Chapter 26: Hide and Seek
Max was awfully nice to me these days. He would spend as much time with us as possible, accept for the times when Audrey and I would be at school. We didn't joke around or throw any edible things at each other.
Turns out Max is actually good at cooking. Although Nowadays he has been cooking breakfast for us making my life a little easier. Since I don't have to wake up early in the morning to make breakfast, instead I can catch a few extra minutes of sleep.
Sometimes Audrey would fuss about her food which was often really tiresome. But Max would make sure Audrey finish her breakfast, which includes drinking a glass of milk if she wasn't having cereals (she hates drinking milk). He would make up some fairytales about monsters and dragons that Audrey loves, telling those stories with exaggerated hand gestures and sounds, next thing you know she's done with her breakfast as she would be too distracted listening to the story instead of fussing about food. That would bring a weird fuzzy feeling in my heart. They looked so cute together. I am pretty sure Max would have been great with his kids if he had them, but unfortunately he was dead.
Though we would still have our stupid little fights regardless of his change in behavior. These days we were too busy planning Audrey's seventh birthday. Last few years Audrey couldn't celebrate her birthday since we were a little low on money not to mention we had to move a lot. This year, with me having a job and a decent house, I decided to throw her a birthday party. Max would pretty much disagree on everything I would suggest. I thought of baking a birthday cake by myself but Max suggested we should get her a customized dragon cake.
"Uhh Max may I remind you that I don't think I can afford such an expensive cake".
"Oh okay. Too bad Audrey has to eat your sad little cakes on her special day", he pretended to frown.
"Jerk", I threw the remote at him, too bad he's a ghost and the remote just passed through him and hit the wall. I was exasperated, that remote definitely didn't survive the harsh hit.
But sometimes he would just end up being the sweetest guy ever. Like the day I had a stupid assignment due the next day.
"Stupid fucking rocks", I screamed as I looked at the rocks in front of me with murder in my eyes. "For my next Geology class I had to study various types of rocks and make a detailed report on it. That assignment carried thirty-five percent of my grade. Unfortunately all the rocks looked same to me just different in colors. I let out a long sigh feeling hopeless it was almost midnight, the report was due tomorrow and I wasn't going anywhere with it.
"Why are you whining?" Max asked, "I am trying to watch a game here".
"I have a stupid assignment to submit tomorrow but I am getting nowhere with it", I said yawning. I was sleepy, so sleepy that I felt like getting on my dining table and fall asleep on it amidst of the rocks lying on the table and books.
He got up from the couch and floated towards me. "What is it about?" he picked up one of the rocks, observing it.
"Rocks, Fucking rocks", I groaned placing my head on the table.
"How about you take a short nap and continue with the project?" he suggested after seeing my doze off, "I promise I will wake you up".
"No that will-".
"Grace trust me a good nap is what you need. I will wake you up. And may I remind you a ghost never sleeps". Maybe he's right. I should start after taking a short nap. Yielding, I got up stretching my t-shirt riding up, I immediately noticed Max looking at my exposed skin, so I pulled it down hesitating under his stare. "Okay ghost boy if you say so. Wake me up after an hour". I sauntered to my room after wishing him a goodnight.
I woke to my alarm blaring, I slammed it off. Swiftly got up to see its 7 am. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck", I trailed around my room. I didn't finish the assignment and its due in today's class which is in an hour.
I took a brief shower changed my clothes and rushed towards my dining room. Lying on my table was my finished project. I went through the whole project, couldn't believing my eyes. It was neatly done, the answers to the point, hell I didn't know half of the things that was typed there.
"Good morning", Max greeted me taking an apple from the fruit basket he took a seat on one of the chairs.
"Did you finish the project?" I asked while he ate the apple.
"Yup thought that would help since you were disinclined to get up", he answered quite not meeting my eye.
I was happy, my inner self was dancing around throwing confetti. "Thanks Ghost boy! I can't believe I am saying this but you are the best". I placed a kiss on his cheek, he was astonished his eyes narrowed.
I felt the butterflies in my stomach erupt. He can be really sweet sometimes if he wants to. Sure he was a delinquent but he had a soft side to him too. I let that thought sink in. Sometimes there was an eerie feeling in chest that I felt after seeing him. I wasn't falling for a ghost right? I chastised myself for having such thoughts.
We were almost ready for Audrey's surprise. I decorated the two tiered chocolate cake that I was very proud of while Max decorated the living room. He was mostly busy getting up the decorations or tasting all of my food giving me feedback on it. I observed my surrounding, quite happy with the turn out. Small fairy lights illuminated the ceilings, red and blue balloons were on the floor, there was huge banner hanging from the wall which had "Happy Birthday Audrey!" written over it.
