quote: "she dreamed impossible dreams. Followed her heart and created her own little fairytale," — unknown

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CASPER LAUGHED, STRINGS OF cheese from the pizza stretched in strings. Casper's ghostly uncles chewed in sync like always the food splattering onto the floor. I had always helped Casper clean it up, but lately, my mother had been doing it, bless her poor soul. My mother had now finally decided to live here, she had now quoted, "They need us just as much as we need them, I have decided to stay and I knew you had on the first night." She was happier and I guess that was what my father would have wanted. I knew that my mum was happy to spend her time hanging around with three mischievous ghosts, but it came to me that mischievous was an understatement.

I was full. I ate a much as I could, my mum ended up glaring at me, obviously judging my unladylike manners. I had of course given her that look of 'what did I do?' and pretended to be oblivious to her.  I turned towards Casper turned towards the setting sun, gazing through the dusty and murky window. Casper's ocean blue eyes were deep in thought, he bit his lip, then almost jumped out of his seat. I frowned a little no one could have scared him unless he was afraid of thin air or possibly because I was staring at him.

"May, how about we go to The Lake Tree?" Casper asked suddenly. I would have turned to my Mother but she was chewing slowly, laughing along with Stretch. "Pardon?" I had asked, dazzled in his appearance. I knew I would be like this forever, He smirked and winked. My mother seemed to be (finally) appalled that he would so something like that, but she had sort of had to know by now that we were very serious about one another. Casper smiled, quickly gathering our plates and I pushing in out seats before you could possibly even count to three. "Casper," I muttered, wanting to help him as he walked to the old sink, that had been here since Casper was, but my Mother had made some alterations at there has been a few leaks and bursts here and there.

"Can we please go?" I had asked, for the both of us. My mother nodded, then Casper pulled me along. Casper pushed open the side kitchen door and we stopped at the main entrance, Casper managed to catch me before I tripped which I was very thankful for. Casper walked a little in front of me as his strides were a fair bit longer than mine and pulled out a thick blanket that smelt like dust even from a distance and was frayed and very old, and then an old torch that reminded me of 'The Famous Five,' by Enid Blyton. Casper switched the switch on the old torch and then using his sweater sleeve to wipe away the dust, making it shine brighter, bewitching his face in a bright glow. "I thought it would be fun, stargazing." He muttered, smiling nervously.

I couldn't help but giggle girly at our red flushed faces. "Let's go then!" I exclaim almost a little too over exaggerating, then I felt a pang of heartache. I hadn't been stargazing since my dad died. I hated that I had often referred to things about my father like this, but he had become a ghost that almost failed to exist. Casper pulled the thick woolly blanket under his arm, it seemed rather light, but the dust had smeared his light chocolate brown sweater. I didn't want him to struggle, carrying it there and back, it was at least a ten-minute walk. He pulled my hand into his intertwining them together, I had suddenly felt the warm, goey feeling that made my heart flutter. It was such a simple action, that was so effective.

Casper hummed a gentle melody, that seemed to be from his past life some or of lullaby. It was much slower and built up over time. Casper's voice was gentle when he sang the tune that didn't have words, it sounded rather angelic. It made me smile, he had given up so much and lived his ghostly life alone for years and years, that bleed into decades. Casper was finally truly happy. This was all I ever wanted for him, my wish seemed to be his, different but the same aim; for Casper to be alive. I was scared he would turn to a ghost before my eyes, that this was all a too real dream.

"Casper?" I had asked, trying to make my voice less shaky. He had sensed something, his eyes were full of worry. "Can you promise me something?" Casper gave me a half smile, "Anything." Only if Casper knew what I was asking. "Please don't leave me, ever. Please promise me you won't leave me, I can't live without you. I know that what we have is different – as you've often told me. I can't stand the thought of losing you okay?" I felt my eyes brimming with tears, I blinked letting them fall. "Hey." Casper cued sweetly, dropping the somewhat blanket/rug, wrapping his arms around my frame. "What brought this on, love?" When Casper had said 'love' for the first time I had noticed a very slight British accent, somewhere along the lines he must have lost his accent or had some sort of family relation. "I can't lose you." I stuttered, snuggling closer into his arms, feeling the warmth and the beating of his alive human heart.

