WALLY CLARK died right on the five yard line in 1984. And he laid there for only a few seconds until someone had realized he wasn't getting up. That he wasn't moving. That something was wrong.

And Michelle was there to see it all, they all were and it was probably thing that had traumatized her right after her own death.

THE PAST.

Michelle had died almost a year ago when this homecoming game came peering its head around and Wally wasn't in the best of moods or places to even play that night.

He didn't really like the sport. He didn't care for it when Michelle was around and didn't care for it now, maybe even more so. And yet, he was getting ready for one of the biggest games of the year because it was something his mother wanted him to do.

She would almost guilt him in ways. Saying that Michelle would've wanted him to succeed and that Michelle would've wanted him to go to college. That this sport was easy access to college because he was the best.

And that guilt shit worked because Wally would take his ass to every game.

It was two hours before the game would actually begin and he grabbed his bag from the floor, his keys, and left his house.

He sat in his car for a moment as he rested his head against the stirring wheel. He didn't want to go game, he didn't want to play, and he sure as hell didn't want to pick Jennifer up from her house so she could get practice in for the cheerleading part of the game.

And only reason he did so was because that girl was Michelle's best friend. He was only being kind. Michelle was the common ground that the two of them shared and it was the only reason he spoke to the girl now.

And though Michelle had been gone for almost a year, Jennifer didn't seem to be as upset as most. The only time Wally even spoke to Jennifer was when she needed rides to games or if he wanted to reminisce. He asked her if she needed anything, any help at all... and that was something Jennifer didn't want to do.

Wally deeply sighed and began his journey to Jennifer's house. Once her arrived, he honked his horn to let the girl know that he was outside.

Jennifer opened the door to her house and made her way towards Wally's car with a smile.

"Last homecoming game." She smiled, "Are you excited?"

"Sure." He muttered.

The two of them drove in silence for a while. Jennifer had tried for months to get Wally to just forget Michelle and nothing, absolutely nothing was working.

The two of them arrived at the school and as soon as Wally began to reach for his bag from the backseat, Jennifer rested her hand on top of his.

"Don't you think it's time to move on?" Jennifer asked.

Wally furrowed his brows, "What are you talking about?"

"You exactly what I'm talking about." She whispered, "To move on from her."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He asked.

He removed his hand from hers and exited his own car with his bag. Making sure to tell the girl to lock the door on the way out.

Jennifer rolled her eyes and hit the dashboard before exiting the car, grabbing her own shit and following behind the boy.

"It's been a year Wally!" She shouted.

He continued his pace, slugging his bag over his shoulder, "It's been eleven months, ten days."

Jennifer finally caught up and stood in front of him. She held furrowed brows.

"You sound fucking crazy for knowing that."

"You sound fucking crazy for not caring! She was your best fucking friend and you walk around the school like nothing happened! She was murdered! And no knows anything!" He cried, "You don't need to tell how to grieve. You don't get to do that. I've tried my hardest to be nice to you... but you've never asked if I was okay or if I needed anything. And for eleven months and ten days... I've done all of that for you. So, fuck you, Jennifer. You can start doing shit on your own."

Wally moved his way around the girl and she turned, watching him leave until he was out of sight.

And once he was, she threw her cheer bag on the ground with an agonizing scream. Not of sadness, but from anger. She had completely ruined any chance to be with the boy by bring her up. It was all about Michelle.

And Jennifer would never get the chance to try and patch things up and try again because Wally would die that night, right on the five yard line.

THE PRESENT.

"39!" Wally grunted. He insisted that Michelle sit on his back as he pushed through however many sit ups that he could, "40! Okay, you can get up."

Rhonda held her hands out for Michelle to grab and once she did, she pulled the girl to her feet and Wally jumped up to his

He clapped his hands and turned towards the others, "All right, who's next?" Wally asked, "Charley, you want to ride the pony?"

"Oh, Ok. So, would that be a micro-aggression, or is it just full-on macro?" Charley asked.

"I don't know what those things mean." Mr. Martin sighed.

"It's a countdown, baby." Wally smiled, "We got ten hours until the homecoming game. We got to pump it up. Let's go!"

"Oh, we are pumped, Wally." Mr. Martin spoke nonchalantly, "This is what pumped looks like for some of us."

"Any more pumped and Ill throw up in my hat." Rhonda said, pausing before speaking again, "Or not. More pumping." She smiled.

