her was a great place to start. She answered on the third ring.

"Hey, Rayne, whats up?"

"Hey, I've got some questions for you. You know that kid Corey who went missing not long ago?"

"Yeah," she answered, sounding suspicious.

I spoke again, before she could. "What do you know about him? Like was he dating anyone, having family issues, or anything?"

""Whoa, Rayne, this is sounding a bit crazy even for you. Whats up, why the sudden interest in this guy?"

"Shit," I said, knowing there was no way around telling her. "Well you know how I told you about the ghost who's been hanging around me?"

"Yeah..."

"Well its him, and now he wants me to find his body and his killer."

"Shit."

"Yeah, I already said that. So, will you help me?"

"Of course I will, in any way I can."

"Thanks, first do you know anything about him?"

She paused, I swear I could hear her thinking. "He had been going out with Jessica Renolds, but they broke up like a week before he disappeared."

"Suspect number one, go on."

"Oh come on now, I know Jessica can be a royal bitch, but do you really think she could kill?"

"No, but nobody is innocent until we know for sure. Plus you know what they say, hell hath no fury.."

"Like a woman scorned, yeah, whatever. Any way, lets see... I don't know much about his home life, but his sister Shelly goes to Roosevelt too so we could talk to her."

"Good, we should also interrogate his friends." I said that then thought better of it. "Well of course we can't come off like we're interrogating them. Damn," I said because I realized that one more person had to be brought into this plan. "I guess we should tell Aidan (the third in our trio of bffs), he may not hang with Corey's crowd but he knows a lot of those guys. They might be more willing to talk to him."

"Rayne, I love you but sometimes I swear you've lost some brain cells. He should talk to Shelly. Word is she has a crush on him anyway. You talk to the guys. Your hot, they will so talk to you."

"Ok whatever, but you come with me, your hot too."

"But I'm gay..."

"OK now whose loosing brain cells? What straight male hasn't had a lesbian fantasy?"

She paused, "OK, yeah you got me. I'm in, but I'm not making out with you," she said while dissolving into giggles.

I laughed too before speaking again. "Don't worry, no matter how cute you are that is not on my to do list. Straight girl remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, you know you wanna kiss me. Straight or not, cause everyone wants a piece of me. Ha!" We both laughed good and hard then. Not because she isn't hot, she is, but she isn't full of herself. That is just a part of her personality and humor. She like most truly beautiful people doesn't know just how gorgeous she really is. Her skin is about the same light caramel brown as mine, but hers has a dash of something darker like a drop of dark chocolate. Her hair is that brown that is so dark that it is mistaken for black, it is thick and curly and stops just above her shoulders. The thing that really makes her stand out in a crowd is her eyes. They are the bright green of spring grass with flecks of light brown in them. She gets her eyes from her mom's side, they are mostly from Ireland and Scotland. As you have surely guessed, she too is mixed. Her dad is Black.

As soon as we were both able to speak again we came up with a plan of action. She would call Aidan and brief him on the plan. We would all try our interrogations during lunch the next day. Now that I had a plan of sorts I felt that I could get my homework done.

"Great, thanks Asha, see you in the morning." We hung up and I returned to my studies before passing out.

Dead Guy Magnet

I'll be the first to admit it. I tried to ignore the dead boy who insisted on hanging around me, but damn, the dearly departed really can be persistent. This particular ghost had been haunting me for the past day and a half. I finally gave in when I was in my room doing "homework". He had been hovering by my window making pathetic moaning sounds.

"Seriously," I said while looking up at him. "Where did you learn to be a ghost?" He stared at me, a look of shock on his face. I know that was harsh, but I just wasn't in the mood. I had enough crap going on in my life lately.

Finally he spoke. "Well its not like I had any warning. One day I was living my fairly average teenage life, next thing I know, I'm dead. Dying can be pretty disorienting. The moaning was my last ditch effort to get your attention." He smiled at me, a kind of lopsided grin, that was somehow familiar. I really looked at him for the first time sense he had been haunting me. Ghosts look kind of like walking (floating?) water colors. Not exactly solid, but not quite transparent either. Anyway I was noticing that this one was kinda cute. His hair was brown with subtle streaks that were lighter, almost blond. His hair had the kind of look that people try to get by frosting theirs. His looked natural. His skin gave the impression of mixed heritage. But not like mine (Black, White and Cherokee) he looked like his mix was either Latino or Native and White. His skin was olive with a hint of coppery brown to it. His eyes, whoa, his eyes were the color of tigers eye. I had to shake myself to stop looking. I didn't need any more dead guys in my life.

I guess now would be a good time to explain that last statement. See I have been gifted with what my mothers (and partially my) people call the second sight. I can see ghosts and other specters. I can also see or more like, feel out vampires, lycanthropes, fairies and other things that aren't supposed to exist. Recently a vampire has shown an interest in me. I'm really trying to stay away, but damn he is hot. But anyway, as if that wasn't enough now here comes yet another dead guy. My biggest question is, are all dead guys hot? Cause if they are, then I hope I never meet any more.

Alright now back to the ghost in my bedroom. "I'm sorry, I know I was too harsh on you," I said while sitting up and brushing my dark wavy hair out of my face. "Its just that I have a lot of stuff going on in my life lately. Thats why I've been avoiding you. Also, I haven't ever had a ghost that I don't know hang around me. So anyway, whats up?"

He looked slightly annoyed before starting to speak. "Well," he started, "I was hoping that you could help me find out how I died."

I just looked at him, waiting for him to be serious. He didn't say anything more so I did. "Your kidding."

"I wish I was Rayne, but I'm not. I don't even think anyone knows I'm dead yet, which brings me to my second request. I also need you to help the authorities find my body."

My mind started spinning, at the same time I realized that I did know this ghost. Or at least I knew of him. "Your Corey Hernandez, that kid who's been missing..." I trailed off, because now I knew that he wasn't just missing. "Shit." I said aloud, then thought to myself, why me?

"Shit is right, so will you help me?" He gave me that lopsided grin again. Damn him.

"Stop the grinning, I know what your doing." I leaned my back against the wall, folded my arms across my chest and gave him my own smile. He just looked at me so I continued. "Your trying to win me over with your charm."

His grin got bigger, "so you think I'm charming eh? Is it working?"

I'm pretty sure my face is as red as a firetruck now. "No and no," I said while trying to gain some kind of composure. "I am going to help you though, but I'll have you know, its because I'm a nice person. Thats all." I said that last, hoping I didn't sound like I was trying to convince myself.

"Mmm hmm." He grinned again, "what ever you say."

Damn him, "thank you would suffice."

"Thank you," he said. And thats how I ended up searching for a killer.