Lake Larson

My brain turned to mush as I watched my mom frozen in thought before me. Her eyes were wide with embarrassment, and her cheeks slightly tinted rose. She pulled at the door to close it, but hesitated.

"Just making sure you made it home." She watched Ian with every word.

"Yes." I chewed on my cheek, pointing at Ian awkwardly, opening my mouth but not saying any words.

"Who is your friend?" she asked with a smile, trying to make the situation less baffling.

Ian and I made eye contact while he coughed, brushing his fingers through his shaggy hair. He stepped forward, keeping his distance from me. His hand reached toward my mom, but pulled back.

"Hey, Mrs. Larson, I am Ian." He glanced at me, putting his hands behind his back.

I grabbed the door, opening the space between us. "Sorry, Mom, I thought you were already asleep." I moved my body between her and Ian so no touch could happen. "I would have told you he was here."

Her eyes bounced between us while she leaned toward the hallway, trying to exit. "No, I'm sorry for what I walked in on."

"No," Ian and I simultaneously said in a panic. I glance at Ian and back at my mom. "I showed him my scar. Nothing more." Besides the chemistry.

She widened her expression, looking at Ian with a bright smile. "Really?" She nudged into the room slightly. "You must be a good one, then. She never shows people." My mom brought her hand to her mouth to cover her lips from me. "She doesn't even let me see it," she whispered like I wouldn't hear her.

"Oh, is that so?" Ian smirked, peaking at me.

"Okay, we can stop now." I placed my palm on the back of the door, wanting to shut my mother out, but the creaking steps from the hallway had me huffing out.

Lily's nervous, fake smile pushed her way into the conversation. "What did I miss?" she asked behind my mom's shoulder, eyeing Ian with a deadly glare of disapproval already.

"Nothing," Ian and I said simultaneously once more.

My mom grinned at our reaction as I glanced at Ian again, seeing him already watching me. He raised his brows, shrugging his shoulder with his palms facing me.

"Very convincing," Lily chimed in with a low giggle. She shoved around Mom to fit into the door frame. "I am Lily. You must be Ian."

Ian scrunched his brows together, looking at me for a split second before meeting her eyes. "Who's Ian?" he asked her with confidence. "I am Ed."

Lily's cheeks quickly painted pink down her neck. "Oh," she said with an inaudible sound, glancing at me to save her.

I covered my mouth as I spit-laughed into my palm. "No, this is Ian," I said, shaking my head and listening to my mom's laughter.

Lily glared at him, crossing her arms with a scuff. She glanced at me with an expression of not liking him.

"I like him already." Mom laughed with a bright smile toward him. She placed her hand on Lily's shoulder, guiding her to the hallway. "We will leave you two alone."

Lily looked appalled and shocked as Mom shut the door with Ian and me alone. A whisper-yell murmured from the other side of the door, arguing.

"That was embarrassing," I said in a lower tone, crossing the room to my closet.

Ian plopped onto my bed. "Yeah, your mom thought we were getting started."

I pulled a vast shirt from a hanger, watching it pivot on the pole and tangling up with the other hangers. "Started?" I questioned Ian while glancing at myself in the mirror door of the closet.

Ian hopped off my sheets and sauntered toward me. He smirked with a low laugh, chilling the air. Ian stopped before me, brushing his fingers with mine without his eyes leaving mine. My breath hitched from his touch, trailing up my arm while he leaned closer and closer.

"Started," he whispered with his lips touching my ear lobe.

He gripped my back, forcing my hips to touch his, plastering me onto his body. Ian pulled his face away from my neck, peeking down at me from under his hooded eyes.

"Ian," I exhaled his name, needing to inhale more. "Oh, my." I brought my hand to my mouth, widening my eyes, stepping out of his arms. "No—" I dragged out the O.

I froze with my palm on my lips, watching the carpet below my feet like it would grow with time. My gaze focused on Ian and back to the old floor, repeat, until the scene of my mom and Lily blurred. A low giggle escaped Ian while he strolled back to my bed and fell back. He propped himself on his elbows, watching me.

My mom and Lily think Ian and I could be something. Little do they know he's dead. Moving on seemed like the first task to help Ian, but what if I had it all wrong? What if I don't want him gone?

"Ian," I whispered, seeing him tilt his head. "I know this sounds stupid." I walked to him, flopping onto the bed beside him. "Do you think we could bring you back to life?"

He sat up, scooting to the edge of the bed with me. "Maybe." His answer was vague, so I didn't have to hear the word no.

"I know I had been pushing to help you move on, but the more I think about it," I said, standing to pace. "You started very ghostly. Ian, you went through things, and people couldn't see you." I stopped and looked at him with a pointed expression. "Even people couldn't hear that arrogant mouth of yours."

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, waving his hand while rolling his eyes.

"Don't you see it?" I showed him my palms, hoping things would click. "You are more and more human." I walked before him, putting my hands on his shoulders. "Right?"

I cupped my palm onto his cheek, and he leaned into it. "See, warm," I whispered before he placed his hand on mine. "You used to be cold to the touch, but now you are warm."

He closed his eyes, tangling his fingers with mine and removing my hand from his face. "I don't think it works that way."

"Maybe," I whined.

"No, Lake," he said, standing before me without removing his hand from mine. "You are wishful thinking, which is amazing, but—" He stepped away from me, making a cold distance. "Look at me."

