*Still in the past. Roman is 11, about to go to school for the first time since what happened. His mom's homeschooled him for a little while till they felt he was ready*
*No Ones POV*

Roman opened his eyes to the morning light streaming through his window.

???: Finally you're awake.

Roman: Do you ever sleep Ghost?

???: No, not really. I can but I don't need it so I don't.

Roman: Hey is there something else I can call you instead of Ghost?
Roman has obviously thought of this before but the ghost didn't like talking about himself or his past so he hasn't asked.

???: Anx. Call me Anx.

Roman: Is that short for something?

Anx: Ya, Anxiety.

Roman: Who names their kid Anxiety.

Anx: Nobody... I hope. Just call me that ok?

Roman: Ok.
Roman's Ma walked into the room.

R and A: Ahh!
Neither of them had noticed her walk in and she startled them.

Ma: Woops, sorry didn't mean to sneak up on you.
Roman got up to hug her and looked back at Anx who was hiding behind a beanbag.

Roman: Hey, you're not supposed to get scared.
Anx stuck his tongue out at him.

Ma: I scared him?

Anx: No.

Roman: Yeah.

Ma: You hear that honey? I scared a ghost!

Roman's mom walked into the room.

Mom: Nice!
Roman went to give his mom a hug.

Mom: Are you ready for school?

Roman: No, not yet.

Mom: Well, I have to head to work so Ma will you drive you ok?
Roman nodded and he went to get ready for school.

---------

Roman's Ma pulled in front of school. Roman looked out the window and took a deep breath.

Ma: Don't worry sweetie, you're gonna do great! Plus you have your ghost friend with you right?

Roman: He said to call him Anx, and yeah he always with me.

Anx: Yep.

Ma: Well, Anx, Roman, have a good day!

Anx: Thanks for noticing me.
Roman rolled his eyes as they got out of the car. He waved to his Ma and starting walking to the office.

Anx: I wonder what they'll think about you having two moms.

Roman: I'm sure it will be fine.
Roman approached a lady sitting at a desk in the office.

Roman: Hi, I'm Roman Sanders. I'm new.
The lady looked at her computer for a second.

Office Lady: You're Miss Alex's and Miss Kat's son?
Roman nodded.

Office Lady: Alright, you're teacher is Mrs. Smith. She'll be here shortly to bring you to class. You can sit over there to wait for her.
She gestures to a row of chairs along the wall.

Roman walked over to the chairs and sat down Anx floating next him.

Anx: Well I guess they already know.

Roman (whispering): See I told you it would be ok.
The door to the office opened and a lady in heels walked in.

Mrs. Smith: Roman?
Roman stood.
Mrs. Smith: I'm Mrs. Smith, I'll be your teacher this year.

Roman nodded and he and Anx followed her down the hall.

Anx: Wow. This place is huge.

Roman (whispering): I'm gonna need a GPS just to find the bathroom.

Mrs. Smith turns and stops in front of a door

Mrs. Smith: Do you want to be introduced to the class?
Anx looked at Roman confused.

Roman: Huh?

Mrs. Smith: Some kids don't want to be put on as center of attention on their first day. So I always ask beforehand.

Roman looked at her relieved.

Roman: Honestly, I would rather sit in the back and work my way into being social. Also, I think you're gonna be a cool teacher.

She smiled and opened the door slightly.

Mrs. Smith: That's the goal.
She entered the classroom first, allowing Roman to covertly sneak into a seat in the back.

Anx: Avoiding social interaction. Nice.
Roman whispered back but was looking to the front as if he was paying attention.

Roman (whispering): I'm not necessarily avoiding it. I'm... letting it come to me.
Anx rolled his eyes.

Anx: Whatever you say Princey.

----------

The bell rung signaling the start of lunch. Roman slowly put his things away not wanting to be one of the first ones out.

Roman (whispering): This is the worst part of all first days. Finding a place in the cafeteria.

Anx: Well, you're mom packed your lunch right?
Roman nodded and stood.

