Is it weird how nervous I am to meet this mysterious friend Levi has invited over? I must've gone to the bathroom and fixed myself up over a dozen times. Even though I can't see myself in the mirror, the feeling of preparing for company is still etched in my bones. I know I have to pinch my cheeks to fake the rose color of blush, pat my lips with my ring finger to dab my lipstick so it's not too intense. Even squint my eyes to give myself that vixen smolder that men fall to their knees for.

The reflection shows nothing but that doesn't stop me. I need to prepare for what's to come and not dwell on the little mishaps that I'm currently facing. Anyway, Levi smells intoxicating tonight. He's put on this new cologne that I've never smelled before and I just want to bathe in it. It's musky and sweet, dark and subtle.

This cobalt blue button down of his is doing wonders for my eye candy tonight. Not to mention the khaki pants that he has on that make his legs look divine. Since I can't see what I'm wearing, or if I'm wearing anything at all, I imagine myself matching him. A light blue dress to counter his darkness, being the light of his life and showing his friend just that. The sapphire earrings I'm wearing compliment him as much as they compliment me.

I invent a memory of us walking through the streets last year during early December. The snow flurries kiss his lashes and I kiss him, warming my frozen cheeks against gloved hands to keep myself warm. We trudge through the city trying to holiday shop for our families, laughing because we have no idea what to get his mother. We fall into step until I come to an abrupt halt, pulling his hand back as my eyes become wide with awe peering into the jewelry shop window. The sapphire earrings I have on now are displayed there, the window frosted over everything else so I can only see those sparkly blue pieces staring back at me. Like fate behind the glass.

He cups my face in his hands and kisses me before dragging us in there and buying them for me. An early Christmas gift, he says. I blush and tell him it's too much, but he hushes me telling me nothing in this entire world could ever be too much if it made me smile. And then we'd give up the holiday shopping, catching a cab to this beautiful apartment, and make love the entire night while it snows even heavier outside our favorite window.

I touch my pretend earrings and my cheeks grow hot, or maybe they don't, with the image of him caressing me, kissing me in all those intimate places. I'd work my hardest to figure out this whole ghost thing. Hopefully, once I mastered the basics of becoming solid enough for him to feel me, we'd be able to take this relationship to the next level. But first I had to meet his friend. One step at a time.

Levi walks into the bathroom, standing next to me fixing his collar. His stubble is thicker than it was yesterday. If he left it alone long enough to become a beard, I might love him more. Was it possible for a man to get even more attractive? I mean, what was more captivating than a literal greek god with dimples? Trick question.

"You look amazing tonight." I whisper to him. His doorbell rings and we both hurry out to answer it. I pretend I'm not wearing heels because I don't want to scuff the wood floors and that's the reason I'm barefoot. Trust me, I've thought of everything to make this charade believable. I wouldn't be surprised if I completely forget that I'm dead as the night goes on.

He opens the door, getting pulled into a bear hug before he has a chance to say anything. The guy pats his back hard and loud. I take a step back to observe this beast of a man that walks through the front door.

His friend isn't that much taller but he's definitely wider. I can't tell if it's muscle underneath that grey hoodie of his, but whatever it is makes him look massive. His crew cut looking hair is platinum blonde, so white it almost appears silver. But that's not what shocks me. It's the random black skulls dyed on to both sides of his head that really draws my attention.

How old was this guy? And when was that in style? Did I miss something? I couldn't have been dead that long for a new trend to have started, right? Thank goodness they're small skulls and not something that covers his entire head. I don't know how I would've made it through this meeting staring at his hair the whole time. I don't want to seem rude.

"Mell, you've got to stop drinking before you get here. You end up forgetting your strength." Levi says while closing the door.

Mell kicks off his heavy black boots and waves Levi away. "I'm not strong, you're just weak. It wouldn't kill you to put down the paint brushes for a while and pick up a dumbbell."

"Weights don't pay the bills."

Mell scoffs. "Neither does your art." Levi punches Mell in the shoulder but the action doesn't do anything. Mell doesn't even budge. This guy was terrifying. Still, I square my shoulders and rock myself on the balls of my feet.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jocelyne, Levi's girlfriend." I tell Mell, not putting my hand out to shake because there's no point. Although, in my head I pretend the reason is because only Levi was allowed to touch me.

"You can be such an asshole sometimes." Levi says, making his way to the kitchen.

Mell heads straight for the couch, throwing himself against the cushions with such force that he makes the couch scoot back. He eyes the easel across the room, placing his feet on the coffee table. This guy has no manners. When Levi does it, it's fine because this is his place. But something about his friend casually making himself at home doesn't sit right with me.

I lean against the island watching Levi grab two glasses out the cabinet. He reaches for the green bottle of whiskey in the corner of the counter, placing it under his arm. I sit myself on one of the barstools, aware that a good girlfriend would give her boyfriend some space when he's with his friends. But then I quickly change my mind and head over to the window ledge instead. If I was going to sit and listen, I'd rather do it somewhere comfortable.

Climbing onto the ledge, I bring my knees to my chest and lean against the wall. The window is open just a crack so I can hear the cars passing by outside, the nightlife of a Thursday night (or is it Friday?) invading my senses. The smell of cigarette smoke wafts through the window making me nauseous. I guess I wasn't a big smoker when I was alive either.

