Adelaide was seated next to him, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she watched in shy interest Detric gulp down the offered water before setting the glass on the small coaster. She couldn’t help herself and smiled at him when he had called her Hun’ before quickly looking up and frowning in confusion at her light bulbs. ‘What the...’

“Sorry, this old building has some issues.” She murmured mostly to herself to help with her suddenly strained nerves. She turned her gaze sideways to Detric then, smiling and she blinked in surprise as he tapped her nose.

"It's just that, I've never been in somebody else's home before. And you spent a lot of time making it look nice, most people would throw their shit around and leave it on the floor not caring. It says a lot."

Adelaide shrugged, beaming at the compliment he had given her. “I like to know where everything is, just in case I need to use it.” She nodded, fingers interlacing on her lap silently. “Messiness is never good.” She looked down then, and frowned at her knees, cheeks flushed at the faded scar that ran along her knee. ‘Ick.’ She thought, casually reaching her hand down to cover it up.

She smiled up at him once more, her bare foot skimming along his boot. “Could I ask you to take those off please? Nothing against you, of course, I’m just picky about those things...” Without waiting for a reply, Adelaide sunk to the carpeted floor, her hands moving to untie the knots in his shoelaces before easily slipping one then the other boot off. “I’ll put these by the door.” She slipped the other off and looked up at him before moving to the door and placing both boots neatly against the wall. “There.” With a sigh and a nod, Adelaide turned back to face Detric, her hands resting on her hips as she struggled to ignore the light butterflies tumbling in her stomach.

"Is that... Cinnamon Rolls I smell?" He asked shyly, looking behind the couch and to the kitchen curiously, unable to hide his appetite.

Adelaide merely giggled at the shy question and nodded, moving for her kitchen. “Yup. I made some not too long ago; should be warm by now.” She reached up for a simple yellow plate before she grabbed her spatula and skilfully slipped two rolls off the cooking sheet, then placed them on the plate. Adelaide moved for her small dining table, and placed the plate down with a fork. “I’ll get you more water.” As Detric stood, she moved past him for his glass, their bodies brushing against one another. Adelaide merely smiled, not wanting to apologize, since she wasn’t sorry, she refilled the glass with cool refrigerator water and placed it down on the table as well before she took a seat next to Detric. “Tell me how it is okay?” Smiling, she looked around her home, a frown and blush adorning her features as she realized just how bare and boring her walls were.

Nothing was hung up because she had no pictures to hang up. Her friends and her took pictures all the time, but whenever they offered to make her a copy she declined; she wasn’t quite sure why. But now, as she looked at her wall, she pouted in obvious unhappiness, her chin resting in her palms as she scanned the plain walls. ‘Maybe one picture...’ she thought; drifting elsewhere.

The story of Samantha

It was 1796. Little Samantha was outside playing in her yard while her Parents argued inside their small apartment. Cars went up and down the busy street as little Samantha bounced her little red ball on the driveway.
"They're always like that," Samantha said to Mr. Ted, her little teddy bear watching from the grass, "sometimes Daddy goes away for a couple of days. I think Daddy might go away soon."
"Fine then!" Her Father said, opening the door then slamming it, causing Samantha to jump up, "take the kid, take everything! I don't fucking need you anyway!" He yelled out, stepping into his car and pulling out without looking.
Samantha got hit, the force knocked her out into the street as a red car sped too quickly to stop in time.
"I heard the Doctors say I fell on my head too hard," the ghostly image of Samantha whispered into her silent teddy bear, "Mommy cried, Daddy cried. At least they have each other, and I've got you Teddy...always.."

Detric walked into the hospital years after Samantha's death. His Father needed his stomach pumped. Samantha sat on the bed beside his Father's. She hasn't left Detric's side since.

Detric smiled at Adelaide and ate the sweet in front of him, "it's delicious!" He said soon after chugging his water gone, "you're a really really good cook Ade!" He smiled at her, stretching his arms before popping his back, relaxed, "I haven't had anything as good as that in...well, ages!"

Adelaide could only smile, her cheeks flushed at the compliment as Detric continued to deviour her treats. “Thank you Detric.” She stood up, taking the bare plate to the kitchen and setting it in the sink. She looked back up at Detric, her thoughts still focused on her naked walls. “Well Detric, you can come for rolls any time you want.” With a nod, Adelaide moved back to the table and settled in her seat, A smile pulled at her lips as she focused on Detric. “And how was your day?”

