"Oh- um... right." Y/N could see from Ashlyn's expression and the way she was speaking now, she was feeling unsure.

It's normal to feel nervous when meeting someone's parents, and it seemed like Ashlyn was struggling to find the right words to explain something that might be hard to believe. Telling her parents about this requires a lot of courage, confidence, focus, and deep breaths. It might be a shock to them to find out, especially if they believe us.

"...we uh-" Ashlyn hesitated for a while, lost in her thoughts. Instead of speaking, she decided to take action. She took a deep breath and walked over to the lamp near the wall on the other side of the couch.

"Do you…" As she moved, her hair cast a shadow on the wall, revealing a cut in her hair that wasn't visible in real life, "... notice anything werid about my shadow?"



Y/N waited eagerly, their heart racing as they anticipated a response. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for, but the two adults appeared confused and unsure of how to react.

'Are they not noticing the shadow?' Y/N wondered, feeling curious and anxious as they clenched their fist to stay composed. The answer they were seeking was expected, yet still somewhat surprising.

"Well- not uh... Not particularly, no?" Replied Mike as her stared at the wall with confusion.

SULLEN...

The teenagers were feeling down. They had some hope, but it was all in vain since something as simple as that couldn't solve their problem. It seemed like something so obvious wouldn't have been noticed by anyone who hadn't encountered the phantom. However, it was somewhat helpful because now they knew that others could see things that affected them in both the phantom world and the real one, which were just shadows. They also realized it was for the best.

Despite that, they had managed well on their own under Ashlyn's leadership, who had helped them stay afloat by providing information, new knowledge, and improving their skills. However, deep down, they were just kids struggling and fighting for their lives, too scared to involve others. That's how Y/N felt. She wanted to vent about her problems but doubted anyone would believe her. She wished she could confide in her dad, do better, spend time with her family, and make everything stop. She knew it was selfish to keep wishing for so much.

If only they understood the pain and suffering they have to endure every day.

'Based on their reaction, it's clear that they can't see it. This could be because they're not connected to the phantom dimension like we are.' Y/N thought, slightly disappointed that they couldn't see it. It would have been much easier for her to explain to her dad what has been happening to her for the past few days.

"Are we supposed to notice something?" Emma asked. She was unsure what her daughter was referring to, since from their point of view they're just seeing is a normal shadow.

"Ah- no, nevermind. Forget about it. But we do need your help" Ashlyn said calmly, cutting to the chase. "The thing is... Logan has been getting bullied. That's how he got the bruise on his cheek. I told him that you guys could probably teach him some self defense but, he's a little anxious to learn on his own, so we offered to learn with him. If you don't mind, could you teach them the basics?"

"...I mean , I don't mind-" said Mike, looking at his wife with confirmation.

"Me neither... sound pretty fun actually."

"-but are all do your parents okay with that?"

"Uhhh..."



"I think my dad will be okay with it," Y/N said casually, her hand resting on her cheek while her elbow was on her leg.

"Yeah- but, ask them first. I don't want any unnecessary drama from from other parents when their kids start coming home bruised." Mike states.

"Got it, thanks, dad."

"No problem troopers."



Outside Ashlyn's yard, the group began setting up their base. They gathered water and supplies needed for their upcoming plans. Tyler was filling a gallon of water in a container while discussing the plan with the others. Y/N, on the other hand, was lounging at the back seat of the bus with her eyes closed in thought. However, her thoughts were scattered, which was not unusual for her, but things had changed in the past two weeks.

A lot had happened recently, from a strange field trip to developing more feelings, outbursts, and feelings of depression. She wasn't sure if it was still depression with everything going on. Regardless, everything was slowly changing for her. She now has friends, or at least she wasn't sure what to call them yet. She's not sure what they are to her, all she knows is that she is slowly getting used to their presence.

Even though she's unsure of their significance to her, deep down she feels comfortable in a way that eases her stress. It's a nice change not to be alone anymore. The field trip had changed her life in a strange way, but she felt it was a positive thing. Otherwise, she might have stayed in her room forever with no social interaction. She was grateful not to face her nightmares alone, with the group by her side. She's never want to admit it out loud, but she felt at ease.

