Dead men tell tales???

"OMG.......!!!!!!! What has happened???

They're sure it's him???"

Britney was shouting at her phone when I reached her. I was texting Noah, because he didn't text any of us since last night. Britney looked so worried and started talking to me right after she hung up.

"Jason just said that Noah's body was found in an old warehouse near the central park."

"Wait, what?????"

"I know, right??? I mean can you believe that he is dead??? He had dinner with us last night."

"What____umm___ what___ has____ happened???" I stammered.

"Nobody knows. Jason says that his face is so damaged and unrecognizable since the body is half burnt"

Who could do something like that???? Noah is one of the nicest guys ever. I mean he helped everybody in everything he could. My chest started to ache.

Britney did not say anything. She looked so worried. Of course she should be, because Noah was a best friend of us. We were going to go to the library, but I did not feel like going anymore.

"I'm going home Britney.... I can't go anywhere right now..."

"Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing... See you soon... Bye Aria..."

"Take care..."

I turned away and started walking. I could not bear the thought of losing him. He was one of my best friends. He was always there for me when I needed someone to talk to. Tears were dripping along my face and I did not even care to wipe them. My head started to ache. I jumped into bed as soon as I got home and cried my eyes out. I was so depressed and I didn't feel like staying at home either, so I just came out and started walking along the road, without any intention.

It was getting a little dark and I lifted my head up in the intersection to turn right without thinking. I could not believe my eyes. There stood Noah, smiling at me.

"OMG..... Noahhhh !!!!!!!!!"

I ran towards him and hugged him tightly. His whole body was as cold as ice. I felt strange and I let go of him. I knew something was wrong, but I did not feel scared or anything. I looked into his eyes but he just kept smiling and did not talk.

"I was so worried Noah... I just heard that the police found your body at some warehouse.... What happened??? Why didn't you call or text us the whole day???"

He still didn't talk. He kept looking at me for a moment and started walking towards the central park holding my hand. I felt strange and a little scared this time, not of him but of what was going on. His hand was like a frozen ice cube against my hand. But I could not resist his touch and I kept walking with him.

"Noah, please say something. What's wrong??? Why are you acting so weird??? Talk to me... You know you can talk to me about anything, right???"

He stopped near the central park and turned towards me. His eyes were glowing, but they had no emotions. It looked like he was struggling to say something, but he did not. I could not bear his look.

"Noah... What's wrong????"

Tears started dripping along my cheeks and I felt my heart pounding hard. He still did not speak a word yet. I gave up trying. I sat on the bench holding his hand. He sat beside me and I swear that I felt him sighing. He pointed his finger towards the line of trees. I looked hard but I could not see anything or anyone but the trees.

"What are you..."

Noah kept his finger in my lips so that I cannot talk. He just wanted me to shut my mouth and observe. So I looked back at the trees.

There was a flash of light right in front of my eyes and I felt like I was sucked into another dimension of the world. In a moment I was inside our regular coffee shop all of a sudden. But I was like a bystander there. Noah was sitting there alone drinking a cappuccino. I noticed from the clock hanging there, it was past midnight. I could understand it was last night from the clothes Noah was wearing. We all had dinner together last night. I did not know he was still waiting there after we all left. It looked like he was waiting for someone. He checked his watch several times while drinking his cappuccino.

The door was opened and Jason came inside.

"Hey man, sorry I'm late." Jason apologized.

"It's okay dude, what's the matter? Why did you want to talk to me alone???"

"It's about Aria man."

Noah was surprised and so was I.

"What about Aria???"

"Look, I know that you guys have something going on between you two. It's obvious dude. You two spend time together than you spend time with any of us."

"Okay first, nothing's going on between me and Aria. Next, even if something's going on between us, that's none of your business. Are you my dad???" 

Noah never acted rude like that.

"So that's how this is gonna end???" Jason looked furious. He was shaking with anger. He stood up all of a sudden and left banging the door.

Noah looked furious too, but he was more confused. Maybe he was, because we did not have any affair. We might have been closer to each other than others, but we surely did not have any affair. He finished his cappuccino and left the coffee shop. I started to follow him. He was walking with his hands in his pockets. Whistling cheerfully, he did not seem to be angry anymore. That's his way. He never keeps anything long in his mind. He is a nice decent guy. I was following him admiring his character.

BAAAAM

Noah fell down with the unexpected shot.

"Noahhhhhhhh............."

I shouted my lungs out, but nobody seemed to hear my voice. Even I was not sure if my voice came out or not. I ran towards Noah and tried to hold him. But my fingers went through his body like he was some kind of a visual illusion. I could not understand what was happening and I just sat there looking at Noah struggling holding his head.

Jason was there laughing with a metal pole in his hand. He looked so mad. He lifted the pole again and hit Noah's head thoroughly while I was screaming. Then he caught Noah's shirt and dragged him towards the old warehouse. I followed them crying and screaming since I could do nothing else. Jason dragged him into the corner of the warehouse and spilled a bottle of fuel right into his face. 

"Aria is mine, dipshit... I won't let you win her."

FLASH

I was back on the bench where Noah and I sat before. Still Noah was sitting beside me holding my hand. My whole body started to shiver and I hugged Noah tightly. I felt nothing but the freezing hard touch of him.

I just witnessed a cold blooded murder. I have no idea how I did. I could not let go of him even though I knew it was not Noah anymore.

"Don't leave me Noah... Please don’t... I can't let you die because of me..."

I mumbled to him. I could not understand what was happening. I let go of him and looked into his emotionless eyes. He smiled and kissed me on the cheek. Then he muttered "I love you", smiling again, he vanished into thin air.

This happened three weeks ago and I still do not understand what I saw.

Was that the ghost of Noah????

Jason is now in jail for the murder of Noah Caffrey.

Here I am with a hole inside my heart, hoping to see his face once again.

Hoping to feel his cold touch once again.

I do not care if it was his ghost, I just want to see him again.

I want to confess that deep down I loved him too.

Yes, Noah.... I will always love you...