"May, you know that I would never do that to you. I would never ever try to hurt you or ever leave you." He whispered, his husky, sweet voice sending chills down my spine. I shuddered instantly. "May tell me what's bothering you. Please." He pleaded, his voice wasn't even in a tad frustrated, it was caring, kind and sincere. His lips pressed against my forehead, for a couple of seconds and I could feel his warm and soft lips lingering on my skin. "Tell," he kissed my nose, "Me" he pleaded, "What," then my left cheek, "Is," then my other cheek, "Wrong," then he pecked my lips. "Casper, I am afraid of what you would think of me...if I told you," I defended. "It doesn't matter." I said, "Please, just put this to rest."

"Nothing would ever change what I feel about you." He muttered, placing my hand on his beating heart. His beating heart was proof of the fact why he was living. I shuddered to feel of the temperature droop, holding my body closer to his. He sighed in annoyance, "I wanted to say something, but you have to say whatever you wanted as soon as we get to our destination." My heart jumped when he said, 'our.' Oh, I mentally slapped myself. I was a complete coward. Casper turned to leave me to trail after him. "I'll say it, alright! Stop being so bloody stubborn!" He turned, gesturing with his hands for me to speak. A small smile lingering, as he was trying to hide it.

"I love you!" I had said never meaning something so deeply nor had I ever felt so vulnerable to rejection. The frown Casper had disappeared and he was thinking hard, his face was unreadable. It was an utter shock that had appeared on his face. "Oh, so that was what you wanted to say?" He muttered quietly, I almost didn't hear him. "I'm sorry it was so soon, you were sort of begging me to tell you." I had feared rejection too, as as much as I had feared those three words.

The path twisted and the Lake, the old boat shed that needed a lot of repairing, the grassy field and The Lake Tree slowly came to view. "Begging is an understatement May." Casper kicked a stone and we both watch it go flying into the distance, along the dirt path, that was sewn with weeds. "I was afraid, that you'd reject me, too." He paused and turned towards me. "Please lose that look," He turned to face me his flushed face, matching my own. "It is making me very queasy." I had tried to calm my face, but I had felt my heart beat faster. I am sure Casper could hear it, It was rather loud.

I hid my face in my hands, "Of course, I feel the same way silly teenage girl." Casper loves me? oh, he loves me! I felt like I was prancing in a field of wildflowers, like in one of those silly Cartoons. I heart felt like it burst then filling all those cracks and the empty space and I could feel it pounding in my chest. I blinked furiously, fighting the tears happiness and joy. "Why are you crying?" He asked, concern lacing his words. Casper came closer, wrapping my arms around his neck and his own around my waist. "You love me?" I asked again. I loved the way he said the word love. "Yes of course, I love you." He had said his voice suddenly low, almost like he was keeping it from the trees. "More than life itself." He muttered more to himself than to me. "My mum was right! I am a lovesick girl. It must be so obvious!" I exclaim making Casper laugh, it made me so happy. His ocean eyes were brighter than ever even in the dim moonlight.

"I had heard the whole conversation between you and your mum." He swallowed and continued, he was opening up about that night. "I know you thought to bring Kat over would help mend things, but you don't understand. I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you. I love you too much. But that morning when you came down, I could see the pain in your eyes, that sacrifice you made behind the scenes, for that call. That was when I knew who I wanted to live for. You. That night Kat was saying goodbye, then someone tapped my ghostly shoulder. I had turned around and what I saw was your father and he spoke told me that I was the one you were meant to find, all long. In return he had given me my greatest wish of all, to spend my life with you."

Casper smiled and planted a soft kiss on my lips, I ruffled his hair jokingly. I looked back laughing. He gave me an annoyed look, his eyebrows frowning. "You're hair very stylish." I joked, waiting for Casper to start laughing as well, but I could see that he was struggling to keep that face. But then suddenly he cracked and suddenly I saw his smile, the one that I loved, and then he was shaking his head in disbelief. "Your adorable," Casper muttered, planting the blanket on the grassy ground. He sat down and turned towards me, patting the place next to him. I giggled, since when did I giggle? I had never felt this ashamed of giggling. Although I sighed of contentment when I had sat down. I scooted closer to Casper, who wrapped his arms around my frame. Casper rested his chin against the top of my head and then he too sighed. And then we sat talking and laughing, watching the stars until the early hours of the morning.

— Edited: 25/08/2019