𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐝 ✰ 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

• • • • • • •

ever since the grief center, charlotte noticed him everywhere she went, every single day. he would skateboard by, or watch her from across the street. anywhere she went in hollywood, he was sure to be there.

it was getting really creepy.

charlotte didn't know if he was another ghost, or a living person that could see her, but she did know that she was getting freaked out. she took to sleeping in different spots every night, and sometimes sat on the roof and just people watched through the night.

every time charlotte saw him, she got the same sick feeling in her stomach as the day in blake's office. she learned to manage it, but something told her that he was causing that feeling of nausea.

charlotte made her way down the sidewalk, passing through the living and surveying the street for any sign of her little stalker.

up ahead, she caught a glimpse of a skateboard, and the familiar pang in her stomach came back. she knew she had to take her chance.

he came closer, and as he passed, charlotte grabbed his arm and stepped on the front of his skateboard.

"woah!" the boy flew backwards and onto the ground.

charlotte picked up his skateboard and moved her sunglasses to the top of her head. "who are you?"

"what?"

"why are you following me?"

"what are you-"

"you're a ghost, aren't you?"

"woah, woah, woah." he scrambled to his feet and held his hands out. "i'm willie, and yes, i am a ghost." he said.

"why were you following me?" she questioned, her eyes still narrowed. "what do you want?"

"i don't want anything." he reached towards charlotte. "can i have my board back?"

she pulled it away from him. "no. why are you following me?"

willie brushed his hair out of his face. "walk with me."

"i'm not going anywhere with you."

"fine." he sighed and pointed to a bench. "can we sit down?"

charlotte thought for a second. "that's fine."

charlotte sat down a few feet away from him.

"will you calm down?" willie took a look at her leg bouncing up and down.

"can you-can you just answer my question?"

"right." he smiled. "sorry. i saw you come out of the grief center and collapse. i figured out you were a ghost then because no one stopped to help you, and i've been following you ever since."

"why?"

"i-i...what's the right word...i work for someone who keeps track of ghosts." willie said. "i haven't see you before, so i tailed you for a while."

"who's your boss?"

"i can't really say."

"that doesn't sound legit." she said, side-eyeing him. "but i guess i don't really have anything to prove you wrong."

willie laughed. "you don't. what were you doing at the grief center? looking for a lifer?"

"a lifer?"

"ghost lingo. someone that's alive."

"oh, no, i was...i don't know what i was doing there." she lied.

he obviously didn't quite believe her.

"so, uh, how'd you die?" she abruptly changed the subject.

"skating in traffic isn't really the best idea, in case you didn't know." he laughed.

charlotte grimaced. "yikes.

"it's been years. doesn't bother me anymore. what about you?"

"car crash." she said simply. "it was quick, though."

"ah. i'm sorry." he said. "i'm also sorry we got off on the wrong foot. you seem cool."

charlotte laughed. "you do too, surprisingly."

"you know what?" he smiled. "maybe i can take you to where i-i work sometime. it's this club, you might be able to meet new ghosts."

"really?"

"really. i'd be happy to.

"oh." she smiled. "that sounds fun. i might take you up on that." she held out his board. "i guess you can have this back."

"thanks." he took it and stood up from the bench. "i didn't catch your name."

"oh. charlotte." she said with a small smile.

"i'll see you around, charlotte."
willie skated down the street, passing through lifers and jumping over cracks as he went.

the nausea in charlotte's stomach vanished as willie disappeared in the crowd of lifers.
she liked willie. he seemed nice, but there was something he was hiding. charlotte could just tell.

still, if he could introduce her to more ghosts...
maybe it was worth it. if there was one thing that charlotte hated about being a ghost, it was how lonely she felt all the time. she would've given anything to talk to someone, or even just get a hug.

she popped to her street, and peered in through the living room window.
her mom and dad sat on the couch with a puzzle on the coffee table in front of them.
and, for the first time since she'd been back, charlotte saw her mom smile.