After successfully sneaking out, Avalia called a taxi and had him drive over to the Ghostbusters building.
"Aren't you a little too young to be busting ghosts?" The taxi driver questioned.
"Aren't you a little too young to be going through your 3rd divorce?" The rest of the car ride was silent, which made Avalia concerned that the taxi driver was actually on his 3rd divorce. She arrived at the house and tipped the taxi driver.
"It's actually my 4th divorce." Avalia was stunned and walked away with her phone and bag. She got into the building and met with Phoebe and an Asian boy, both dressed in Ghostbuster uniforms.
"Hey Avalia," Phoebe called as the blond entered.
"That's the girl you like, right?" The Asian boy questioned, trying to be quiet but failing.
"That's very flattering, what's your name?" Avalia watched as Phoebe tried to hide her face.
"Podcast."
"That's, like, your real name? Huh. Anyways, you need to learn how to actually whisper," Avalia criticized. She looked at her phone, turning her location off.
"Uh, well anyways..." Phoebe trailed off. Podcast began to ramble as Phoebe admired Avalia for the fourth time today? She wasn't counting.
"Alright, we're back baby. Ghostbusters are back." Avalia rolled her eyes. "Back in the big city. Back in the Big Apple." Avalia turned to help Phoebe with the backpack looking thing. Avalia struggled more than Phoebe did.
"Gonna take a bite out of the Big Apple," Podcast continued. Phoebe made a face at him.
"What the fuck dude. I just met you and you already remind me of my friend," Avalia said, in shock but also annoyed. "Do I get one of those huge backpacks?"
"Not unless you want your shoulders sore for days," Phoebe groaned.
"Don't worry, I've been sore before." Podcast and Phoebe looked up at her, trying to hold in their laughs. "Oh my god, not like that. You know what, I don't want it anymore. Too late. Deal's off."
"There wasn't any deal-"
"Not the point!"
"Phoebe and Podcast. Podcast and Phoebe. Can't keep us apart. Dynamic duo," Podcast spoke.
"Hello? I'm still here?" Avalia said, crossing her arms.
"You'll find somewhere in this duo." Avalia jokingly scoffed at Podcast as the three walked out of the building.
——
The trio walked over to a nearby diner. Avalia felt very out of place without some form of coverup, so Phoebe gave the blond her jacket. Phoebe gave her the very nice one to make Avalia appreciate Phoebe more.
"This is the place," Phoebe said as Avalia scrolled on her phone. She checked her aunt's messages to make sure she wasn't suspicious. No new messages. She turned it off and slid it into her pocket.
"Yep. They bettter have baklava," Podcast replied, opening the door and holding it for the two girls.
"You here for the ghost?" The worker asked. Podcast held up a machine while Phoebe showed her backpack thing. They walked past her.
"Avalia, if it's not a terrifying ghost, can you distract it?" Phoebe questioned. Avalia nodded her head.
"Yeah, gladly." The blond walked around and looked for a ghost. She found one sitting at a booth alone. She slid in the seat across from her.
"You willingly sat here?" The ghost asked.
"Yeah no shit, why else would I sit here?" Avalia joked. The ghost observed her very closely.
"Mhm. Okay, what's your name?"
"Avalia. And you?"
"Melody." That's when Phoebe and Podcast came around with the gun thing. Phoebe grabbed Avalia's arm and pulled her next to her, trying to protect her. She stopped when Phoebe noticed who it was.
"Boo," Melody called. Avalia chuckled.
"She's hilarious, am I right?" Avalia giggled. Phoebe huffed in slight jealousy as Podcast stood in confusion.
"Phoebe?" He called, wondering why his friend wasn't shooting the ghost. "Blast it!"
"It?" Melody groaned.
"Phoebe, what are you doing?" Podcast was shouting.
"Who's the fourth wheel?" Avalia tapped Phoebe on the shoulder to try to get her attention, but it didn't work.
"Why are you just standing there? Fire!" Melody escaped the diner before Phoebe could blast.
"What are you doing? You missed!" Podcast had the attention of the whole diner, which was only a few workers and late night customers. Podcast and Phoebe jumped over the broken glass while Avalia walked out the normal way. She wasn't going to ruin her clothes for shards of glass. Once she got out, she looked up and saw the sign.
"That wasn't there before," Avalia muttered, pointing up at the big "Melody Diner" sign.
——
On Monday, Avalia stepped into summer school. She found Sammy and Rylan sitting next to each other, watching TikToks. Once Avalia unpacked, she opened up her phone to see all the missing messages.
𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 : hey, are u busy today?
𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚 : right now yeah 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚 : im at summer school 😕
𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 : oh 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 : i was wondering if u would wanna get ice cream?
𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚 : actually that sounds rly good rn 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚 : yeah sure, ill js go right after summer school 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚 : around 3?
𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 : that works for me ☺️
𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚 : alright, it's a date
Avalia looked over as Rylan and Sammy were peaking over at her messages.
"Guys, what the hell!" Avalia shrieked, mad but also terrified.
"You finally got a date!" Rylan exclaimed. Avalia covered his mouth with her hand, silencing him.
