Dancing with your ghost

Prologue

If you had told Charlie King that he would encounter three ghosts in his best friend's mother's art studio, he would have probably dismissed the idea as absurd and laughed it off. And if you had further claimed that he would come face to face with a ghost sporting a leather jacket and eventually develop feelings for this supernatural being, he would have vehemently refuted such a notion.

Charlie King had always known he was gay he didn't admit it until he was 13 and when he told his best friend that he was gay she said she had always known was just waiting for the day that he told her. Then his mother figure Rose Molina died, a few days later his best friend Landry died. This profound loss brought Charlie and Julie closer together as they leaned on each other (and their friend Flynn) for comfort and support during their respective grieving process.

In 2019, the same year Charlie's best friend and mother figure passed away, his parents made the difficult decision to leave him and his younger brother Ollie alone in the house. At the time, Ollie was just 14 years old, while Charlie was 16. This situation was incredibly daunting for Charlie, as he suddenly found himself responsible for not only himself but also for the well-being and upbringing of his brother. Despite the overwhelming fear and uncertainty, Charlie persevered and gradually grew into his new role, taking on the responsibilities of adulthood while caring for his younger brother.

Ollie King's childhood was characterized by constant turmoil. From the moment he was born, Ollie grappled with a range of challenges. Despite his intellect, he often found himself acting out, resulting in frequent lectures from his older brother, Charlie. Ollie even bore a striking resemblance to Charlie when he was 14, a resemblance that never failed to be pointed out to him.

Ollie and Charlie shared a remarkable bond as brothers. They possessed an innate understanding of each other's emotions, able to detect any hint of falsehood, sadness, or anger. When their parents departed, Charlie experienced an overwhelming surge of rage directed at both his parents and the world. Ollie stepped in as a source of solace and companionship, offering unwavering support and a listening ear. Charlie's appreciation for his brother grew, and reciprocally, he became Ollie's pillar of strength during times of sorrow, anger, and frustration.

When three ghosts appeared out of nowhere one day when Charlie was helping Julie with her mom's studio, it took him by surprised how well he got along with them as if they have been friends for years, and not a few minutes.

Upon their return one year later, Charlie was overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions and didn't want anything to do with his parents. He angrily slammed the door in their faces and kicked them out. It was Ollie who provided comfort to his distraught brother that night. Ollie understood Charlie's pain and resentment towards their parents for leaving, but he also believed that Charlie should consider giving their parents a chance. Meanwhile, a ghost wearing a leather jacket observed the entire scene. He couldn't help but think about his own parents, who were constantly fighting and on the brink of divorce. In his eyes, Charlie and Ollie seemed to have no parents at all, at least none who truly cared for them.

When Ray Molina heard the sound of arguing and raised voices, he became concerned for the well-being of the King siblings. The day that the King siblings' parents departed, Ray made a conscious effort to provide them with ongoing support and care. He checked in on them regularly, offered them a place to stay when needed, and made the thoughtful gesture of inviting them to join his own family for dinner every evening. It became evident to those around them that Ray had become more of a father figure to the King siblings than their own parents had been.

One day, when Charlie and Reggie have a heart-to-heart, Charlie realizes his feelings for the leather-wearing ghost. In times of need, he turned to Julie, with his problem, but the once private conversation wasn't so private.

If you had told Charlie that he would encounter three ghosts in his friends mom's studio, he would think you were crazy at first but then agree with you and said that his once normal life is not so normal, that he befriended three ghosts and fell in love with one. He would also say that no matter what he wouldn't change his life, yes he doesn't have parents (well none that cares for him and his brother) but he gained two amazing surrogate parents, and he has amazing best friends. Instead, Charlie would ask himself, how did he get so lucky to have three ghosts best friends and one of them be your sort of boyfriend?