𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝔀𝓸
— 𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 —

     𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓻 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 a time in which she enjoyed spending her time in the midst of others, conversing in normality; but now she could hardly even speak to her brother. Her days began with silence, and ended the same— she preferred to spend the majority of her time locked away in the comforts of her bedroom with her journal lying on her lap. She often debated drawing scenes of the view from her windowseat, especially during the summer months while the sun was setting just beyond the horizon. But she found herself falling short on inspiration, and had felt that way since the time of her parents' departure. And yet, now that she was here, in a new home, she felt as though she could breathe again.

Mitchell had told her, just before the move, that he would homeschool her for the remainder of the school year— solely because he understood the peer pressure and stressful, sleepless nights that it had inflicted on him. And, after all of the things his younger sister had been put through in the previous month, he knew that forcing her into a new education system would ruin her chances of growing from her impending self-infliction. This was a time in which he needed to spend with her, and to do that, he would need to dedicate every available opportunity to consoling her, while doing it in a non-noticeable way that wouldn't push her further from his grasp. Briar was stubborn; so much that she'd distance herself if she knew that he pitied her dearly, or would take it as if he were treating her like a child. Being careless would deprive him of his intentions, and at this point, it was unacceptable.

Briar, now in her newly selected room, stared out from the balcony; the sun was setting just below the horizon, filling the evening sky with vibrant colors that would have blended beautifully if she would have drawn them. But for now, the girl decided against it— she needed to find comfort within things that didn't remind her of her parents and their tragic passing. Unfortunately, she had yet to find closure, and aches for them in everything she did. In the life of a child who knew nothing aside from her parents, Briar felt lost without their constant solace and commiseration.

But today was a new day— one that would hold new beginnings.

Casper kept his distance for the moment; he quietly watched the girl, noticing her every slight movement. It had been such a long time since he had been this close to someone who was living. But the exhilaration that came from her nearness was such a welcoming feeling that he couldn't get enough of, and although he wished so badly to give her privacy, he couldn't quite bring himself to move from his spot. The warmth that radiates from her encompasses the coolness of his body, and he was almost sure that he could hear the calmness of her heartbeat. Her mere presence was nearly enough to make him reach out to the young girl— if only he could touch her, perhaps he would no longer be consumed by the coldness that came from being lonely.

He had been lonely for such a long time. Although he was met daily with the company of his three uncles, Casper felt as though he was the loneliest boy in the world. And yet he continued to be the same youthful and adventurous person he had once been; his heart, although it would never again beat, was filled with the utmost of kindness and love. His unfinished business lied somewhere within this home, and although he was seeking it, he continued to imagine what would become of him if he were to forever stay here. Without the embrace of his parents, he had much of nothing to wish for . . . that was his very wish every time he gazed upon a shooting star. But as the brilliant, glowing star would light up the night sky, somewhere deep within his unbeating heart he understood that his wish might never be granted.

Although the ghost didn't know yet, he held a connection with Briar. They had the same lonely heart, and strived to find the solution that would take away every trace of it. The unwavering truth was something the two of them continuously refused to admit— that there wasn't a cure for loneliness. No matter how long and far the two of them searched, there would never be a shooting star that could grant their wish to feel whole again. The holes in their chests would never heal, and the damage wouldn't go away without leaving a painful scar in its wake.

But within the company of one another, they would learn to cope with the pain— not to hide the damage, but to accept it as it was.

Briar hangs her head, her gaze falling away from the scenery outside as a small sigh leaves her lips. She needed to do something that would take her mind off of the move— and although carving pumpkins with her brother sounded appealing, she wanted to settle for something more simple. She would have plenty of free time to celebrate the upcoming holiday, so for now she would take to the comforts of the outdoors.

Casper was quick to disappear as she turned around and retrieved her jacket. After adjusting the denim sleeves, Briar was quick to ascend the staircase while scanning the surrounding rooms for any trace of her brother.

"Mitchell, I'm going for a walk!" Briar calls out, hoping that he could hear her. "I'll be back before dark."

Briar could tell it was fairly close to dusk now, but she didn't hesitate to open the ballroom doors and close them securely behind her. The air outside was enough to soothe the girl's nerves, and she released a heavy breath of relief when a cool breeze bit at the exposed skin on her face. This was her favorite weather— and it had been her mother's favorite, too. Briar had many traits that resembled her mother, including her eyes.

