A man with tan skin and casual attire stood there holding two presents. He had a faint smile and chuckled nervously, saying, "Haha, sorry. Am I at the right place?" He questioned his location as he didn't see anyone in the house or hear any noise from inside. He glanced down at the address written on the gifts, double-checking to make sure he hadn't made a mistake. The house in front of him seemed quiet and deserted, making him wonder if he had gotten the wrong address.

Ashlyn's green eyes looked down at the gifts the man was holding, then back at him, curious about who he could be.

"If I'm not mistaken, is this where Lily's birthday party is being held?"

Ashlyn was briefly surprised when he mentioned that, but she quickly calmed down. "Ah yes, you're in the right place," Ashlyn confirmed, wondering who he might be. "Is he one of the twins' parents, or the guest Y/N mentioned?"

At that moment, D/N was seen walking towards the porch with two elders by his side. He approached the porch holding a pan covered in foil, wearing a smile on his face. "Hello, you must be Ashlyn, one of Y/N's friends. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said warmly.

"Oh, this must be Y/N's dad." Realizing that he was Y/N's dad, Ashlyn then looked at the elders, understanding they were the guests Y/N had mentioned. As she processed this, a car pulled up behind Ashlyn's parents' jeep. She observed with curiosity as Y/N's parents also noticed the new arrival. The first person to step out of the car was Tyler, his usual serious expression intact as he opened the driver's side door for a tan-skinned woman. Tyler then handed his mom the foil pan before the woman headed towards the house, where others had already gathered. Meanwhile, the twins retrieved items from the back seat.

"Hello." She greeted with a smile, her head slightly tilted as the wind made her flower earrings swirl. In her hands, she held something wrapped in foil.

"Oh, excuse me." Siena, the mother of D/N, apologized and stepped aside to let the woman pass.

"It's alright."

"Mom!" Tyler shouted, holding a covered bowl as he and his sister approached the porch with presents. "Why'd you go off without us?"

The redhead watched as they walked up the porch steps and thought to herself, "So that's their mom?"

"Oh, sorry dear... I thought you were behind me."

"I was helping Taylor grab the food and presents."

"Ah, excuse me, miss. Hello, I'm Drake, and this is D/N," he said, placing a hand lovingly on his shoulder as Drake turned his attention to the family with a smile. "Nice to meet you. And what are your names?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Drake. I'm Mariana," she replied with a kind smile. "And those are my kids, Tyler and Taylor."

"Hi!"

"Hello."

Drake glanced at them and noticed the resemblance. "Twins," he mumbled with a smile.

"I'm Siena," chimed in D/N's mother, "and this is my husband, Fred." Siena's words caused Mariana to return her smile.

"How... lovely."

"Hey, Ashlyn!" Taylor greeted with an excited smile.

"So, are you gonna let us in or what?" Tyler asked with a bored expression.

"Don't be rude, honey," Marianne said, turning to him.

"Actually, everyone is already in the graveyard. I was just waiting here for you guys."

Meanwhile, at the graveyard, Y/N placed Lily's gift on the ground with the others and finally acknowledged Logan. She walked over slowly, and as Logan's gaze lifted, he noticed Y/N approaching. He smiled, his expression brightening.

"Y/N, I'm glad you could make it," he said with a smile.

"Why does it sound like such a surprise?" She inquired, raising her eyebrow and placing a hand on her hip while tilting her head slightly.

"Well, you never really responded if you'd come, so we thought you wouldn't show." he said, scratching his cheek with one finger. "What made you change your mind?"

"It was just a last-minute change. Not a big deal." she shrugged.

Logan nervously waved his hand. "Not that I'm not happy you're here. I'm really glad you're here."

Aiden chimed in, shrugging as he causally placed a hand on Logan's shoulder. "Relax, I'm pretty sure she's happy to be here now. Imagine how boring it would be if we didn't have the whole crew here," he said with a cheeky smile, his playful nature showing.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration." Y/N rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, we're going to have so much fun as a group. I have a lot of ideas - we could play hide and seek, cards, hopscotch, musical chairs, tag..."

"Okay, okay- let's... take a moment." Y/N placed her hand a short distance away from his lips and looked at Lily.

"Come on, add some life to your life."

Confused, she looked at him. "What is that supposed to even mean?" Y/N always found his words confusing, trying to decipher his intentions every time they spoke.

"Fun," he replied simply, looking at her as he gently lowered her hand that was just inches from his mouth.

