۫ ּ  ִ ۫   ˑ ֗ 𓏲˖ 𑁍 ࣪ ִ ۫ ּ  ִ ۫   ˑ ֗
࣪𓏲ּ ֶָ ✩◿𝓖𝓖◸ 🂱 ࣪𓏲ּ ֶָ
CHAPTER EIGHT—
what have the two of you been up to?

Blake stared at her body ad they rolled her back into her coffin, shutting the engraving of her name as she sighed. Xavier nodded to her. "You okay?"

Blake nodded her head with an exhale. "Kinda have to be."

He hesitated, looking at her. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Blake gave a questionable look, still in the black and red dress due to not wanting to change back into the clothes she'd wore every day for the last seven months. "About last night?"

He shrugged, mentally saying yes. "I'm sorry about our fight. I didn't mean to make you seem like a second choice, that wasn't it. Obviously."

"Obviously." Blake had to snort slightly as he cracked her a smile. "Last night was fun."

Hs nodded his head as she exhaled and shrugged. "But, I understand. Why you agreed to go with Wednesday at first. Last night was fun because I wasn't just a ghost."

"You're not just a ghost." Xavier shook his head.

"Yes, I am. And it's okay, I know that." Blake shook her head. "I mean, what kind of teenage boy wants a girlfriend he can't even touch? It's not normal, you don't have to apologize for something like that."

"Last night was fun." he nodded and repeated himself. "But, it's not everything to me. I like being with you, I always have. It's okay if I never get to touch you again."

"Xavier, come on." this time it annoyed her, it got under her skin when it should have been something that meant the world to her. "You can't say that."

"Why? It's true." he looked at her in disbelief. "You know that, I made it obvious from the beginning. I mean, I literally said your name when I was with Bianca, Blake."

"Okay, and then what? What happens when you graduate? You're just gonna stay here forever?" Blake shot at him in disbelief.

"I can teach, that was always the plan." he shook his head.

"And then what? You're gonna be thirty and dating a sixteen year old?" Blake rolled her eyes. "You think you want to be with me but it's gonna get old when you can't hold my hand, and you can't kiss me. You can't do anything with me, that's not a relationship. I'm not gonna do that to you."

"Shouldn't that be my decision?" Xavier glared at her.

"No." Blake headed toward the door. "I'm not gonna let it be."

"Mommy!" Blake cheered as her Mom passed the gate, taking her sunglasses off with a bright smile.

"Blakey!" she cheered and air hugged her with a blow of a kiss. "Oh, you look beautiful. How'd you change clothes?"

"Where's Mom?" Blake looked for her other Mom.

"Her and Xavier's Dad had something important going on, they sent me to visit the two of you." the redhead woman smiled as she looked over her daughter. "What's that on your neck?"

"Nothing." Blake moved her hair. One thing that didn't cross her mind last night was that when her body went back in the coffin, she wouldn't only be taking the dress with her but also everything that was accompanied to her body right before she "died" again. That being said, a hickey would always be on her neck from now on. "How was your trip?"

"Lovely, those trees are something." the Costa woman walked together toward the place Principal Weems wanted them. "Where is that handsome boy? I need to get a good look at him."

"He'll show up soon." Blake avoided the topic of Xavier. "Let's sit."

The pair had as Principal Weems waited until everyone arrived to take her place on the steps that over looked the courtyard. "Nevermore was created as a safe haven for our children to learn and to grow, no matter who or what they are."

Everyone clapped for her as she smiled out to the parents and children. "I realize most of you have heard about the unfortunate incident involving one of our students. But i'm happy to report that Eugene is on the mend and is expected to make a full recovery. So let's focus on the positive and make this Parents Weekend our very best yet."

They all clapped as Blake looked back, seeing Wednesday and Enid not far. Blake gave them a small wave as the girls waved back before the trio all shared a dreadful look, going to each of their parents. Blake looked up to see Xavier leaning over the balcony. Blake sighed, waving him down, knowing her Mom would keep pushing if he hadn't.

By lunch, Xavier finally decided to join them with a smile. "Janet, lovely to see you again."

"Xavy." Janet gushed as she set her plate down and cupped his face. "Look at you, you grow up more and more each time I see you. I've missed your face!"

"I missed you too." Xavier smiled as he sat down with Blake.

"Your father sends his love and apologized for not being able to make it." she nodded as he fell silent. "So, what have the two of you been up to?"

Blake chocked on nothing as Xavier laughed. "Us?"

"Yes, who else?" Janet nodded.

"We've just...been our usual." Blake nodded her head as Xavier smiled to her. "You know."

"You know." Xavier nodded as he looked at Janet. "You know how we can be."

"I do, connected at the hip!" she laughed as Xavier did the same, Blake shut her eyes.

"That's us." he confirmed as Blake elbowed him, passing right through his body.

The doors opening had caught their attention, looking up as Tyler's Dad and a couple deputies charged in. Principal Weems stood up. "Can I ask what this is about, sheriff?"

"Gomez Addams?" he ignored her and went right toward Wednesday's table.

He stood up and turned to look back at him. "How can I help you, Sheriff?"

"You're under the arrest for the murder of Garrett Gates." he removed his hand cuffs.

"Who?" Blake whispered to Xavier as he shook his head with the same confusing look she had.

As the sheriff read Gomez his rights and pulled him away, Blake stood up and went toward Wednesday and her family. "You okay?"

"Yes." Wednesday looked to her. "Do me a favor, would you?"

"Anything." Blake nodded quickly.

Wednesday looked to her little brother. "Accompany him while I go interrogate my father."

"Do you want to draw?" Xavier asked as Blake and him were trying to help Pugsley stay distracted.

"No." he sighed.

"Do you want to look at my dead body?" Blake asked, Xavier gave her a look in the corner of his eye. "What? It's fitting."

"No, thank you though." Pugsley sighed as he looked up. "How did you die?"

"The fence impaled me when I was trying to climb it." she kneeled down on his level, considering he was sat on the steps. "I died a few minutes after it happened."

"Did it hurt?" he looked up to meet her eye.

Blake swallowed, Xavier looked away as Blake nodded. "It did. Very badly."

"Sorry." Pugsley frowned. "You're the only ghost here?"

"Most of them have crossed over." sbe explained to him.

"You haven't?" he asked, Blake shook her head. "Why not?"

Blake looked up at Xavier as he stared down at her. "I just don't want to."

Pugsley nodded his head. Xavier sat next to him. "You and your Dad are close?"

"He takes me fishing." he told the pair. "He always packs the best bait, we get at least ten with one shot."

"Sounds like he really loves you." Xavier nodded his head as his hair bounced a little. "Wednesday told me you're a big fan of my Father. Vincent Thorpe."

Pugsley turned his head with wide eyes. "Vincent Thorpe is your Dad?"

"Sure is." he nodded, then toward Blake. "One of her Moms is Pamela Costa."

"Woah." Pugsley smiled, it made Blake smile back. "That's so cool."

"I have an idea I think you'll want to be apart of." Blake stood up. "Come on, both of you."

Xavier waited for Pugsley to stand, trying to hold Blake's hand but passed right through it. He looked back at Xavier as he showed him how to do it, simply reaching your hand in the air. Pugsley did so as they approached Janet. "Mommy?"

Janet looked back. "Who's this little guy?"

"I was wondering if you could facetime Mom for me?" Blake asked hopefully as Pugsleys face lit up. "I'd love to say hi."

Xavier stood by her side as he nodded his head, smiling at her. Blake did it back and leaned against him some as her shoulder pushed right through his body.

•

kylie speaks

it's too fitting for blake to
call her mom mommy