Anx: Then we can find a nice piece of grass outside away from people.

Roman (whispering): That's a good ide-

???: Hi! You're new right?
Roman was out walking in the hall now but was stopped by a bubbly looking kid with glasses and freckles.

Anx: Huh, social interaction did come to you.

Roman: Uh, ya. I'm Roman.

???: Nice to meet you! I'm Pay- I mean, Patton. My name's Patton.
They shook hands.

Patton: Anyway, you got anywhere to sit at lunch?

Roman: Oh, I was just gonna eat out on the lawn.
Patton suddenly got really excited.

Patton: I know a secret place! I eat there all the time! It's a hidden in plain sight type of place. You wanna see?

Roman: Umm, a secret hideout? I think YES!
Patton grabbed Roman's hand and pulled him outside.

Anx: Are you sure we should follow this guy?
Roman shrugged as Patton stopped at the treeline close to the school.

Roman: A forest?

Patton: It's not the forest. It's what's IN the forest!

Roman: I just see trees.

Patton: You wouldn't be-leaf me if I just told you what the place is. You gotta see it.

Roman: In-tree-guing.
Anx rolled his eyes.

Anx: Puns, really.
Roman held back a laugh as Patton talked about how to get to the hideout.

Patton: Alright, so first you have to come to this exact spot next to the school. Then you walk 10 trees in.

They walk into the forest, Patton muttering numbers as they pass by trees.

Patton: Then walk 5 trees left.
They turn left.

Patton: Turn right and walk forward till you find a small clearing with a huge tree in the center.
They arrive at the clearing and it's beautiful.

Lush green grass, patches of wildflowers, various colors of butterflies. You could see the sunlight streaming through the trees.

R and A: Wow.

Roman: This is beautiful Patton.

Patton: Yeah, it is. You think you can find the hideout?

Roman: Wait, you mean this isn't it?
Patton smiled and shook his head.

Patton: The entrence is here.
Roman and Anx start looking around for some hidden door.

Anx: Hey Ro, come look at this tree.
Roman comes over and examines the tree trunk.

There's a slight discoloration that you could only see if you look closely.

Anx: It kinda looks like a doorway. Maybe there's a branch that's actually a lever like in a cliche spy movie.

Roman: Wouldn't hurt to look.
Patton stood off to the side and watched Roman look around the tree. He had heard him talking but ignored it.

Eventually he finally found the lever and the door opened.

Anx and Roman yelped and jumped back.

Roman: Woah! This is so cool!
They enter the tree to a staircase and walk down.

At the bottom is a huge living room. Complete with a flat screen TV, a couple gaming consoles/games, there was even I small kitchen at the edge of the room. It was a full blown secret hideout!

Roman: How did you find this place?!

Patton: I had a neighbor that we visited all the time and he told me about his school life. When he was in highschool, he wanted a place to escape to after school because his family life wasn't the best. So he and his friends bulit this place. He wanted someone to keep it alive and put it to good use, so he told me how to find it.

Roman: What happened to him?

Patton: He passed away from cancer.

Roman: Oh, I'm sorry Pat.

Patton: Pat?

Roman: Yeah, it's a nickname.

Patton: I like it, I guess your nickname would be Ro.

Roman: Yeah, a few people call me that actually.

Patton: Really??

Roman: Ya, my moms and-
He was cute off by Anx making a cut it out motion behind Patton.

Roman: You. And you.

Patton: You have two moms?

Roman: Umm, yeah. I do.

Patton: That's is awesome!

Roman: Ya it is.
He smiles lightly from Patton's reaction. Grateful that he actually approved of his lifestyle.

Patton: You hungry? I can make some sandwiches.

Roman: Uh- yeah sure!
Patton went to the small kitchen and Roman sat on the couch with Anx floating next to him.

Roman (whispering): Why couldn't I tell him about you?

Anx: Because you just met this guy. He doesn't know about your past. He seems cool about your moms. You have a fresh start, telling him about me will ruin it.

