Star Crossed by Sammisawr (online e reader txt) 📕

/> "You've no idea...to watch as every one around you can do the stuff you once were able to do but no longer can. To watch every one around you go off and live a life that could have been yours… to see the ones you love die and pass through as you try and get to them. But fail...” he finished quietly.  
 
Helen put her hand on his shoulder but it only went through him so she withdrew it quickly. "To have things go through you like you weren’t even there...” he added. 
 
"I'm sorry... I truly am. This is just nothing compared to what I've been through." Helen said, containing her emotions in. "I really don't know... how it'll be... to go through all that. But... I'd like to help." 
"Help? How can anyone help? How can you help if you can't touch me?" he said, his voice filling with anger mixed with sadness. He had never talked to anyone about this before. "Just forget about it. Just forget about me, I'll just disappear so you won't have to worry about me." Sinking through the floor he vanished.  
 
"But...I don't want to forget about you...” she said softly before she could think about what she was saying. 
 
"What?" he said as his head reappeared 
Helen turned her head slightly, blushing furiously. The ghost floated back up, waiting for an answer which, after a slight pause, was given; "I... I don't want to forget you. How can I?"  
 
"Can you? Just keep yourself busy for a while and you'll forget." He answered.  
 
"But I don't want to, don't you understand?" She managed, stepping forward. "I want to stay here, knowing that you're there."
"So…you feel comfortable with me here? Me, a ghost?" he asked slightly confused.  
 
"Yes…I do." she said blushing even darker.  
 
William gazed into her eyes. He saw that what she said was true. He wanted to tell her that he felt the same way, but it just wouldn’t come out. He opened his mouth to form words but none came. Instead he just kept thinking, Come on just tell her! It's not that hard, Helen, I like you too. Come on just say it!  
 
"Well that's nice to know," he said and immediately cursed himself. 
Surprised, Helen started to blush furiously with her answer. What was I thinking? That he'll like me too? He's too... unfeeling... She thought, feeling a sudden jolt of sadness in her heart. Hang on, this can't be true... he's a Ghost... I can't... can I?  
 
"But..." She tried to get her pride back. "I would, of course, leave you if you want me to."  
 
"I thought you didn't want to."  
 
"I don't." 
"Then why did you offer?" he asked tilting his head to the side.  
 
"Because, you obviously don't care about me. I'm just some girl that lives in your house."  
 
William put up his hands in a defensive mode and moved closer to her, "Hey now, I never said anything like that. Who knows, maybe I like you but I just can't say it." What? What the hell was that?!
Helen blinked in surprise upon hearing his answer. He was so different to the one she had seen when she first met him... Does he have a wall around himself? Tilting her head to the right, she wondered if there was a history which he was keeping from himself. If so, why reveal his personality now?  
 
Helen lowered her eyes and bowed her head slightly. "Yes, maybe you do." She said with a warm smile, hiding her thoughts. "Pretty odd for such a short meeting between us." 
 
"Well yes, it is odd...” he said. He was showing too much of himself, if he kept this up he would surely just pour out his guts to this girl. He couldn't get close to people, not anyone. They just died out if he did. No one stayed long enough. He had to keep his distance from her, or else they would both get hurt. "I have to go." 
 
Nodding, Helen also turned around and opened the door, closing it behind her. Heart beating fast, she spent a minute leaning on the surface of the door, remembering the looks of those fine icy-blue eyes. What on earth is wrong with him? She thought. He's obviously scared that I might pass on to the afterlife before he does... I would be as well.. Silently, Helen descended the stairs of the attic and went down to the drawing room, sitting on the bench of the polished piano.  
 
"But... If I can find out what he needs to do to pass on, he'll 'die' before I do...” She said aloud, running her fingers on the surface of her hand where he had touched her earlier. 
"Before who does, Dear?" her father asked coming over to sit next to her.  
 
***  
 
William passed through a series of doors and walls, just roaming the mansion. He didn't know where he was going, just where he came from. But he couldn't get his mind off Helen. The way she looked at him like a person and not just a ghost.  
 
Coming to a stop he looked around. Unconsciously he had come to a stop in her room. 
William looked around the room and spotted a photograph at the table beside her bed. Crouching low, he examined the black-and-white photo, his eyes widening in surprise.  
 
***  
 
"Helen? What are you keeping from me?" Dr. Watson asked softly. "I'd like to know."  
 
Helen leaned sideways and rests her head on her father's shoulder. "Do you know... how it feels.. No, what am I talking about?"  
 
"What is it?" He repeated.  
 
"No, it's such a stupid question, I..."  
 
Taking her daughter's face into his hands, Dr. Watson gazed into her eyes, noticing that she was partly frightened. "Helen, I'm your father and whatever happens, I would understand. You've been acting so strange lately that it's confusing. What happened? What do you mean by your words?"  
 
