Sapphyra

"Rough day" is an understatement." I mumbled, falling onto my bed face-first. I couldn't feel him sit next to me but I knew he was there. When I looked up he was there, laying beside me like he's done for the last 12 years.

"I heard. I'm not gonna press you about tryna replace me but–"

"Who said I'm replacing you?! Ugh, you sound just like mom." I groaned, pulling my pillow over my face.

His chuckle both haunted and soothed me at once. Memories danced across the darkness of my eyelids. I shoved them down, same as always.

"So why'd you do it then?" Leave it to Wyatt to ask the real question.

"I don't know."

"Remove the pillow and try again, ma'am." I could hear his smirk, plain as day.

"You're the worst." Complying with this wasn't easy, even for him but I did it anyway.

"Sapphyra..."

"What?"

"Don't shut me out. We're all each other's got, right?"

"...right." I sank into my comforter a little more. Meanwhile, Wyatt intended to pry the answer from me with a crowbar. The hard line of his mouth said it all.

"Why are you asking something you already know the answer to? If I'm sabotaging anything, it's because of you!" furrowing my brows, I sat up and glared at him.

Wyatt Hart, the love of my life. My high school sweetheart.

The literal skeleton in my closet that I refused to bury.

"Sapph, I'm asking because I need to hear you say it."

"No." I crossed my arms, he wouldn't win this one today.

"Sapphyra! Look at me. Really look at me."

"No..." I whimpered, eyeing the soft gecko patterns on my pink comforter–anywhere but at him.

I couldn't feel his touch but I remembered it. When his warm, calloused fingers would grasp my chin because I was being so goddamn stubborn–I remembered it.

It was here and now, as our gaze locked on each other.

Except the man before me wasn't really a man, not anymore. He was a skeleton wearing Wyatt's clothes, forcing me to gaze into the abyss of darkness where his eyes once sat.

Wyatt died 12 years ago. Right on my 18th birthday...

"Wyatt." I choked on his name, raw hurt clogging my throat.

He died when we planned on eloping-bags already packed to finally leave this decaying city for good.

Wyatt's skeleton sighed, holding out his ethereal arms.

"I'm here. Come here." I fell into my memories of him, letting them free at last. Every birthday party, picnic, exam study session–those were surface level. They still held my sanity.

Our first kiss took my breath away. He saw me, not as a tree to be climbed or a mountain to be conquered but as a woman. His woman. I let him in and I never regret it...until he died.

Until Guy Dynamo failed to save him on that day.

"Shh. You're thinking too hard. Go to sleep."

I scoffed, a bitter smile on my lips. "Sleep is for the weak."

"Don't you have a big day tomorrow?"

My meeting with the president. It's not everyday a girl gets to do that.

But who gives a flying fuck. I buried myself into the pillows, pretending they were his embrace.

"I don't want to sleep yet. You'll be gone when I do." Mentally cursing, I couldn't fight the yawn that escaped me.

"That's not fair. You act like I won't come back to you." He murmured in my hair, half buried into the mattress just to comfort me.

"One day you might not." My eyelids gave up the fight first, falling down like curtains.

"Sleep, baby. It's gonna get better." I could already sense he was slipping away from me. I'm not sure how it worked but when I needed him, Wyatt would come.

I'm sure if I could afford a therapist, they'd probably tell me it's something to do with grief and hallucinations blah-blah-blah.

My phones alarm woke me up with a screeching cat in the morning. At first, I panicked for two reasons.

Wyatt was gone. That one settled quickly, he never did stay past midnight anyway. The time though? It had my blood running cold. 7:20 a.m.

The bus stop is 5 minutes up the street and it takes 30 minutes to get into the Administrative part of the city!

Bread jumps out of the toaster. I grab it with my mouth and run out the door, still shoving my clothes on. I went with a white-sleeved button up blouse and black slacks, pretty professional as far as I'm concerned. It's a little tighter than when I bought it though–but I'll manage.

"Have a great day honey! I love you." My mom called out, waving from the front door as I made a mad dash down to the bus depot.

The bus doors were this close to folding before I shoved my hand in and forced myself through.

"Whoa! Jeez, Sapph, cutting it close there ain't ya? What are you doing up this early anyway?"

"Got an interview Dax! Sorry. Can you take me to–" I lean in, whispering the location to him. His eyes widened but nodded.

"Anything for you Sapphy. I still can't thank you enough for-" I cut him off, slicing my hand back and forth across my throat frantically.

"Er, Uh, nevermind." He blushed, poor old guy. No one paid him any mind but I couldn't be too careful.

Keep your head down. Don't interfere.

I'd helped Dax with his house before...just not all at once like Penny's place. No, I gave him the special wood and bricks he needed by converting some of the stuff in my void.

Penny. Even now I still can't figure out how I did what I did for her place.

The bus came to a stop a few yards away from the front of the President's massive marble mansion. It wasn't a public place so when security stopped me at the gate, it all felt natural.

"Hold it! No trespassers–"

"It's alright." A familiar voice cut off the security guard holding a gun to my head. My body stiffened and I tried my best to still my racing heart.

Guy Dynamo floated down in front of the guard. He didn't speak, just glanced at the man threatening my life with the coldest look I'd seen yet. I'm pretty sure the poor man pissed himself.

Would Guy yell? Give me the cold shoulder for how I treated him? Both things I absolutely deserved.

I don't know what I was expecting but a smirk coupled with an adorable dimple was not it.

"You look good, Cleanup girl."