Lake Larson

"Come out! I want to see that one!" Ian yelled from the other side of the stall, impatient.

I rolled my eyes, trying to zip up the back. Seeing myself in the mirror in the fourth dress, I huffed in disappointment. All the dresses were horrible on me. The color, the fit, and the length were all wrong.

Self doubting myself. "Nothing is fitting right," I replied, before glancing at the ceiling.

"Let me at least see that one." Ian's voice sounded closer.

I looked at the stall door, seeing his bare feet. Ian positioned himself against the door, leaning into it.

"Okay." I opened the door, prompting him to stumble.

I glanced down at my body in the dress. It rode up my legs, stopping too short for comfort. The material dug into my side, and the front hung low, showing off my scar. I placed my hand between my breasts, covering my skin from Ian and avoiding the conversation about the mark.

I lingered my eyes on Ian, seeing his trailing down my body. While keeping my hand between my breasts, I pulled at the ends and tried to make the dress longer. The discomfort showed on my face.

"Uncomfortable?" he asked with a raised brow.

"You think?" I replied sarcastically, pointing at the dress.

"How about the green one?" His eyes focused behind me.

I spun to glance at the last dress. Emerald satin dress draped on the hanger. Commonly, I was a no for spaghetti straps, but this one stood out.

"Okay," I whispered, hoping for the best.

I walked back into the stall, locking the latch behind me. Quickly stripping out of the black one, I stepped into the satin dress, smiling at myself in the mirror. The material and shape fit perfectly. I spun in the stall. The dress flowed past my knees with a slit up my leg.

I stepped out of the dressing area, knowing this was the one. Smiling from ear to ear, I bit my lip before looking at Ian. He watched his hands tapping his fingers on his legs while he sat in a chair.

I cleared my throat, prompting him to peek from under his hair. His eyes widened as his head tilted up. Ian's jaw dropped, forming a slight smile while his eyes softened. He shook off his first expression, smirking.

"What do you think?" I flipped my hair off my shoulders, spinning slowly.

He stood quickly with his hand out to grab mine. I stopped mid-spin, looking at our hands together. Ian leaned closer, placing his lips inches from my ear.

"You look—"

A lady flung open a curtain. "Are you guys finding everything alright?" she asked with a fake smile.

I let out a breath, jumping while Ian stepped back. "Beautiful," he whispered, sending a chill down my spine.

The blonde lady leaned on the wall, eyeing the dress on me. I smiled at her, brushing the front of the satin.

"Yes," I replied while her eyes glanced at Ian. "Wait, what?" I tilted my head. "What did you say?"

Her cheeks turned red as she stared at Ian for too long. "I asked if you two are finding everything okay?" she said, looking at me.

I glanced at Ian and back at her. "Yes, sorry." I shook my head. "Thank you."

The blonde peeked at Ian one more time before leaving. She saw him, but how?

I pointed at Ian, stepping closer to him. "How was she able to see you?"

"Not sure," he nonchalantly replied and plopped back in the chair.

I waved my arms at him. "Why am I the only one who cares about these things?" I placed my palm on my forehead. "You are never interested in anything that deals with you."

Ian stood from the chair. "Maybe it's because I don't want to talk about myself." He passed me. "Maybe I don't want to move on," he said over his shoulder, exiting the area.

I silently mocked him before stomping to the stall to remove the dress. With my jeans and regular shirt on, I tucked the green dress under my arm and exited the dressing room to find Ian.

He stood outside the changing room, leaning against a pillar. His head tilted downward, watching his feet. Ian crossed his arms, tightening the leather jacket around his biceps. His muscles slightly flexed while I paused and gazed at him. His eyes shifted to me, and I panicked, looking at the shelf beside me.

"You ready?" I asked, touching the stuffed animal bear before grabbing the coffeemaker on the shelf and walking past Ian.

I tucked the coffee machine with my dress, leaving Ian in my shadow. The line stood in the aisle as we waited for our turn with the cashier. Ian leaned close to me, making sure nobody stepped into him.

"What's with the coffeemaker?" he whispered.

"I don't have one," I replied, confirming nobody heard me.

"That's because you dislike coffee." He raised a brow with a smirk.

I bit my lip, watching my feet, unsure why I was buying Ian a coffee maker. A ghost didn't need a coffee machine, but what if? The situation with him didn't check all the boxes, so.

I don't know.

"Yeah," I said, setting the machine and the dress on the counter. "So?" I peeked at Ian.

The cashier looked at Ian before me. "Is this all?"

She could see him, too. I glared at Ian. "Yeah."

"No, she doesn't need the coffeemaker," he replied, reaching over me to grab the package.

"Yes, I do." I bumped him backward from the counter and moved the machine closer to the lady.

She grinned without showing her teeth, bobbing her eyes between us. I turned my gaze to Ian, shaking my head.

"Why?" he asked.

I looked away from him. "It's for you," I said through my teeth.

"But I can't drink coffee," he replied with a laugh echoing around us.

The cashier lady cleared her throat. "Your total comes to ninety-seven and sixty-eight cents."

I smiled, handing her my card before Ian could do anything. "Thank you." I moved my gaze to Ian. "You can smell it."

"What?" Ian almost yelled, cupping his palm to his forehead.

"Stop." I pulled his hand down. "Don't be so dramatic."

"You two are so cute together," the lady said, prompting us to look at her.

"Oh, no." I pointed between Ian and me. "We are not together."

She smiled over at Ian with thirsty eyes. He reacted to her expression with a perfect smile. Shaking my head, I grabbed my card and bag.

"He's got an STD." I smiled at her. "Thank you."

