Adrian.
"Will you stop that, " Adrian snapped. "I'm trying to learn here." He grumbled looking at the man who stood beside him in class, the whole back row turned to look at him as always like the weird kid he was, for better or worse he himself believed that. "If you had just helped me yesterday night, I wouldn't be here to argue with you." The man fluctuated between a version that was too transparent or almost completely not there, his black jacket and white shirt stained with blood mimicking the whole thing.
Adrian didn't say anything because he knew he would just cause more attention and judgemental eyes to fall on him and he didn't want that, his friends were nowhere him to help out with the awkwardness so he kept his head low and focused on the quiz instead of the ghost who had made a draft blow in the room plus several lightbulbs to shatter, he hated ghosts who died violently.
Even with all that was happening he also groaned looking at his English teacher, the woman was stoic as ever, Adrian imagined her as the teacher version of Cruella Devil but that would be an insult to the cartoon character, he just wanted to leave, help the bloody ghost and get on with his life but nooo..., she had to be the best teacher of the year for 15th time in a fucking row, ugh she had to let go at some point.
When the bell rang the ghost who was now hovering near him again started making weird sounds with the speaker in the halls. "Okay let's agree on this, I finish school without you making this place a haunted house and I help you right after, I promise I will do it." Adrian begged the man as students passed him by thinking he was talking to himself, he was used to their scrutiny by now, they could never understand or shoulder his burden.
He himself didn't know how he had done it, so many years of developing weird powers, being psychic, and on top of that a medium to the numerous ghosts of Greeneway Bay. "Hey Adrian, do you know anything about why the speakers are making sounds like a dying cat." It was the one of the two friends Adrian had, who actually didn't care about him being weird.
"Yeah sorry, dead man who died at the shooting that happened last week at that bar in Crescent found me somehow and won't go away until I find his husband and pass on his message." Adrian replied apologetically and his friend chuckled as Adrian, noticed the man was gone. "So that means, no hanging out today after work?" His friend asked. "Unfortunately Cooper, unless you want to come with." Adrian suggested but Cooper had no such enthusiasm with one of Adrian's adventures and Adrian didn't need to be psychic to know that was a no from Cooper.
"Fine, maybe I will pass by your house later when I'm done with my shift, later Adrian." Cooper hugged his friend before he could pull away the two boys stumbled. "Show your fucking love elsewhere gay freaks." This was one of Adrian's dumbest bullies or he pretended to be anyway since Adrian could read his mind. "Awww cute he's trying to insult us, Ian, you do know the amount of going down you're doing with the football coach isn't exactly straight right, I'm sure his wife doesn't give him that deepthroat experience like you do." Adrian retorted to a pale faced Ian.
"How the fuck—." Ian mumbled but was cut off when the lights suddenly shut off and the hall suddenly became pitch black, Adrian groaned looked around. "Uh, Adrian, this isn't you right." Cooper mumbled next to his friend feeling anxious about the sudden darkness. "Nope, this one ain't on me." The boy replied as he had been a cause for a black out once at the school. "Does anybody see that?" Adrian mumbled looking at the two figures.
"See what?" Cooper questioned as Adrian squinted his eyes, he could see fangs, a heart being ripped out, and a soul leaving the body where the heart had been ripped out, the heart was astonishingly still beating. The soul was confused at first but then he came to realize what had happened.
The lights came back on but in the light, Cooper could still see nothing, only Adrian could see the large man with bloody fangs and a still beating heart in hand along with the dead body. People started moving but Adrian didn't his eyes were glued to the fanged man, he had never encountered someone like that, or anything mystic for that matter. The ghost and the fanged man both looked at Adrian, the boy quickly looked away, he wasn't going to get involved in that at all.
"Adrian!" Cooper yelled and the boy finally snapped back to reality. "Yeah sorry, what's going on?" Adrian replied and Cooper released a breath. "You scared me there, you did that thing with your eyes when they turn pitch black, creepy as fuck." Cooper explained but Adrian's minded wandered to what he had just witnessed, there was definitely more to it, but Adrian knew better, rule number one of being Adrian, stay away from anything remotely dangerous, rule number two don't be a self sacrificing idiot, it never goes well for you and thirdly protect his siblings and friends, last rule was repeat all the rules above, over and over and over again.
So in the spirit of his rules, Adrian turned around and walked away, it had nothing to do with him and he would stick with that. After last period Adrian found himself walking to the preschool his five year old brothers went to. "Adrian!" They both yelled his name when he stood by the entrance of the school. "Hey pumpkins, how was your day?" Adrian asked as the three of them walked back home,
His baby brother Jonathan would still be at school, doing whatever teens who liked way too many sports did, the kid was a jock in name and spirit, he played most of the field games plus basketball, add schoolwork to that Adrian wondered how he did it all but he knew, Adrian was sacrificing his own teenage years so that his siblings could be kids.
"Martin, take Mark upstairs and help each other out with your jackets, I will make grilled sandwiches for lunch, you're spending the day with Kara and Mrs. Henderson today." Adrian exclaimed and the twins cheered excitedly, it had something to do with the fact that Mrs. Henderson their neighbor had a knack for giving them too much candy and treats.
When Adrian got to work cooking, it reminded him of his dad, he barely knew the guy but he had tried to be a parent once after his rehabilitation, it just didn't work out in the end, he needed to be free like he always was, at fifteen Adrian lost his mother, which was not that tragic since she was never around at all, both his parents were addicts, one got rehab the other got a car running her over whilst she was running from the cops after stealing meds from a pharmacy, how did Adrian know of this, his powers came with the additional bonus of visions from time to time.
