Prologue #2
Maybe I can convince you it’s worth playing
Does this mean you finally want to meet?
Jury’s still out
Fun fact about me. I want to do jury duty so badly
Me too!
Really? I haven’t met anyone else that does
It’s fascinating. I never get picked and would love to be on one
I never get picked either. Something about people recognizing me
What do you do?
I told you. I play hockey. Not my fault if you don’t believe me
It’s not my fault I can’t see a ghost on the ice
I’m too fast
Lightning fast
Speaking of. Gotta go
Bye, Casper
Bye, Bella
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 9:17am
TheFriendlyGhost
One place in the world you want to visit
CatsRCool
Switzerland
Huh
Huh, what?
I figured it’d be somewhere tropical
Stick me in a cabin in the Alps in the middle of winter and I’m a happy gal
Duly noted
Would you sing some songs while you’re there?
Why would you ask me that?
Odd question
Didn’t you say you love Julie Andrews?
I’m not making that up
Oh yeah
Sorry, tired from yesterday
Then yes, I would be belting out some “The Hills are Alive”
Maybe even some “Edelweiss”
Just don’t fall down the mountainside
I think you’ll need to come with me to make sure that doesn’t happen
I’ve never been to Switzerland
We’ll make a trip out of it
Go over Christmas
See the lights
Is this before or after our bowling date?
Would be a pretty epic first date if we went to Switzerland
One for the books
Lots of cheese to eat
I bet that fondue goes down pretty smooth with some Swiss beer
Do you ski?
I wish I could, but I’ve never tried
I would rock the hell out of hanging in the lodge by the fire drinking spiked hot chocolate
You don’t actually need to ski for that
You can stay at your little cabin in the Alps and cozy up by the fire
Now this sounds like a great plan
I wish I could leave right now
If only…
One place in the world you want to visit now
I’m changing mine to Switzerland
You would say that
What was it before?
Hawaii
Need to tan all that’s invisible
Funny
I think I am
Why Hawaii?
I want to lie by the pool with a drink in my hand and not have to worry about a thing
Why not the beach?
I don’t like sand
Of course you don’t
Why not go to Florida then?
You can find a pool here in Nashville
But I want to go to Hawaii
I want those little pineapple cookies
What pineapple cookies?
They’re shortbread cookies in the shape of pineapples
I want to sit by the pool with a pina colada and eat them and not have a care in the world
Can I come with you?
I want that too
Before or after Switzerland?
After
We’ll throw in a first date of bowling while we’re there
Perfect
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 7:10am
TheFriendlyGhost
I’m assuming you like winter since you want to stay in a cabin in the Alps in the middle of winter?
CatsRCool
Definitely not a summer girl
I mean, who likes Nashville summers?
It can get pretty miserable
Then why don’t you move?
Can’t
My job requires me to be here
Until I retire, I’m stuck here
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 4:03pm
TheFriendlyGhost
> Thought of you today
Went with my friends’ kids to the museum
They told me I’d be a T-rex because I’m so tall
When I told them I want to fly, they said I couldn’t
Reminded me of something you would tell me
You there, Bella?
…
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 3:57pm
TheFriendlyGhost
Saw a board game cafe in Vancouver
No Monopoly though. We can’t go there
Well, maybe we could if you’d answer me
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 8:42am
TheFriendlyGhost
Do I need to send out a search party for you?
Although, how would I send out a search party for someone I’ve never met?
We really need to rectify this soon, Bella
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 1:17am
TheFriendlyGhost
You okay, Bella?
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 5:37am
CatsRCool
Didn’t mean to ghost you, Casper
You’re back
You okay?
I’ve been busy
Talk to me
Why is it easier to want to tell everything to a stranger on the internet?
Not a stranger
You know what I mean
I’m onto you. Talk to me
I’m exhausted
I was hoping this problem would be solved, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be anytime soon
Need me to ruffle some feathers on your behalf?
“Dear Sir, You don’t know me, but I know Bella and you need to give her a break. Signed, a fictional ghost”
I’m a real ghost
>
Thanks for putting a smile on my face
It’s what I’m here for
Sorry I haven’t been around
It’s okay
I wish my life wasn’t so hectic
You really can’t tell people you need a break?
Can you?