The chilly weather stung my face as I raced to my car, needing to be ready for my date. Ian jogged behind me with a mocking laugh while I tossed the bags in the backseat.

---👻---

I leaned over my vanity, putting a lip gloss on. The knock on the door had me jumping out of the bathroom, ready for my date with Hudson. I skipped over Ian while he sat on the floor reading a book. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Yay," I whispered, but nerves took over when I gripped the doorknob.

I released the handle and brushed my dress with sweaty palms. Watching the unopened door, I froze. My heart hurt from beating too fast as I glanced over my shoulder at Ian standing close behind me.

His smirk faded to a frown as he reached through my torso to the doorknob. The chill calmed my heart as I watched Ian's hand open the door for me. With a nervous exhale, I looked at Hudson waiting in the hallway for me.

"Hey," Hudson said in a sweet tone.

"Hey," I whispered, making eye contact.

"You look great. Are you ready?" His blue eyes glanced around my room.

"Yes." I stepped back. "Let me get my bag."

I grabbed my little black purse from my bed and hung it over my shoulder. I spun on my heels, seeing Hudson leaning on the doorframe. Ian watched Hudson before mimicking his action and pressed his shoulder to the wall.

"You look beautiful." Ian raised a brow, narrowing his eyes.

My neck burned red up to my cheeks. "Let's go," I said to Hudson, wanting to run from Ian.

As we drove down the street, Ian popped up in the backseat. He cleared his throat loudly while going through the sports bag beside him. I ignored Ian for the ride.

Hudson pulled the car to the curb near the restaurant. Everyone inside had beautiful dresses or business attire. The lady hostess brought us through the tables, pointing at one with a candle lit in the center.

"Your table," she said, pulling out my chair for me.

Hudson and I sat in silence while we glanced over the menu. I peeked at him a few times, thinking how to start a conversation, but nothing escaped my lips. His blue eyes bobbed between the table and the menu as the table joggled, tapping his feet.

"He's blowing it." Ian's voice echoed from behind me, making me jump. "I say we skip out." He rounded the table, sitting in a chair close by. "Go to the bathroom and say your mom called with an emergency."

"Shh," I said to Ian, but Hudson glanced at me. "Should we order some drinks?"

"Yes," he responded, flagging down a server.

Ian huffed loudly like an impatient child before plopping his head on the table. He exhaled a high-pitched noise, trying to get me to react, until our server, with a low-cut dress, walked over, catching his eyes. He smiled widely at her, sitting up.

"Hello, I am Jen, and I will be your server tonight. What can I get you two to drink?" she asked with a pad and pen.

"I'll get the Guinness," Hudson responded, pointing at the menu.

She set her hands on the table, leaning closer to Hudson. "Could I see an ID?"

Hudson leaned away, grabbing his wallet from his back pocket. "Of course," he said, handing over his driver's license.

The server scanned his ID before setting it slowly on the table and sliding it back to him. She stepped back and glanced at me.

I smiled at Jen. "The Teavana hot tea, please."

"Perfect," she said to Hudson. "And are you ready to order food, too?"

Hudson glanced at me with his eyebrows raised. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." I fiddled with the menu nervously. "I'll take the chicken fettuccine."

"Oh, yummy," Jen responded. "That is my favorite." She wrote on her pad. "And for you?"

"Prime rib French dip," Hudson said, handing her his menu.

Ian chuckled from his table. "Oh, yummy," he said with his hand on his heart. "That is my favorite." Ian mocked Jen in a girly voice.

Jen hurried away with Ian's eyes on her. Once out of sight, he focused back on me with a sad expression.

"So, what are your plans after college?" Hudson asked, catching my attention.

"Oh." I looked at my hands playing with the napkin. "I want to work at the aquarium in Maui." I gave him the bare minimum of what I want to do in Hawaii.

"That would be cool," Hudson responded. "I'd hoped to move to New York City and be part of the global warming science with the ocean."

"Why do you want to move to Hawaii?" Ian asked, ignoring Hudson.

My eyes bounced between Ian and Hudson but settled on Ian. "Why do you want to live in New York?" I asked, fixing my gaze back to Hudson.

"I already have an apartment there." Hudson talked with his hands cupped on the table. "My parents own a flat there, so I figured why not put this school shit to use?"

I raised a brow, not impressed. "So, no other reason?"

He waved his hand around. "Well, yeah. It's all for a good cause, right?"

"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause," I replied, quoting a phrase from my favorite book, The Catcher in the Rye.

"What?" Hudson responded, tilting his head.

I inhaled nervously. "Oh, nothing," I responded, glancing down.

"While the mark of the mature man is that—" Ian whispered before pausing for me to look at him. "He wants to live humbly for one."

I smirked at Ian, feeling my cheeks turn red. His hazel eyes softened while he opened his mouth, but closed it quickly. His eyes shifted around while he had a mental battle with himself, wanting to say something but holding it back. He gazed at me with sadness and regret before standing up and walking away. He passed through Jen with our tray of food.

"Ready for something yummy?" she said, setting our drinks and food on the table.

"Thank you," I said to Jen while she walked away. "So, are you moving to New York right when you graduate?" I asked Hudson.

He swallowed a bite. "I plan to do a road trip there."

"I love road trips. My dad would take me on them when I—"

"Yeah, I have a buddy that will join me." He sipped his beer. "We have the full thing already planned out. We start—"

Hudson continued to talk while I listened, but my mind blurred out his words. I glanced in the direction Ian walked away, wanting to chase after him and ask him what was wrong.

I wished I could go back in time and save Ian.

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