Imaginary Friend

Chapter 7

Prom was coming up next week, and Celia was super excited to be going with Jack. She never told him, but she secretly liked him. He was such a sweet guy, always there for her when she needed him, and he was her best friend. Jack came running up to Celia. "Hey! I just got our prom tickets, I'm super excited!" He cried. Celia nodded. "Yeah, me too!" Celia cried, smiling. Jack saw that Anne, Cindy, and Elle were approaching them. 

Jack stood in front of Celia, protecting her. "Get lost before I evaporate you." He said. Anne giggled. "Oh Jack, I only want to talk to Celia." Jack was skeptical, but brought Celia out. "Fine, but I'm standing right here." He crossed his arms. Celia shyly looked at Anne. "What now?" She asked. Anne smirked. "Well, I thought I should show you a little something." Anne held out her file. Celia gasped. "Give that to me now." She cried. Anne put both of her fingers on it. "What did you say? Rip it so you can no longer go to this school? Okay!" Anne ripped it in two, she started ripping it some more. It was gone. She crumbled it up and threw it in the trash. Celia gasped. She tried to get it back, but couldn't. She sat outside of the trash can as the pieces of paper that let her into this school were being destroyed. Anne and her squad giggled as they left. Jack gasped and looked over at Celia. 

Celia started crying. "I only wanted to make my parents proud. Only one more year and I could've earned that scholarship..now I never will." She cried. Jack knelt down next to her, stroking her hair. He hugged her. "It's okay Celia, don't worry..there has to be a way out." Jack said. Celia hugged him back, gripping onto his shirt. She started crying into his shirt, relying on him fully. Jack hugged her. "Come on..we have to get home." He said, picking her up, carrying her bridal style. 

The two finally got home, and Jack put Celia down. He held her hand and walked into her house. "Hello, Celia's mom. Just going up to study." Celia's mother smiled, then noticed Jack holding Celia's hand. Her mom giggled. "Okay, have fun!" She chuckled. Jack pulled Celia into her room. He pushed her up against the wall. Celia got scared. Her trembling body pushed itself closer to the wall. "Jack..?" She asked. "Why do you keep letting them get to you?" He said, moving in closer to her face. Celia was twice as scared now. "I-I don't know..p-please stop." She tried getting away, but Jack grabbed her wrist. "STOP LETTING THEM GET TO YOU! IT GETS YOU DOWN, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU DOWN!" He screamed. Celia started crying again. She didn't reply to him, she just continued to shake and cry. Jack realized what he had done. He let go of her wrist and hugged her. "Celia, I'm so sorry.." Celia didn't hug back. Jack let go of her. "I'm sorry..I really am...it just bugs me to see how much they mess with you." 

"You have to understand. Without that file I can't get into a good college, and it's too late to transfer schools..I'm without hope." She explained. Jack sighed. "Don't worry, I'm going to make sure that nothing bad happens to you. You WILL get into the college you want and you WILL make it to your last year of school. I'm your imaginary friend, and I am supposed to help you." Jack said. Celia looked up at him. "I don't want you to be imaginary.." She tried to hold his hand, but it went invisible. Jack screamed and stumbled backwards. His hand became real again, after a couple minutes. Jack looked up at the crying Celia. "No..not again! Can't you stay? I want you to stay! Stay real for me!!" She pleaded. Jack started crying too. He never cried. Celia was quite shocked. "I can't control this, Celia..that piece of glass did this and it can easily take it back!" He sobbed. 

Celia just looked at him. "You know what..instead of focusing on what's going to happen, we should focus on what to do now! You're still real, so we can still do things!" Jack looked at Celia. "Celia, I have something to tell you..with the way I've been fading in and out, I will only be able to stay real until the day after the prom." He said. Celia gasped. "But..prom is tomorrow.." Jack nodded. "I have..one day left, Celia." He cried, tears streaming down his face. Celia took his hand in hers. "I'm going to make tomorrow the best day of your life then!" She said. Jack looked up at her. "Okay..but it's getting late. Movie and then go to sleep?" He suggested. Celia nodded. "Yeah..you choose this time." "Okay, what do you think about Phantom Of The Opera?" "Oh yes, good choice, come on, let's go watch it!" Celia took his hand and dragged him downstairs. Jack laughed. He could feel her touch. He was going to miss that.