I really wanted to bite him.
That's what happens when your brain short-circuited from love and you started acting like a hormonal teenager. But hey—I couldn't say I didn't like it.
My face flushed, my teeth clenched to hide the stupid grin, and my chest? Like you're in rock concert, thumping loud.
Kaelen would've been smug as hell if he'd seen me.
Which made it worse.
Which made it better.
Ugh.
But what could I do? Or maybe the right thing to say is—I didn't want to do anything about it.
[…]
It has been more than a semester since the pandemic hit. Lockdown still going strong. Online shopping became a religion.
And here in the tropics, months ending in -ber wouldn't bring cozy sweaters—they brought rain. A whole sky-load of it.
That's exactly why I was again sitting by the window this chilly morning, watching rain pound down like it had a serious beef with the earth. It had started just past midnight, and the weather report mentioned La Niña.
Great. Just in time for year-end.
The winds had been whispering for a while that we'd still be stuck at home until the upcoming next year. I didn't want to hear it—but you know how winds are. They were persistent. Nosy.
I told Auriel about it. A couple of my friends too—those who knew me as me. The real me.
And two weeks later, Auriel texted.
COVID positive. She and her son.
I told her to lock themselves upstairs and quarantine.
Auriel was a badass psychic, but when it came to her son? Total mama bear mode. Between totally frantic and blank brain.
More reason for me to chat with her every day. Just to check on them.
She lived on the south side of town. Told me one of our posh clients had sent them meds and vitamins. I literally exhaled.
A rich friend during a pandemic? Blessings. Hospitals were running out of everything.
Kaelen, meanwhile, had just checked into his quarantine hotel in KL. He sent me a video tour of the room.
I could tell it wasn't his usual setup. Standard deluxe. Still five stars, but... humble, by his standards.
I didn't say anything, of course.
Also didn't mention the extra... um, few invisible patrons I saw cozying in his room corner.
He'd told me before—if I saw "other things" like these invisible patrons around his room, I didn't need to tell him.
Fine.
Lucky for him.
Sucks for me and my bloody psychic sight.
Because the thing about my sight?
It doesn't care about distance.
I could see, hear, and sometimes feel the unseen anywhere, especially if I had a soul link with someone—friends, relatives, even friends of friends.
It's not a gift. It's a full-time job I didn't apply for.
I only started learning how to lock it down in my twenties
Still working on the user manual.
Anyway—back to Kaelen's room.
There was something there. Not malicious. Not clingy. Just... old energy.
So I let it be.
I'm not a ghostbuster, and I have no plans to be.
Be well, spectral friend. Just stay out of my man.
It's a bit gloomy," I texted, after watching his room tour.
Yups. Old building."
He followed up with a photo—his window view showed another hotel across the street
Here just for quarantine sayang. I'll move there later. Already arranged."
Okay, babe."
I forgot that he didn't like an okay reply. He said it was none specific answer. Huff...
I mean, alright, sayang. Just... doesn't look like your usual room."
Sayang... you know you can tell me anything, right?"
Anything? You sure?"
Yes. Things like how pretty and sweet you are."
KAELEN!!!"
Yes, sayang?"
I groaned. Tossed my phone on the bed.
This man.
He knew exactly how to get on my nerves and under my skin at the same time.
Annoying.
But I like it.