Detric looked down and kicked his foot shyly against the wooden floor, "It was alright. My head was in the clouds more than anything else, so nothing big really happened," he whispered, before eyeing a camera off to the side on an end table. "Hey, a camera!" He said excitedly, taking it and then grinning. Adelaide's eyes raised but it was too late, Detric snapped a picture of her then laughed. He spun the camera around then took another picture, making a silly face. "My Grandpa used to have one of these," he said, taking more pictures of Adelaide before walking up to her and taking a picture of them together. Detric smiled cutely at her, before she could make any protests.

She blinked in surprise at how comfortable Detric had suddenly become. Adelaide didn’t mind, of course, it was just surprising to see the boy realx and not have some sort of comment that caused her to tense up with uncertainty.

“Oh...” Was all she had a chance to get out before Detric snapped a picture of her, looking very much surprised. She chuckled softly as he took a picture of himself and more pictures of her. “Wow..” She giggled, as he took a picture of them.

Adelaide reached for her camera, and took pictured of them as well; her head resting on his shoulders, her arm around his mid-section. She set the camera on the table afterwards and smiled up at him. I’ll be sure to give those to you, if you’d like.” She said brushing a strand of hair from her eyes before looking up at him.

* * *
Detric was awoken in the middle of a forest. Tall dark trees clouded the bright night sky, making it hard to see more than a few feet in front of him. "Where...where am I?" Detric asked himself.

"Watch out kid!" Mr. Pouts yelled just in time for Detric to dodge a bright ball of light that was aimed at his head. The bright ball of light brushed against the edge of his ear before flying to the tree in front of him, causing a thick black hole to appear on the trunk in the ball's wake.

"Tsk, tsk," a voice said behind him. Detric spung around and faced Zack, some of his followers behind him. "I thought you could do better than that Detric."

"What do you want Zack?" Detric asked him, fist curled up in a ball of anger.

"I asked you last night if you want to join my group, so now I thought I'd drop by and see how you were doing," Zack explained with a smile, "you can see how we treat our enemies Detric. You don't want that, I don't want that. Let's be friends. Come on Man, join us. I can open a whole 'nother world for you to explore in. A world where ghosts don't bug you twenty-four seven. Come on dude, what do you say?" Zack asked offering his hand.

A loud boom, then suddenly a white ball flew in the middle of Zack's chest, causing him to fall back. "Detric!" Jimmy yelled, running up beside him, his back pressed against his as Zack's followers circled around them.

"Jimmy! What are you doing here?" Detric asked, noticing how Jimmy's hands were glowing ghostly white.

"Ade called upset. She said someone broke in the house and snatched you away... I heard from my girl so I came down to the beach and followed some weird guys here," he said, nodding to the cloaks Zack's men dressed in.

"You'll pay for that," Zack said angrily, his eyes growing black as his hands morphed into long dark fingers that reached for Jimmy's neck.

"No!" Samantha yelled, standing in the way of them and raising her hands, a flash of white light sending the dark matter away.

"Brat!" Zack yelled, "kill them. Detric and his friend here have made their choice quite clear," he brushed some blood off from his lip, then walked away into the shadows of the night.

"Detric!" Samamtha yelled, blocking another attack, this one aimed for Detric's chest. "Detric you have to concentrate! You have to summon up the power so you can fight!"

Power? Power? The most I can do is make the light go in and out, I've never been able to do something like... Detric looked at Jimmy, his fists glowing as he pushed one, then another of Zack's servants back against the trunk of trees. He was panting for breath, but he was smiling. For a moment, he looked at Detric, then winked before another blast came from his hand, this one sending one of the cloaked figures flying in the air, his scream sounding like a little girl. Focus...

Detric closed his eyes, the picture of his Mother in his mind. His Mother died shortly after he was born. But the pictures he saw of her, she was beautiful. Long dark hair, bright green eyes, and her small smile that hinted she knew something. Detric opened his eyes. His hands were on fire.

"Die!" A Woman yelled, running forward with a small black knife. She moved as if time itself was taking a nap. At first she rushed at him, but then as she got closer she took each step twice as long, her arms almost paused in mid-air as she tried to stab Detric's heart. Detric, as fast as lightning, grabbed the knife and spung it around, slicing the Woman's neck. It was the first time Detric killed anybody, but he didn't have time to think. To his left another person came running at him, this time with long black fingers like Zack. Detric reached out with his hand wrapped around in fire, and in a second the person's black fingers were on fire, climbing up until they wrapped around the person in a deadly embrace.

