"Gotcha!"

Athena heard yelling from the kitchen, causing her to snap over her shoulder before she quickly made her way into the living room.

"W-what's, what's going on?" Athena asked, stepping into the living room as she glanced from Carlos and Aunt Victoria over to the three boys sitting on the couch.

"Nothing," the three boys quickly responded.

"For the last time, Mijo." Victoria spoke, walking toward the boy. "Ghosts are not real."

"Typical adult. Do you remember when we were kids, they never believed what we said?" Reggie asked, looking over at the boys.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's just a you thing." Alex stated. "I was always pretty trustworthy."

"Shouldn't we be more worried about Julie?" Luke questioned. "Her dad just busted her, ok? He's probably making her quit the band."

"Well, there's not much we can do about that now, but..." Reggie pointed out. "But. We can still help Carlos. Adults not believing children ends tonight."

"Wait. Where did you get this one from?" Athena asked, pointing at the boy's tablet as she looked through pictures with Carlos and Victoria, but the boy swiped to the next picture. "Uh, rude."

"I haven't seen them. I--" Carlos stopped, but stopped as Reggie turned the light off, causing Carlos and Victoria's heads to shoot up. "Ghosts aren't real, huh? How do you explain that?"

"Light bulbs burn out all the time, Carlos." Victoria replied.

"Ooh! Wrong answer, Tia." Reggie jumped up out of his seat as he made his way over to the blinds. "Explain... this."

Alex and Luke sat back on the couch with annoyed expressions on their faces as Reggie began making the blinds open and close, causing Victoria to grab Carlos out of fright.

"Maybe it's my mom." Carlos said with hope in his voice. "She knows I haven't been replacing the toliet paper!"

"Your mama would never scare us. This is the work of a demon!" Victoria cried out, causing Reggie to halt as he looked back, hurt.

"Hey, words hurt."

"I doubt it's a demon, Aunt Tia." Athena spoke but was again ignored, causing the girl to frown. "Hello."

"Wait! I got to get it on video." Carlos insisted, holding his tablet up and trying to capture a video.

"Time for an old classic." Reggie declared, grabbing the white sheet from the baset before throwing it over himself before he began moving around, causing Victoria to scream in fear.

"Dang, it was in selfie mode." Carlos muttered, trying to take another picture. His aunt quickly dragged him out of the room as Athena watched with a frown.

Reggie felt accomplished as he plopped down onto the chair, glancing over at the boys.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Alex asked as he and Luke looked at him beyond annoyed.

"Yeah, I do. I've defended every kid who's never been believed. Some might say I'm a superhero." Reggie grinned before his smile quickly fell. "We should probably hide before Julie finds out, huh?"

The Peters boy quickly got to his feet, racing out of the room, causing Alex and Luke to share a look before they quickly chased after him.

Athena felt a sudden shock course through her as she doubled over in pain, letting out a gasp for air.

Something caught her eye, causing her to slowly lift her hands up, and she noticed they were starting to turn white.

"What the." Athena muttered to herself.

"So it wasn't just the food."

Athena quickly put her hands behind her back as she quickly turned around, coming face-to-face with Alex.

"The jolts. They've been happening to you too." Alex said, causing the girl to slowly nod. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I should be the last of your guys worries." Athena spoke, shaking her head. "Besides, what's happening to me is totally different than what's going on with you."

"But you still could have told us; we could've been here for you, Thena. We should've been here." Alex sighed.

"There's nothing you can do, Alex." Athena admitted, sending the boy a small smile. "I made someone upset; now I have to pay the price."

"I-I don't get it. I mean, how can you be a ghost but still get yelled at by idiots?"

"It's confounding." Athena admited.

"And overwhelming." Alex added.

"Dying is really traumatic." Athena said.

"Yeah. it is." Alex agreed, nodding his head. "My brain kinda hurts."

"Mine too." Athena chuckled, sending the boy a small smile. "Hey, weird question?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"You can totally see me, right?"

...

Later that night, Athena found herself pacing outside Julie's door, debating whether she should knock or not.

"Hey." Julie spoke from behind the girl, causing her to quickly turn around.

"Hey, Jules."

"What are you doing, standing outside of my room?" Julie asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah, that. I wanted to talk to you about something." Athena said. "It's really important."

"Yeah, okay, come on in." Julie pushed the door open, allowing Athena to go in first before she closed it behind them. "Oh, good news! My dad isn't making me quit the band. He's actually pretty chill about it."

"That's great, Jules." Athena smiled lightly as she took a seat on Julie's bed.

"Everything okay?" Julie asked, sounding concerned as she took a seat beside the girl. "You're looking a little pale."

"Yes." Athena nodded. "No. I don't know."

"You're kind of confusing me. What's going on?"

"I'm a ghost." Athena blurted out.

"That's a good one, Thena, and I'm a mermaid." Julie joked, causing Athena to raise her eyebrow at the girl.

"I'm not kidding, Jules." Athena spoke in a serious tone, causing Julie to stop laughing.

"Wait, you're being serious." Julie questioned, causing the Micheals girl to nod. "You're a ghost?"

"Or a spirit, whatever you prefer." Athena said. "All I know is I died."

"Athena, this isn't funny." Julie scoffed, standing up from her bed, causing Athena to quickly stand up with her.

"I-I know; that's why I'm telling you now."

"Wait, how can you be a ghost? Flynn can see you. My dad and brother can see you! We can touch you!"

"I know it's confusing, but I made a deal with a guy who's literally the devil." Athena trailed off, letting out a sigh. "That's beside the point. I've wanted to tell you for a while, but I didn't know how, and then the guys came along, and I saw how you reacted with them, and... I didn't want you to hate me."

"I could never hate you, Thena. You're one of my best friends." Julie smiled lightly at the girl before she tried to wrap her arms around her, but they went right through her. "What the..."

The Molina girl looked at Athena with panic in her eyes.

"W-why can't I touch you?" Julie asked, attempting to touch the girl again, only for her arm to go through the Michaels girl.

"I'm losing my power." Athena explained. "And I'm starting to fade."

"Come again?"

"I-I was in the living room with your brother and Tia Victoria, and every time I tried to talk to him, it was as if I was completely invisible."

Athena held up her hands to show the girl that her hands were ghostly white and started flickering.

"Well, there's got to be something we can do to get your powers back before you completely disappear." Julie said.

"I don't think there is."

...