"Ah, of course... What did I even expect," she thought to herself, crossing her hands and sighing as she tried to find some other form of entertainment, like a quiet place which was more likely to be possible.

"I want to have fun," Lily said. Y/N turned her head, finding it hard to resist such a cute plea, but they would have to wait for the others to arrive.

"Same."

"Aiden, your not a child."

"What? You cannot tell me to not have fun."

"I'm sure the others will be here soon," Logan said, checking the time.

Ben patted his sister with one hand while holding her in his arm. Y/N found it sweet how caring and kind he was, even with his past. Despite that, he remained sweet to his sister. She never would have guessed he had any siblings.

After some time, Tyler and Taylor's mother arrived with Y/N's parents and grandparents. Ashlyn led them to the graveyard, where Taylor and Drake were holding presents. Y/N's dad was carrying covered food, and her grandparents had a single present each.

"It's nice to see you again." Mike said as they shook hands. "Oh, I don't think we've met yet," he added, looking at Drake. "Mike's the name."

"Hello, I'm Drake Lincoln, D/N's husband," Drake introduced himself with a smile, shaking Mike's hand.

"Husband?" Mike was surprised to see the two men. "Oh, you're..." he began to say, but stopped when he saw the golden engagement ring on Drake's finger. The ring was glowing with a golden shine from the sun's rays, giving it a beautiful glow. Mike's expression then softened as he said, "I see. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Drake. Welcome." He smiled warmly.

While Drake chatted with Ashlyn's dad, D/N approached Y/N. Her day had been quite interesting so far. She had already gotten a drink and was peacefully enjoying her Capri Sun, minding her own business. Her gaze wandered the field as she explored the area.

"How's it going so far?" a voice next to her asked. She recognized it as her father and turned her head with a steady expression.

"Okay, I guess," Y/N replied, taking a sip of her drink.

As she turned her head, she saw the twins out of the corner of her eye. A look of surprise briefly crossed her face, softening as her lips parted. Uncertainty and contemplation were evident as she then turned her head back forward.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, placing his hand on the girl's shoulder, bringing her back from her thoughts.

Y/N shook her head, brushing aside what she had in mind as she looked at him. She then turned to look at Logan and Aiden who were in front of them.

"Boys, how have you been? It's been a while since I've seen you all."

"Never been better," Aiden said. Ben nodded in agreement with Aiden.

Logan gave a wave. "Hello, I'm Logan Fields," he said with a smile.

He hummed and asked, "So are all of these your friends? Quite a number of boys," he glanced at them, still smiling. "I must say..."

Y/N side-glanced him, giving him a knowing look of "don't overthink it." "Dad, this is the birthday girl, Lily, and Ben's little sister." She introduced.

D/N leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "Ah, hello, little one. Are you ready to have some fun?" Lily nodded cutely. "Haha, I'm sure you are," he said, looking at her in remembrance. "You know, she reminds me a lot of you when you were younger, so cute." he said, glancing at Y/N, his daughter, with a smile.

Y/N coughed embarrassedly. "AHEM!! Haha, Dad, um- I'm sure there are some things that need help around here. Look, you can help with the wood!" She pointed to Ben's dad putting wood in the pit surrounded by seats.

He glanced over his shoulder to see this before looking back and chuckled. "Perhaps," he went over. "Hey, good sir, need a hand?"

Y/N sighed and placed a hand on her chest to relax. She thought, "Did he REALLY have to say that?" She then covered her embarrassed face and scoffed quietly.

"So... Baby pictures?" Aiden smiled smugly.

Y/N lowered her hand and gave him a flushed and annoyed look. "Don't start," she said, clenching her fist.



Suddenly, they heard Taylor yelling, "Look, a bunny!" Taylor exclaimed in a panicked tone, pointing to the field.

Y/N followed her gaze and saw a cute, small white bunny eating grass in the field.

"... I want to pet." Lily said, holding onto Ben's collar slightly while staring into the distance with an awe-struck look.

"Want me to catch it for you?" Aiden asked, noticing her pleading expression.

"You can catch it?" the two girls asked in unison.

"Of course I can!"

Y/N looked at him with her brows slightly raised, genuinely surprised by his claim. "How? It'll run away as soon as you go after it."

"It's all about speed. Just watch!" Aiden started to chase after the bunny, which ran away in fear. "IT'S NO MATCH FOR ME!"



