Ghost In Red

---    

The tears formed in her warm blue eyes finally fell as she looked at me in disbelief, and I sweetly smiled at her in response.    

"I missed you, Syd. There's not been a day, an hour, a minute that you won't cross my mind and dreams." I confessed and bit my lower lip to hold my emotions and not cry.    

"I thought at first that it was just all... normal dreams, bad dreams, and nightmares. But I deeply know it might be not. And here we are. I'm so glad to see you again." I continued and brought my left hand to her face to wipe her tears away, and she cried more.    

Oh, no, she's in her vulnerable mode again. I clearly remembered those times she cried so much for me. Nonetheless, all the tears and sacrifices she spent on our journey together were given justice as we won the fight we fought. I cannot be here right now if not because of her and her stubborn but optimistic ass. And, of course, with the help of her ever-supportive friends.    

I chuckled when she asked, "Can I hug you?"    

"Do you really have to ask that, Sydee?" I replied and opened my arms to put her inside, carefully not to touch her casted left arm.    

Sydney sobbed on my right shoulder, and I caressed her back gently. She hugged me tighter using her right arm, and I felt my tears fall.    

It's a fantastic moment to feel this sensation again finally, and I can now prove that she's so warm to embrace. I exactly remember us this way.    

This angel did nothing but all good to me, despite all the bad things we've been through together since we were kids. I just couldn't help but laugh at our silly history. We both were ridiculous, but look at how the wind brought us together.    

"You don't know how happy I am, knowing you woke up and now you're here, OJ. You're here! And you're okay." She sobbed, and I am more than happy, too. We did it!    

"Hey, stop crying, Syd. It's okay. I'm here now. I'm alive! We're alive! We made it!" I hushed her and broke off from the hug to look at her face.    

"Damn, you really look so damn ugly when you cry! Could you stop it? Please?" I remarked and laughed even if I was crying, too.    

She let out a chuckle and wiped her tears using the right sleeve of her jacket.    

"So do you, silly. I hate you." She retorted and looked me in the eyes while pouting her pinkish lips.    

"Ah, I love you, too," I replied as I grinned, and I noticed how her face painted a bit of shock on it. What did I say wrong?    

"What?" I curiously asked her, and she shook her head while a smile was slowly creeping on her pretty face.    

"Nothing. I, too, love you so much, Mi Amor." She answered with a bright smile and affection in her eyes, and I felt my cheeks warming up and my heart flutter.    

That's it. I heard it fully now. It indeed sounds so good to listen to her call me that every time. Those moments were so precious, and I look forward to having more like those with her.    

"You know, there's a tiny part of me that finds everything I remember a bit weird, but I am certain what we had together was real. And it's all wonderful, Syd." I admitted and smiled when she gently pinched my left cheek.    

"Really? Wow! And how did you realize it was real?" She asked and wiped away something on my chin.    

"Well... It was quite a bit of a... Torture? I guess that's the right word for it." I began to explain, and her eyebrows met, and she asked, "Why so?"    

"Uh... Because... It was hard. I literally felt I was going insane because of you. My thoughts, memories, and dreams of you were like haunting me down to my grave. Like, you are aware I hated you so much before I got into that shit of an accident, right? And I was like how and why in the world I would be dreaming about you, let alone think about you twenty-four seven? It's mind-blowing, Syd! And... I had confirmed it when I received that box from you. And there's Sylvia. That's the adorable panda stuffed toy you gave me on our date back in that amusement park. And, girl, you look so effing cute on those pics you had on my phone. By the way, thanks for repairing my phone. I remembered I broke it internally when Vid and I headed East to meet Mom. And also, there are more moments that made me realize I wasn't just making up those thoughts of you in my mind. This. This pendant. I remembered how important it is for you. So I went to that pawnshop this morning to get it back. Then I met Madam Marcella. She helped me clear out my mind and organize my thoughts. And finally, I was so damn sure it was all real because of you and this talk we are having. It's crazy, huh?" I explained with all truth and what I could remember, and she just looked at me with her mouth partly open in surprise.    

"Indeed, crazy!" She muttered and softly chuckled, and she looked at the pendant on her lap.    

"Yeah! And, hey, the fortune-teller woman told me some other crazy sh*ts. I don't know if you will believe it, but I... I kind of find it... True. I mean, she had powers to see future and past events in one's life, right? And she told me a few. It's creepy, but I think it's worth it." I continued and saw she seemed intrigued about it.    

"Ooh, let me guess. Did she tell you that she had seen it coming that she could meet you in person? That we could do it even without her help? Did she?" Syd knowingly asked, and I nodded my head.    

"Exactly! And not just that, Syd. She also read my palm and told me a few details about my past life experiences, and she said you were there. Damn, we both know we are soulmates and fated to meet each other in every lifetime. That's truly promising. And then, there's this one thing she told me that sent extreme chills down my spine, and it involves this imperial jade pendant you have. This one exactly." I said and was excited to see her reaction to what Madam Marcella told me. She motioned me to go on, and I took a deep breath before telling her.    

"I don't know if you will believe it, but there's nothing to lose if you will. It's so weird, but she told me this precious jewel was mine once. And it meant to find you again. And it did, after a couple of hundred years! I guess that's why she accepted it with the price we wanted because she knows its worth and what's going to happen and what had happened. That moment I heard it, I got goosebumps all over my body! Insane, right? Who would ever think?"    

She pursed her lips and stared at the pendant and then at me.    

"Wow, I have no idea what to say. That's really insane!" She let out in awe, and we both laughed at it.    

"Yeah! Who knows we were royalties back then? You might have been my prince or princess, king or queen, empress or emperor. But the best part of it... is right now, you're mine. There is nothing better than that! I'm glad we met again. We met and realized we were soulmates at the craziest part of my life. Thank you for existing and for all the care and help you gave me, Syd. You are simply the best thing that ever happened to me. That will never change." I wholeheartedly told her, and she smiled sweetly, showing off her dimples. I am so lucky to be this gorgeous girl's girl.    

"Touché! I'm grateful for everything that has happened to us. Well, not all, especially in the talkingsh*t stage of our lives. But I meant every word I told you before if you remembered them." She replied and smirked, and I nodded my head.    

"Mhmm. Don't worry. I remembered them. So... Umm, I have one more thing I want to ask you now, Syd." I replied and asked her.    

I don't want to go home without finding an answer. I just want to know how it feels.