Come play hockey
I wouldn’t last one second on the ice
I’ll teach you in the offseason
It’s great not having to worry about anything
Don’t rub it in
Maybe I should take up hockey
I bet you’d look real cute in a helmet, Bella >
OMG! Where did you find that?
I can’t reveal all my secrets
Guess I found you too >
Damn. I guess my real identity has been discovered
The mystery has died. Guess this is the end of our relationship
It was good while it lasted. G2G Bye
Oh. My. God. How old are you?!
Who says G2G?!
You should respect your elders
Not when they say G2G
It really is the end of our relationship
How do the cool kids sign off these days?
Peace out? Goodbye? Actually ghost you?
Hey, Casper?
Yeah?
Thank you
I’m always here for you, Bella
Quinn. My name is Quinn.
Nice to meet you, Quinn. Jasper
Jasper, the friendly ghost
The friendliest
Thank you
anything for you
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 2:32pm
CatsRCool
Have you ever been in love?
TheFriendlyGhost
Coming back swinging, aren’t ya?
Gotta make up for ghosting you
So you ask if I’ve ever been in love?
Would you rather I ask about the weather?
Weather’s been shit lately
I can’t with you, Jasper
I like you using my actual name, Quinn
Me too
Stop dodging the question
Picked up on that?
You’re very easy to read
Sigh…I think I have?
You think?
How can you not know if you’ve been in love?
Well, when we broke up, I wasn’t all that sad about it, even though we’d been dating for three years
I figure if I really loved her, I would have been more upset
I guess that’s fair
That was the longest relationship I’ve had
What about you?
Yes
I’ve had my heart broken in many ways
Haven’t we all?
I wouldn’t wish it on anyone
Want to talk about it?
Not really
Want me to change the subject? (Even though you’re the one that brought this subject up…)
Way to call a girl out!
Favorite color
Yellow
You?
And you can’t say black!
Uhh…
I knew it!
Fine
Green
Don’t sound so pained to say that
Are you my neighbor hearing my groans through the walls?
Okay, this took a turn now…
Head out of the gutter, Bella!
You started it!
Maybe I need to cut this off
And on that note, I have to go
I think you took the longest to scare off
I don’t scare that easy, Quinn
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 4:14am
CatsRCool
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
TheFriendlyGhost
Is this what your brain thinks about this early in the morning?
Answer the question
Flying
I should have known, Jasper
Because I’m a ghost?
And because you’d be a pterodactyl
Fair
What about you, Quinn?
Too much to say invisible?
You want to sneak in and out of places without anyone knowing who you are?
You’re right. Too much
Super strength then
You can’t change it now
I make the rules to this game, so I can do whatever I want
I feel like there is a lot to unpack
No unpacking of anything
Super strength is my superpower
Whatever you say, Quinn
G2G, bye!
Peace out
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 3:00pm
CatsRCool: Do you ever wish you could be something else?
Something else? Or someone else?
Something. Like a tree
Why would you want to be a tree?
They just sway in the wind
Like nothing ever bothers them
You don’t have to be a tree to not let anything bother you
But they have it so easy
Until a storm comes in and blows them over
This took a dire turn
It’s true! Look at that storm we had here last week
I wasn’t here
Where were you?
Plotting your downfall
Then who would you talk about being a tree with
Sigh…I guess
What’s a tree’s favorite dating app?
Omg, stop it!
Timber
Why do trees hate riddles?
Why?
Because they get stumped
Do you have kids? Because you’ve got the dad jokes
No kids. My friends’ kids though love telling me bad jokes
Is there where you learned tree jokes?
I just looked them up to impress you
Are you impressed?
Unbe-leaf-ably
QUINN WITH THE JOKES!
Only for you
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 1:17am
TheFriendlyGhost
Tell me something you hate
CatsRCool
Why?
No one ever talks about what they hate
Because it’s bad vibes?
I hate cereal
Cereal? Really?
Frosted Flakes is my guilty pleasure
At least it’s not something like Raisin Bran
Gross. Who likes raisins?
I assume old people. Like you
Now, now, Casper. That is not very friendly
Neither is calling me old
I never claimed to be friendly
I thought you said cats were friendly
I said dogs were
Although, I’m pretty sure I said you always knew what they were thinking
Clearly you’re a cat because I never know what you’re thinking
>
Tell me something you hate
You
You wound me, old man
Brussels sprouts
I stand by my earlier statement
Brussels sprouts? Really?
