Ghost Girl| part two

Blake sat near the statue as she scrolled through the articles speaking of Tyler. She read over his name and the things that were said, speaking of Willow Hill and his establishment there. Blake found herself doing this often, reading about Tyler. Her heart hated him, but apart of her felt as if she owed him. He'd been the entire reason as to why she'd been alive, why she knew the recipe for the serum that kept her body from decomposing. Blake also wondered if she'd been selfish to make sure he lived in order to receive her taste of living. Would things be better off if he'd died in the death penalty? Was it the world's way of punishing her because of a stupid and selfish act?

"Wonder if she'll have to bring a coffin to sleep in." A giggly voice caught Blake's attention, looking over her shoulder as a group of girls passed with comical grins on their face. Blake immediately stood up from her seat against the gargoyles, grasping her bag and heading toward the busses. She glanced to the right, taking a double take as she watched the interaction between Ajax and Enid. Her eyes stalked like frost over a cold lake. Bruno swept in to take Enid's bags when Ajax attempted to do so, sweeping Enid away soon after to leave Ajax alone at the coffee bar.

"Jealousy is the most understated word as to how I feel towards you getting that near death experience, for the second time." Wednesday made Blake jump as she appeared at her side.

"You scared me." Blake caught her breath.

"That's the best thing you've ever said to me." The Addams girl remarked in response. Her eyes did a one over. "I take it you're still milking Thornhill and Tyler's serum to keep yourself alive?"

"Like it's my last meal." Blake smiled, though it dropped soon after. "Which....it definitely could be if I don't do it consistently."

Wednesday just stared at her in response before walking away, leaving Blake to rock on her heels. "Nace chat, Wednesday!"

She got nothing in response.

"You ready for this?" Ajax came up behind her, taking her suitcase in his arms with a small grunt. "Jesus....what all is in here?"

"So many books." Blake hummed as they headed toward the van. "I have two tactics on how to enhance Outcast traits and I'm determined to know exactly what to do by the time we get back."

"Count me in." He beamed, following her up into the van. 

•

"For the next two days, Camp Jericho, is now Camp Outcast." Dort grinned as he held the Outcast t-shirt high up, allowing his students to cheer. He tossed it to the crowd as Kent caught it with joy. "This is a new annual tradition at Nevermore. A wilderness retreat that prompts community building, team spirit, and most importantly...Outcast pride.  At Camp Outcast, there are no cell phones. And no Normies for miles."

As everyone cheered, Dort frowned at Blake. "Well, besides Blake."

He played it off like a joke, though he'd been the only one to laugh amongst the crowd as Blake's face flushed. Ajax rolled his eyes, bumping her shoulder. "I don't know. You seem like a weirdo to me."

Blake grinned as she shoved her shoulder back into his. A loud whistle caught their attention, retreating their gaze back. "Incorrect!"

As their gaze shifted, a group of Boy Scouts walked from within the woods. "I beg to differ with your last point."

As their leader stepped up to be eye level with Dort, Blake shifted uncomfortably under one of the scouts eyes. He made it obvious he'd been watching her with a smirk on his face. She wanted to feel flattered, but didn't feel right about his gaze. Ajax caught on when he noticed, a glare rested on his face as he moved to stand before her. "Ron Kruger, Phoenix cadet master. I reserved this campground six months ago for my annual Camp CLAW. Cadets...what does CLAW mean?"

"Camping, learning, adventure, wilderness!"

"Bunch of Boy Scouts to me." Blake joked as Ajax offered her a laugh over his shoulder.

"We have a signed contract." Ron showed his paper. "Which means you need to pack your tents and vacate the woods immediately."

"Well, I also have a contract." Dort pulled his from his jacket knowingly. "-signed by the camps owner."

"Old Jack." He read with a laugh. "He retired to Orlando. His sons run the business now. Must have double-booked."

"Sounds like Normie incompetence." He laughed. "Well, see you around, Sarge."

"I have been preparing these boys for the past 365 days for my ultimate wilderness challenge. That is happening this weekend!" Ron announced angrily, now talking to the students rather than just Dort. "Cadets, help them pack and load. Outcast taillights at 1600 hours."

