I woke up bright and early, completely ready to go to school today. This was the day where I would finally end Quinn's torment of Celia. I don't know how I would do it, but I promised Celia that, as long as I was real, I would take care of her and protect her. This is how she needed to be protected. Quinn has started ruining her life, and that little wench is finally going to get what she deserves! Well, until I figure out exactly what she deserves. 

What do I do? What do I say? Do I confront her? That didn't really work last time, that just got Quinn more heated which led to this Celia-getting-her-scholorship-revoked mess. Do I tell a teacher? Nah, they probably wouldn't believe the weird new transfer student that sometimes randomly switches to an Italian accent when asked a question in math class. Hey, I can't help it, I'm not as smart as Celia! I don't know how to solve all those complicated equations. Seriously, now they started adding letters in math? That's just messed up. Anyway, back to Celia!

I want to do everything in my power to protect her and help her with this whole situation, but I'm just afraid I might screw it up again. Maybe I wouldn't go to Quinn directly. Maybe I could find some other way to expose her and her evil deeds so that everybody would believe me, I could get Celia's scholarship and position on the school newspaper back, and she would love and kiss me for being her knight in shining armor! I really hope that last part happens. 

I ran down the stairs at full speed, sliding down the banister on the last few steps. "Hey Celia, I figured out what we can do-" I stopped dead in my tracks as I looked up at Celia's mother pouring coffee into her mug. My eyes widened as I blinked at her and she blinked at me. The coffee cup was now overflowing. 

Maday, maday. 

"What is it, Ja-" Celia came walking out of the downstairs bathroom into this very awkward situation. "Oh my god. Mom. Jack. Oh my god." She repeated, her eyes just as wide as mine and her mom's. Her mom finally noticed that the coffee was spilling all over the floor and the counter, so she set it down with a bang. "Celia. What is the meaning of this? Why was Jack upstairs this early in the morning?" I think I'm actually going to die right here in Celia's house. "Mom, I can explain. It really wasn't anything and you don't need to worry-" Celia was interrupted by her mother's death glare. "Jack, out." "Yep." I obeyed her mother's command and yeeted myself out of the house, slamming the door behind me. 

Oh my god, I wished I was imaginary two minutes ago. 

Celia's POV

I couldn't believe it. My mother saw Jack. Coming down the stairs. In our house. Oh my goodness. "Mom, I can explain everything." I breathed, honestly scared out of my mind. Even though I did nothing wrong! "Celia, sit down on that couch, I need to talk to you." I took a couple steps towards the couch and obeyed, sitting down promptly. My mother sat down right next to me. I braced myself for a good half hour of getting yelled at and probably never ever being able to speak to Jack again.

But, instead of yelling at me, she just inhaled and sighed really loudly. I couldn't tell if she was prepping herself for the yell-session or what. "Celia, I've been wanting to talk to you about this for a long, long time now but I've never known just how to phrase it. But, after seeing what I saw today and observing for years, I know what I have to say...and what I should have told you a long time ago." I tilted my head and looked at my mom who had her head in her hands. "What is it?" I asked, tentatively. My mom looked back up at me and took my hands and squeezed them tightly. "Years ago, when I was a young girl around your age, I was very lonely. I was in school and I didn't have many friends, except for one. He was my best friend, we would always be with each other and hanging around one another." I listened to her story with a smile. Her story sounded a lot like me and Jack. 

"But the thing is, my best friend was different from everybody else. He was actually.." She sighed. "He was my imaginary friend." My eyes went wide. My mother had an imaginary friend too? This was getting freaky. "Oh my gosh.." I whispered. "I know. But the thing is, he wasn't imaginary like that. He wasn't somebody I just made up, he was a real person. It's just that nobody could see him. Nobody except for me." This was just getting spookier and spookier. I couldn't believe that my mom was in the exact same situation as me! "What happened with your imaginary friend?" I asked her, on the edge of the couch. She smiled at me. "We got married." 

My heart stopped. 