"Which words?” She breathed silently.  
 
"You said that 'he'll die before I do'. Who is this 'he' you speak of?"  
 
William... "Someone... someone I love." 
 
 
"Love? Are you sure honey?" her father asked looking into her eyes.  
 
Nodding she sighed, "Yes...I think I am..."  
 
"But you said 'pass on' do you mean he is close to dying?"  
 
Helen thought about it for a moment then looked up at her father, "No...He’s not close...”  
 
"Well then you have nothing to worry about. If it's love, follow your heart. That is what your grandmother always told me. Follow your heart, it can never lead you astray," he said kissing her head lightly. "I have some work to do, and I'll be home late tonight."  
 
Helen nodded as she watched her father go. 
 
Follow your heart... Her heart tells her to go with William, yet her brain said it's impossible.  
 
***  
 
A man and a woman gazed at him with two girls in their arms. One whom he recognized at once by the look of the curved face and straight nose. The other was a toddler, dressed beautifully in a silk-like, baby-sized gown. The woman smiled back at him with almost the same look as her first daughter.  
 
William inspected the photo carefully, realizing that Helen missed her mother as much as he missed his parents. Besides being dead, William could be said to be pretty much equal to Helen... was that what had made him act like that earlier? What is it about those green eyes which make her so trustworthy?  
 
As he contemplated, he heard her steps along the hall, heading to her room. 
Hurriedly he moved to the corner and imagined himself invisible. Blending in with the colors behind him, if he stayed completely still, no one would notice him.  
 
***  
 
"'Follow your heart, it will never lead you astray...’ but what of your mind? I mean...I think I am actually falling for William...but...he's a ghost. And I'm human. We're from two different worlds...” she muttered to herself as she entered her room.  
 
Walking to her bed she flopped down, but not before picking up the photo of her family from two years ago. “‘Listen to your heart...’” 
Closing her eyes, Helen rests her head into her arms, thinking aloud: "Listen to your heart... and it shall never lead you astray... My heart would go to William, but my mind tells me not to. After all... what will happen if I pass away before he does? Or if he passes away before I do? Can I actually handle that?" She asked herself, flipping over. "I love him, I certainly do. But... what should I do?"  
 
Sitting up, she gazed deep into her mother's eyes, thinking back to her father. "If father is here and mother is a ghost... he would return to her." Pressing the frame close to her chest, she sighed; "Oh, mother, what should I do?" 
Williams’s eyes grew wide as he heard Helen talking to herself. Not from shock but from reconition that he felt the same way about her. Just from those couple of days that they had spent together, he was just as much as falling for her as she was for him.  
 
Deciding against his better judgment he stepped away from the wall and moved silently over to Helen, still invisible. Bending down he gently kissed her on her warm lips and whispered in her ear, "Listen to your heart." 
Helen's head moved slightly to her right, her lips parting in sudden surprise. She raised her head and placed two fingers on her lips where a sudden cold draft had touched her. What was that? She thought. Standing up, she looked around and listened carefully. Follow your heart, it shall never lead you astray...  
 
"William?" 
Materializing in front of her he kept his blue eyes on her green ones. "Yes Helen?"  
 
"Was...That...did you..?"  
 
"Hm?" he asked pretending like he hadn't the slightest idea what she was talking about. 
"You whispered... You heard me?" She asked, saddened that he still wouldn't open up to her. Was he really not there?” Why...?" She bowed her head.  
 
"Hey..." William stepped forward, taking her attention as her eyes moved onto his handsome face. "What's wrong?" He asked gently. 
"Why won't you talk to me like you did in the attic? That was the only time you actually opened up to me..." she said her voice filled with sadness.  
 
"I...I just can't. Helen...I do have feelings for you...but. It just can't happen. I'm a ghost and you're a human. If I could I would give you my heart...but I have no heart to give," he said placing an icy hand on her cheek. 
Helen rests her hand on his, realizing that she now knew how to touch his skin. Follow your heart... Her heart wants to be with William, she knew that. And his heart wants to go with her. The barrier in between only lies with the fact that one has a body and one has not...  
 
"William...” She said, bowing her head again. The ghost raised his eyebrows, prompting her to continue: "I don't care." 
"I know...but...I do. I don't to get hurt and I don’t want you to get hurt. Helen...I do love you. But it's not just because I don't have a body but just because we live in two different worlds. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet but on a higher level...” he said slowly.  
 
"But, I don't care!" she pleaded. 
As soon as she said those words, Helen clapped her hand to her mouth, surprised by her own words. She blinked a few times, keeping her eyes on him.  
 
"Helen...” William started.  
 
Helen sat down and sighed, looking straight into his eyes. "Would you be in more pain if you can't love... or would you be in pain losing someone you have already loved and who will always love you back no matter where you are?" She asked. 
"Helen," he started