And as Casper rushed in front of Briar and turned to see what had made her stop in her place, that was the first thing he noticed about her; within the earthy hues of her eyes lied her soul, with the kind of beauty that expanded a moment into a personal eternity, and a heaven that he wished so desperately to be a part of. They reminded him of the deep brown of the winter trees at twilight that he loved to gaze upon, a delicate cinnamon like that of his traditional gingerbread cookies, or the color of soft brown sugar that his mother once baked with. The girl's eyes were a dark brown ember, the kind that begged anyone to stare into them and get lost endlessly. But in that very moment, Casper didn't care if she led to his demise; he found himself drawn to the mystery behind her sudden appearance and ached to learn more about her. But how could he?

In order to talk to Briar, he would be forced to expose his true form— this ghostly body in which he was trapped. And with that, he would risk the chance of frightening her, and that was something he couldn't bring himself to do. He felt guilty for following her, but for now, he was limited with options. Something about Briar was so interesting— perhaps it was because he hadn't had such human interaction in a long time, or even that she had rarely spoken since she arrived. But whatever the case, he decided to stay close by her side as she began her walk on the paved streets.

Briar enjoyed the fresh air that was offered from the oak trees that lined the pavement, they reminded her of those that stood tall in the backyard of her old home. But her memories of the old house were vivid and limited now; not because she couldn't remember, but because she didn't want to. Memories that came from her life were those that made her eyes fill with tears, and she was beginning to grow tired of crying. Somehow, she had blocked off that part of her memory, in a sort of denial. In a way, she believed that if she didn't admit her parents were gone, they wouldn't be.

Every night after her parent's departure, as she lied down to go to sleep, Briar secretly kept the lamp beside her bed turned on. But it wasn't due to a fear of the dark, like her brother assumed; it was because she pretended that her parents were out late. They were simply caught in traffic, she would tell herself every night— and when they returned home to her, they would tuck the comforter around her sleeping body, place gentle kisses on her forehead, and would turn out the light as they left the room.

But to her disappointment, Briar woke every morning to the light of the lamp.

Briar is suddenly knocked off of her feet, pulling her from her train of thought. Casper almost gasps out loud as he watches her fall to the pavement in dismay and confusion. The impact was enough to knock the wind from her lungs, and the girl clutches her chest as she groans.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry," a voice catches her off guard, a boy running his fingers through his hair as he bends down to help Briar to her feet. "I wasn't paying attention, I didn't mean to run into you. Are you hurt?"

"I'm a bit stunned," Briar chuckles, taking his hands and swaying on her feet once standing. "But I'm alright."

She was quite surprised at her own kindness towards him— since her new phase, she wasn't usually the type to speak to others with such ease. But it was a pleasant surprise . . . she missed being herself.

The boy offered her a smile as he stared down at her, "You don't seem familiar to me, which is uncommon in such a small town."

"I just moved here," Briar explains, dusting the newfound dirt from her jeans.

"Will I be seeing you at school then?" He raises an eyebrow. It's then that Briar gets to study his features; his hair was a rich, tousled auburn, which had resulted from the many times in which he had run his fingers through it. And his eyes were such a dark brown that they almost seemed black— but they were alight with emotion, one that Briar couldn't quite recognize.

"I'm going to be homeschooled," the girl shakes her head in response, watching as his hopeful expression falters. "I'd prefer not to be around so many people."

Briar hadn't noticed yet, but Casper had; the boy still held her hands within his, subconsciously taking comfort within the warmth of her skin. Perhaps he, too, hadn't realized.

"Anti-social? We have more in common than you think," the boy nods in understanding. "I'm Clayton."

"Briar," she smiles— a genuine smile, one that hadn't graced her face in quite a long time. It lit up the world around her, and Casper sighed to himself. To his misfortune, she had already found someone; someone that wasn't him. And although he had only just met her, and was no longer living, he felt the hurt within his own realization. "But don't worry, I'm sure I'll be around. The outdoors are more intriguing anyway, especially in the fall. But I should be going, it's going to get dark soon and I'm supposed to be home before then."

"Then I hope to see you soon, Briar." Clayton drops her hands as she turns to leave, his palms growing cold from the sudden absence of her touch.

"You will," Briar promises.

And as she leaves him standing on the sidewalk, Briar smiles to herself in achievement. She was somehow growing back into the person she used to be and was making progress, albeit rather slowly.

But what she didn't realize, and perhaps never would, was that she had left more than just one dazed boy in the street that afternoon— a real boy, and the ghost of one that was quickly losing hope.

_______

❝ not a very good chapter, but
it's mostly a filler and an introduction
to all of the characters :) ❞