"Wait..y-you're saying..your imaginary f-friend was..dad?" I asked with a shaky voice. My mom nodded. "Yes. I had no idea how I was going to tell you, if I ever would. But, from that one day since you were seven years old, I remember something different. You were such a lonely little girl, but then when you came home from the playground, you seemed different. I even remember asking you if you had made a friend and you just giggled and nodded your head. I always assumed that it was just some kid from school, but as you got older and you went to high school, there were certain times where I noticed some things." I kept listening intently to this. I couldn't believe it. My dad was imaginary and became real. That just got me thinking, did she know about Jack before he became real?

"Multiple occasions, I've overheard you talking to somebody else, taking food that you couldn't possibly eat all on your own, and other things. At first, I disregarded them, but as I kept thinking more and more about things, I realized something. I just have to ask you about it. Honey.." My mother squeezed my hands. "Is Jack your imaginary friend?" 

I thought my heart was just going to leap out of my chest and my whole body was going to just shut down. I froze up a little bit as I looked in my mom's eyes. I looked down at the couch and thought about what I should do. Should I tell her Jack's true identity? Should I keep quiet? Then again, she did tell me about dad. Still haven't fully wrapped my brain around that one, but I'll freak out about that later. My mom is the most trustworthy person ever and I know that I could tell her anything. Now that she openly told me about her imaginary friend experience, I suppose I could tell her about mine. 

"Yes, mom. Jack is imaginary." I nodded. My mother gasped a little and tilted her head. "Oh, honey, I knew it." She lovingly caressed my cheek as I felt tears coming on for no good reason. "I didn't understand how I could be the only person to see someone. But he's my best friend and I could never let him go. And when I found out that I loved him? I was so scared because I didn't know what would happen with you and dad. When he became real, I was also scared but so happy at the same time. Now, he's been fading from invisible to real lately and he's telling me that he might go back to being imaginary and I don't want that to happen because I don't want to lose him!" I let out a loud sob as my mother rubbed my back and pulled me close to her. "It's okay, Celia, it's okay. I know, it can be scary and confusing, but everything will work out in the end, I promise." I looked up at her with teary eyes. "How do you know?" I sobbed. 

She looked at me and wiped my tears away. "Because, with your dad and I, even though he was imaginary, somehow after we kissed, he became real. And he never went back to being imaginary. I don't know how it happened, but I know that we were meant to be, Celia. And I know that's how you and Jack will be too." I smiled up at her. "I really hope you're right. I still can't believe you know what I'm going through. I can't believe that I told you. And I can't believe that dad used to be imaginary!" I shrieked. My mom just laughed. I sighed. "I'm glad we talked this out, mom. Thank you so much." I hugged her tightly. "You're welcome, sweet pea. I'll always be here to talk to you, about anything." She told me. I pulled away and smiled. "I should probably go to school and reassure Jack. He's probably freaking out right now." 

My mom laughed. "Okay, I don't want you to be late." I hopped off the couch and ran towards the door. Before I opened it, I heard my mom say, "Has Jack been living here?" I gulped. "Y-Yes..he doesn't have parents, or at least he doesn't know where they are." My mom sighed. "Alright, he can continue to live here then." I smiled, but suddenly my mom's eyes widened. "He's been sleeping in a different room than you, right!?" She yelped. I stifled a giggle. "Yes, ever since he became real." "Oh, alright, good- wait, what?" I opened and shut the door before she could say anything else. 

I smiled to myself as I walked down the steps of my house to meet with Jack. Instead of him looking worried and on the verge of tears, he looked completely calm and just so warm. "I hope you don't mind, but I listened in on your guys' conversation." I gulped. Oh dear. "Y-You did?" I asked. "Yes. Celia, I can't believe everything she told you." He held my hands in his and came closer to me. "I also couldn't believe everything you said. I was your best and only friend and you were scared of losing me?" I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. My cheeks reddened as he proceeded to stroke my right cheek. "Celia, you'll always have me. I can only hope that I can be real for you as long as I live. But, we'll figure out my situation together." I nodded. "That'll be great. Come on, let's go to school." We started our usual route, walking to school, but this time we were holding hands. 

"Wait a minute, your KFC dad was imaginary!?" Jack screamed. I just laughed.