Music was blasting from the speakers that Max claims to borrow it from someone. I have a feeling he stole it from someone, after I questioned about that, he conceded, promising to return the speakers back to its owner once we were done using it. I didn't protest since we wouldn't be able to rent any speakers at the last minute.
"Everything's done?" I asked placing the large pizza on the table. I saw Max reaching for it, I swatted his hand away. "Come on strawberry, I don't get even a slice?"
"Later, when Aud's friends are here", I said looking at the wall clock, "It's 7 already, I wonder why aren't any of Audrey's friends here yet".
"I hope they come before Audrey's surprise". Audrey doesn't know about her birthday party so I sent him off at Jeremy's house. I instructed Gary to drop Audrey and Jeremy off at 7:15 sharp. I didn't know any of Audrey's friends except for Jeremy so I called Audrey's teacher and took phone numbers of all of Audrey's classmates. I ended up inviting all of them.
"Let me call Gary and tell him to bring them over later", I took out my phone and dialed his number, pressing the phone to my ear.
He picked up, "Open the door! I just dropped them off".
"What?! It's not even 7:15!", I panicked.
"Yeah they were too stubborn besides I have a date later".
I rolled my eyes, "You could have just dropped them later. None of the guests are here-", the doorbell rang.
"Okay I need to go! Thanks for the help Gareth", I said sardonically anger evident in my tone.
"I am sorry Grace but I need to go", with that he hung up.
Max looked at me, worry etched on his face. "Turn off the lights Max. We have to start without her friends", I said, he complied, reaching for the light switch and turning it off.
We took our positions, Max opened the door. Audrey entered, and we all screamed 'Surprise!' with Jeremy following Audrey behind.
Audrey was elated, she ran towards me hugging me tightly. I embraced her back. "So you guys didn't forget my birthday?"
"Nope", I smirked, "We didn't". Audrey thought we forgot her birthday since she has been dropping hints and we had been blatantly ignoring them.
Audrey observed her surroundings. I am sure she was impressed given she had a huge grin plastered over her face. "I love you Gracie", she hugged me.
"I love you too".
She let go of me, taking a seat beside Jeremy who was helping himself to the food. Audrey chewed on her pizza as she talked, "Hey Gracie why did you make so much food?"
It seems like Audrey's classmates were not coming so I refrained from telling her the truth. "I just got over excited so I ended up making this much food", I said letting out an airy laugh.
"But you invited the whole class and they didn't come", Jeremy butted in. Shit.
Audrey was close to tears, "Grace.. everyone in my class thinks I am weird for being a medium", she whispered hugging me tight.
"I don't have any friends because one day they caught me talking to the thin air but actually I was helping a ghost out", she sniffed. Poor Audrey, she wasn't a normal kid and the people in school was being too harsh on her. I felt like an awful sister for not making such a horrible mistake.
We broke apart. Max wiped Grace's tears. "Don't cry. You have superpowers that's why people don't talk to you", he stated.
"Really?" Audrey asked.
"Yup. Do you see Clark Kent having friends?"
"No..".
"Exactly. People with superpowers tend to have less friends. You are a superhero".
Audrey's eyes lit up in amusement, "You are right Max. I am a superhero. I have a superpower of seeing ghosts".
"That's my girl", he hugged her, I was totally touched by this. He was like a brother to Audrey. I guess we finally found a little family of us.
..................
"You suck at hiding", I giggled. We were currently playing hide and seek after we all got tired of playing twister. Jeremy had to go since he had a curfew and his parents were finally visiting them tomorrow. Audrey was looking for us while we hid. Max's idea of a good hiding place was under the dining table. "Audrey will find us in no time".
"Hmm that I figured", he looked at me, putting a loose strand of hair being my ears. "Did I mention you look beautiful strawberry?" I made an attempt of dressing which involved putting on light make up and a sundress.
I blushed. "Thanks", we were forced to sit close to each other due to the lack of space here.
"No not just today in fact- you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen", he placed his forehead against mine, now our lips few centimetres away. All of a sudden it felt too hot out here. My heart was beating erratically, and it was becoming hard to breathe.
He sighed,"I have been waiting to do this", with that he placed his lips on mine.
...............
Happy holidays! I haven't updated in ages and I am glad whoever is still reading this story.
After twenty-six fucking chapters they kissed! Please don't kill me for that :P
Thanks to jakepatt for the amazing cover!