Y/N smiled slightly, feeling a weight lifted off her chest as her eyes began to drift back to a day after they returned from the field trip.

FLASHBACK

Since we all woke up back at our homes, we were all separated at first, so we needed a way to get everyone back together and to also find a safe place.

"So you want all of us to desperately run through town to get to this graveyard place whereas you'll only have to cross your backyard." Tyler said, his gaze wandering to the side as he processed the information, his arms crossed. "Well, isn't that convenient."

"Might as well, unless you want to be stuck in your own house with those things constantly trying to hunt you." Y/N responded sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she then glanced over at the tan boy.

"Yeah... that's not what I was planning." Ashlyn remarked. She then looked at her phone, which had a GPS map of the town. "I was thinking we could all meet up at this convenience store." She suggested. Some of the group leaned in closer to see the map – except Aiden, who's gaze wondered elsewhere.

"It's basically in the middle of where all of our houses are, so we'd all be at the same risk going there. Then as a group, we run towards the graveyard. I'll also be able to bring my dad's rifle for Logan when we meet up since he's the weakest. Until then, he'll have to use whatever he can. So, let's take a vote. Is everyone okay with this location and plan?"

FLASHBACK END

Y/N sighed to herself, remembering that memory brought her back to reality. 'I should probably go back to the group and help with the planning,' She thought.

As she stood up, she felt a bit drowsy because her position had been very relaxing and had relieved the tension in her back. When she opened her eyes, she had to gather herself as her vision was a bit blurry. Suddenly, she was taken aback when she saw Aiden standing in front of her with a smile on his face and his eyes closed. This unexpected presence sent shivers down her body, causing the hairs on her arms and neck to stand up. It was unsettling to see him just standing there. In that moment, she took a step back, but ended up tripping over the edge of the seat.

"There you ar-"

Y/N was silent as her heart sank. Aiden seemed like he wanted to talk to her about her absence from the group discussions, but before he could finish his sentence, she accidentally grabbed his shirt and pulled him down with her. Aiden let out a quiet gasp of surprise.

There was a loud thud at the back of the bus, startling the others who were talking with Ashlyn at the front. They turned to see what had caused the noise, but everything was silent. Y/N groaned in discomfort, feeling a weight on top of her. She was grateful that the seat had caught her fall, but the weight was still overwhelming. As she opened her eyes, she saw familiar blonde hair in front of her. Slowly, her vision cleared, and she was shocked to see Aiden looking down at her with a surprised and speechless expression. He placed his hands on both sides of her head to steady himself and prevent himself from falling on top of her.

Aiden's heart raced at the unexpected turn of events. The situation they found themselves in was a shock for both of them. His breathing quickened silently in the tense atmosphere, causing his breath to shake. Y/N could almost hear the shaky breath escaping his slightly open mouth. There was clearly some tension between them that was not fully understood. Not only could they both sense it, but the closeness between them left Aiden paralyzed, unable to move.

Y/N was clearly speechless and unsure of how to react. She wanted to push him away, but the words wouldn't come out. She felt something she couldn't quite understand. Was it embarrassment? It was confusing to feel her heart racing with a boy so close to her.

Aiden, too, was feeling confused. His heart was beating fast, which was unusual for him. Normally, he only felt this rush of emotions during intense or exciting moments, like when he was running from phantoms. But this was different. He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of his feelings.

Y/N felt like she was zoning out, staring at Aiden with confusion. The flood of emotions was overwhelming. Eventually, she snapped back to reality, realizing the gravity of the situation. She spoke in a low, serious, and somewhat angry tone.

"Get. Off."

The blonde guy didn't object as he slowly stood up, looking confused. He blinked a few times to process what had just happened. Y/N also stood up with the help of the seat and saw Ashlyn approaching them, raising one eyebrow. Ashlyn looked at both of them, trying to figure out what was going on. Before coming over, she had been staring at the back of the bus. After some thought, she decided to check on it after finishing her conversation with the group. Once she was done, she went to the back of the bus to find out what was happening.

"Umm, is everything okay? I asked one of them to check on you while we were discussing our plans for the upcoming days." Ashlyn was met with silence from the two for a moment until she heard Y/N speak.

