Gone || ✔

III

We stand in front of the dead fire place in Alexx's house. The Ouija board's ashes were sitting in the fire place still. Gray, flaky, and some hot coals were buried. Me, Jamison and Alexx were the only ones here. Meri and Blaine made up excuses. "I have chores," or "I have family coming over," or "Homework; busy." Whatever, I don't really like them anyways. 

"Where are we burying them?" Jamie asks, staring back at the fire place. 

"Oh,  I have the perfect place." Alexx says, staring at the ashes as well. 

We quickly walk to the garage, shuffling our feet. The wind picking up, making the tree branches sway. Alexx told a story once that a long time ago, someone by the name of John, hung himself from the willow tree in the back yard by the lake. His family found his body limp, and buried him under the floor boards in the upstairs bedroom. Where she says was his bedroom and which is now her bedroom. How? I don't know. Why? Who knows? I'm pretty sure it's just some story she made up to scare us. We were twelve. We just met and never seen each other in person. We were in a group chat and she was telling us. She also sent us a picture of what looked like a person hanging from the tree. But like I said, it's probably just a story. 

Alexx got the shovel, Jamie shoveled out all the ashes from the fire place and put them in an old bucket that her dad uses to empty out the ashes. We all bury the ashes under the spot where John supposedly hung himself. "Hey, you guys remember John, right? The guy that I was talking about when we were twelve and how he hung himself right over this spot?" Me and Jamison look at each other, then to Alexx and nod. A big smile appeared on her face. "Well, what if it was him who we were talking to last night?"

Jamison starts to shake his head furiously. "No," he said, "no, don't say that." 

"And his body is buried under my bedroom floor boards. Right beneath my bed. Right above our heads when we were playing the game." Her smile becomes wider and wider. 

"Come on Alexx. Can you be mature for once in your lifetime and help?" I say dumping the ashes in the hole. 

"Fine. Hey, we should invite Jason over, or should I say, Jase." Alexx says, giving me a hard time now. Jamison groans. 

"Noooo. Not him." I roll my eyes. Jamie knows we dated and now he doesn't like Jason because Jamie likes me. He told me when I was still in school. I said that I was going to stay home and do online school, but we could still hang out and stuff. But he didn't hear the last part and blurted "I love you." It was seriously one of the most awkward situations in my life. I thought it was one of those things that guys said to their best friends, you know? Maybe you don't, I wouldn't blame you. But I had a normal reaction and said it back. His eyes lightened up. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen him do. 

And I caught myself liking him back too.