love beyond the realms

CHAPTER 7

Val sat at her desk in Zee's office. The book was open in front of her. She had been reading for hours. Her eyes were heavy. Her head felt fuzzy.

She tried to focus on the words. But they kept swimming on the page. Marketing. Profits. Strategies. Deadlines. The words blurred together.

Val yawned. A big, wide yawn that made her eyes water.

She looked at Zee. He was working on his computer. His fingers moved fast over the keyboard.

Val yawned again.

Zee looked up. He saw her tired eyes. He saw her fighting to stay awake.

"Val," Zee said.

"Yes?" she said, blinking.

"Rest for a while."

Val's eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Really," Zee said. "You look like you are going to fall off your chair. Put your head down. Take a short nap."

Val could not believe what she was hearing. Zee never let her rest. He always pushed her to read more, work more, do more. This was new.

"Thank you, Zee," Val said.

She put her head down on the desk. Her cheek touched the cool wood. She closed her eyes.

Within one minute, she was fast asleep.

---

Zee watched her sleep. Her breathing was slow and soft. Her lips were slightly parted. Her long hair fell across her face.

She looked so peaceful. So beautiful.

Zee stood up from his chair. He walked over to her desk. He looked down at her sleeping face. Something warm stirred in his chest.

He could not leave her there. The desk was hard. Her neck was bent at a strange angle. She would wake up with pain.

So Zee lifted her. He put one arm under her back and one arm under her legs. He carried her to the leather couch in the corner of his office.

He laid her down gently. He took a small blanket from the back of a chair and covered her. He tucked the edges around her shoulders.

Val did not wake up. She just sighed and turned to her side.

Zee stood there for a moment. He looked at her face. Her cheeks were pink. Her lips were soft. Her eyelashes rested against her skin like small fans.

She is beautiful, Zee thought.

He shook his head. He walked back to his desk. He sat down and tried to work. But he kept looking at her. Every few minutes, his eyes would drift to the couch.

He could not focus. He gave up. He just watched her sleep.

---

Thirty minutes passed. Then an hour. Then two.

Val slept through the rest of the day. The sun moved across the sky. The office grew dark. And Val kept sleeping.

Finally, near the end of the day, Val stirred. She opened her eyes. She blinked in confusion.

She was on the couch. A blanket was over her. The office was quiet.

She sat up slowly. Her hair was messy. There were red marks on her cheek from the couch cushion.

Zee was sitting at his desk. He was looking at her with his arms crossed.

"You slept through the whole day, Val," Zee said. "I give you a mile and you take an extra mile."

Val's face turned red. "I am so sorry, Zee."

"You should be," he said. But his voice was not angry. It was almost... amused.

Val stood up. She folded the blanket and put it back on the chair. She tried to fix her hair with her fingers.

Just then, the door opened.

Dylan walked in. He was wearing a white shirt and blue pants. His blonde hair was perfect. His blue eyes sparkled.

He walked straight to Val. He did not even look at Zee.

"Val," Dylan said with a big smile. "I am here to take you to dinner. Are you ready?"

Val looked at Dylan. Then she looked at Zee.

Zee shook his head. Just a small shake. Almost invisible. But Val saw it.

"Maybe another day, Dylan," Val said. "I have a lot to do today."

Dylan's smile faded. "Oh. Okay. Another day then."

"Yes," Val said. "Another day."

Dylan looked at Zee. Zee's face was blank. But his eyes were sharp.

"Ok," Dylan said. "I will come tomorrow, ok?"

He walked to the door. He looked back at Val one more time. Then he left.

The door closed.

Val walked straight to Zee. She sat down in the chair next to his desk. She was close to him. Very close.

Zee looked at her. "Good choice," he said.

Val smiled. "You shook your head no."

"Yes, I did."

"So I listened."

"Yes, you did." Zee almost smiled. Almost. "Maybe you are learning something after all."

Val laughed. It was a happy sound. The room felt warmer.

---

A Few Days Later

Val had changed. She was not the same scared girl who had arrived at the Johnson house a month ago. She had learned so much. She could read fast now. She understood the business. She knew how to talk to clients and how to organize documents.

Zee noticed. He was proud of her. He did not say it out loud. But he noticed.

One morning, Zee called Val into his office.

"Val," he said. "Sit down."

Val sat down. She was nervous. Had she done something wrong?

"I am making you my personal assistant," Zee said.

Val's mouth fell open. "What?"

"My personal assistant," Zee repeated. "You will work directly with me. You will go where I go. You will help me with everything."

Val's heart jumped. "Really, Zee? You trust me that much?"

Zee looked at her. His dark eyes were serious. "Yes. I trust you."

Val felt tears in her eyes. But they were happy tears. "Thank you, Zee. I will not let you down."

"I know you will not," Zee said.

From that day on, Val and Zee became very close. They worked together every day. They ate lunch together. They rode to and from work together.

Val obeyed Zee. She followed him everywhere. She learned his habits. She learned his moods. She knew when to talk and when to be quiet.

And slowly, Zee began to change. He shouted less. He smiled more. Not big smiles. Just small ones. But Val saw them.

They became friends. Good friends. The best of friends.

---

Saturday Morning

Val woke up in her room. Sunlight came through the window. Birds were singing outside. It was a beautiful day.