Michelle furrowed her brows as she looked down at the girl and over towards Hunter. He gave her a similar look and shrugged his shoulders.

"All right. Now, is everyone signed up for a prep committee? We still need more help with decorations and refreshments." Mr. Martin paused, "Where's Maddie?"

"I'm sure she just wanted to miss the pony ride." Michelle smiled.

Wally looked over at the girl. The two of them sitting on the stage in the gym, "You love pony ride."

"Most people don't just because I do." She muttered towards him.

"Nobody should be wandering off, Michelle." Mr. Martin said.

"He's right." Wally said, sitting upright, "This banner is not gonna paint itself, Ok?"

But instead of having anyone look for the girl, Mr. Martin passed around and had people pick out what they would do for the homecoming game tonight.

And Michelle and Hunter were stuck with refreshments.

Michelle pushed a vacant cart down the halls as Hunter began speaking about nonsense.

"Are you okay?" Hunter asked.

"It's the same every year." She answered, "We do this for Wally because it's what he wants... in some ways."

"Some ways?"

"I don't think he's as passionate about it anymore. Maybe before he was excited, but now... I don't know."

"Are you ever going to tell him?"

Michelle looked over him, "No, I don't know why I would."

Hunter stood in front of the cart and stopped her from moving, "You saw him die and to this day he doesn't know."

"And he doesn't need to know. He doesn't need to know I was there. He doesn't need to know that any of us were there." She said, "What he needs is support for tonight and that's what we're going to and now I'm going to change the subject."

Hunter let go of the cart and allowed Michelle to push the cart. He joined her side once more and the two of them made their way towards the cafeteria.

He grabbed one of the drink jugs and sat them on top of the cart and switched places with Michelle so he could push the cart.

The conversation had shifted from the homecoming game onto the now, close friendship between Maddie and Hunter.

"I'm just trying to help her." Hunter smiled, "I think it'll help her pass on."

Michelle smiled, bumping his shoulder, "You like her to."

"I do not."

Michelle stood in front of the cart, placing her hands on it to stop Hunter in his tracks, "Come on. She's a pretty girl. When is the last time you liked someone here? Was it Rhonda? Or Dawn? Janet?"

Hunter sighed, shutting his eyes for a moment, "Do you want to be right."

"Oh, so badly." She smiled, "Invite her to dance."

"I'm not doing that."

Hunter pulled on the cart until Michelle let and continued on down the hall.

Michelle soon caught up, "Is it that bad of an idea? It'll get her mind off of everything and you'll have a date to the dance. You'll have a better time than what you had with me."

"I had a great time with you." He smiled, "Yeah, I mean, you had died recently when I asked and your boyfriend was there solo, but after all of that... you were still great."

"But this can be ten times better for you." Michelle said, "Just consider it. I promise it'll be one of the best nights of your life."

"I'll think about it."

Michelle gave him and small smile and the two of them made their way towards the football field to leave the refreshments out.

Michelle glanced over and saw Maddie sitting by the goal post.

"Go talk to her." She said, brushing Hunter's shoulder, "It doesn't have to be about the dance."

Hunter muttered something under his breath and jogged over towards the girl.

"Playing matchmaker?"

She turned, "No, I just think he really likes her. It's not every day we get a new person so why not... encourage it... I guess."

Wally nodded, holding the football in his hands, "You did good this morning."

Michelle, in fact, did not go and see Jennifer that morning. She thought about going two minutes before Jennifer would be pulling into the parking lot, but she didn't go. She sat there with Wally until she knew that Jennifer was gone.

"Thanks." She smiled, "But it's no longer about me. Tonight is all about Wally Clark and the big game. Are you excited?"

"Pumped as always."

"You're going to do great. Team Wally all the way."

Wally smiled and placed a gently kiss upon her lips before back away with a smile.

The coach's whistle caused the both of them to look and Michelle smiled.

"Good luck."

"I've got all the luck I need right here, baby!" He shouted as he made his way back over towards the others.

Michelle sighed and turned. She paused quickly when Mr. Martin began approaching.

"I heard you skipped Jennifer this morning." He said.

Michelle nodded, "I did."

"It's probably your first step in moving on, Michelle."

"Seriously?"

"It was a big thing for you to do. I can only imagine that it helps you in some way." Mr. Martin smiled, "Don't you think that could something?"

