The Ghost Inside - Chapter 12

Tik. Tik. Tik.

The clock above us was clicking on. I was sitting there in front of my father with a cup of coffee in my hands. To my right, Tiffany had her clothes on and her head down. Her face was bright red, but even she wasn’t talking. No one had said anything since we had gotten into this position. After my dad had walked in on us, he had grabbed me and pulled me outside before I could even get my dick out, allowing Tiffany some time to dress. He glared at me outside, but he didn’t say anything. I honestly hoped he would, as the longer he said nothing, the greater the tension in the air became.

We eventually returned inside, he made coffee for both of us without asking, and now we were sitting there, waiting for my father to finally speak. Tiffany had put on her clothing, revealing none of the sensual body I was playing with earlier. Presumably, she had taken the vibrator out of her ass, or had she? I couldn’t help but look down at her side. I never would have imagined she wore it to school either. Was it possible she left it on and vibrating in her ass while confronting my father?

Tiffany noticed me eying her side, and she grew a little irritated. “What is it?”

Although her voice was quiet, it was like it opened up the floodgates. Dad suddenly slapped his hand down before I could answer, causing both of us to jump.

“I honestly consider this a good thing.” He declared.

“We’re not… what did you say?” I had a whole explanation worked up in my head, so his words caught me off guard.

“You’re becoming a man. You are always so innocent. You don’t cause any trouble. You don’t go anywhere. I was worried you were turning into one of those basement-dwelling kids.”

“Him? Innocent?” Tiffany couldn’t help but comment.

“You’re not mad?” I focused on what mattered.

“Of course I’m mad!” Dad yelled, causing me to flinch before he softened his voice. “However, you’ve been the best son I could ask for, so if I exploded on you every time you made a mistake, you might not come to me when it’s important. It’s not like I have room to speak anyway, I lost my virginity when I was fifteen.”

“Huh? I thought you met Mom when you were seventeen?”

“Ahem… anyway.” Dad quickly diverted his eyes and took a sip. “I happened to notice when I walked in earlier that you weren’t using a condom.”

“Dad!” I cried out as Tiffany shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m just saying, I know money is tight right now, but you need to use condoms. I know a center where you can get them for free. I’ll pick you up a handful tomorrow.”

“Dad, that’s my business.” I tried to state.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s your business until she gets pregnant. Then it’s everyone’s business!”

“P-pregnant? Can I get pregnant?” Tiffany’s eyes widened.

“Why are you acting like you didn’t know this?” I asked her back. “Don’t women take pills or something?”

“I-i-I thought men took care of stopping pregnancy!”

“But we didn’t use the condoms!”

“Why didn’t you use condoms! I don’t want to get pregnant!” Tiffany started panicking. “Quick, get it out of me!”

“I can’t afford an abortion!” I shot back. “Why don’t you make your family pay for it?”

“M-my family! How could I ask my family that? My mother will kill me!”

Dad scratched his chin and then spoke up. “Relax, you two. You’re probably not pregnant. I interrupted you before he came inside… Wait, is this your first time?”

The two of us looked at each other in horror.

“W-we… um… once before…” I recalled.

“It appears I’ll need to get a pregnancy test too…”

“P-p-pregnant… my life…” Tiffany looked like she was hyperventilating.

“Well, look at it this way. If you are pregnant, I’ll make this insolent son of mine take responsibility and marry you.”

“Marriage!” Tiffany broke down in tears.

I quickly patted her back. “Dad, you’re not helping!”

Dad shamelessly laughed. “Is it going too fast? Maybe you should have thought about that before doing the baby-making act. I suppose you guys should start by going on a date.”

“A… hic… date?” Tiffany looked up while rubbing her eyes.

“Son, are you not going to ask her?”

“Huh? Me?”

“This son of mine… It’s already near dinner time. I have a little money. I was going to order us some pizza, but I suppose I can send you out tonight. You might as well date the girl since you’ve gotten this far.”

“A date!” I cried out and then coughed.

“I-is that a problem?” Tiffany’s expression suddenly turned sharp.

