Bryan stayed for two hours. All that time Angel was standing behind him and made funny faces at Nicky. All he could was smile the biggest smile he had ever smiled. Angel stopped making funny faces and started to dance to music only she could hear. Nicky followed her around the room with his eyes. ‘Nick, are you are you are fine? All you do is smile and you are rolling your eyes.’ Nicky gazed at Bryan. ‘I was following a fly and I smile because I’m happy.’ In the corner of his eyes he saw Angel disappear. ‘Wait.’ Nicky reached out his hand. Bryan shook his head. ‘You are seeing things man. I’ll be back tomorrow.’ He got up and walked away. ‘Great Angel, now my best friend think that I am crazy.’ He got no reply. He lay back in his pillow and thought about the last two days. He came in for surgery and ended up with a ghost as friend. Life can be so strange.

Angel looked at a sleeping Nicky. Anna came in the room. ‘Hi Angel.’ ‘Hi Anna, how are you?’ ‘Fine, how is the young man?’ Angel smiled at her. ‘He is fine. He had a tiring day.’ ‘What did you do?’ ‘I didn’t do nothing. Oh, okay, I made him laugh.’ Anna shook her head. ‘He’s got stitches from his chest to his hip. He can’t laugh.’ ‘That’s he figured out too.’ Anna checked Nicky’s chart and said goodnight to Angel. She pulled a chair close and took Nicky’s warm hand in her cold hands. ‘Sorry, Nicky. I need warming up.’ Nicky stirred but didn’t wake up. Angel looked at his face. ‘You have the face of an angel when you are asleep.’
She touched his cheek. ‘Why didn’t I meet you before? It could have been nice.’ Nicky opened his eyes. ‘Hey, don’t cry.’ ‘Don’t worry, these tears will never fall.’ Angel sighed. ‘Will you hold me Nicky?’ Nicky pulled back his covers and Angel slid in beside him. ‘You are cold.’ Said Nicky while he shivered. Angel took his hand and put on her heart. ‘Feel that Nicky?’ ‘No.’ ‘I have no heart beat anymore. I don’t get warm on my own. I need you to warm me.’ Nicky wrapped his right arm around her waist. ‘Is that better.’ Angel nodded. ‘If you only knew what this means to me.’ Nicky closed his eyes again and fell asleep.

Angel lay there with Nicky’s arm around here. She listened to the comforting beat of his heart. Suddenly she realised that she had fallen in love with him. She turned around and looked at him. Even in his sleep he was smiling. His hand moved slowly up and down her waist making her giggle. Angel laid her head on his shoulder and touched his scar. ‘I can heal it for you.’ She softly caressed the sore skin of his chest.

‘I can make it feel better. If I could only make you love me.’ She sighed and closed her eyes. There for she didn’t see that Nicky opened his eyes when she had said those words. He looked at her. She didn’t look like a ghost to him. Her skin was perfect and now warm. Nicky touched her cheek. Angel’s eyes flew open. ‘Hi.’ Whispered Nicky. ‘Hi.’ ‘Are you feeling better now?’ Angel nodded. She was fascinated by Nicky’s lips. She bends forward and kissed him with all the passion she had to give him. At first Nicky kissed her back, deepened the kiss. Then he turned his head. Angel looked at him with hurt in her eyes. ‘Nicky?’ ‘I can’t. You are a ghost. I, we can never be.’ Angel jumped out of bed. ‘I’m sorry you feel that way.’

Nicky saw her vaporise in front of him. ‘Angel, no!’ Anna ran into the room. ‘Nicky, what is wrong?’ ‘Angel, she is gone.’ Anna sat next to him. ‘You look stressed. What happened?’ ‘We kissed.’ Anna gasped. ‘And I told her that we could never be.’ Nicky’s eyes filled with tears. Anna hugged him. ‘You broke her heart. That’s all I can say.’

Nicky sat in his wheelchair staring out of the window. He felt miserable. Angel had vanished a week ago and all he could think about was her. Did he love her? It was so confusing. The door of his room opened. He turned around. Anna walked in. ‘Hi Anna.’ Said Nicky with a sad smile. ‘You are down too?’ What do you mean?’ Anna smiled. ‘I have this grumpy little ghost sitting at home refusing to go anywhere or do anything.’ Nicky sighed. ‘I’m so stupid.’ The door opened again and Bryan walked in. ‘He Nick my man. Time for a ride.’ Bryan grabbed the wheelchair and swung Nicky around. ‘Wow,’ said Anna, ‘Be very careful. His wound hasn’t healed yet.’ Bryan nodded and ran out of the room. Anna could hear Nicky screaming for Bryan to calm down. ‘Anna?’ She turned around. ‘Angel?’ ‘Does he miss me?’ ‘See for yourself.’ Angel walked out of the room. She saw Nicky sitting in his wheelchair laughing his butt off. She sighed. ‘Well, I could have known.’ Anna joined her.

‘That boy is head over heals in love with you.’ Angel looked in his direction again. Bryan had gotten himself a wheelchair too and challenged Nicky to race him. They rode in her direction. Angel turned around. She didn’t want Nicky to see her. ‘Bryan, stop.’ Shouted Nicky. ‘That girl.’ Bryan rode straight through Angel. ‘Ouch.’ Angel rubbed her tummy. ‘That kid has a hard head.’ Not realising she said that out loud, she turned around. ‘Angel?’ she heard Nicky say. Anna turned his wheelchair. ‘No more racing young man.’ Nicky put on his puppy face and said: ‘No nurse Anna.’ Nicky came back. ‘What were you yelling?’ ‘Oh, nothing. You nearly ran over Anna that’s all.’ Anna smacked him playfully over the head. Bryan rode him back into his room. Nicky looked down the corridor but he couldn’t see Angel anywhere.