"Sir yes sir!"

They were met with a black air horn, scaring everyone as Wednesday stared deep at the wannabes. "If you and your dead-eye drones want this campground so badly, then fight us for it."

"Excuse me?"

"Winner takes all. Loser goes home." Wednesday stared furthermore.

"I like the sound of that." Dort smiled. "Unless you and your boys are not up for the challenge."

"Okay, pigtails." Ron sized up Wednesday. "We speak the same language. What are you proposing?"

"Yeah!" Blake cheered in joy.

•

"Guess the Nightshades are back." Bianca grinned ear to ear as Wednesday's team formed together, ready for the encounter to win over the camp.

"Bruno and I want in." Enid butted in to the formed team.

"So do I." Eugene joined.

"Aw, man. I'm sorry." Ajax smirked, shrugging his shoulders toward the trio. "Nightshade only team."

Wednesday offered up a glare, which caused Blake to shut her mouth in agreement. "But, sure. Go ahead."

"Just keep the fleas over there." Blake couldn't resist as she gave Bruno a judgmental stare. "I didn't die just to come back bug infested."

"The cobwebs in your ears said otherwise." He scoffed, recalling how Blake's dead body had first been when she started to get used to it again.

"Beats the lingering wet dog smell." She scrunched up her nose.

"What's the plan?" Kent cut in to stop the pair.

"We can guard the zephyr." Ajax motioned between himself, Bianca and Blake. "I'll stone and Bianca can siren anyone who gets near us."

"Or, I could lead as many right to both of you to get as many off the map." Blake suggested, Wednesday looked at her. "Easier if we lower their body count."

"I don't like that idea." Ajax shook his head.

"She'll do it." Wednesday ignored him.

"The rest of us will be on the attack." Enid hummed as she looked at the remaining.

"Good luck, freaks." Ron scoffed as he stared them down. Blake went ahead and set her trap, grinning at the boy who stared her down earlier.

They spread out into the woods in no time. The zephyr was closer than they thought, not a long walk. Blake put herself to good use quickly, using her good looks to bring the boys close enough for Ajax to stone each of them as they left them on the forest floor.

"I just think all this is silly." Blake spoke sweetly to the cadet that already had an eye for her, holding his hand as she lead him through the woods. The leaves crunched beneath her, alerting Ajax she'd been close. "I think a weekend of all of us together could be nice."

"Maybe not everyone. But certainly you." He smirked as she lead him into the clearing, turning to face one another. "You don't look like the others. No weird eyes, fangs or beanies. You're not a freak, are you?"

Blake frowned her eyebrows. "I am an outcast."

"What kind then?" He questioned. Blake was quiet. "You're just a normie like me. A pretty one. You deserve better than one of those weirdos."

"Less talking." Blake pulled him in closer. "More kissing."

She shut her eyes to pretend she was leaning in for a kiss, causing him to do the same. As soon as his eyes shut, Ajax merged from the corner as he came up behind Blake to clasp his hand over her eyes. The other hand yanked the beanie off. "Puker up, Normie."

At the sound of the male voice, his eyes opened quickly before his body turned to stone. Ajax and Blake laughed as he pulled his beanie back on, letting her go as they turned to face each other. "So cool."

"These good looks are coming into handy." Blake complimented herself with a laugh, pulling a leaf from her hair. "Maybe that's my freak trait."

"Some wannabe recruit doesn't know anything." Ajax shook his head, knowing Blake was thinking about what he'd been saying. "You're not a normie. Fangs or a beanie don't make any difference."

"Can't deny I wouldn't mind a pair of fangs though." She grinned, he did the same in response. "I think Dort is gonna let me go if I can't figure it out. Actually."

"We'll figure something out." He swore to her. "What have the books said?"

"I have two things I could try. See if a bite of a vampire could change me, and share blood and saliva with any other outcast. Those are my last two choices." She spoke honestly, rubbing her neck as she thought about the pain she'd face from one of the Fangs biting her. "I can handle it, though."

"You don't need to do that." He didn't seem to like the idea either. "You aren't a normie, Blake. You died and then came back to life. That's as outcast as they make it. What Dort says doesn't matter."

