Dear Dahlia // B1

[9]

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I wrap my arm around my torso, holding my ribs on the other side. "Yeah, I'm good."

I look up to see, Tyler Marks holding his hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet.

"I am so sorry," he flashes me a smile. "I didn't see you and I was just running in, I totally forgot about the spirit rally."

"You're on the lacrosse team, how could you forget?" I joke.

"Well," he scratches the back of his neck. "It's not like our team is any good."

"I wouldn't know," I shake my head. "Not a big lacrosse fan."

"That's too bad. You know, you would probably make the best banners for the team to run through," he jokes.

"Yeah," I laugh. "Wait, what?"

"Well, you're in the art program," Tyler explains. "Yeah, I sit two tables in front of you second period."

"Oh," my eyes go wide. "Yeah, I -uh- would not know that since most of the time during second period, I like to stare at the table or floor."

"Really? I prefer the ceiling," he smiles. I look toward the gym exit and see Lydia standing near the back of the thinning crowd.

"I should probably-" I point my thumb over to the exit.

"Yeah, yeah," Tyler nods. "Me too. Uh- it was nice talking with you."

"It was nice- running into you," I joke. "I'll see you around, Tyler."

"You too, Dahlia," he waves as I walk toward Lydia, now standing in the doorway, looking around.

When she meets my eyes, she squeals, "Were you just talking to the Tyler Marks?"

"Yeah, I ran into him," I nod, still holding my side. "It kinda hurt."

"Kinda like it kinda hurt when he fell from heaven? He's a god, Lia!" Lydia gapes. "How are you not freaking out right now?"

"He's a person, just like everybody else," I say. "Sure he's got great hair and he's in the art program and he plays lacrosse and really pretty blue eyes- but that's not important."

"Yeah," Lydia crosses her arms. "You've got a little drool there."

"Oh, really? Right here?" I say pointing to my mouth before pretending to wipe my drool on her shirt.

"Oh, come on, Lia!" Lydia shouts, shoving my face away. "Agh! You're such a guy sometimes!"

"Hey now," I say, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. "No need to be upset just because I'm the closest thing you've got to a boyfriend."

"Ouch," Lydia puts her hand on her heart. "That one hurt, Molina. That one hurt."

I make a pouty face at her as we walk down the hallway together. She laughs before I leave to let her go to chemistry.

"Agh... the demon," Lydia pretends to vomit.

"Have fun," I smile.

"Haha," Lydia pretends to laugh, obviously unimpressed by my lack of empathy. I shake my head before going to my next class.

*****

"How much trouble are you in?" I throw myself against Julie's back.

"None," Julie laughs, pushing me off. "I got back in the music program."

"What? That's great!" I shout, pulling her in for a hug.

"Thanks, Lia," she says, rubbing my back. "Just don't say anything to Dad yet, please."

"Oh, okay," I nod.

"I just, I want it to be a surprise," Julie explains. "And I don't know how to tell him yet."

"I get it," I say. "My lips are sealed. I won't even go in the house until you tell him, how about that?"

"A bit extreme," she chuckles. "But you aren't very good at keeping secrets, so that will work."

"Hey, I'm great at keeping secrets," I argue.

"Only about serious or sad stuff," Julie says.

"Okay," I bob my head. "That may be a valid point."

Julie shakes her head at me before stopping at the front gate of our house. She looks up at it before I walk around her toward the garage.

"Good luck, little sis," I wink.

"It's a 10 minute difference," Julie mumbles.

"12!" I shout. I can feel the gravity of Julie's eye roll, and I smile to myself. It feels good to be joking around with Julie again. It has been too long without my sister and it was nice to have her back.

"What happened?" Luke poofs in front of me as I walk into the garage. I gasp and put my hand over my heart. "Did Julie get back into the music program?"

"Yes, she did," I answer, closing the door.

"That's great!" Luke yells.

"Yeah, real great," I sigh. "What would really be even better is if you wouldn't just appear and scare the he- AGH!"

"Dahlia! You're back," Alex appears next to Luke. I swing my fist at him, but it smoothly goes through his shoulder.

"Sorry," I apologize.

Alex shakes his head before running his hand through his hair. "So that was weird right?"

"What that the whole school saw you? Yeah, it's a little messed up," I stick my hands in my pockets.

"Well, I'm just kinda freaking out. I mean, I dont handle change well and then I died. A change. Then we become ghosts and people can hear us when we play. More change. Now, when we play with Julie, people can see us," he takes a big breath out. "Big freaking change."

"Okay, but how are you not totally stoked about this?" Luke asks. "We can play again. People can see us!"

"And with a new lead singer, this band could become legendary," Reggie poofs on the other side of Luke.

"Hey," Luke gives him a hurt look. "I'm our lead singer."

Reggie claps his hand on Luke shoulder. "That girl has the voice of an angel. And she can make up visible. Without her, we're just like elevator music."

"Well you don't gotta be so mean about it," Luke mumbles.

"Okay," I butt in. "Alex, look I'm with you. I mean, I'm amazed, obviously, but this is a lot. I mean,-"

"I wanna know why," Alex finished my thought.

"Exactly," I nod.

"I just, I need to clear my head," he says, reaching for the door handle. His hand passes through it, then again.

"Dude, you're a ghost just poof out," Reggie says.

"Don't tell me how to ghost!" Alex yells. He takes a deep breath before poofing out of the garage. I look down at the ground.

Awkward.

A.N.

Oh, hi there!

Sorry I havent been very active. But I'll try to update at least every other day from now on (if not every day). Thanks for understanding and being patient.

I really appreciate it!

All my love!

-Redd