Chapter 2

You're Not My Boyfriend

Oliver's POV

"I'm sorry. What?"

Sebastian stood in my kitchen, holding my pocket watch like it belonged to him. "I'm dead," he repeated. I looked at him, then at the plate of pasta in his hand.

"You're eating my food." "Yes." "You're standing in my kitchen." "Correct."

"And you're telling me you're dead?" He nodded.

I laughed. It wasn't because anything was funny. I was beginning to suspect that I'd finally lost my mind. "Right. Very funny. Who sent you?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

"Who sent me?"

"Is this some kind of prank? Did Noah hire you?"

"Who's Noah?"

"My best friend. The idiot who would find this hilarious."

Sebastian took another bite. "Your friend has terrible taste in entertainment."

"Don't talk about my friend."

"Then stop asking me questions about him."

I grabbed my phone. "Who are you calling?" He asked. "The police." "That's probably unnecessary." "You're a stranger in my apartment claiming to be dead. I think it's necessary."

I started dialling. Before I could finish, Sebastian reached across the counter and took my phone. I stared at his hand. His fingers were wrapped around it.

"Give that back."

"You're going to explain to the police that a dead man stole your phone?" "Yes!" He lifted it above my head. I reached for it, but he was taller. "Are you serious?"

"Very." I grabbed his wrist. Then I stopped.

His skin was warm. Not cold. Not transparent. Warm. I released him. "What are you?"

"Sebastian. We covered that." "You're supposed to be dead." "I am." "Dead people don't steal phones." "Apparently, some of us do." He placed my phone on the counter. I picked it up and stepped away from him.

"Stay there."

"Gladly."

I looked at the front door. "Can you leave?"

"I haven't tried." "Then try." Sebastian walked to the door, opened it, and stepped into the corridor. I waited. A few seconds later, he returned.

"Well?" I asked. He closed the door. "I can't go any farther." "Why?" He glanced at the pocket watch. "I think it has something to do with that."

I picked it up. The silver cover felt heavier than it had the previous day. I opened it and examined the inside. There were two small letters engraved near the hinge. S.R.

I turned the watch to his face.

"Your initials?"

Sebastian stared at them. "Yes." "Then it really belongs to you?" "I believe so." "You believe so?"  He rubbed his forehead. "I remember owning a watch like this. Everything else is still unclear."

I examined the face. The second hand moved once. Then stopped. Sebastian leaned closer. "Did it do that before?" "Not until yesterday."

"Where did you get it?" He asked. "A small antique shop in Camden." He looked at the watch again. "Keep it close." "Why?" "Because I don't think I can stay here without it."

"So, you're telling me I'm responsible for a dead stranger?" I asked. "That sounds about right."

"Wonderful. Just wonderful."

I placed the watch on the counter. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Sebastian looked around my kitchen, then down at the food in his hand. "Do you have anything else to eat?"

I blinked. "Are you seriously asking me that?" 

"You have a refrigerator." 

"You're dead!"

"And apparently hungry."

I couldn't believe him. I'd expected a supernatural visitor to be frightening, mysterious, or at least respectful of personal boundaries. Instead, mine was stealing pasta and asking for seconds.

I turned towards the living room. He followed. "Why are you following me?" "Because you're the only person I know."

"You don't know me." "I know your name."

"That's not the same thing."

Sebastian smiled. "I also know you invented a boyfriend." I stopped. There it was again.

"How do you know about that?"

His smile disappeared. He looked at the pocket watch. "I don't know." "Don't give me that. You knew about my mother." "I remember hearing your voice." "Where?"

"I can't tell you. I don't remember."

He pressed his fingers against his temple.

For a brief moment, his expression changed. "I heard someone asking you a question. Then you said my name."

"That happened at my mother's house."

He looked up. "I know." "You weren't there."

"I know that too." Neither of us spoke. He seemed just as confused as I was. I returned to the kitchen and picked up the watch.

"Something about this thing brought you here, didn't it?"

Sebastian looked at it. "I think so."

"Then we're going to find out what it is."

His expression softened slightly. "You're going to help me?"

"I'm going to find out why a dead man has moved into my apartment. That's not the same thing." He smiled. "Of course." 

My phone vibrated. A message from Mum appeared. Mum: Darling, I've been thinking. Since you seem so happy with Sebastian, I'd love to invite him for lunch on Sunday. Don't forget to bring him!

I closed my eyes. I had completely forgotten about Sunday. Sebastian read the message over my shoulder.

"Your mother sounds lovely."

"Don't get comfortable."

"She invited me."

"She invited the boyfriend I invented."

He smiled. "Then I suppose we should make a good impression." I was about to answer when another message arrived. This time, it was from an unknown number.

Unknown: Oliver Hayes, return Sebastian Reed's watch. You don't understand what you've brought into your home.

I read it again. My fingers tightened around the phone. Someone knew my name. Someone knew Sebastian's name. And someone knew about the watch. I slowly turned towards him.

"Do you know who sent this?"

Sebastian was no longer smiling. He took the phone from my hand and read the message. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then he looked at me. "Don't reply." "Why?"

He placed the phone on the counter. "Because whoever sent that message knows something about me." "And?" His eyes moved to the silver pocket watch.

"They know I wasn't supposed to come back."