However, as Aiden chased the bunny, a figure appeared in front of it. Ashlyn, with her intense gaze and emerald eyes, managed to catch the bunny. The group then gathered around as Ashlyn presented the bunny to Lily, who happily petted the cute and delicate animal. Y/N looked at Aiden, silently confirming that she was right because he didn't catch the bunny. It was obvious that without Ashlyn's help, the bunny might never have been caught, a fact that she questioned.

"Is there anything you want to do, Lily?" Taylor asked.

"How about red light green light?" Logan suggested.

"Can we play hide and seek?"

"Before you all start enjoying yourselves, can I please take a picture? I brought my camera with me," D/N asked with a bright smile, glancing at the group to see if they were interested in the offer.

Y/N wasn’t really in the mood to take a photo, but she wanted to create some memorable moments in her life. Despite her lack of experience with such things, she figured it would be best to go along with it to lighten the mood. This was a perfect opportunity for her to relax and have fun.

After some initial hesitation, the group reached a consensus. Once they agreed, D/N swiftly picked up the camera from the white table stand and stepped back to capture a group photo. They gathered closely, some squeezing in tightly, while others struck playful poses and flashed bright smiles. But just as they were about to start—D/N initiating the countdown—disaster struck suddenly.

"Hey, I think one of you stepped on my foot!" Tyler exclaimed, irritation flashing across his face as he shifted around, clearly annoyed with the culprit.

"That’s the whole point of being in a photo," Aiden replied, a cheeky grin spreading across his face as he leaned back nonchalantly.

"To step on my foot?" Tyler shot back, glaring at Aiden, who shrugged without further explanation.

"Ah, my bad, I think it was me!" Logan admitted, his voice rising with embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Can’t you guys just get yourselves in check?!" Tyler exclaimed, frustration creeping into his tone, his hands clenching at his sides.

Taylor’s previously positive mood turned frantic with worry, mirroring Logan's unease. "Guys, Ty... Please, it was an accident. Just calm down," she said, her voice soft yet firm as she tried to defuse the escalating situation.

"All I said was—"

"Okay, Aiden, we get it," Ashlyn sighed, her patience wearing thin, realizing the chaos wasn’t worth the fuss and that it stemmed from a small miscommunication.

The picture was already looking chaotic before it had even begun. D/N, excited to take a picture with Y/N and her friends, felt a mix of confusion and amusement as he watched the group trying to sort themselves out. "Are they always like this?" he wondered, caught between laughter and disbelief.

While the others attempted to settle down, Y/N glanced over her shoulder at Aiden and Tyler, who were engaged in their usual banter. Taylor, Logan, and Ashlyn were working hard to calm the situation, with Ben standing by, silently supportive. Meanwhile, Lily was in the middle of it all, smiling cutely, seemingly entertained by the playful chaos. Y/N observed with her typical stoic expression, used to this kind of dynamic. Reflecting on it now, she found it nice that they were spending time like this, as she hadn’t experienced many outdoor activities in her life. Despite finding the commotion tolerable, Y/N felt something strange inside her as she stood there. Even though it wasn’t a life-threatening situation, a small smile crept onto her face. Taking a breather and enjoying the moment, she found it endearing that they could have fun before things inevitably took a turn for the worse.

As she chuckled, the sound caught everyone’s attention. Even her dad was surprised; he hadn’t heard her laugh so joyfully since her mom passed away. He watched, wide-eyed, as she laughed at their antics. The group was taken aback by her sudden burst of laughter, but they couldn’t help but notice the light in her eyes and the happiness on her face. Lily, the birthday girl, was amazed at how beautiful Y/N looked when she laughed, which made her smile grow wider. Y/N didn’t care how she sounded; it was just funny to see everyone acting silly, both in the phantom dimension and now. Maybe it was the moment that made her laugh, but it felt freeing.

"You guys never fail to make things chaotic, do you?" she remarked, a genuine smile lighting up her face. It was unexpected for them to see her laughing so heartily.

They exchanged confused glances, unsure why she was laughing, but the sound had a profoundly positive effect on her. Y/N felt puzzled yet pleasantly confused, realizing she didn’t fully understand why she was smiling. It left a mark on the group that she didn’t mind. She had never imagined that feeling out of place among them would lead her to feel so at ease, transforming her into a slightly different version of herself.

Her father’s heart swelled as he watched her, remembering the last time she had laughed like this—before her mother passed away. He blinked rapidly, his emotions welling up, not wanting to miss the moment. He raised the camera, his hands steady now, and captured the scene.

