Sure enough, Beetlejuice WAS indeed sitting in the passenger seat of my car, waiting on me.  I sighed before locking my door and unlocking the car, hopping into the driver's side and turning the key in the ignition. The engine hummed to life as I fastened my seatbelt.

"Welp. I guess I'm really doing this. No going back, now."

Beetlejuice gave me a reassuring glance. "Hey, you'll do great. Any guy who doesn't see an absolute GODDESS when he looks at you is not a guy worth your time and energy. And that's just the truth."

I stared at him for a second, a smile slowly making its way onto my face.

"Thanks, Beej. I needed that."

He gave me a cheeky wink. "Anytime, babes."

With that I pulled out and drove down the road, making my way to Panera Bread.

~

We arrived at the restaurant in about 15 minutes. I locked my Kia and took a deep breath, staring at the building in front of me with pent up dread and nerves.

Don't get me wrong, I was really hoping me and Dalton (that was the guy who asked me out) would connect and be the one for each other, but I didn't get my hopes up, simply because of what all had happened in the past. I didn't want to get hurt again, so I was going to keep my walls up, at least at the beginning, anyway. I was going to be safe. I didn't want to be stupid, this time.

"Well. Here we go. Remember," I said, rounding on my floating friend, "no messing around in here, okay? Behave, and if anything bad happens, you have my permission to do whatever's necessary to get us out of the situation."

"Gotcha. It's a little hard though, when I can't REALLY interact with the living world."

I glanced over at him. I didn't know about that. He was implying I should summon him, but I didn't know if I was quite ready for that.

"Tell you what," he said, growing serious, "if something bad happens and you need my assistance, you can summon me then, and I can be invisible, almost the same as before, but I can actually interact with the living world, then. Whaddya say?"

I thought it over. I mean, Beej had really been there for me these past couple of months, and, as much of a chaotic wild card as he was, I had come to trust him and knew that he was my best friend and cared about me. If he stayed invisible out in public, like he said he would, I didn't really see a problem with it.

I sighed. "Okay. You've got yourself a deal."

I gave him a resolute smile, and he gave me a giddy grin.

"So, uh, even if he doesn't try anything, we still got a deal?"

I chuckled. "We'll see, Bug Breath."

~

I stepped into Panera and inhaled deeply, the smell of breads, pastries, and coffee filling my nose. "Mmm."

Beetlejuice looked around him curiously. "Is this a hipster hangout?"

I laughed lightly. "It's not Starbucks, but whenever there's expensive, healthy-ish food, free wifi, and coffee, the hipsters will come."

He nodded in agreement. "That's true."

I spotted Dalton over at a table beside a large window, the sunlight filtering in and lighting up his fair face and red hair. I caught his attention and waved. He smiled and waved back.

I walked over and sat down.

"Hi, Dalton! How are you?" I asked cordially, all smiles.

"I'm good. You look great!" he replied, smiling at me.

I could feel Beej's presence, and with a quick, discrete glance, I noticed he had his arms crossed and was glaring at Dalton. I shifted a little in my seat.

"Thank you! Have you ordered anything to eat, yet?" I asked, trying to have good posture and folding my hands in my lap.

Why was I so stiff? I had been talking to this guy who worked with another friend of mine at a local thrift store for weeks on end now. I had seen him in real life more than once, and we'd had good conversations, so why did this one feel so forced, for me? I felt like I had to be perfect, polished, a lady.

Psh. So the furthest thing from me.

Dalton shook his head at my question, snapping me back to the present. "No, not yet. Do you wanna go get something?"

I nodded, a smile still on my face. "Sure, I just need to go to the restroom, for a sec. I'll meet you up at the counter."

He gave me an understanding nod as I grabbed my purse and daintily made my way to the bathroom. As soon as I rounded the corner, though, I relaxed and let my perfect posture and flawless facade fall away. I sighed and pushed into the women's restroom, glancing to make sure I was the only in there. I was.

I groaned and looked at myself in the mirror above one of the sinks. "Beej, what am I doing? Why am I so...."

"Up-tight? Stiff? Awkward? Uncomfortable?"

I glanced at the figure over my shoulder in the mirror. "So you noticed it, too, huh?"

"Noticed? The tension was so cold even I was shivering!" he replied, giving a little shudder.

I sighed. "I don't know what to do. I thought I was really into this guy, but I'm not so sure, now."

"No shame in calling it quits, babe."

"Yeah, there kinda is. I can tell he's into me, and I don't wanna hurt him like I've been hurt so many times."

"So you're just gonna postpone the inevitable by stringing him along, and hurting him even more in the future? Not to mention make yourself uncomfortable and tired by pretending to be in love with someone you're not?"

I felt a stabbing pang of guilt. He was so right. But I didn't know what to do, besides tell Dalton the truth, of course, but I was praying that that would be a last resort and that I would come up with something different.

I slid down against the wall and brought my knees up to my chest, being careful not to flash Beej in my dress.

Although knowing him, he probably would have loved that.

I wrapped my arms around my knees and sighed, my brow furrowing and my head reeling.

Beej sat down beside me.

"Look, babes, you just gotta grab the bulls by the horns and tell Archie in there the truth." My mouth twitched at the corners at his nickname for Dalton. "I know that seems like the scariest thing in the world, right now, but just think about how much better you'll feel when it's all over with. You won't have to pretend. I'm here for you, (Y/N), but sometimes you gotta get yourself out of situations." I looked up at him, knowing he was being serious, because that's the only time he would use my real name. "Of course, we could always go to plan b and I could have Sandy swallow him whole, you know."

I burst out laughing at that, and he grinned at me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "See, you'll be okay."

I smiled up at him gratefully. "Thank you, Beetlejuice. I literally don't know what I would do without you."

And, I don't know what came over me, but I leaned up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, standing up and picking up my purse from where I had dropped it.

"N-no problem, babes," he replied in a semi-casual tone, scratching the back of his neck and blushing slightly.

His hair had also turned a rosey-pink color.

Huh. That was new.

I shook my head and stepped out of the bathroom, dread already coiling up in the pit of my stomach like a sand worm ready to pounce and devour me the moment I second-guessed myself.