Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

truth, though, so he had no wish to take it back.
Lyndon’s bloodless lips curved into a melancholy smile. The heat of his energy thumped through Adrian’s mind, and his heart clenched. Something told him that if Lyndon Groome were alive, the two of them would be fast friends. Maybe even more than that.
Adrian let out a soft laugh. Only he could encounter a blood-covered phantom and want to be its lover. There’s a safe object of desire for you.
    The idea was sad, ludicrous and frighteningly close to the mark. Groaning, Adrian bent his knees up and dropped his forehead onto them. Was he really that pathetic? Had he truly fallen so far that he preferred the company of a ghost to that of a living, breathing human being?
He didn’t know quite what to make of the fact that his honest answer was yes.

Chapter Three
    “You want to do what ?”
“Would you keep it down?” Adrian cast a nervous look around the crowded hallway. A couple of passing girls laughed at Ryan’s outburst, but no one else seemed to have noticed. Grasping his classmate’s arm, Adrian steered him out the nearest set of double doors and down the steps into the afternoon sunshine. “I said, I’d like to go to your fraternity’s party tomorrow night. If the invitation’s still good, that is.”
Ryan stopped at the bottom of the stairs and gaped at him. Adrian waited, clinging stubbornly to his somewhat ragged calm. Ryan was arguably the best friend Adrian had here. They shared a major and thus most of the same classes, and often talked between classes or at lunch. Still, they mingled very little socially. Approaching Ryan with this request had taken every ounce of courage Adrian possessed. But he had to try. Yesterday’s realization that he’d rather spend his time with dead people than live ones had shaken him. He’d promised himself that he’d make an effort to get out more. Meet people. Maybe even start dating again, even though the thought made his stomach churn. A frat party seemed like a logical place to start.
At least Ryan’s fraternity was an academic one. Maybe their parties would be more subdued than most.
“Yeah, of course the invitation’s still good.” Ryan gave him a sheepish grin. “Sorry. You know all the physics majors have a standing invitation. It’s just that you’ve never gone before. You kind of threw me for a loop there.”
“I know.” Relieved, Adrian smiled. “Thanks, Ryan. I really appreciate this.”
“No problem.” Ryan clapped him on the back. “Hell, it’ll be good to see you set foot outside that apartment for something other than class for a change.”
Adrian started down the sidewalk, trying to get away from the sudden tension between his shoulder blades. “I get out.”
“For what, groceries?” Ryan strode along beside him. The dried leaves crunched under his sneakers. “What you need, my friend, is to find some hot piece of tail and have yourself one glorious night of wild sex.”
Heat flooded Adrian’s face. He stared at the enormous oaks dotting the quad so he wouldn’t have to look Ryan in the eye. “Good grief. You sound like my brother.”
“Yeah? Well, clearly your brother is a wise man.” Ryan kicked a horse chestnut out of the way. It skittered off through the grass. “A couple of the guys in my house bat for your team. Want me to set you up with one of ’em?”
“No, thank you.” The words came out before Adrian even thought about it. He decided not to take them back. Yes, he needed to get out more, and this party was definitely a start. However, he knew himself well enough to know that a blind date with a frat boy was likely to push him further into his shell, not draw him out of it. Maybe a few weeks from now, he’d be ready for something like that. But not yet.
Ryan shook his head. “Too bad. Scotty’s had his eye on you, and I’m told by people who ought to know that he gives a damn fine blow job.”
The latter declaration was uttered just as the two of them approached the Pit, crowded as always with students and teachers eating lunch. Adrian groaned and hid his face in his hands as everyone within hearing distance laughed. “God, Ryan. Don’t you think you could’ve said it a little louder? I think there are a few people who didn’t quite catch that.”
“Adrian, trust me, nobody but you cares.” Ryan patted his shoulder. “I have to be at the computer lab in fifteen minutes for work study, so I’m just gonna grab a sandwich at Alpine Bagel and run.