To his right Jimmy dodged a person trying to kill him with two long silver swords. He side-stepped then knelt down before a swing could reach his body. Jimmy was always good in boxing, he won the school a trophy last year durring the championship. In a moment Jimmy sweeped the Man with the two swords with his leg, causing him to fall back against the dark green ground, then, he punched him hard in the chest with a glowing fist. The Man gave a "Umph!" and Detric knew he wouldn't get up ever again.

"Right boy, to your right!" Mr. Pouts yelled. Detric was too late, a black dagger sliced up the middle of his arm down to his wrist. He hollered in pain, quickly punching whoever it was that stabbed him with his fist, the fire around it dimming then growing stronger with each beat of his pounding heart.

"We have to get out of here!" Jimmy yelled, a ghostly old lady hovering behind him hauntingly.

"This way!" Samantha's voice echoed as she ran into the woods, the others following behind her. Detric felt a prickle on his neck, the feeling he always got when Samantha was hiding him from sight with her power. Detric looked at Jimmy as they ran and caught his eye. Jimmy nodded, he too was invisible from the others.

"They are right behind you! Just because they can't see doesn't mean they still can't find you! Keep at it boys! My Grandmother could run faster than you and she's been dead for over Seventeen years!" Mr. Pouts taunted, already four steps ahead of them, alongside Samantha.

"If we reach the shack," the old ghost woman who followed Jimmy whispered, her voice sounding like she hadn't had a drop in water in decades, "I can keep them off of you while you rest,"

Detric winced, his arm throbbed in pain, but there was no time to think about pain now. He knew, that if he didn't hurry now, he'd never see Adelaide again. The thought hurt more than his arm did by a long-shot.

Her fingers clutched onto the damp towel that laid beside her. Adelaide had recently taken another shower, with Lynn’s coxing, though she felt as though the attack was still imprinted against her skin.

It had been fast.
Not too long ago, she and Detric were in her small apartment, laughing, joking, even flirting. Then her window had been smashed open, figures barged into her tidied home. She had immedeatly kicked into survival mode; knife clenched in her hands. They moved, and she didn’t hesitate to sent slash after slash; unsure of whether her marks were being hit. ‘Not again, not again, not again!’ Her mind screamed. She tried to look over at Detric but they already had him.
Her knee met the face of one attacker, her fist soon followed after. “DETR-“she was slammed against her counter, stars danced along her vision as she struggled to gain her footing. Arms circled around her slender frame, lifted her up, and a fist met her gut, sending her toppling over in pain. They dropped her to the ground, but she was already unconscious; her world black.

Adelaide woke up hours later from the chill along her skin. Eyes clenched, she groaned in pain, hand moved to rub at her bruised, as the breeze continued to rub against her exposed legs.

With effort, she pushed up to a seated position, her eyes scanning her ruined apartment. “Detric!” With a gasp, Adelaide slowly pushed to her feet before wobbling to her cell phone and quickly dialing Lynn’s number.

After four rings Lynn’s cheery voice answered, “Hellooo Ade-“

“Lynn. Help me.” She broke into sobs, her body sliding down the wall and to the floor.

“Adelaide?? What happened, what’s wrong?? Are you hurt??” Lynn continued to ask questions but Adelaide couldn’t seem to calm her breathing, couldn’t seem to stop the tears long enough to explain what had happened.

“Detr-“

“Ohmygod, did he hurt you Adelaide?! I’ll kill him. Where are you? Are you home? Adelaide, talk to me!”

She hiccupped, her face pressed into the palm of her free hand. She began to shake, Lynn’s voice distant as memories clouded the eighteen year old’s mind. ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen… I was supposed to be prepared; ready.’

“Lynn..”

“Adelaide, I’ll be right over, don’t move.” And the tall girl hung up before grabbing her purse and car keys and rushing out of her house; parents looking on in confusion. “Lynn Sweetie?”

“Going to Adelaide, Mom.” She yelled before hopping into her tiny bug car and pulling out of the drive way.

~*~

Less than fifteen minutes later, Lynn was knocking on Adelaide’s door. She hadn’t moved from her seated position, hadn’t even taken the phone from her ear; all she did was cry. At the knock, Adelaide jumped, eyes wide and staring at the door.

“Adelaide? Adelaide, it’s me, let me in.”

“Lynn…” she whispered before moving to her feet and answering the door as quickly as she shaking legs allowed her. She fell into Lynn’s arms. Words mixed with tears.