Roman (whispering): I guess you're right. Maybe one day I'll tell him about you.

Roman looked over to where Patton was in the kitchen and he swore he saw a shadow but it disappeared. He ignored it and Patton came back with the sandwiches.

Patton: Here ya go Ro.
He gave Roman his sandwich.

Roman: Ya know Pat, I think we are gonna be good friends.
Patton smiled.

Patton: Me too

------

They became best friends actually. The tree becoming their own personal hangout. Roman continued to see that shadow occasionally, only to blink and it'd be gone. He asked Anx about it he said he hasn't seen anything but did feel a strange presence around Patton. But only sometimes, and it went away quickly.

Roman still hasn't told Patton about Anx, he can never find the right time.

*Present*

Today is Roman's 15th birthday.

*Roman's POV*

Anx: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROMAN!

Roman: AHHH!

I fall out of bed and look up to see Anx laughing hysterically.

Roman: Yeah yeah, laugh it up.
I hear frantic footsteps running down the hall and my moms burst in.

M and M: ROMAN ARE YOU OKAY?!

Roman: Yeah, I'm fine. Anx decided to scare me out of bed.
I look over at Anx and he's laughing even harder then he was before.

Roman: This is just comedy gold for you isn't it?
He tries to speak but bursts into laughter again.

Mom: What'd he say?

Roman: Nothing, he's just laughing like this is the funniest thing in the world.

Ma: Well, we have something for you. Go back in bed.

Roman: Umm, ok.
Anx finally stopped laughing and sat next to me on my bed.

Roman: Ya know, I would say I'll get back at you for that but you never sleep.

Anx: I sleep sometimes. Just to pass time. You'll never catch me though so.
He shrugs.

Anx: Too bad for you.

I don't know his birthday but neither does he. He doesn't remember anything about his past. Hopefully one day he'll remember and tell me all about it.

Mom: We're back!
Mom walks in holding a tray of pancakes and bacon.

Ma: Breakfast in bed for the birthday boy!

Roman: Aww thanks!

Mom: You wanna do anything special for your birthday this year?
I shake my head and shove a forkful of pancakes into my mouth.

Ever since living here I did the same thing for my birthday each year. Patton would come over, we'd have pizza and birthday cake while watching movies and playing video games till 3 (ok, maybe 5) in the morning.

I never really made any other friends at school. I mean I KNEW other kids but I never really made an effort to become friends with them. I had Anx and Pat, what else did I need?

Anx: Oh I know, get an ice cream cake.

Roman: Why?

Anx: I don't know. Cuz they're cool, and why not.

Roman: Fair enough.
I turn to my moms.

Roman: Anx says we should get an ice cream cake.

Mom: Ooh! Sounds fun!
My phone dings on my nightstand.

Ma: We'll leave you to finish your pancakes and we'll work on getting that ice cream cake. Remember that just cuz it's your birthday doesn't mean you can be late to school. Love you!

Roman: K, thanks! Love you too!
I look at my phone.

Roman: It's Patton.

------

(Texting)

Pat 🐶: Happy Birthday Ro! 💙

Me: Thx! U ready for tonight? Ma says we can get an ice cream cake.

Pat 🐶: Ooh yum!

Pat 🐶: Ice cream cake is cool!

Pat 🐶: Get it? "Cool"

Me: Yeah haha, I'll see u at school

Pat 🐶: See ya!

----

Roman: Was that an intentional pun earlier?

Anx: Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't.

Roman: Mmmhmm. Sure.

Heyyyyy!
So, I want to try and stick to a schedule and post a chapter a week. That'll become harder when school starts back up (in 3 weeks 😭) but I'll try my best.

Special thanks to my editors ArtAngle713 and Mericc.
Also special thanks to all of you who have commented/ voted/ added this to their libraries (especially Galaxy_Heartz you got lots of libraries and I love it 😂)

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And to all you readers who aren't listed. (I only get usernames to commenters,voters, and those who add to their library)
I love you all!
Till the next chapter, byeee!