A couple of rowdy teens dash through the open gate of the park, shoving each other before disappearing from my line of sight. My stomach drops when I see who struts across the street, her blonde hair shining even with the sun completely set. Like a halo surrounding her precious little head. Listen here, Carmen. I'm the only angel around here. God himself said so. Well, not in those exact words or with any voice for me to hear, but still! I know my purpose in Levi's life.

Like another shining beacon of hope a man a couple steps behind Carmen grabs her elbow. Was I about to witness a murder? If a ghost sees a life get taken right in front of her but can't warn anyone about it, did it actually happen? Was I about to be given a get out of jail free card by watching Carmen get snatched away into the night? Here's hoping.

She spins around, yanking her arm from his grasp and crossing them in front of her. He tries to grab her again but she shakes him off. I can't hear what they're saying and I can't see her face because she has her back to me. All I get is a glimpse of the pleading expression on the mans face. He loosens his tie, a stone grey suit plastered to his frame.

Hopefully this was Carmen's type. A business guy who begged for her attention. Not an artistic beauty of a man who was soft and humble when it came to his work. If this is what that blonde seductress was into, I could work with that. There would be no need for me to worry any more whether she would get her polished claws into Levi. She'd no longer be a threat to my relationship. I couldn't say the same for anyone married to a Wall Street leech.

Carmen turns, her short pale yellow dress fading to white under the street lights. The man shouts her name, but she doesn't stop. She storms across the concrete street, her heeled sandals echoing behind her until she's no longer in sight.

The suited sad boy stomps his foot, throwing his fists at his side like a baby having a meltdown. If I was Carmen I'd break up with this man child too. He was literally having a tantrum in the middle of New York. In a suit, no less. Talk about tacky. He runs a hand through his wet (or is it sweaty) hair, looks at his watch, and hails a cab.

Wait. Was this the man who was drooling over Carmen less than a week ago? The same guy who was waiting for a cab that morning to go to work? God, she was shameless wasn't she? Picking up strange men on the street and then blowing them off in the span of four days. No wonder she knocked on Levi's door that day with her tits out and her leggings on. The woman had no morals. No dignity.

The clinking of glasses brings me back to Levi and Mell on the couch.

"So," Mell starts before taking a sip. "Any new buyers for your pieces?"

Levi swirls the dark liquid in his glass, the back of his head hanging slightly. "Not since last year." He throws his head back and downs his drink. Mell takes another sip, eyeing Levi cautiously.

"Man, that's tough. I was sure you'd get one of those wrinkly snores to invest in that gallery you were thinking of opening up."

"I thought so too, but it just fell through after I got that block."

Mell rolls his eyes. "I keep telling you you got to get out there. There's a line of women waiting to fuck you and all you do is lock yourself up in here and paint garbage." Another sip. "The reason why you haven't been able to paint anything is because your balls are distracting you. I wouldn't be able to think if mine were that blue either."

If I could choke this imbecile of a man unconscious, lord knows I would. Levi didn't need any woman to make his genius come out. He just needed one. Me.

"It's not that simple, Mell."

Mell laughs. "Dude, it's only that simple. I'm telling you, once you let that frustration out you'll be painting like that fancy guy in the museums. What was his name? Van something."

Levi laughs, shaking his head while he fills up both their glasses again. "You do know he cut off his own ear, right?"

"Because he wasn't getting laid." Mell says like it's obvious. This man was crass and disrespectful. How could someone with skulls on his bowling ball of a head talk about a man who was a literal icon to the world like that? Van Gogh didn't die for idiots like this to spit on his name. How could Levi be friends with someone who disrespects someone he no doubt looked up to?

"Don't be an asshole." Levi says sternly. That's more like it.

"We all know I'm an asshole, L. But I'm the asshole that's telling you what needs to be done. I mean look at that thing." He points to the unfinished painting Levi has on the easel. Levi doesn't bother acknowledging it, taking another gulp from his cup instead. "What is that even supposed to be? And since when do you use pink and yellow together?"

Exactly! See, even your friend knows that Carmen's influence on your work isn't good. It's not you. Maybe I did like this thick headed guy.

"You might be right." Levi sighs.

"You know I'm right." Mell clinks his glass with Levi's and downs his drink with one deep gulp. This guy was like a bottomless pit of alcohol.

"I didn't mean about me having sex with someone."

Mell groans. "Looking at whatever nonsense you got going on near that canvas, you're basically begging to stick your brush in someones paint pot."

Levi elbows him. "Can you stop with the sexual innuendo's for one second?" But they both laugh. As much as I didn't like the conversation that was going on before me, I liked hearing Levi laugh. His friend could stay on the condition that I'd get to hear that laugh ringing over and over like church bells.

I move to sit on the stool, getting a better view of the two of them. A blush is starting to creep up Levi's face, sweat beading on Mell's forehead. Were they drunk already? Now that I think about it, I don't remember Levi making himself anything for dinner. If they kept drinking like this they'd both be slurring their words in no time.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the sound of Carmen's heels in the hallway echo loudly into the apartment. She's either upset about her argument with her man child in a suit, or she's trying to get Levi's attention. Mell glances at Levi from the corner of his eye once Carmen's door slams shut.

"Who's that?" Mell asks pouring himself another drink. Levi glances over his shoulder at the easel. At me.

"The pink and yellow you hate so much." he says.

Mell laughs. "Forget everything I just said. Pink and yellow looks good on you, man."

Great.