What? They’re actually gross. Unlike cereal
Have you actually tried them? Like really tried them?
They’re soggy and uninspired
Soggy and uninspired
Are you a judge on a cooking show?
They have no taste
Not mine. Mine are amazing
So whenever we get to meet, you’re going to make them for me?
Yes
If we’re trying things, I’m bringing you cereal
I walked into that
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 11:41pm
CatsRCool
Tell me something you love
TheFriendlyGhost
These conversations with you
Tell me something you love
These conversations with you
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 9:42am
TheFriendlyGhost
I want to meet you.
Please.
Quinn?
Bella?
{Draft} CatsRCool: I don’t know. I don’t want you to meet me and hate me because I never told you who I was.
I want to meet you more than anything because messaging with you these last few months has kept me from completely losing it.
Music used to be my escape, and now it’s you.
You’ve kept me together and all I want to do is meet you. Even though I know who you are, Casper.
{Draft} CatsRCool: Jasper Hayes. Starting forward for the Nashville Knights. I used to watch you play hockey with my brother before everything in my life went up in flames.
{Draft} CatsRCool: I hate that I know you hate hockey. I’ve watched you play now. Since knowing who you are. I can see it in your eyes. The way you’re tired. The way you’ve lost your love of the game.
{Draft} CatsRCool: Because it wasn’t always like this. You used to have the same passion for your sport like I did for music.
{Draft} CatsRCool: Before everything good was sucked away.
{Draft} CatsRCool: And what we have now, Jasper, is good.
{Draft} CatsRCool: And I don’t want to lose it. I’m scared. Too scared because it seems nothing good in my life lasts anymore. And you’re too good to lose, Jasper Hayes.
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 11:59am
CatsRCool
Sorry, Casper. My schedule is too hectic these next few weeks
Maybe when life calms down
TheFriendlyGhost
When will that be?
Soon?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Soon? Really? I doubt it’ll be soon
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: More like never
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Because you’re scared, Quinn. I know you are.
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Whether you like it or not, I know you.
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Why don’t you want to meet?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Are you worried you won’t like the real me?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Are you worried I won’t like the real you?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: How could I not like the real you when I’m pretty sure I’m in love with this version of you?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: How could I not be after talking with you for months?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: I’ve never spent this much time getting to know someone
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: All I want is to see you
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: To look into your eyes and know it’s you
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: The one who tells me I’m old
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: And weird because I don’t like Brussels sprouts
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: And is the only person who knows how much I hate hockey
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Maybe our paths have already crossed and you thought I didn’t notice you?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: I would notice you in any room, Bella
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: When someone knows someone the way we know each other, how would we not know each other if we were in the same room?
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Please don’t shut me out, Quinn
{Draft} TheFriendlyGhost: Let me in
New message from Music City Matches user TheFriendlyGhost at 12:12pm
TheFriendlyGhost
Soon, then.
{Draft} CatsRCool: Please don’t hate me, Jasper
{Draft} CatsRCool: I don’t know if I could handle you hating me
{Draft} CatsRCool: I want to meet you more than anything, but how?
{Draft} CatsRCool: How?
{Draft} CatsRCool: I keep coming back to that question above all else
{Draft} CatsRCool: How?
{Draft} CatsRCool: I want you to spot me from across a crowded room and know immediately it’s me
{Draft} CatsRCool: Because you’ll look at me and know I hate cereal
{Draft} CatsRCool: And love cats more than dogs
{Draft} CatsRCool: And used to play Monopoly with my brother
{Draft} CatsRCool: I want you to bring me kombucha
{Draft} CatsRCool: Tell me I don’t have to keep going down this path
{Draft} CatsRCool: I want you to take me into your arms and run
{Draft} CatsRCool: Run as far as we can from this life
{Draft} CatsRCool: I only want you, Jasper
{Draft} CatsRCool: But how?
New message from Music City Matches user CatsRCool at 1:21pm
CatsRCool
Why did the cat go to the ghost’s house?
TheFriendlyGhost
Why?
Because it heard about the purr-anormal activity