Ghost Of You (Formally Titled Sebastian The Traveler)

Chapter Eleven (REWRITTEN)

Avery materialized on the opposite side of the front door, slowly opening her tightly shut eyes. When Sebastain had explained she could just walk right through the wood, she was skeptical. So much so, she couldn't look. She was quite sure she would run straight into it, the door refusing to give way like he insisted it would. She didn't need another reason for him to laugh at her, and he would. She had no doubt. With her hands in front of her, she sheepishly moved forward, anticipating the pain of bumping into something solid. Two steps and a sharp inhale later, she was eagerly taking in the familiarity of the front room.

Sebastian beamed as her excitement exploded out of the usually sealed container within her. It was difficult to keep pace as she flew up the winding marble staircase, turning left and disappearing behind door number three.

Avery's fingers laced between his with a content sigh, "It's exactly how I left it." Well, minus the unmade bed. She assumed the maids took care of that not long after she strode out the door four years ago. "This is the first time I've been back since moving to New York."

Pulling him along, she shared memories of her previous life. A wall full of pictures from high school proved she was fairly popular, with a large friend group; at the lakes, the amusement park, fairs and festivals and mudding and car shows and something she called cow tipping that Sebastian didn't really understand.

"What did that cow ever do to you?" He asked, mortified. He couldn't imagine tormenting an animal that large unless it had purposefully grieved him in some way. He expected her to claim it stepped on her toe or ate her car or spit on the grave of her grandmother—something egregious like that would make sense, he guessed. He still couldn't comprehend pranking an animal for the pure fun of it. His confusion greatly amused her.

She had photographed every precious moment because she knew she would leave this life behind one day. Friends grew apart, it was just a fact. She would not be in touch with them five years after graduation and she wanted to memorialize those times and the people who shaped her into the person she used to be.

He did not fail to notice this collage held no images of her parents.

The rest of her room was decorated in handmade art. She had been collecting her favorites since sixth grade when she first fell in love with creating. He could see the progression from line drawings to watercolors to oil-based paints, her skill improving with each piece. From landscapes and dreamscapes to animals and human faces—her work wasn't restricted to just one subject. She explained she created what she felt at the time, the shift in color palettes hinting her emotional state during each. Sebastain was glad to see they were mostly bright colors, only a handful of the cooler, dull blacks, blues, and grays. He wished her home in New York showcased more of her work.

A slamming door reverberated from somewhere downstairs, silencing Avery mid-sentence. She paused, listening before yanking Sebastain back through her bedroom door. "Mom and dad are home," she spoke fast, her eyes bright and sparkling.

He decided that was his favorite of her expressions so far.

"This is bad, Daniel," her mom removed her jacket and pulled a bottle of water out from the giant stainless steel refrigerator. She held the same blonde hair and blue eyes as her daughter; Her locks only one-fourth the length of Avery's.

Her father, however, had darker hair. His features were softer, more round like his daughter's. Thankfully, he didn't pass that big snout onto her. "I'll handle it," he promised.

"Oh? Like you handle everything else? That's the exact reason you're in this mess!" She leaned against the counter, pinching the bridge of her nose, "You can't throw money at everything."

At that, he ripped his neck tie off and tossed it to the side, unbothered that it slipped off the buffet and onto the floor. Sebastian cocked his head, carefully assessing Daniel and his flared nostrils. Something within him demanded they leave, but Avery was so entranced by their presence, he couldn't find the will to do it. His heart raced, pumping impending doom through his veins.

"I didn't hear you complain when the same money bought that designer purse! The clothes, the cars, your styled hair and manicured fingers—never once did you tell me not to throw money at that!"

Avery was frozen in horrified awe. The money laundering, the fraud, the embezzlement... she hadn't believed for one second he was guilty of any of it. He was only ever gentle and giving, a devoted dad who never denied her his attention. That man, the one she had grown up with, did not have an evil bone in his entire body.

But this man, the one that just implied the charges brought against him were indeed justified, she didn't know him.

The man that was screaming at her mother—she didn't know him either.

"We should go," Sebastian whispered, the warmth of his breath fanning her ear. Had she been more cognizant of anything other than her parents, that would have ignited something within her. Unfortunately, she had less than zero desire to feel anything beyond the pang of betrayal.

Her mother's face turned an ugly maroon before she shoved a perfectly painted nail at him, "That's not fair and you know it!"

"Do I, Chloe? Answer me this then: would you stay married to me if we lost everything? Would you have even said 'yes' if I was working for minimum wage when I proposed? This money, my business, is what allows you to live as if it all grows on trees in our backyard! You have no say in how I make it so maybe you should shut your fucking trap and just be appreciative that I'm trying to save it for you!"

And as her parents' words became even louder, she understood that the childish image she had once clung to was quickly fading away. Once, she had thought the only vice she had to worry about was their need for control over her. In reality, her father was a scandalous thief; her mother, avaricious, at best.

These people were strangers to her.

The slap came out of nowhere, instantly tinting Daniel's cheek. Avery's hands flew to her mouth, her red rimmed eyes glassy with unshed tears. But it was Daniel's violent reaction that had Sebastian throwing his arms around Avery and smashing her face against his chest.

The last thing he saw was Chloe falling onto her elbows before Avery's soul slammed back into her body.