She got out of bed. Her hair was messy from sleep. She walked to the table to get her comb.

The comb was on the other side of the table. Val did not want to walk around. So she reached out her hand.

And without thinking, she used her power.

The comb floated off the table. It flew through the air and landed in her hand.

Val stared at the comb. Then she looked at her hand. Then she looked at the comb again.

"Wow," she whispered.

She had not used her powers since becoming human. She thought they were gone. She thought she was just a normal girl now.

But she was wrong.

Once a ghost, always a ghost, she thought.

She tried again. She looked at a book on her shelf. She focused. The book floated up. It hovered in the air. She moved her hand, and the book moved with it.

Val laughed. She still had her powers. She was still special.

The door opened.

Zee walked in. He was holding a shopping bag. "Val, I bought you some—"

He stopped.

The book was still floating in the air. Val's hand was outstretched. Her eyes were wide.

Zee saw everything.

The book dropped to the floor with a thump.

Val bolted up. Her face went pale. "Zee! I can explain!"

Zee walked into the room. He closed the door behind him. His face was shocked. His mouth was open.

"What just happened, Val?" he asked. His voice was low.

Val's hands were shaking. "I am sorry, Zee. Please let me explain."

"Explain," Zee said.

Val took a deep breath. "The story I told you before... about the ghost realm... it was all true."

Zee stared at her. "The ghost realm?"

"Yes. I was a ghost. My sister helped me escape. I drank a potion that made me human. But I still have some of my powers."

Zee sat down on the edge of her bed. He put his head in his hands. He was quiet for a long time.

Val stood there. Her heart was pounding. She was scared. Would he throw her out? Would he call the police? Would he be angry?

Finally, Zee looked up. "So the ghost story you have been telling everyone... it is true?"

"Yes," Val said. "I have been trying to convince everyone. But no one believed me. Only you see it with your own eyes."

Zee stood up. He walked to Val. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey," he said. "You do not have to tell anyone about this again, ok? This should be a secret. Just between us."

Val was confused. "What do you mean, Zee?"

Zee's face became serious. "The people in this world are dangerous, Val. If they find out what you are, they will harm you. They will take you to labs. They will run tests on you. They will never let you go."

Val's eyes filled with fear.

"Promise me," Zee said. "Promise me you will not tell anyone about this. Not even Mom and Dad. Not even the twins. No one."

"I promise, Zee," Val said.

Zee let go of her shoulders. He picked up the shopping bag. "I bought you some shoes and jeans. Try them on."

Val took the bag. She looked inside. The shoes were white and pretty. The jeans were soft.

"Thank you, Zee," she said.

Zee walked to the door. Then he stopped. He turned around.

"Val," he said. "Please... will the doctor stop coming now? I am fine. I have not lost anything."

Zee thought for a moment. "Ok. But if you tell anyone our little secret, I will make the doctor come every day. And he will inject you. Every. Single. Day."

Val's eyes went wide. "No! Not that needle again, Zee! I promise! I will never tell anyone!"

Zee almost smiled. "Good girl."

He left the room. Val stood there, holding the bag. Her heart was still pounding. But now it was pounding with relief.

Zee knew her secret. And he did not reject her. He protected her.

She had never felt so safe.

---

The Next Day

Val was in her room. She was getting dressed. It was Sunday morning. No work. She was going to spend the day with the twins in the garden.

Then she felt it.

A strange pain in her lower belly. Cramping. Tight.

She frowned. What was happening?

Then she looked down.

Blood. There was blood on her legs. A pool of blood forming on the floor.

Val screamed.

"Zee! Zee! Zee! Help!"

Her voice echoed through the house. She heard footsteps running up the stairs. The door burst open.

Zee stood in the doorway. His eyes went wide. He saw Val standing naked in a pool of blood. Her face was white with fear.

"Zee, blood is coming from under there!" Val pointed between her legs. Her voice was shaking. "Help me, Zee! Please! Will I die?"

Zee's face relaxed. He took a deep breath. He walked into the room and closed the door.

"No, you are not going to die, Val," he said calmly.

"But I am bleeding!" Val cried. "Humans die when they bleed too much!"

Zee shook his head. "This is different. This is normal. Every human girl goes through this."

Val stared at him. "What? Why would human beings bleed like this? It is terrifying!"

Zee rubbed the back of his neck. He was uncomfortable. His face was slightly red. But he kept his voice calm.

"It is called a period," he said. "It happens every month. It helps your body prepare for having children in the future."

Val looked down at the blood. Her lip trembled. "What should I do now, Zee? I am scared."

Zee stepped closer. "Go take a shower. I will get you something called a pad. I will show you how to put it on, ok?"

Val nodded. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Ok."

Zee turned to leave. Then Val called out.

"Zee? Can I use my superpower to stop the blood?"

Zee spun around. His face was stern. "No," he shouted. "You should never use your superpowers anywhere in the human world without my permission, ok? Never. Promise me."

"I promise, Zee," Val said quickly.

"Good. Now go take your shower. I will be back before you are finished."

Zee left. Val walked to the bathroom. She turned on the water. The warm water washed over her. She watched the blood swirl down the drain.

Being human is so strange, she thought.

But at least she had Zee. He knew everything about her now. And he was still there.

That meant more than anything.

---

End of Chapter 7