"It does if he's gonna take me away from my home." She killed the mood, resulting to a frown. Blake smiled, grasping his wrist quickly. "Let's worry about that later. I want to go find that secret waterfall I read about."

"Shouldn't we be watching the zephyr?" He laughed, falling into her touch as she began to pull him.

Blake walked backwards, her hand still grasped tightly around his wrist with a knowing smirk across her face. "I'm sure Wednesday is going to win no matter w-"

Blake had been cut off by an arrow flying through the woods, piercing through Ajax beanie to remove it from his head. The snakes on his head hissed loudly, his heart dropping as he watched Blake's body start to turn to stone. "No!"

He caught her before she hit the ground, laying her down right before a bag was shoved over his head.

•

Blake slowly opened her eyes to the smell of s'mores and burning leaves. She recognized the tent, it had been the same one she'd set up before the game began to take place. Based on the goose bumps on her skin, it had been night by now. As her vision adjusted to being open again, the memory began to come back.

"Blake?" Bianca noticed her awake first.

"Hey." She said casually, her voice raspy. "Did we win?"

"We won." Kent laughed.

"God, Blake, I'm so sorry." Ajax leaned down and hugged her. "I didn't mean to at all. Those stupid normies-"

"Coolest thing ever." She cut him off, her voice still tired but a grin across her face. "All those years of begging you to stone me finally paid off."

They all laughed as he shook his head in disbelief. "Yeah, never again."

"Normies are gone, though." Bianca nodded quickly, that could overhear the sound of singing coming from outside near the bonfire. "Want to go join?"

"I have a better idea." Blake shook her head with a quick grin. "Did everyone bring a suit?"

•

"Blake, I'm staring to think it was just baiting people to come here." Bianca complained at the four ventured through the woods, still on the search for this so called waterfall. "An ad."

"Nope. I know it's here." She paused, taking a deep wift of the air. "I can smell it."

"How hard did you stone her?" Kent asked Ajax, watching Blake oddly.

"Pretty hard, I think." He winced in response, jogging to catch up with her. "We really shouldn't be getting this far from camp."

"It's not that far." She shook her head. "I swear, it's gonna be so worth it. You should have seen the photos. We never get to go swimming at Nevermore."

"Most of us don't like water." Bianca pointed out.

"Will you grow a tail?" Blake hummed.

"Okay...offensive. No." She sassed her, Blake grinned to show she'd been joking. "Since when is swimming something you're interested in?"

"Being dead for a bit will really make you miss things that you didn't think you'd miss." Blake pushed through a few loose tree branches. "Xavier and I visited a lot of waterfalls over the summer. I've got a real love for them now."

Everyone fell silent at the mention of the name, Blake felt her shoulders start to sink. If it hadn't been for one final push, she had called it a night. "There!"

"Holy Ghoul." Ajax gapped at the mini waterfall, the water lit up with moonlight water as Lilly pads danced across it. "It looks right out of a movie!"

"I told you!" Blake gushed as she hurried to kick her shoes off. "Wait! Are we skinny dipping or keeping the bathing suits on?"

Ajax flushed deep in the face as his eyes widened. "I-"

"We are keeping the suits on." Bianca cut in quickly as she walked between the pair.

"Good idea. Never know who could be watching." Blake laughed as she slide her shorts down her legs and pulled the shirt over her head. Rustling in the woods caught their attention, overhearing light conversation and laugher. The longer they listened, the more it became aware that had been Enid and Bruno.

Blake glanced as Ajax as he froze, looking at her. "I'll be right back."

"Don't let it ruin your night." She grabbed his arm, Bianca and Kent jumping into the lagoon already. Ajax looked at Blake, feeling the warmth of her hand grasp his arm. "Don't go."

"I just need some answers, Blake." He shook his head, she let his arm go. "Nothing is gonna ruin my night. This is all so-"

The scenery behind her head couldn't compare to the girl standing infront of it.

"-beautiful." He wanted to stay, to have fun. But his mind wouldn't let him. He had to know what was going on and what he did wrong. "I can't keep wondering what I did wrong. What if I'm a bad person?"

Blake knew this story so well, nodding her head. "You're not. You're a good one. Go talk to her."

