YOULKAY

nine; the side characters got a back story

"You WhAt?!" Screeched her sister. She frantically searched for a spirit inside the spaceship.

Sadie stepped closer to her sister, taking Nicole in her arms, in a tight hug, in the same time.

Jay Lee O'Connor looked like he was about to pass out. It was all too much for him.
Sonny Owens, though he was not doing so well himself, and couldn't stop looking at Jeremiah Merrit, said with a voice that must have been more courageous in his head:
"I won't let anything happen to you!"

Was it only directed to his secret love for Merrit? Probably. Not that he would admit it.

Elliot was searching for the ghost. It was probably something as interesting as an alien for them.

Me, I just didn't believe in ghosts.

Was it ironic?

Bonnie broke from Sadie's grip. She looked so sad and so stressed at the same time. Her expression reminded me of Nicole's when she came out of the closet. When she first confided in me.

"I mean... uh... if you" the pink haired Rapunzel looked at me and designed me messily, anxiously "are there, and uh... you're an alien, it means that... what we thought impossible can be possible, r-right?" She had so much difficulty getting the words out of her mouth, it looked like it was killing her.

"I saw a ghost enter my bedroom when I was seven. I remember it clearly. She had dark blond hair, just like me and Sadie('Sadie and I', I thought) before we dye them different colors. She also wore a yellow shirt. At first, I thought it was Sadie, but when I entered, there was no one. My room's a bit small, I checked under my bed, I checked in my closet. I was alone. And... I never talked about it because it was crazy. I'm glad I'm getting this off my chest."

Bonnie smiled at me and I felt a warm feeling on the inside.
She was sharing her craziness as mine was openly exposed. And I knew it also made her feel better.

Bonnie sat down and everyone followed down, in a circle. The pink Rapunzel like

"I think, if we can all reveal something... to all of us..." she continued.
"I talk to the rain."

Jay Lee O'Connor flushed red.
Maybe because he just said something that, for many people, can be described as freaky or wacky.

"I started one year that I was feeling constantly down. Then, I continued, each time I was alone and it was raining. I talk to the rain more honestly than how we talk to a best friend. It became an habit." He looked around for approval. "I truly believe that, if we all share a secret, an hidden part of ourselves that no one gets to look at, maybe... it won't be such a burden."

Suddenly, Nicole took my hand, squeezing it. Looking at her, I could easily say that she was hesitant. I had an idea of what she would talk about. Even if she despise even thinking about that time. It was even before we met.

"I have a biological big brother, Nathaniel. He ran away a long time ago. I know he lived in the streets for a while, but last time I heard of him, he was engaged in some shady gang or something. I'm worried about him, but I can't do anything, so I usually prefer to not talk about Nat."

I knew she wanted to see him again. A lot. But in the same time, she was frustrated on how he acts. She described him as too prideful and cocky. I never met him personally and Nicole wanted to keep it this way. Apparently Nathaniel Foster didn't like the fact that I "took away" his role as Nicole's sibling. Personally, I thought she would tell the story on how she ended up in foster care. I guess it would be a story too painful for another time.

Sadie Crawford fake coughed a bit, to gain attention on her.
"Me it's nothing as sad like you, my love, but well... I have some difficulties to... well talk normally. When it comes to 's' and 'z' sound, I have to put more efforts than normal people would. And I hate it. My mom got me appointments with a Speech Therapist, a few years ago. I hated it even more, but it did help. I just feel so ashame when my mother tells me to speak correctly when I just don't notice anything wrong."

Now that she said it, some of her words did sound a bit off. But I never really noticed. And I thought I was observant.

"I like hanging with you guys, all of you." Blurted out Sonny Owens. "At home, I'm not able to say what I think. They aren't pressuring me or anything, it's just that I always feel it of place, especially when my siblings are there. With you, I can be as loud as I want, it feels nice. I mean, they never said it, but I just feel like I have a lot to live up to, when I see the rest of my family. I know, sometimes I can be a jerk, but for once, I can filter myself less."

I stared at Owens. He didn't strike me as someone haunted by the weight of expectations. I found it surprising.
Was it what Nicole meant when she said that I couldn't understand humans? That I couldn't notice those kind of thing?
Maybe I was more oblivious that I thought.

"I have a lot of premonitory dreams. It creeps me out a lot. Especially when I think it was a normal dream and, at the end, it happens for real. When I dreamt of a spaceship, two nights ago, I never thought I'd see one in my life. That quirk of mine once spoiled me the end of the Percy Jackson series. I was only at the fourth book and I had a dream of Rachel Dare getting in Camp Half-blood, even though she was a mortal. But it can be useful. It helped me find my phone when I lost it. So yeah, it's weird."

I never thought of him as much of a reader. And I never thought ANYTHING about that guy could be anything but normal.
But what do I know? Maybe, for some earthlings, this is normal?

But what is normal? How can we define if something is normal? What can be categorized as "normal" differ with everyone. It differs with the language, the ethnicity, the culture, the mores, the past experiences, the living environment, the believes, the family, the social relationships, the hobbies, the education and probably more.

"I'm constantly fighting this demoralizing voice in my head, calling me out on how weird I am. How imperfect I am. How much of a disappointment I am. And I guess, all the things my parents say when they think I can't hear them. But... being with you, my friends... helps a lot. And, when I think about it, I think weird people attract other weird people. Because here we are, all together. And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

There is so much more depth to a person than what we can see.

I never really hated anyone. Not truly.
Because, with every person, a story comes with them. Suffering, difficulties, hope, dreams, ambitions. It's hazy, but that's what defines who we are. Each of us.

They all turned to me, inspecting me expectantly.
Bonnie Crawford spoke up once again.

"So, Lovell Thomas, what is your story?"