The Moonlight Ghost

Chapter Four: Candy Corn

Jade's POV

I dump my lunch trash into the garbage can on my way out of the eating area. What a weirdo. I shudder at the thought of my classmate hitting on me. I mean, who does that on someone's first day? I shake my head as I make my way to my next class. Hopefully, no weirdo hits on me in this class, or stares at me until me make eye contact. What was up with that?

The whole class goes by without a single weirdo classmate hitting on me. Not even the teacher made eye contact. I drive back to my creepy old  mansion in pure silence, debating on whether to do homework when I get home or just watch TV. The only bad...no, scratch that, another bad thing about moving to some town where you know nobody is just that, I know nobody! I have no friends which means no plans, which means no life. Maybe I should just drive around and try to find SOMETHING interesting in this boring city, sorry, miniature city.

I pull into the old gravel driveway and park my car. I slowly walk up to the front entrance of the mansion. After last night, I really don't want to stay there again. I stare at the wooden door before me. It seems to laugh at my loneliness.

"What'ya doin' there neighbor?"

I nearly jump out of my skin. Spinning around, I face Ivory, "Don't DO that!"

She laughs, "Sorry."

"That's twice you've done that so far. Where did you even come from? I just drove here and I definitely didn't see you."

"My parents are buried in your graveyard. Your grandmother used to let me come whenever I wanted to, to visit them. I didn't think that would change under new management..." she trails off giving me large doe eyes.

I sigh, "Sure, you can still visit them..why are they buried here anyway?"

"My pare...er, great grandparents knew yours. They had history together." She replies chirpily. I wonder what she's got to be so chipper for.

"That's nice." I say and unlock the door before me. I let myself into the mansion and don't bother asking Ivory in because I already figure she's going to follow me anyway.

"So, where were you off today?" She asks, closing the door behind her.

"As if it's any of your business." I scoff turning back to glance at her. I notice her blue eyes gaze around the exterior of the entrance corridor as if she hadn't been here for a while. Mind you, she was just here yesterday. I raise an eyebrow.

"I mean it's not, but I get lonely."

I can't believe I'm making friends with some random, weird neighbor. I sigh, again, "What have you got to be lonely for? Don't you go to school? Have friends?" I continue walking into the foyer with the fireplace from last night.

"Um," She seems to pause and twirl a strange of her blonde hair between two fingers, "Homeschooled?"

"Ah, one of those kids...er, how old are you anyway?"

She doesn't respond right away, "Seventeen."

"Who do you live with then?"

"Nob-um, my aunt," She nods, "Yes, my aunt."

"Riiiight," I stoke the fire and it lights up, heating the room. For all I know, this girl could've killed her parents. Plus, after so many years, I doubt her parents were still friends with my grandmother. From what I remember, grandma wasn't such a friendly neighbor.

"So, what are you going to do for the rest of the day?" Ivory asks, taking a seat on the couch.

"Probably nothing." I shrug, taking a seat in a different chair to the left of her.

"Why not go out into town?" She suggests with a sheepish grin.

"Out into town?"

"Yeah, it's so lovely and they have such pretty horses." She nods.

"Horses? I haven't seen any horses..." I trail off, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, no horses?" She seems to pause, "What about that thing you drive?"

"My...car?" I'm starting to wander if her aunt ever lets her leave the house or if she's actually supposed to be in a mental ward. Maybe I should call the police?

"Car." She says.

"Anyway, yeah, maybe I will go out into...town." I say quickly, standing up so fast I nearly fall.

"Oh, neat." She grins.

"Which means it's time for you to leave. Let's go," I start shooing her out of my house. I lock the door behind me and turn back to her. She looks up at me with expectation, "What? Do you want to go to?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't," She laughs and shakes her head, "but you go right on ahead. Have fun, and maybe bring me back some candy. Like Necco Wafers or those new orange triangles...er, what were they called?"

"Candy corn?"

"Yes, that!"

"That's not...new...,um, they usually only have that during Halloween."

"Halloween? Do you mean All Hallow's Eve?"

"What?" I stare at her as she looks at me with all seriousness, "Never mind, I'll try to find you some candy corn or whatever that wafer thing was."

"Necco Wafers." She repeats as I scramble into my car. I rev up the engine and quickly drive out of there. What a nut case. If her aunt doesn't take her to see a therapist, I will.

After a good fifteen minutes of just driving in city, I decide to stop at a cafe. Some nice, warm coffee might actually soothe the weirdest day I've had ever in my life. I mean it can't get worse than this. I park on the curb outside of the entrance. I shut my car off and take a minute to rub my temples. The sudden urge to want to go home to my chaotic family washes over me. I feel so...alone.

No. I'm not going to feel this way right now. I shake it off and get out of my car. I lock it behind me and walk up to the cafe door. I take a deep breath and pull open the glass door. A little bell chimes as I step in. I walk over to the counter and look up at the cashier to order. I tell him just a normal coffee and take a seat at one of the secluded tables. I take out my phone and pretend to text somebody when actually I'm just staring at my home screen; a picture of me and my ex. I just couldn't bare to remove it.

"Is this for you?" I look up at the waiter, happy he's finally here, because I was getting depressed staring at the screen.

"No, way." I mutter when I realize who it is.