Ghosts

Decisions and Different Scenery

It had been five days since the trial, and I still had not decided whether or not I was going to pay to have the house repaired before it was put on the market, but Meredith said I only had two more days before they would just not make any repairs and try to sell.

"Listen Frankie, we need to get this sorted out now, otherwise, you will not get a say." Eli said for the sixth time that day.

"Eli, it is not that easy."

"Sure it is! We've gone over the pros and cons of both. You know the options. So just pick!" He groaned clearly frustrated as his voice rose an octave.

I shook my head as I packed another box.

"You already know what you want to do, don't you?" His voice was hushed and gentle, as if he was considering my feelings for the first time.

'Do you know? Do you know what you want to do Frankie?'

My father would be so disappointed if he knew what I was planning to do. But for now, it was only Eli that needed to know. So I nodded my head.

"I think I'm going to use the money. This place is worthless without any fixing." I whispered strangely worried that my mom and dad might hear.

'You can't do that, Frankie! This is our home. Changing the whole place won't do any good! So what? You just going to take a sludge hammer to the front porch? Break down the floors where you took your first steps? Or maybe you should just dump you mother's ashes out on the garden! I'm sure they would just love that!'

Water began to pool in my eyes until a tear dropped from my left eye. The pressure in the back of my head pounding and pounding trying to break open my skull continued to get stronger.

"I think that is a good move, Frankster. I'll call Meredith. In the meantime, keep packing. No matter when this place gets sold, you won't be living here forever." Eli chirped as he walked out of the doorway of my room and down the steps to leave.

'I'm disappointed, Frankie. I'm very disappointed in you.'

I'm sorry Dad.

***

"Well you won't be able to live here while the house is being fixed up, and I'm sure that you wouldn't want to either. The guys clearing the mold and the exterminator said that it would be best if there was little in the house, also. So I suggest you might want to call a moving truck and get them to transfer your things to your temporary home and if you don't have enough room we can always rent out a storage unit for a little while, but it may cost a bit." Meredith explained to me looking through her folder as usual.

"Well, where would I be living?" I asked confused about what she meant by "temporary home." I wasn't sure, but last I checked, this was not a Carrie Underwood song.

"Honey, didn't you have an alternate living situation." She looked at me as if I was the crazy one.

"I'm guessing by that look I should have." I bit my lip in nervousness because what she was saying was basically telling me that I could be temporarily homeless.

"Well, we'll need to work something out. Anyone who could potentially let you stay at their place, maybe give you a blanket and toss you a pop tart every once in a while?"

I thought. And thought. But nothing. Not one person came to mind.

"What about Eli? Eli has an extra room, right? And he looks like a pop tart kind of guy!" Her eyes were bright and her arms waving around like a mad woman.

"I'm not sure—"

"He is your only option."

I guess I didn't really get a say in this one. Only one option. One option.

***

I lugged a large duffel bag hanging from my shoulder, a book bag strapped to my back, and a box that I couldn't even wrap my arms fully around. Eli walked through the doors to his apartment building swiping a card and holing the door for me since I clearly did not have a free hand.

We made a right through the yellowish painted hallway and took the elevator up to the fourth floor.

"Room 314 is this way. I'll get you a keycard later." Eli said without looking at me as he walked in front of me to get to the apartment.

Once he stopped in front of the door with the gold numbers on it, he swiped his card again revealing the apartment—wood flooring, beige walls, relatively large for two people to live in. We stepped in and took a right.

"This will be your room. There's not much, but I'll get some stuff in there soon enough. Just let me know what you need I guess." Uncle Eli stood in the doorway motioning for me to go into my new room.

"Thanks." I said inspecting the room as I set down all of my things on the full sized bed.

For a minute, we sat in a silence so uncomfortable that it was worthy of a very extreme cringe. Eli stood in the doorway still with his hands on his hips while I tried to ignore eye contact by looking at the items in my box.

"Alrighty then, I'll leave you to it." He gave a tight smile and nodded before walking away.

"Wait, Eli."

He peaked his head back into the room looking at me.

"When I'm eighteen, I'm out of here. I promise. I refuse to be a burden."

"You are no burden, Frankie." He said before leaving and this time not coming back in.

I let out a breathe and took a look at the room. I was happy with the color, a green color. It wasn't too bright, more of a muted green—like a gloomy sky. Again, hardwood floors all around me with not even one rug anywhere in sight. There really want much. The nightstand was my only draw and the closet wasn't too large. I was thankful that it wasn't too much.

It meant that I didn't have too much to give back.

:):

Hi!

Honestly just wasn't feeling this chapter at all. I just began getting bored with it and I didn't know how to continue from there. I guess it's hard to understand if you haven't written a story before, but I knew exactly what place I wanted to go, I knew exactly where I want the story to go next, I just didn't know how to transition. It's like I want to get into the main storyline, I can't until her past is written out.

So sorry if this was a crummy, short chapter. Working on the next one right now because I KNOW this one will be much much better!!

Don't give up on me just yet:)

Xo elsy