The group was still staring at Y/N in surprise, their mouths hanging open as her contagious fit of laughter threatened to make everyone join in. Aiden, his expression wide-eyed with admiration, couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her smiling so brightly. Ashlyn, momentarily startled, felt something within her come alive, and she relaxed into a smile as Y/N’s laughter filled the air. Ben was unable to compare the warmth blooming in his heart; she looked so precious and perfect in that moment as the sunset approached. Taylor couldn’t help but laugh along, her eyes sparkling with delight at seeing Y/N so joyous, something she had never witnessed before. Tyler, caught off guard, never expected such a reaction from her. They were a loud and chaotic group, but to see her laugh like that was a surprising and heartwarming sight. Logan felt his heartbeat quicken, captivated by how lovely she looked with a smile on her face. D/N took a few more pictures, capturing the moment that felt truly heartwarming.

Y/N took a moment to calm down, opening her eyes after her laughing fit to find the group still staring at her, some looking bewildered.

"Why are you guys staring at me?" she asked, confusion etched on her face.

"I never expected that," Tyler admitted, his expression softening as he regarded her.

"Y/N, you were smiling!" Taylor exclaimed, her excitement evident.

Aiden added, his cheeky smile back, "That was quite a sight. It’s nice to see you warming up to us," his playful tone sincere.

"Seriously, it's honestly a surprise to see you smile this much. What's that about?" Tyler asked with a wide-eyed expression

"Really...? I don't see what's-"

"You have a nice smile, Y/N," Logan said, unintentionally cutting Tyler off once again.

"I do?"

"Of course! That was a lovely smile. A smile really suits you," Taylor added, smiling. "You seem to have had a lot on your mind in the previous days, but I'm glad you're letting loose. It's not all bad to feel a sense of joy at times."

Y/N was feeling flustered. Instead of responding with a simple thank you to the compliment, she froze, feeling her cheeks turn red. She didn't understand why she was feeling this way. Her heart was pounding, unsure if it was from the compliments or the attention she was getting. She felt embarrassed as they continued to look at her and compliment her. Y/N tried to compose herself, willing her racing heart to slow down. She couldn't shake off the feeling of being under a spotlight, the center of attention in a way that made her uncomfortable. She wished she could just disappear into the background and not have all eyes on her. The compliments felt like a heavy weight on her shoulders, making her feel self-conscious and exposed. She struggled to find the right words to respond, feeling tongue-tied and awkward. All she wanted was for the attention to shift away from her so she could regain her composure and escape this overwhelming situation.

"I... Um- ah..."

"Are you okay?" Ashlyn asked, noticing the girl's demeanor as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she pushed past the group. "I'm getting water!" As she walked past her dad, she saw a smile on his face as he stared down at the pictures on the camera.

As they all stared at her, Lily exclaimed, "Let's play!" redirecting the group's attention back to her with a happy smile.

Once Y/N had distanced herself enough, she reached into the cooler for something other than water, opting for a juice or soda instead. It was a relief for her to recharge her social battery, as she had been in the spotlight so much that it felt like she was sweating profusely. However, a nice cold drink helped ease any worries she had. She opened the drink and enjoyed the taste, closing her eyes in delight. When she turned around, she accidentally bumped into someone. Looking up, she saw Ben, realizing that his little sister Lily wasn't with him. They must be playing.

"B-Ben?" He nodded, showing he almost understood her stutter. "Why is he here?" Y/N thought, surprised.

He stayed silent, which made her feel awkward since he wasn't talking. Ben simply took out his phone and started typing, his way of communicating.

"Are you okay? You just left suddenly." He looked concerned."

"Oh, right. Yeah, I... I was just thirsty." Y/N glanced to the side, feeling a bit embarrassed. It should have been obvious why she left, but he must not have understood, which is why he's here. He must think something is bothering her. It was unusual for Y/N to suddenly laugh out loud like that. They must have found it strange. "Sorry about that."

Y/N quickly tried to brush off the awkward moment, hoping to change the subject. "So, what brings you here?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her sudden outburst. She didn't want him to think she was upset or anything like that. But deep down, she couldn't help but wonder if he had noticed something more going on with her.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Well I'm fine. I just... Got… um…" Y/N didn't know what to say and felt like she was making a fool of herself.

"Did we make you uncomfortable?"

Y/N wasn't sure how to answer. She wasn't uncomfortable, just a bit overwhelmed by all the attention and compliments. She didn't want to worry him, but she also didn't know how to respond truthfully.

