17. Jason

"Jason?" I gasped as I saw the pale white man standing just a few feet away from me.

Let me tell you something about Jason. Jason was a former member of the boy band, Super Nova, and also the most loved member. The most popular member. And because he was the most popular, he was also the most hated. After all, You can;t have everyone loving you.

So how did dear Jason become a grim repaer, you ask? Simple. He took his own life.

When the fame got out of hand and his personal life was not so personal anymore. Jason went into depression, but the papparazzi did little to nothing to leave him alone. He was a meal to then. That... kind of got into his head, until one day, his manager found him dead in his apartment, suffocated by poisonous gas.

So many things came to my head. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to cry out. I wanted to tell him everything about Super Nova that happened after his death.

But I couldn't bring myself to do any of those things. I was stuck in place as the tension took over me.

Jason was dead. I know that. Then why was he here? Was he like me? But then his cloths...they were like that of a Grim Reaper. And if a Grim Reaper comes face to face with a missing soul...then...

I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought.

It couldn't be. I was barely a missing soul. I was a guardian now. It couldn't be...

Jason, the heartthrob of thousands of girls, died in the mortal world that day, never to be seen again. But here he was, his soul living on as a grim reaper as penance for the crime he comitted to himself. A crime, I'm sure he isn;t even aware of.

I took a few steps back as the realisation hit me square on the face.

"Took me quiet a while to find you. You do know how to hide properly." He said. Even though he looked a lot like a ghost now, his voice was still the same.

I didn't say anything. I was too shocked at what he had become.  I felt my heart melt as I thought of all his times together with his members.

At last, I found my voice. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I wispered but Jasoun could hear me well.

"Don't be. As long as you come with me right now, there won't be anything you have to be sorry about." He replied with a smirk, taking a whole wrong meaning to my apology.

I thought about what he said. To come with him. I knew very well where we would be going. And still I wanted to go. I knew it wouldn't be anywhere nice, and yet I was ready to go. It was Jason after all. If that was what he wanted, I was ready to give it to him.

I took a step closer, only to be stopped by a suddent wave of thought.

Heathens. Victor

He was calling me as if he wanted to tell something. I still had Heathens, what the hell was I thinking? How could I think of leaving them behind?

That childish behaviour of Justin. That cockiness of Jules. Jake's daddy jokes. Noah's dimples. Heli's angelic behaviour. Steven's grumpy behaviour. And of course, Victor. I would miss everything about Victor.

I... like Victor.

I turned to see where Jason was standing. Instead of staring, I was more like glaring. That made Jason's smirk disappear.

I'm sorry Jason.

My eyes flashed red and my word's came out more like a growl. "Not today Grim Reaper."

There was no way he could stop me. Had he known my name, it would have been easier. But he knew nothing about me. Which meant he had no power.

With one swift movement, I unleashed a long wave of fire from my finger tips and it went blasting at Jason.

Jason fell backwards and I grabbed my chance. My eyes turned back to normal as I flew away...away to Heathens... away to safety.

-------

I stood outside Victor's door, trying to understand what was on his mind. He was frustrated, kind of angry, I could tell. But one thing I understood for sure. He was angry at me.

Silently, I teleported inside the room and hid behind a wardrob, turning the lights off. Victor's head jerked up at the sudden darkness.

"Are you here? You are here aren't you?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied curtly.

Without explaining why he wanted me there, he straightly jumped to the point as if he knew I would read his mind.

"Cilia Carpenter. Age 16. Born in July 6th 2003, Minnesota, USA. Died in August 27th 2018, Minnesota, USA. Cause of death... car accident."

I stood there as Victor's words sank in.

"You are her, aren't you?" He asked but I couldnt bring myself to answer. Instead, I questioned him back. "How did you find out?"

Vicctor shrugged and said, "Easy. You made it easier. You said you died by car accident, you said you are from Minnesota, You said you where murdered and...you said it hadn't been long since you died. So I searched all the resent hit and run cases in Minnesota  and then...I found you."

A long silence followed as I understood my own stupidity.

"Are you...are you mad at me?"

What a weird question to ask.

"Why would I be mad? It's just that, If you would have told me yourself-" But I cut him off. "You know I couldn't. It's up to the people if they can find out about me."

"And what happens when they find out? You said they can see you. Can I..."  Just as Victor said that, I stepped away from the wardrobe and quietly stood before him, turning the lights back on. I watched as Victor's eyes widened.

Yup. He could see me.

I looked just like I looked the day I died. Heathens T-shirt. Black jeans. Black over coat. Only my face was different. I had my new face. Red lips. Pale white skin.

Victor, however, just stared open mouthed.

"Extra ordinary." He murmured.

"Yeeaauuup." I said in awkwardness, trying to lighten the atmosphere which has suddenly turned still, but it didn't seem to work. If anything, Victor's gaze only hardened even more at the smile I had given him, making him stalk his way towards me.

The room was icy cold, but I could feel a sudden heat pooling around me the closer Victor got, until there was no space left between us. My breath hitched the moment I felt hot palms cupping my cheeks, taking me by surprise.

"You are beautiful." Victor whispered ever so softly, as if any louder and I would disappear. His voice felt like music to mu ears, pulling me in a trance as I found myself drowning in his gaze, Our eyes remained locked on each other, ocean blue eyes colliding with my blood red ones.

He was... more beaitful.

Victor's gaze dropped to my lips, and I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking without even reading his mind. My toes curled at the thought, heart beat accelerating, but just as I prepared myself for it, the warmth of his hands disappeared from my face, and Victor stepped away from me.

"Can't blame me for being surprised to see a guardian. You don't always get to see one." He joked and I couldn't help but laugh and soon, we were both laughing our asses out for no real reason, completley ignoring the tension that was present not a second ago. And Jason's matter didn't feel burdening anymore.

--------------------

Narrator:

Meanwhile:

Jason sat at his table in the darkness, the lamp hanging above him the only source of light. He was frustrated, very much. He didn't like that he failed. But the fact that he failed wasn't his only concern. He was thinking about something else too. About Cilia.

"Her powers...how extraordinary." He murmured, trying to figure out what was she actually.

And then the whole episode played in his head. The moment he approached her, she was so taken aback as if she knew him.

"Did she?" He wondered. And she said something. Something like... 'Jason' in her head.

The lost Grim Reaper played with the word in his mouth, repeating it several times as he ran his fingers through his hairs.

"It's a name. It sure is. But...whose is it? Is it hers? Come on, why would she mutter her own name infront of a grim reaper? That makes no sense. Then whose is it? Could it be...mine? Don't be ridiculous! How will she know you,  you stupid!"

Jason kept thinking of the possibilities until finally he made up his mind.

"I don't know who you are. So you don't know me either. It's time we get to know each other."

Saying that, Jason wrote down a report of the missing soul and sent it to the higher up's. Soon, they would know about her and send in her information, that includes her name- Jason's main power.

Jason smirked as he got his report of 'message sent.', as if victory had already found him.

He sighed as he leened back in his chair, releasing a sigh of relief. "Soon, you won't be bursting me with flames anymore...missing guardian."

And with that, he let out a loud crack of a laughter, the sound echoing through the night.