"Ah-yeah, everything's fine. It's just um... I-... Can I use your bathroom?" Y/N was trying her best to act like nothing was wrong and that nothing had happened. However, she was still in shock and struggled to speak clearly as she tried to explain herself.

Ashlyn's eyes widened in surprise at Y/N's sudden change in behavior. Y/N was acting completely different and seemed embarrassed. "I mean, yeah, you can ask one of my parents if you need directions," she said, placing her hand on her neck.

Y/N didn't say anything else and simply walked past Ashlyn, leaving the bus. A few people were left wondering what had happened. Ashlyn looked back at Aiden, who was standing there without moving even with Y/N gone.

'Something definitely happened.' Ashlyn thought to herself as she made her way back to the group. Aiden eventually came to his senses and followed behind her. As they walked back, Ashlyn noticed the group members looking confused and curious.

"What was that about?" Tyler asked as he glanced at Aiden who flashed him a smile.

Taylor expressed concern, saying "I hope she's okay." The girl's expression turned slightly sad as she remembered the surprised look on Y/N's face before she left.

"Where's Y/N going, is she perhaps leaving early?" Logan asked with curiosity, feeling concerned for the girl's well-being. He thought about all the times she had helped him during his tough times and wanted to repay the favor if needed.

"Y/N just wanted to use the bathroom."

"Really, and she was back there?" Tyler's face twisted in anger and confusion as he looked at Ashlyn.

"Let's not worry about that and just focus on prior matters here."

Inside the Ashlyns residence, Y/N leaned against the closed bathroom door, panting heavily. She didn't actually need to use the bathroom, she just needed a moment to herself. She was unsure of what to think, feel, or how to react in that moment. However, she knew she couldn't stay there for long because Ashlyn needed to discuss their plans later that night. Y/N closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when the feeling passed, she turned to the mirror. As she stared at her reflection, she remembered seeing her own reflection in Aiden's eyes. Uncertainty and confusion still showed on her face.

'This guy… what is up with him.'

★

Back at her grandparents' home, D/N was walking upstairs after finishing tidying up the house. Sweat dripped from his face as he raised the collar of his shirt to wipe it away. He breathed a sigh of relief after completing his task. He remembered the times when he used to visit his parents' house with his daughter, even though she was too young at the time to remember much about being there. This house brought back good memories of his happy childhood. His parents were generous and wealthy, but instead of living in a big house with fancy jewelry, they chose to live a simple life. They believed that being happy was more important than having material possessions, so they lived in the two-story home where they had been for a long time.

He sat on his bed, looking at the floor before his eyes landed on a small wooden stool in the corner with a picture frame of him, his wife, and Y/N smiling. The parents stood together with Y/N in the middle, all looking happy. He remembered that day clearly - it was sunny with a few clouds, a perfect day. Holding the frame, he examined the picture taken in their yard, with his wife's beautiful smile capturing his attention. The memory brought a smile to his face as he recalled giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before the camera flashed. He chuckled, knowing his wife was always in his heart. Placing the frame back on the stool, he gazed at it one last time, then looked at his wedding ring on his finger, playing with it sadly.

Eventually, he took off the ring, placed it next to the frame, and lay down on the bed. Resting on his bed, he closed his eyes briefly and drifted away in his thoughts. Memories of his time with loved ones filled his mind. When he slowly opened his eyes, he was not expecting to see a terrifying sight - a phantom on the ceiling, its body twisted as it stared down at him with a creepy smile. The boundary between the phantom world and reality briefly intertwined before the phantom disappeared, causing D/N to instantly sit up in bed. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he tried to calm himself and process what he had just seen. Clutching his chest, he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He was at a loss for words, as the phantom had looked so real.

"Was I just imagining things?" He said, but even with that statement, he still didn't believe it was true as he had a look of uncertainty.



Boom! Finally!!! 😭😭

To tell y'all the truth, I love being a writer. The power I hold is just like an artist. Trust, this is amazing, I was literally smiling and laughing to myself at how funny this is: the reason being because one, I'm a simp, and two, because I am a writer, which means I can do whatever I want with the scenes. Lmao.