Chapter 65 - Denial

"Are you sure Avan?" Lacie asked seating down for the secret meeting that they were having in the library.

"Yes, I'm sure," he confirmed.

"But why would the prince have your father's splinter with him?"

"That is what I am wondering too. I thought that he was just some weird kid who might have stumbled on the splinter and made a wish with it but it is more than that," he said.

"How so?"

"I searched his things when he was out and found another splinter in his ring. There was no more splinter but I fail to believe that it is a coincidence that he has two splinters," he explained to her.

"True but he seems very dangerous and powerful. From what he did earlier I would advise you stay far away from him for now," Lacie advised feeling worried for her friend.

"Or I could just find a way to get close to him. If we become friends then he may tell me where the rest of the splinters are so that I can fix my father and bring him back," he muttered softly.

Lacie looked at her friend with concern in her eyes. That idea was nice but the prince didn't look like the forgiving type. If he found out that Avan was getting close to him just to use him for information then he might not spare him. Judging by how he reacted to the harmless bullying, he seemed like someone who got even for the smallest little thing.

"That could be dangerous," she stared.

"If I don't face the dangers then I will never see my father again and I have promised my mother that I will be able to bring father back home. It might take a while but I will fulfill my promise by any means necessary."

"Alright but be careful, he might speak to imaginary friends but his magic is strong and so is he. Always be alert around him," she warned.

"We should go to bed before curfew time," he told to her and together they left the library and made their way to the dorm.

Avan opened the door to their room and walked inside. The prince was already asleep so he tried his best not to wake. He took a shower and changed into his pajamas and went to bed. He kept thinking about Ander in the dining hall, his golden eyes were all that he could see when he closed his eyes. The pure anger in those eyes gave him goosebumps.

He covered himself with a blanket from head to toe feeling hopeful for the first time since forever that he might accomplish his mission and get his father back. He had to complete his family and bring happiness back to her mother's life.

Ander opened his eyes, he couldn't sleep from the thoughts that occupied his mind. He found his mind drifting to thoughts that he had never even thought possible and it scared him.

Thinking of Francis as anything more than an annoying ghost that he can't get rid of was a terrifying experience for him. Not that he would want to ever get rid of him now that he had lost his mind and wished to hold on to him forever.

He shook his head and cleared his mind from the weird thoughts and allowed himself some peace of mind. He tried to fall asleep one more time but the image of the ghost appeared in his mind and he opened his eyes again.

"I'm just a little lonely from never meeting my father that is why this is happening. I just miss a father figure in my life," he said to himself. "He is like a father to me," he added.

His body organs refused to believe the illusion he was trying to create in his mind. His heart raced at the mare thought of Francis and that was sign enough of how he felt about the ghost but admitting it was the hardest part for him. He felt as though admitting it would make it real and if it became real then he wouldn't be able to deny it anymore.

He raised his hand and cast a spell in the room. Colorful lights, clouds, and birds appeared in the air and floated around while chirping. He added a little rainbow to complete it and watched to distract himself.

Avan removed the blanket covering his eyes at the sound of the birds chirping and looked up. His mouth stretched into a smile from how beautiful it looked.

"You can't sleep?" he asked Ander.

"No," he replied not willing to say more.

"Me neither. I am just too happy because I found hope after fighting for so long that I might win. And that makes me want to fight harder. What about you, why can't you sleep?" he inquired.

"I can't stop thinking about those mean boys," he said lying to Avan. It was better than to admit that he was thinking about a ghost. A man who has lived his life and died just waiting to move on to the other side or to find peace. A man who could never reciprocate his feelings in this lifetime because he had already lived his life to the end.

"They were the school bullies, they normally pick on weak students but I guess they made a mistake this time since you are not weak. What you did was impressive," he commented.

Ander glanced over at him and spoke," Where is my bracelet?" he asked him.

"Weird, why couldn't I enter the room before?" Francis asked entering the room.

"Your bracel..."

"I don't know," Ander replied very quickly and nervously on.

"Why are you acting weird. Did you spell the room to keep me out?" he questioned.

"No, why would I do that?" Ander asked looking everywhere in the room but at Francis.

"Are you lying?"

"I am a prince and a prince never lies. I did not spell the room not to let you in, I have no reason to do that so don't accuse me without any proof," he said confidently.

"Then why are you defensive. People get defensive when they have something to hide so what are you hiding?"

"Why do you insinuate that I a hiding something. Believe me when I say that I am not keeping anything from you at all. I am innocent," he stated anxiously, his palms sweating.

"I think that you are hiding something. You do t even look me in the eye and not once have told me to shut up or that I am annoying which is weird," Francis noted.

"Shut up and let me sleep," Ander said and stopped the illusion and closed his eyes.

"I know that you are not telling me the whole truth and the fact that you are not sleepy so you can stop the drama and just tell me what going on," Francis said but Ander ignored him.

He was getting on his last nerve with the prince and somehow was beginning to see the similarity between father and son. They were both irritating and knew how to get him angry.

"Ander, I know you are not sleeping. Get up and talk to me," he said shaking the boy.

"Why should I? You just want to waste my time and I don't want to talk to you now or ever," he replied bringing the blanket to his head. Francis held the other end of the blanket and pulled on it.

"If you don't talk to me then I won't let you sleep," Francis threatened.

"Let go of my blanket or else," Ander warned him. Francis laughed at his threat. Time seems to stop as Ander stared at his beautiful face lit up with laughter. He had never realized how beautiful Francis looked when he laughed.

"Or else what? Will you burn me, I am a ghost you can't harm me so you don't scare me," Francis stated but Ander was too dazed staring at him to hear what he had to say. Francis seized the opportunity and pulled the blanket with force causing Ander to fall off the bed.

Avan watched from his bed the blanket pulling itself and throwing Ander off the bed and started to question if Ander does speak to an imaginary friend.

"Are you okay?" he asked and was glared at.

"Mind your own business," Ander said to him.

"And you how dare you to throw me off the bed?" he asked switching his attention back to Francis, the ghost yawned and fell on the bed. He patted the bed right next to him and faced Ander.

"Join me," he said and Ander froze. His heart thundering in his chest from that simple sentence. That small initiative made his heart skip a beat and he could feel his face turning red. He took a deep breath and quickly turned away from Francis.

"So can I share your bed tonight?" he asked Avan. "I don't snore," he added.