"Maybe... I've haven't had passing on in my mind for a while."

Mr. Martin only nodded and gestured towards the others, wanting her to follow and she did, just like always.

SOON NIGHTFALL fell upon Split River and the game soon begun.

Michelle stood next to Maddie and Wally soon approached them.

He was always as hype as he could be during the games and soon spilt from the duo as he approached and older woman, standing by her side.

Halftime came around quickly and Maddie and Michelle sat at a table as they waited for Wally and Hunter to return with something to eat.

"Who was that?" Maddie asked, "That woman he was standing next to?"

"His mom." Michelle answered, "She come to every game. Hasn't missed he died. She was crazy about football. More than him I think."

Michelle hadn't know that after she'd died that his mother had used her as guilt for him to continue playing and she would never know. Wally wouldn't dare tell her about what his mother said or what Jennifer had done the night he died.

"Did you come to the games after you died?"

Michelle sighed, "Some of 'em. I, uh, tried at least. I think I started going consistently when he started his senior year. It's never easy seeing someone you care about live their lives... and just like Jennifer, I would check on him whenever I could when he was alive, but it was hard. Some days I would never check on him just because it felt easier not to." She glanced over at Maddie and softly smiled, "But things are different and now I watch him play and practice and do whatever. Makes me feels I've made up for lost time."

Maddie returned the small smile and soon the two boy returned with four hot dogs.

They talked for a bit before Hunter and Maddie left the couple alone. They talked about their relationship with mom's and what it meant if they continued to do something for someone else while that person was living and they weren't.

Michelle stood from the round table and glanced down at Wally.

"Are you okay?"

Wally looked up at her with a small smile and nodded.

Michelle sighed and sat back down, "What's on your mind?"

"What does it say about me that I keep playing on the field that I died on, playing the game that killed, all because I think it would make my mom proud?"

"Do you think it's a bad thing?" She asked.

"I don't know."

"What do you want it mean?"

"That I'm a good person." He muttered.

"You are a good person. You're a great person... and you can do whatever the hell you. If you want to keep playing, I'll be there and if... you want to stop... I will be there."

Wally took in her words and rested his head on top of hers.

They sat in silence for a moment before Wally declared that he was ready to head back to the stands.

He sat back with his mother and Michelle once again stood with Maddie.

And the game ended. Split River had won, nothing different from the previous games.

Wally and Michelle walked out the stadium and he had finally taken of his jersey mid game.

"Here."

Michelle looked down and Wally held his jersey towards her.

"It's yours."

"Really?"

Wally nodded, "All yours."

Michelle smiled and took the jersey. She took steps in front of him, causing the both of them to stop in their place.

She slipped on the jersey with a smile, "How do I look?"

Wally held his hand out with a smile and Michelle took it with ease. He held their hands up in the air and gestured for the girl to spin around.

"Beautiful as always."

She gave him a smile and as soon as she turned, that smile would disappear in an instant.

Wally still held her hand as right there in front of the girl stood Jennifer.

Michelle had never been this close to her since she died and here she stood almost face to face with the now older woman.

And Jennifer stood there like a goddamn machine.

It was like everything froze. Whether she felt their presence or if she could actually see them would be unknown. She had labeled herself as delusional a long time ago. That what she done wasn't actually her but some form that she had created.

But it was Jennifer. She was the one who took someone's life away.

And no matter how much Michelle wanted to scream and shout and just ask why... she gave her friend one last look and tucked on Wally's arm.

She wouldn't look back. If she looked back she would be weak and she didn't want to be labeled as that. Not anymore.

She took in a death breath and leaned into Wally's touch.

She didn't look back that night. Not even a little. She wasn't going to be upset, she wasn't going to cry, she wasn't going to express it.

She looked over at Wally, "Great game."

"The best game." Wally muttered, pressing a gently kiss against the side of her hand.

She didn't look back at all... but Jennifer did. And whether or not Michelle knew wouldn't matter because Michelle didn't look back and that's what mattered.

But it would only be a matter of time before they sat side by side, just one more time.

— lucy has something to say !!

y'all will never know how much i struggled to write the past part of this like it's insane

ghost can have sex btw

quick do you think jennifer was able to see michelle yes or no 🎤 like deadass answer or else

also next chapter has two flashbacks so like bare with me lol

bye :))))