"Are you guys ready?" Adrian asked the twins after changing them and wiping away sauce in too many places, the two nodded, Mark, leading Martin out the door. "Thanks again for watching them." Adrian smiled gratefully at the woman who waved it off as a pleasure. "I will be back soon, behave." Adrian chided the twins. "Okay!" They replied running toward Kara, Mrs. Henderson's granddaughter who was their age.
It was hard being a parent when you yourself needed a parent but Adrian had no choice he needed to keep his family together, when it was necessary their father would come and do what was needed but three-quarters of the time the guy was never there and all Adrian got at times were cheques which were barely enough for them, but he never complained though, at least the guy thought of them.
"Okay you're on Lane drive right, your funeral was yesterday, then it means your family must be home, let's pay them a visit." Adrian spoke after the ghost of the man who had been shot at the shootout between the rival gangs appeared, he was a casualty that should've never happened but when you give Greeneway Bay rich teenagers guns they tend to do stupid things.
Adrian walked silently toward Lane drive, he was anxious by the minute, he hated being a medium because people thought his gift was fake until he said something that utterly spooked them and changed the scenario of it all. He was not looking forward to this. "Knock three times, stop, knock three times again." The ghost instructed and Adrian followed, he could hear footsteps of a person running toward the door. "Papa." It was a boy, a teenager who seemed no older than Adrian himself but he was well built in body mass and height.
At first, he didn't recognize the boy until he actually looked closely, he was Jax Milford, star quarterback but recently he hadn't been at school, Adrian finally realized the reason. "Hie." Adrian spoke uncomfortably so, as Jax looked at him with scrutiny like everyone else. "You're the one who knocked?" He asked and Adrian nodded. "Oh." The boy mumbled, Adrian could feel the heartbreaking emotions coming off Jax, he wanted to comfort the guy but he feared he might make it worse.
"Is your dad home, I have a message for him." Adrian offered and Jax with his large frame opened the door wider. Inside there was a man who seemed disheveled, Adrian quickly guessed that was Jax's other father, beside him was a little boy, he seemed to be the age of the twins. When Adrian looked up he saw the ghost smile, he shed tears in his ghost like form. "I'm sorry I never made it for game night." The ghost mumbled next to his husband. "He can't hear you." Adrian broke the tension, and that's when Mr. Milford and his other son realized he was there.
"Who are you?" The man asked holding his son closer. "I'm sorry to barge in, I have a message from your husband, he's kind of been trying to get me here for a while but couldn't." Adrian replied but he could sense Mr. Milford was unbelieving and Jax was annoyed through his sadness, Adrian was overwhelmed with all of it and wanted to run but he had to do this, for them, for peace.
"He's sorry he didn't make it for game night." Adrian blurted out and Mr. Milford was wide eyed so were his sons. "He's sitting right beside you." Adrian expressed and Jax growled. "Is this some kind of joke!" He snapped but Adrian pushed him down with a wave of his hand. "I wouldn't be here if it were, I'm a medium, so believe me when I say he's right beside you, you can feel the touch can't you?" Adrian prodded and Mr. Milford nodded.
"How did you?" Jax asked as Adrian's hold was removed. "I love you and the kids, I'm sorry I left and we never got our happy ever after till death, I know I hurt you and I know I can't do anything about it now, I will always love you no matter what baby bear." Adrian passed on as he stood in the lounge, Mr Milford cried as he heard and so did his sons. "Jax take care of your father, and your brother, you're the man of the house now, like I taught you, never fear the unknown embrace it my boy, my little grizzly bear, I want you to keep on painting, it's your dream, keep on with it, and honey, you don't ever to worry, the boys have funds till they finish college and beyond, it's in the safe under the blue binder, no one can take anything from you, live your life baby, and if you find love again, know I'm in support of it and I will be watching over you, all of you, remember, I love you." Adrian passed on everything as it was said, Mr Milford stood up and hugged Adrian.
"Tell him thank you so much, and I will always love him too, I will always take care of our boys." Mr. Milford directed this to Adrian but the ghost of his husband pressed a kiss to his cheek and he raised his hands to feel it but the touch was already gone. "Thank you." Jax mumbled. "Thank you so very much." It was Mr. Milford who expressed his gratitude with another hug. "You're welcome." Adrian replied.
"You're welcome too." Adrian asserted looking at the ghost. "Papa, I love you." Jax muttered. "I love you too Jax." The ghost replied and Adrian passed the message on. A swirling white pool opened behind deceased Mr. Milford, Adrian smiled looking at the man. "You've found peace, it's time to go the hereafter." Adrian spoke looking at the ghost, Mr. Milford had stopped sniffling and Jax had a smile. "I thought I'd never get closure thank you." Mr. Milford expressed as his husband walked through to the next plane.
"You're welcome." Adrian replied as he turned for the door, Jax scrambled to his feet and walked the boy to the door. "I can't say thank you enough, see you at school—." Jax waited for the response. "Adrian." The boy mumbled. "Adrian." Jax whispered with a smile as the boy walked off to get to his siblings.
As Adrian walked away he glanced to his left where a black car was driving past, he could sense the same aura as the man he had seen in the school hall, but just like his rule, he ignored it and kept walking till he got to Mrs. Henderson's.
"Adrian!"
+++
@SJGood96dear advisor and friend this first chapter is dedicated to you.
Welcome to Greeneway Bay, things are about to change for Adrian, but he doesn't know it yet, let's join him on his journey.
This book is not edited any errors grammatical or otherwise, will be corrected in due course. Thank you.
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