Ben noticed her change in demeanor, looked down at his phone, and started typing. After a moment, he looked at what he had written and hit play. The tense atmosphere eased when Y/N heard something unexpected.

Ben's phone audio complimented: "You have a very pretty smile," in an attempt to lighten the mood by using his phone to communicate.

However, the recipient of the compliment, Y/N, couldn't help but feel a bit awkward at the unexpected gesture. She just smiled naturally, so she didn't understand why it made others so happy. Maybe it was to lighten the mood or encourage her to smile more, that was probably their intention. Regardless, it did make the others happy - not that she wanted to bring down the mood, but her actions did cause quite a shock and livened up the atmosphere. Taylor seemed to be the most joyful.

The atmosphere was quiet for a moment as Y/N processed. "My smile?" she asked, surprised by the compliment. She pointed to herself, her hand indicating her lips as a blush crept onto her cheeks. It was sudden and unexpected, and she didn't know how to react to such a compliment. She never expected to receive a compliment like that and was unsure of how to respond, especially since it was coming from Ben. "Thanks," she muttered, glancing briefly to the side and then at her drink. Y/N's gaze shifted to Ben's phone to see another message.

"Sorry, did I make you uncomfortable?" His brown eyes softened as he tilted his head.

"No… it's just that I'm not used to getting compliments," Y/N replied.

"Does it bother you?"

"Um…I-I'm not sure, it was just sudden," she dismissed. After a few moments of silence, they awkwardly stood in place, especially Y/N. She knew she was acting strangely, but she couldn't help it in this situation. She didn't know what to say now.

"I'm sorry."

The girl sighed, feeling like she was sending mixed signals. "You don't need to apologize, Ben. I should apologize. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but I just kind of took off. That's probably why you're here, worrying. I'm just not used to all this attention on me. Having eyes on me makes me panic at times," she explained, rubbing the side of her arm, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity and exposure.

"You don't have to apologize either."

The girl looked up at him, feeling a sense of gratitude and comfort wash over her. She smiled weakly, grateful for his understanding and support. Y/N wanted to chuckle a bit, but instead smiled at his kind nature. "You know, I honestly never thought you'd have any siblings. Are you this kind to Lily?"

Ben smiled and nodded. "She's my sister, and sometimes she acts like Aiden, but I still love her," His affection was evident as he gave a loving smile.

Y/N was starting to feel better as she talked without feeling nervous or anxious. She realized she hadn't had much time to talk with him because Ben had been so helpful, and she felt bad for not acknowledging it. She hadn't thanked him or any of the others who had helped. Without them, they wouldn't have made as much progress as they had. She felt like she should express her appreciation.

"Ben. I just want to say, thank you… for checking on me- and for looking out for the team. I never thought we'd make it out alive in that mess without all of you here," Y/N said with a smile, looking at her drink as she carefully chose her words to show her gratitude. "And I'm really glad you're the ones who made me see that."

Ben smiled and gently reached out to pat the girl's head, displaying his affection. Y/N could sense his care through his softened brown eyes as they locked with hers. This caught her off guard and made her feel a bit flustered, but she couldn't resist smiling back. She felt the warmth of his big hand on her head, which was both comforting and embarrassing for her. Despite her inner thoughts, she couldn't deny that his touch was pleasant and gentle. As Ben's hand lingered on her head, Y/N couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over her.



A couple of hours later, it was late at night and the sky was dark. Wrapping paper littered the ground, indicating that Lily had enjoyed opening her gifts. The parents sat around a small fire, chatting with each other. The warmth of the flames contrasted with the cool night air, creating a cozy atmosphere that enveloped them all.

"-and then Aiden set it on fire." Jessica, Aiden's mom, shared a story.

"Oh, I remember that!" Naomi, Ben's mom, chimed in.

"What a story," Drake said, wrapping his arm around his husband's shoulder.

"Logan needs to hang out with that boy more, he's always so cautious and timid. He needs to get out and live life, not be afraid." Mary, Logan's grandmother, suggested.

"My daughter Y/N has been cautious about her living environment for years. That's why she's mostly cooped up in her room. It's hard for her to come out and live happily when so many things have been happening," D/N explained sadly, but Drake comforted him by placing a hand on his.

"Kids go through their tough times," Drake said with a soft smile.

"That's true, although I think Aiden could benefit from acquiring some of Logan's calm demeanor as well haha," Jessica added with a laugh.

"It's weird, Aiden used to be such a quiet kid." Daniel remarked.

"It's quite a transformation from what I've seen," D/N smiled.