Ian tried to unbutton his shirt, only for his fingers to not grasp the buttons. The cotton fabric was unmoving from his touch. "Oh, and this." He pulled at his jacket, trying to remove it from his shoulders, but no prevail.

I scrunched my face. "That's just clothes."

"No, it's not." Ian grabbed my shoulders, bringing my face into his chest. His fingers played with my hair as my cheek rested between his pecks. "Listen," he whispered.

I closed my eyes with a long exhale. My breath, knowing the outcome of this, of Ian's heartbeat, froze to a stop. Because the dead do not have a beating heart. Even the ones that deserved a second chance. It didn't matter how much you wished for it. Nothing would beat beneath his chest.

"Silence," I whispered. "Sorry." My eyes closed. "I just wish."

Ian tightened his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. "I know."

---👻---

My temples hurt as I leveraged my head with elbows on the kitchen nook. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the house with the sink water running since my mom always forgot she left it on while cooking.

"Long night?" Mom asked, while flipping the bacon on the skillet. She glanced at me with a mischief expression.

"No," I replied, standing from the chair and crossing the kitchen to the sink. My fingers brushed the water before I turned it off. "I'm not looking forward to my drive home."

"At least you have company, right?" Her eyes bounced to the stairs, unsure if Ian was still in my room.

"Yes," I leaned against the counter. "Ian is tagging along with me."

My mom pointed her fork in my direction. "He's a good guy, right?"

I giggled, dropping my shoulders. "Yes, Ian is." I placed my hand on her wrist, bringing the fork down. "And I promise you can get to know him better the next time. I already promised Alex I would see her before I leave."

"I know," she replied, smiling over my shoulder. "Hello Ian, breakfast is almost ready."

Turning while snagging a piece of bacon, I saw Ian leaning against the frame between the foyer and kitchen. He glanced at the food before me with a side smirk.

"How was your night? I hope Lake got you some blankets and pillows." My mom dashed across the kitchen, grabbing a plate from the cabinet. "She can sometimes be forgetful with sleepovers. When Alex and she were young, I found Alex with a towel over her while sleeping on the ground."

I glared at my mother. "That only happened once, and it was her fault."

"She also gave her cousin from Texas a couch cushion for a pillow." Her light giggle filled the area.

Ian raised a brow. "Like the square piece you sit on?"

My mom pointed at him. "That's the one."

I waved my hands around, grabbing the plate from my mom. "Okay, enough with the talking about me, like I'm not here." I placed the plate back in the cabinet. "We need to get going." I dug under the sink, looking for a to-go plate.

Ian grabbed the paper plate from my fingers, smiling at my mom. She plopped eggs and bacon onto the plates with tin foil over the tops. Leaving so early without getting personal time with my mom felt terrible, but with her seeing Ian, we thought exiting as soon as possible would be best before she found out my new roommate was a ghost.

I tossed the plates of food in the back seat of my car before pulling out of the driveway. Alex was working at the family business this morning. With the parking lot empty, I parked my vehicle near the front door with the flashing open sign.

"This will be a quick bye since she is working," I said to Ian while exiting the car and grabbing one plate of food.

"I'm not on a schedule, so take your time." He tilted his head. "Wait, I think I have a hot date tonight, so got to rush."

"Ha," I mocked back.

I opened the door, hearing the creaking of the metal frame. The wood material and hardware supplies filled my nose while Alex sat at the desk with her head down. Her fire-red hair jumped backward as she heard the door shut. Her expression brightened from a shock to a smile when she saw us.

"Thank baby Jesus, it is you," she said, yawning into her palm.

"Up late?" I asked, walking to the desk and leaning against it.

"Yes," she replied, tapping her phone. "I got lost in the cat videos."

I plopped the food on the counter. "Brought you some breakfast."

"Your mom?" she asked with an open smile.

"Yep."

Alex ripped the tin foil off, shoveling the food into her mouth. "I love her cooking," she said with a muffled mouth.

I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Ian playing with a wind chime near the front window. He tapped the crystal ball, listening to the music. His eyes shifted to me, and he chuckled when he saw Alex stuffing her face.

"Fank fou," Alex said inaudibly.

"No problem," I laughed. "Only here to drop off food and say bye."

Alex lifted her arms, jumping halfway on the desk. Her palms grabbed my shoulders, dragging me into her. She patted my back and then shoved me away.

"Okay, bye-bye now," she said, brushing her hand through her hair while watching the front window.

Turning on my heels, I spotted an older truck beside my car. A man exited it as Alex rushed around the desk. She pushed on my back and waved for Ian to follow.

"Who is this?" I asked in a high-pitched voice. "Is that who you have been crushing on?"

"Yes, Cooper, but nothing has happened yet, so leave before your ghost escort embarrasses me."

Ian glared at Alex, shaking his head. "I'm not that bad."

Alex let out a scuff. "Yeah, right, out, out, out," she said, opening the door and pushing us out before the guy walked away from his truck as he fished for something in the backseat.

"But, Alex," I replied, spinning to see she already dashed to the desk, looking like she didn't see him pull up.

Ian chuckled beside me while we both shook our heads in disbelief. Cooper strolled by us with a nod toward Ian and a smile for me. He fixed his shirt before opening the door.

"I guess we head back to Cheney, then." Ian's voice reflected off the front windows.

"Maybe."

Thank you for reading. Please share, comment, and push that beautiful star.