Magicanimalclub: 2 : What Happened?

Imaginary Ex-Friend

--SQUIDS POV--
After the funeral there was tea in the Parish Hall. I wasn't particularly interested in seeing Stampy and my old fans when I was reduced to tears. But I went anyway. My son, Ash, held my hand.
"I'm here for you, Dad. I'm always here for you." He told me.
I looked ahead at Emily.
The 16 year old truly was beautiful.
She was blonde, tall, and skinny. Her eyes were as blue as sapphire, her face was pale and her lips were deep pink. Every time she looked at me she looked in pity. I didn't want that. Her, the new Stampy, and I, Squid, had to be friends.
I sat down at a table beside Beth, Emily, Nicole and Ash.
I wasn't sure if Beth liked me. I felt like it was somewhat my fault that her.. Her what, fiancé? Boyfriend? Neighbour? What was Joe to her?
I felt like it was somewhat my fault that the father of her daughter died.

It was awkward, I'll admit, sitting down beside who used to be my friend. I dried my eyes and put my hands on the table, looking up at Beth.
"Hello." I said, gulping.
"Hi." She said, blankly smiling.
I covered my mouth with my hands and tried to keep myself together.
"Are you okay?" She asked me.
"Course I'm okay- I'm always okay." I swiftly snapped. I was starting to panic.
"Excuse me." I stood up and walked towards the public toilets.
No one was there.
I stood beside the sink and looked at myself in the mirror, splashing myself together.
Keep it together Squid! Keep it together! Wait- since when have I called myself Squid? It's been years. So many years. Well- it wasn't that long ago- wait.. Twenty years?
I knew that I was forgetting things.
I just didn't know why.
I just didn't know...

The door opened and Ash was there. My son. Of course.
He ran towards me and put his arms around me.
"Hey, dad." He put his hands on my shoulders.
"I've never seen you like this in my life, not ever." He told me.
I looked around the room, "where are we again?"
"Dad.. The parish hall.. Come on. Go and have some fun, you should get to know Emily, maybe make a few videos with her eventually."
I put my hand on his head and scruffed his hair.
"Okay I'll come out, just give me a moment." I sighed, looking at myself in the mirror. My son was basically my best friend, he told me what to do, he was always on my side and he took care of me.
He was basically Joe. One day I'll turn on him and the next he'll turn on me but we can't help liking eachother, except with Ash its paternal love. And no, I'm not choosing favourites, Rosie and James have some amazing traits, but Ash, being the youngest, there's always been something amazing about that child.

Ash left me, I continued to stare at myself in the mirror till I saw a faint figure, I recognised it.
"Joe?"
He smiled.
It all felt so real.
"Go out there Squid. Go and be yourself before it's too late." He told me.
"Joe-" I reached out to touch him, but my hands went right through him. A ghost in my head. My conscience. He wasn't really there.
"Before it's too late?" I asked the metaphorical Joe.
"You're dying, Squid, you know it too. I'm only inside your head. I'm basically a dream."
"I don't know if I can do this.. I.." He put his hand on my shoulder, I almost felt it's comfort. "Do this for me, mate."

He walked beside me. No one else could see him.
He was just in my mind, I made him up.
He was what was left of all the happenings that I had with him before he died.
My secret happening. The happening that only happened inside of my head.

"Stay with me Stamps." I whispered while walking out.
I saw Joe walk over to a seat at the back of the hall and sit down.
I couldn't stop staring at him.
He looked so real..

"Are you alright, David?" Beth asked me, I was surprised.
I coughed, "yes. I'm fine."
"How have you been lately? Sixteen years- what happened?"
I tried to remember the events of the last sixteen years.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing came to mind.
"Em, not a lot." I said. Trying to remember every single event. "Just got older."
"Same here." She said, "would you like a drink?" She offered me some kind of wine, I pulled my glasses down and poured myself, Beth and Nicole a glass of wine.

I was constantly looking at Joe in the background,
"Are you alright, love?" Nicole asked me, I turned back to her.
She then looked back at where Joe was,
"What are you looking at?" She asked.
"N-nothing." I sighed. I saw Joe walked up to me and whispered, "don't let them know."
To hear his voice.. Which sounded so clear.. So accurate..And he looked like what he looked like when he was in his twenties, when I knew him the best.

I decided to drop Beth home, I didn't want her to be alone, I knew that she had her daughter Emma, but I wanted to speak to her as well.
We walked side by side down the dark street, until we got to her house. I sat down on a chair opposite her.
"Beth." I began. "How are you?"
"Same as you, I assume. Trying to keep back all the emotions, but they still come. People think it's strange for his ex girlfriend to come to his funeral but- I knew we should have been married, and had a future together, not just neighbours with a secret admiration." She covered her mouth with her hand and I saw her eyes start to water.
"Joe.. Joe was my everything and- and I miss him so so much."
I stood up from my seat and hugged her. I closed my eyes then opened them and Joe was there. He just walked around and inspected us, as if I was cheating with her. I broke up the hug and Beth looked up at my face, then touched it, she slide her finger along my brow bone.
"The scar, from when Joe and you got in that fight."
I said nothing. She continued to slide her finger down to my lips,
"When did that scar get there?" She asked me, she was uncomfortably close to me.
I stood back, "I don't know." I lied. It was from the day I found out that Joe supposedly killed my dad. The glass.
Beth took a couple steps closer to me before kissing me, I quickly pulled away.
"Beth- I'm incredibly sorry for your loss but I have to go home." I spoke quickly, before rushing out the door. Joe was waiting for me at the other side,
"What happened there?" He asked me,
"Your girlfriend just pulled on me." I grumbled at him, out loud, I knew he wasn't real but he was the only friend I had at the moment.
"Wow she must miss me." He sighed.
"I miss you." I told him, "and I regret everything I've done."
He just smiled at me. He was my mind. Not his own.
"Go home Dave." He told me, I nodded and walked back to my house.