Pretty / CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST!X Reader!

Chapter One: Goodbye, Nebraska

It started out as a mere cold. You know, the usual. A stuffy nose, watery and red eyes, a sore throat, and a headache that made you nauseous; known as migraines. However, as days progressed, it got severe. To the point where they had to go the hospital.

Y/N had never felt so sick, but that wasn't really saying much, she was only thirteen. It wasn't like she had lived a long time. In Scottsbluff, a small city in Nebraska, where Y/N lived, they had limited Healthcare supply. If there were no room in the hospitals, you couldn't go. It sucked, Y/N had nearly died.
Her mother, M/N, was enraged. She demanded to speak to whoever was working there, yelling and screaming at the Doctors, even throwing her high-heels at them.
Even through all that anger and sadness, they still struggled, and didn't get their way. And if that wasn't enough that Y/N was incredibly sick, her family was poor.
When M/N first moved to Scottsbluff, when Y/N was born, she was seventeen and unemployed. She had tried to look for a job, but it was hard getting one without a community college certificate. She was busy raising two kids alone, usually living at her parents' house. But, M/N knew they wouldn't let her stay for long, so she went back to school. She earned a scholarship and went to University in Omaha, eventually earning a degree in Journalism.
It was still hard, though. M/N was only making 31K a year, a pretty low salary for a single mother with two children. But, it was the best she could do.
When M/N gave birth to B/N, Y/N's older brother, he was an accidental pregnancy. M/N was only fifteen at the time of his birth, and he was taken into Foster Care until M/N was old enough to take him back. By the time B/N was two, M/N had another child, Y/N. Because of this, B/N was given back to M/N, and was deemed a responsible mother.
It was only until about a month ago that things started to get really bad. Not only was Y/N getting sicker, but it was getting harder to pay off the mortgage, in the Manufactured Home that the small family lived in.

"Mrs. M/N L/N?" The RTB officer had came to the door one day, knocking firmly on the worn-out wood. M/N had answered the door, looking at the officer confusingly. "Yes, Sir?" The officer cleared his throat, failing to look her in the eye. "You have been evicted. I'm not sure of the story, but I was informed you were unable to pay the rent, yes?" Y/N's mother's stomach dropped to the bottom of the ocean, it seemed. She had just been evicted from their small home.
It was truly devastating. The neighbourhood they lived in was small, but friendly. The elderly people would wave slowly, and smile their toothless smiles, while they were watering their beautiful flowers, tending to their splendid gardens that filled the area with joy and colour. There were children; big and small, all very nice kids, who loved to draw chalk with you, play dolls and race-cars, who loved to bike with you.
The fact that the L/Ns had to move, was tragic. Y/N and B/N had friends, and more importantly, B/N had a girlfriend; Zinnia. They had lived in Scottsbluff for thirteen years, so it was easy for B/N to get a new love.
Zinnia Drystone, a fifteen year old student at Ellis Sharpe Secondary, who worked as a Water Slide Tester, for seven bucks an hour. The thing Y/N liked most about Zinnia was that she was from a foreign country. She was from Toulouse, France. A very good place, is what she described it. Her French accent rolled off her tongue so smoothly, and B/N thought "It was kinda sexy". Y/N would usually roll her eyes, but from time to time, Zinnia would hang out with Y/N, too. Even though she two years younger; age doesn't matter when it comes to friendship.
B/N had promised Zinnia he would call her every night, once they got to their new destination. It was a promise Zinnia was sure he would keep, and he said, "Baby, I'm going away. I promise to call you every night, once we get to our new house. I love you, never forget that." And then he hung up, unplugging the telephone so that it could be packed away.

Y/N, on the other hand, had one faithful best friend that she would miss dearly; Lewis Sinow, who knew Y/N since Kindergarten. They had been through thick and thin together, dealing with obstacles, like bullies, rude teachers, and tough schoolwork. Lewis never gave up on Y/N, and it was the same the other way around. It was a friendship, Y/N was sure, that it would last forever. What made Lewis different from other kids, though, was that he was missing a leg. He had troubles getting around the school, and some kids would make fun of him, and call him, "Legless Lewis!" And something of the sort. It really bothered Y/N, to the point where she almost punched a boy for making fun, but contained herself. Self-awareness is important, especially when you're angry. Y/N had hoped, that she would get to see Lewis in person again, maybe on vacation. She could go see him, and they could play checkers, make silly faces, dress in each others' clothes, like old times. Time. You only have so much of it. It's something precious; something you should cherish. Time is greater than money; without time, no one would have money.

"B/N, help me with these boxes, would you?" M/N groaned tiredly, picking up a cardboard box, and dropping it into the back of the moving van. "Sure, Ma." B/N grabbed two boxes at once, holding them underneath his armpits. Y/N giggled from afar. Her brother was like Superman. He could lift anything. It made Y/N look better, to have a popular jock by her side like her brother. B/N participated in many sports; such as Tennis, Baseball, Rugby, Soccer, and Swimming. For a while, he was actually Captain of the Swim Team, before the family had to move. It made B/N intimidatingly strong. "What are you looking at?" B/N laughed, sticking his tongue out at Y/N, as he closed the moving van's door, with the last of the stuff in there.
"You're so strong!" Y/N exclaimed, laughing all the while, sitting on the bench in front of her house. B/N joined by her side, sitting down.
"I only do it for Zinnia; God knows what she'd do if I was a scrawny, weak boy."
At this statement, Y/N frowned. B/N always had anxiety about his body, fearing people would make fun of him for the way he looked. In M/N and Y/N's eyes, though, he was beautiful; handsome. And Y/N had no doubt Zinnia did too.
Y/N put a hand on B/N's thigh, "B/N, Zinnia loves you for you, not for your body type. She told me herself, 'Nothing is more charming than a man's personality'. Zinnia is a very nice girl. She would never leave you for something as stupid as that."
B/N pondered about this, before slowly turning to Y/N, smiling. He gently removed her hand from his leg, putting it in his own. "I love you, Y/N," He hugged her, tightly, smiling to himself. He was lucky to have a little sister like her.
Even when they were younger, they would never fight. They would always compromise with each other, finding ways to get what they both wanted. They were insatiable, together. Nothing would break them apart; not even death.
"I'm sure Lewis will miss you," B/N pulled away from the hug, looking to Y/N for a reply. Y/N sighed deeply, "Yeah. And I will miss him. But, hey. A new house, means a new opportunity for friends, right?!" Y/N smiled widely at her brother, showing all of her pearly white teeth, that were covered thoroughly with green and blue braces. Her nose stretched out along her face, and her eyes scrunched up, as if she was being blinded by the sun.
"I will never get tired of that innocent smile," B/N chuckled, standing up, holding hands with his sister.
"Kids, it's time to go!" M/N honked her horn, sitting in her car, gesturing for them to get in. Y/N and B/N looked at each other, before nodding confidently. "New house, new friends, new beginning." They said together, holding their hands all the way to the vehicle.