While the parents were chatting happily, the teenagers had their own space where they played games until midnight. Y/N was leaning on Logan's side, with her head on his shoulder, looking at her phone until she got sleepy from playing earlier in the day. Logan didn't mind her resting on him, but he felt his heart race a bit. He was now relaxed playing cards with Ben, while Ben's little sister slept on him. Ashlyn, Aiden, and Tyler were also on their phones, sitting on a tire with Tyler's sister resting her head on another tire. Ashlyn was seated on a stone brick. Aiden was on a red car, holding his phone in the air as he leaned back and used his phone.

"Do they not realize how late it is? It's almost midnight." Tyler commented aloud, seeing their parents still chatting even at this ungodly hour.

After a moment, Ashlyn spoke, "Alright, let's go. It's almost time." She thought to herself, "At least we planned ahead."

Logan placed down the cards and looked to his side, seeing Y/N half asleep. She really was getting tired from today, though fun, it was still tiring.

"Y/N, wake up," he lightly patted her hand.

"Mhmm..." Y/N groaned drowsily.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but it's almost time," he saw her slowly getting up from his shoulder, rubbing her eyes.

"Hmm? What... time is it?"

"It's nearly twelve, you should get some water, you might need it."

She took a deep breath, "Yeah, sure." Y/N got up and dusted herself off before going to the cooler and grabbing some water. Walking past the campfire area, she saw the parents. As she opened the cooler, her hand searched unconsciously through the cold ice to find water. She opened the cap, drank some, and then poured it on her hand, which made her shiver. She spread it across her face to mentally prepare herself for tonight. She knew that tonight was going to be a long one. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steel herself for what was to come.

"This... This shouldn't be difficult. Just testing our distances with the connection of the phantom world. I mean... It's beneficial, considering we could scout out more of what's safe and maybe find more supplies, right? Yeah-"

As she was turning back to head to the others, she felt a hand touch her shoulder, instantly feeling guarded and a rush of adrenaline. Paranoia set in as she quickly turned her head, feeling serious and anxious, only to realize it was just her father, D/N.

"Oh... Dad." she blinked, sighing. "Sorry, you kind of scared me there," she mumbled, wiping away the water from her face.

He was surprised by her reaction, feeling the tension in her body as he noticed her shivering. "Y/N... There's something I've been meaning to talk about for a while now," he said. Y/N looked up at him, confused.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Um... It's best if we talk somewhere more privately," he suggested.

"I don't know if it's a good time-"

"I'll try to make it quick," he interrupted.

Y/N couldn't waste another second, so she agreed. Drake, who saw the two walking off, couldn't help but be lost in his thoughts briefly. He noticed D/N's strange behavior, how he seemed worried and tense about something, but he wasn't sure what it was. Before he could dwell on it further, he was snapped out of his thoughts. Ashlyn talked with her dad, saying they'll just be at the bus, her dad agreeing to it while Ben gave Lily to his mom as lily slowly, yet sleepily made it in her mothers arms. Ashlyn told her dad that they would only be at the bus stop and back. Her dad agreed. Meanwhile, Ben handed Lily to his mom as she slowly drifted off to sleep in her mother's arms.

"Haha, I'm surprised she's still awake. Now that I think about it, it's getting pretty late," Emma said.

"Well, it's actually been a little hard to get any sleep lately," Naomi said as she brushed a few strands of Lily's hair away from her face. Lily sluggishly kept her eyes slightly open, fluttering between awake and closing.

"Oh, why's that?" Mike asked.

"Well..." she looked at William.

"... It's kind of crazy."

"We keep seeing things."

Near the entrance of the graveyard, the two stopped at the open gateway. Y/N could only look at him, feeling her heart quicken. She didn't understand why, but she didn't like it. After a short walk to the gate, they stood opposite each other. Y/N looked at him with anticipation and wonder. "So, what did you want to talk about exactly?"

He stood there, silently contemplating his choice of words. He knew it was better to talk about it now rather than wait it out. It had been on his mind ever since, and he wasn't sure how to approach it back then. But now he was sure that it was going to happen if he brought it up.

"Y/N..." It got quiet, the atmosphere filled with curiosity and tension. "It's no secret to me that you're hiding something. I know it fully well, but... what you're doing is clearly affecting you. I see that. I may let it slide, and I know you can take care of yourself. But... there's something about what you're hiding that makes it hard to turn a blind eye." He looked at her with a pleading look of truth.

“Tell me... what’s really causing this?”