~*~

“I called Jimmy and told him what you told me.” Lynn softly whispered to Adelaide, but the silent girl wasn’t paying attention.

‘Why Detric?’ She thought to herself as Lynn pulled her into her arms.

Jimmy was leaning against the wall, breathing deeply while Detric checked outside the window.

"They won't be able to come in here anytime soon," Mr. Pouts said, nodding as he glared outside the window beside him.

"So," Jimmy said, taking a moment to catch his breath before continuing, "how does that whole ghost thing work out?"

Detric turned around, "don't you know?" He asked, nodding to Jimmy's hands, "earlier you were blasting people away like it was nothing."

"Well, I know how that/i] works. I mean, all of a sudden I felt..I don't know, [i]invincible I just felt my Grandmother's spirit wash over me and before I knew it she was guiding me with her hands."

"So that's your Grandmother?" Detric asked, nodding to the erie woman standing beside Jimmy. She gave a toothless grin, her see-through gray hair running down her back giving her the impression of being related to a lion, or at least wearing ones mane around her neck. I never had anyone from the other side talk to me that I knew, Detric thought, If Jimmy's Grandmother will appear to him..

Jimmy nodded before whipping his forehead. "I mean the ghosts. How do they work? Can everyone see them?"

"Nope, we let you see us if we want you to," Samantha giggled, jumping up and down on Detric's bed.

"Then.. have you been.. you know, this weird all your life?"

Detric looked out the window again, pretending to be spying on Zack's men waiting outside the door like a puppy waiting for it's Master's scraps, "Don't worry," Mr. Pouts said, "by morning they'll have to leave to relax. They are as tired as we are."

"I've had this my whole life." Detric said, turning around, "I wouldn't have brought you into this.. but Mr. Pouts saw you."

"He saw me?" Jimmy asked, pulling out a orange pop from the fridge.

"Yeah. Mr. Pouts, he can see things that we can't see. That's the best way he'd describe it to me at least. Every ghost can do something special, it's hard to explain really." Jimmy nodded at Samantha.

Samantha grinned cutely, "I'm good at hiding things. Like this house!" She giggled, feet dangling off Detric's bed, swaying from front to back.

"I'm good at making people forget," Jimmy's Grandmother whispered, "but I have to be close enough to touch them," she gave a weird smile and raised her hands, reaching for Detric's temples.

Detric pulled back, against the door, "I'll like to keep my memories, thank you very much," he said, "I hope they let out soon...I need to make sure Ade is alright.."

Jimmy nodded, closing his eyes while he crossed his arms. He took a sip from his drink before continuing, "Lynn said she was pretty upset. Think they'll be at school today?"

Detric shrugged, "I don't care. Ade won't, i'm not going to school today. Lynn most likely will though. You should go and see her once we get out of here."

"Man, school seems so...unimportant now that..you know?"

Detric looked outside, the orange sun rising over his light blue ocean. Not a cloak figure in sight. All was well. "Join the party," he muttered, opening the door. He had one destination, and he didn't know what to expect at the end.

Adelaide watched silently as Lynn pulled her car into reverse and drove off.

The ruined window had been, with much effort, tapped with a blanket, and Adelaide did her best not to go near it.

As soon as the small yellow car was out of sigh, she pushed away from the door and securely locked it before turning her attention towards her table and swiftly cleaning the dishes Lynn had used to make a quick breakfast.

“I’ll be back after school.” She had told Adelaide, but Ade’ didn’t plan on staying in her apartment until school was out to meet Lynn.

She pulled her hair into a quick messy bun, slipped her snearkers on, and moved to her room, pulling the duffle bag with her things inside from under her bed. ‘I’m outta here.’ She told herself.

In jeans, tank top, and jacket, Adelaide left her once favored place, key under the mat for whoever was smart enough to look there.

She kept alert, her head and eyes darting left and right as she moved through the apartment complex and across the stress.
Cars were already on the streets, morning traffic already beginning. Unsure of where to go, Adelaide started towards the boardwalk, ignoring the strange glances she got from the few stragglers.

‘Just get out of here, Adelaide, that’s all you have to-‘She paused by the beach. From where she was, she couldn’t tell if Detric’s shack was close by. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, but it was no use.

With a frustrated sigh, she dropped her hand and continued down the boardwalk, every once in a while turning back to glance over at the beach. “Damnit!” She muttered and turned back around.

“Where the fuck is he!?”