The Soul Catcher (Harry Styles)

44 - Gemma Is The Better Styles

"Life is hard. Then you die. Then they throw dirt in your face. Then the worms eat you. Be grateful it happens in that order."

- David Gerrold

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My mind raced too fast for me to catch up.

Merrill gave me a sympathetic smile and disappeared, leaving me alone to think about his words.

My sister was dead. Gemma, the always smiling woman, was dead.

The odd thing? I didn't feel like I should feel after hearing about her death.

After all, it meant she would be here soon. I would see her again, and I would be able to talk to her again. She will meet Elaine, and maybe those two will get along.

I hoped they would get along. Just imagining my sister not liking my girlfriend, my soulmate, was making me feel unwell.

But for Gemma, none of this was ideal. She had left mum behind, and she wouldn't have the opportunity to go back to earth whenever she pleased.

My thoughts ping-ponged in my head without any order. They weren't making sense. A few words would try to push their way to the front, only to be pushed back again by another thought that tried to surface.

The thought that eventually won the upper hand made me smile. I would see Gemma again and be able to talk to her again.

In Shimmerland, the death of a beloved one had a different meaning. On earth, it meant you would never - as far as the living ones were concerned - see that person again. For us dead souls, it simply meant we would see the person again.

I would see Gemma again.

"Elaine!" I called with a sudden outburst of glee. I placed my hands on her shoulders and gently shook her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

She stirred in her sleep and batted my hands away, before slowly opening her eyes. Blinking twice, she squinted her eyes as she saw my face only inches away from hers. "What?"

I chuckled at her grumpiness. "We have an assignment!"

"What?" She repeated, her voice void of emotions.

"We, my dear, have a new assignment which means there is a soul out there we need to catch," I explained, even though she knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Wait," Elaine finally said, yawning lightly, before sitting up on her hands. "What?"

I rolled my eyes and shifted my weight until my legs were dangling over one side, my feet pressed to the ground. The thin blanket slipped from my body as I stood up, snatching my boxers from the ground and putting them on before facing Elaine again.

She looked so angelic and sweet, her hair messy from the little sleep she was able to catch, and the thin blanket wrapped tightly around her, giving me a perfect view of her hardened nipple.

My eyes focused too long on them and when I finally looked up to meet her gaze, I found that she had been watching me the whole time. Smiling sheepishly, I shrugged my shoulders. "We have a new assignment, so get dressed and let's go!"

"Why are you so cheerful?" She asked warily.

I opened my mouth to reply and tell her who our new soul was, but my words got stuck in my throat as Elaine threw the blanket aside and slowly stood up. She wandered around the bed in her naked glory and stepped right in front of me, kissing my cheek and then leaning down to grab her underwear.

"I-" I tried talking, but had problems to gather my thoughts.

My eyes followed the curve of her breasts before they were hidden from my view. A black shirt was thrown over her upper body and she shimmied into a pair of dark skinny jeans.