I Became an Imaginary Friend

Chapter 5- Old Friends at the Park

I am not typically one for going to parks, but I was not going to leave Stella's side. I was her Guardian Angel, as Reiner had put it. He also told me not to fuck up. I didn't know what would happen if I did, but there was no way I was going to find out.

It was early December now, and for once a heavy snow poured from the sky, covering everything in glistening white blankets. It had taken me a while to realize that I was still in Seattle, Washington. I don't know why, but I thought I had been dumped in a different city. After a little more research, I found out that the Greens lived only ten miles away from the university, and they lived a mile away from Michael's house. Later, I would find out that my accident had occurred only two blocks from this house. No wonder the Reaper kept me here.

Stella looked out the window with childish delight. She shoved her face into her bedroom window, watching intently as snowflakes would hit the glass. Her red hair was pulled into a side braid, and her green eyes were brought out by the black turtleneck she wore with maroon leggings and black combat boots. On her head sat a maroon beanie that was almost too big for her.

She abruptly jumped away from the window and ran to my side, seizing my hand tightly as her eyes lit up.

" We should go to the park!" she exclaimed.

" Why?" I responded automatically.

I gazed down at her, and her smile was replaced with a pout.

" Please?" she pleaded sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

I groaned.

" Go ask your parents," I told her.

She squealed and ran out of the room. I sat on her bed and watched the snow fall from the sky. It was especially rare for it to snow in Seattle, but it was a nice change in scenery. I began thinking about my life before arriving here at the Green house. I remembered being so excited about going to the Halloween party at Michael's, but I could not remember why. I began thinking harder about my life and came to the conclusion that I couldn't remember a lot of important details. I couldn't remember the full night, for example. I remember drinking, dancing and eating, but I don't remember with who, or when I had even left and who with. Those were missing from my memory.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear Stella enter the room again, and she watched me, curiosity in her eyes, but she didn't say a word. She walked up to me silently, waiting for me to notice her presence.

It took five minutes for that to happen.

" Oh, geez!" I cried in fright, jumping off the bed.

Stella giggled at my reaction.

" Mommy said she would take me. You're too, right?"

" Of course," I reassured her.

" Yay!"

Stella grabbed a large black winter jacket from her closet and threw it on quickly. I chuckled as she prepared herself for the devastating cold outside. She also grabbed a white infinity scarf and a pair of white snow gloves. She was having a difficult time with her scarf, so I knelt down and fixed it for her.

" Thank you!" she said.

" No problem, kiddo," I answered.

" Are you two ready to go?" Layla asked, opening the door and walking in.

" Uh-huh!" Stella nodded.

" Yeah, I guess," I answered hesitantly. " I don't know if I'll get cold though. I mean, I'm dead, but who knows, right?"

" You won't feel the cold," Layla reassured me.

" Oh, Stella," she turned to the small girl. " Seraphina will be joining us at the park. How does that sound?"

" I guess that's fun," Stella deflated.

" Hey, it's better to build a bond with your sister slowly than not having one at all," I told her. " Who knows? You two could be best buds by the end of the day."

Stella looked at the ground sheepishly. After a moment, she sighed.

" Okay, I'll give it a try," she replied.

With that, we were off. Layla was right about the cold- I couldn't feel it at all. It was as if the wind went through my body like a hand went through water. I was numb, but without the feeling of being numb, if that makes any sense.

The park they went to was close to the university. I could actually see the Criminal Justice building from where we were located. A memory pushed its way to the front of my mind- I was sitting in one of the classroom in that building, pencil in hand as the professor taught us forensic science. I was studying to become either a detective or a forensics psychologist. I had been fascinated by crime and wanted to know why people decided to act on their impulses.

" Come on, Chris!" Stella called to me, running towards a large pile of snow.

" You go ahead, Stella," I responded, leaning against a tall oak with my arms crossed over my chest.

She smiled at me and began jumping around in the snow. Layla was close by, making sure the girl didn't fall into the snow and couldn't get back up. I chuckled as Stella made a snowball and threw it at her mother. The ball hit the woman right in the face, and I began laughing harder at the sight. Layla made her own and threw it at the child. Stella was smart enough to duck down, and a snowball fight began.

A few other kids came to join the battle, laughing and running around, not caring about the cold weather. It was refreshing to watch. Parents were laughing and getting involved as well, and I could see love fill every pair of eyes as each child looked at their parent. It was a look I only got from my mother before she passed away.

I was hit with a wave of melancholy as I thought about my mother. Layla must have felt the shift, for she turned to me and gave me a comforting smile. Only when I smiled back did she return her attention to Stella.

Twenty minutes later, Seraphina entered the scene. She was a pretty girl with chestnut brown hair and sky blue orbs. She glanced at Stella, then looked to her mother for guidance. Layla smiled, grabbed the girl's hand and led her to her younger sister. The two merely stared at each other, icy orbs staring into emerald ones. A moment later, Stella bent and picked up a snowball, holding out to Seraphina, as if she were asking her. Seraphina smiled and grabbed her own snowball, and the war began again.

The sound of crunching snow coming from behind alerted me of a presence. I turned around to see who was approaching and nearly choked on my breath. There were three people standing and one girl in a wheelchair. One male was blonde with gray eyes, one was a ravenette with green eyes, and the final male was a brunette with chocolate eyes. It was the girl who caught my attention, however. She had chestnut brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes that held only sorrow now. The light and life that had once filled them to the brim were gone. From what I could tell, her slender legs were paralyzed from the waist down, which saddened me more, recollecting how she had loved to dance, and the way she had danced with me on Halloween night.

Her name came to me as quickly as the semi truck that had taken my life and her ability to walk.

" Melanie!"

Word Count: 1309