"I'm coming back." He swore before turning, heading off into the woods.

Blake turned, Bianca and Kent taking her mind off him quickly as she jumped into the water. It took her under before bringing her up again, the water clinging to her tan skin like a leach might its first victim. Blake was consumed by the moonlight as she floated on her back, kicking her feet slightly as her body glistened under the lighting. The drops of water made her look like rhinestones sat deliberately upon her skin.

Ajax hadn't been gone very long, joining them in no time. Blake watched the waterfall flood the lagoon as he removed his clothes and jumped in. Kent and Bianca spoke of their ancestors, the water making them recall their families and feel closer to them. Ajax kept his head above water, beanie secured as he made his way over to Blake. The presence took her attention off the waterfall. "How'd it go?"

"Not the best." He admitted honestly, shrugging his shoulders. "Apparently we've been broken up for a long time and I just didn't know."

"That's immature of her, and her loss." The girl pointed out, pushing her wet hair back. "What did she say?"

"Apparently she'd lost feelings, wanting to find herself and then things started getting heated up with Bruno. She started saying how she didn't fell like I was ever really into her, that I seemed like someone else was always on my mind." Ajax shook his head. "All crazy and not true."

Though, deep down, he knew Enid wasn't stupid. He knew what and who she meant. Ajax didn't have feeling for Blake, he never had, but he never took his eyes off her. If he was going to spend time with someone, it was going to be with her. Blake was always Xavier's, everyone knew that. He never liked her more than a friend, he couldn't, but he did stop and watch her each time she'd been in the room. He did hold Enids hand and look for one person in each crowded room. She was his friend, his best friend.....how could he not?

"So....y'all aren't getting back together?" Blake asked, a sad look on her face. "I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you. You don't deserve something like that."

"What is in the air these days? Everyone's breaking up." He threw his hands up in surrender. "We are such a catch. What is everyone's deal?"

"That's what I'm saying." She agreed, glad their conversation went a different way as they both offered a giggle. "How are we the two that got dumped?"

"Not a clue." He laughed, hesitating. "Can I ask what went down with you and Xavier now? Or is it still too soon?"

Blake's smile fell as she looked at the water, hesitant as silence ate her slowly. "It was his choice. Not mine."

"To break up?" He gapped in shock.

"I wanted to do long distance. I would have been fine with it. But, he thought it wouldn't be fair to me. We argued about it for days. He wasn't budging." She spoke honestly as the water started to fall cold around her. "I don't think I've ever been so hurt. All this time, all the longing and waiting.....all for time zones to be what did it. Am I crazy to think that I've been lead on?"

"You're not crazy. Not in that way, anyways." He smiled, which made Blake grin. "Xavier spent his entire life wanting you....it's shocking long distance is what called it for him. I'm sorry, Blake. You don't deserve that."

"Since the breakup, I keep thinking more and more about what you just said. Xavier always wanted me, but he would date everyone else. He dated Bianca, not me. He chose to go to the Rave In with Wednesday when she asked him, pinning after her, but wanted me deep down." It was obvious it pained her to say it all out loud, like she was realizing her self worth in the worst way possible. "Then finally got me, but called it off for long distance. I don't blame him....but it hurts. All of it hurts. I just want to be the first person someone wants. Not the person someone secretly wants but gets with other people, not the person that isn't worth the wait. I would have waited it out with him.....I feel like I just wasn't enough for him to do the same."

Ajax frowned as he adjusted his beanie, sinking a little deeper in the water as Blake did the same. "You deserve someone who's gonna want you and tell you that they want you. Long distance or not. You're enough."

Blake smiled slightly. He shook his head. "Besides, he's missing out....you were an awesome Rave In date. I wouldn't have wanted to go with anyone else."

Blake smiled as she nodded her head. "You were a great date, too. Very respectful."

"It's what I do best.." he rose his hands in surrender as Blake floated on her back. "Let's go wallow in our breakups together, yeah?"

"Sounds good." She hummed, reaching her hands out as Ajax pulled her through the water just slightly.

•

Kylie speaks

BUNCH OF CRAZIEST
CANT SEE THE REAL
ONES THEY DESERVE ARE
EAXH OTHER!!!