𝐟𝙪𝐥𝐥 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚 ┃ 𝐥𝙪𝒌𝙚 𝐩𝙖𝒕𝒕𝙚𝙧𝙨𝞸𝙣

Chapter 9

Pulling into the driveway I climb out of the car and stumble inside, mumbling to myself about water and not being in shape. I hear laughing from behind me but just roll my eyes, not caring about whoever is behind me.

"Not in shape?! You just ran a 6 and 1/2 minute mile! If that's out of shape what am I?" Reggie groans from behind me, and I turn, water glass in hand to see him dramatically sprawled across the couch, Alex laying flat on his back on the ground. Makes me giggle.

"I am put of shape because that was the hardest I've ever had to work in my life to go that fast." I mumble, launching myself onto the other couch.

"Anne!" I hear running coming into the house and turn to look. Kota almost knocks me off of the couch.

"Ahhh!" My yelling gets muffled by the linebacker sized idiot jumping on me.

"Get off!" I try and push him to no avail.

"Are you ok?!" He freaks out.

"I'd be better if I could breathe!" I yell, still trying to get him off of me.

"You had me so worried!" He says back, before I finally get him to fall off of me, narrowly missing Alex on the floor.

"Heyyy!" Alex complains.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to send the linebacker to you." I joke, sitting up and stretching my limbs out. "Kota you need to run more you've gained weight." I joke.

"I've gained weight because I've gained muscle so I can protect you and mom." Kota groans from the floor, where he's now pouting that I was able to roll him off of me.

"Oops. Might wanna work on not crushing me first." I shrug innocently. I grab the remote and turn on the tv, Kota rolling to see it. I'm about to turn it off when Tom and Kerry catches my eye, and it catches Kota's at the same time.

"That one that one!" He gets way too excited pointing at the tv. I laugh and turn it on, leaving Reggie and Alex kinda confused.

"What is this?" Alex asks.

"Tom and Jerry. Just enjoy."

We get through three episodes before Kota is snoring, Reggie's passed out on the couch, and Alex is still intrigued by the mouse and cat.

"Have you never seen this before? It came out in the 60's?" I ask.

"No, we used to watch it on Saturdays, I kinda forgot that it was a thing." He explains.

"This is our favorite. We watch it way too much." I smile. I hear rustling behind me, and turn to see Luke. He's back!

"Hey Luke!" I try to get him to talk to me, but he ignores me, looking anxious and sad.

"Alex I need you."

Alex turns with a 'what' look on his face, and when he and Luke make eye contact he stands and walks over to him.

"We'll be back later." He tells me, and they both poof out. What the heck?

"Hummm?" Reggie chooses this moment to wake up. What a goon. "Where did they go?" He asks, noticing they're gone. "I heard Luke and now he's not here?"

"They left. Luke looked really upset." I tell him. He looks confused then looks like he gets it

"Ohhhhh!" Then disappears. Well, so much for answers.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Ben walks in and I turn and give him my full attention.

"Of course dude what's up?"

"I'm worried."

"About what?"

"Why does Luke hate you so much? He scares me, what if he's like the monster?" My heart breaks. Bens been through so much already, and these boys have just added more and more problems. That's when I decide if Luke doesn't want to be around me, I won't be around him.

"He won't hurt anyone. Besides, I'm not going to waste time trying to mend relationships that no one else seems to care about." I shrug. "Let's grab something to eat."

It's around lunchtime, and Ben can always eat. I'm in the middle of making grilled cheese while singing into the spatula with Ben along to the clean version of White Walls by Macklemore when Reggie poofs in, scaring both of us.

"Ahhh!" Ben literally jumps so hard he falls off the counter, resulting in him awkwardly falling and sitting on the ground in shock.

"Sorry little dude, didn't mean to scare you." Reggie says.

"It's ok." Ben replies, slowly getting back up and sitting back onto the counter. I don't even respond. I'm done playing games. It's clear Luke doesn't want us here and to be honest, now that I know he found us, I don't want to be here either.

"The others will be back there's just a lot going on." He informs us. I nod. I happen to glance up at the fridge where the calendar is hanging on the side, and my heart drops into my stomach. Tomorrow is the worst day of the year for everyone, and now we're within driving distance of every bad memory that we went through. My dad grew up in California. His parents insisted he was buried there, instead of Minnesota where we were. We're within two hours of his grave.

Ben notices me freeze, and then he freezes as well. This day tears Mom apart every year, and to be honest we're not much better either.

"Anne." He mumbles. I grab his hand and squeeze it.

"We'll survive. I promise." I proceed to take the grilled cheese out of the pan and put it on his plate. "Eat up." Reggie looks at me kinda funny, but I won't engage.

"What is going on?" He asks.

"Just be warned, tomorrow will NOT be a good day." I say, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes.

"Noted, but why?" He pushes.

"Because tomorrow is the day we lost Dad." Ben says the words I can't, and I feel the tears start coming. I refuse to cry in front of Ben much less a fricking ghost I barley know. I blink them back and put my sandwich in the pan to cook. Reggie looks like he's in shock.

"AYO!" Alex appears, startling me beyond what I can handle in the moment, and I let out a loud scream.

"Whoa chill it's me!" He puts both hands up. I literally can't handle anymore ghost boys at this point, so I turn the burner off, leave everything on the stove, and book it for the privacy of my room.

A/N sorry for the late update it was finals week