“Ahem… not specifically, it’s just… money…” I coughed.

“I said I’d pay…” Dad pulled out his wallet.

“No, actually, that won’t be necessary. I have enough!” I quickly denied it.

He shrugged and put his wallet away. I did have some money. I never actually spent the money Miss Smith had given me. I also hadn’t eaten much in the last two days, so I was starving. So, a dinner wouldn’t be bad at all. Another added benefit would be that I could get out of here and stop talking to my dad, who was smiling at us with a creepy expression. I glanced over at Tiffany, who quickly lowered her head and blushed.

“Alright, we’ll go on a date.”

I stood up and grabbed my coat, and Tiffany quickly followed me. When we were outside, I couldn’t help but stretch.

“Your father is… nice.”

“Hmm?” I glanced at Tiffany, who still had her head down. “I guess. He doesn’t hit me or anything.”

“Does he not know?”

“About what?” I blinked.

“Yo-your criminal record.”

I blinked. “I don’t have a criminal record.”

“Eh? Aren’t you a delinquent?”

My expression turned to a glower. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear at school.”

“B-but… you… did that, with me…”

“Isn’t it because you wanted it?” I asked. “By the way, that toy isn’t still…”

“Ah! Y-you… no, I took it out.” Her face turned red.

“G-good.” I coughed, not sure what else to say.

“Where is your car?” Tiffany asked.

“Huh, car?” I blinked.

We had exited the building and were now in the parking lot, but as I was heading for the street, Tiffany suddenly asked such a question. I couldn’t help but scratch my cheek awkwardly.

“You don’t have your driver’s license yet?” She asked.

“Ah… well, you need a car to get a driver’s license, right?”

She blinked. “Oh, your father doesn’t let you borrow his car?”

“Ahem… Dad would need to have a car to let me borrow.”

“How does he get to work?”

“Uh… you see that over there?”

“Oh… the motorcycle next to that scooter.” Her eyes brightened.

“No… the scooter…” I coughed. “It’s a one-seater, so if I can’t walk there, I can’t go there. Well, once in a while, I can afford the bus.”

“You… are poor.”

“Is that a problem?” I asked.

“N-no!” She quickly shook her head.

“Wait, how did you get here?”

“Ah… I drove?”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?” I cried out. “I was just taking you to the bus stop!”

“S-sorry! I thought you had a car. Isn’t a bus kind of strange for a date…”

“I don’t know, I’ve never been on a date before.”

“Me neither!”

“So, let’s take your car then.”

“F-fine, we will!”

I couldn’t help but glower as I followed her to her car. When I saw the car she was putting her key in, I couldn’t help but smirk.

“What is it?”

“I’m the one who’s poor?”

The car was a rusty, faded, blue sedan. The paint was chipped off in several places, and there were various scratches and dents. The bumper was being held up by duct tape. The interior was clean, but the fabric of the upholstery was torn in several places.

“At least I have a car!” She shot back.

“It’s fine! I’ll get in.”

The two of us entered the car, and then she put the key in the ignition and turned. The car only clicked and hummed without starting. Her face turned red with embarrassment.

“Pop the trunk for me,” Dylan spoke up.

“Huh? Why?” Tiffany looked confused.

“I’m going to check the engine,” I told her, getting out of the car.

Tiffany hesitated, but still popped the trunk as I walked to the front and popped the hood. Tiffany watched nervously as I started tinkering with some of the parts. I quickly was able to spot the problem and fix it.

“Dylan, do you even know what you’re doing?” She asked anxiously.

“Just give it a second.” I stepped back. “Try starting now.”

She tried again, and the car revved to life.

“You… did it?” Her voice was filled with more questions than I appreciated.

I shut the hood and then returned to my seat. “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“How do you know how to work on cars?” She asked. “You don’t even own one.”

“You don’t need to own cars to work on them.” I rolled my eyes. “I took the mechanics classes at school. The instructor there is one of the few teachers at that school who doesn’t treat me like a criminal.”

“I see…” Tiffany stared at me for a bit, a strange expression on her face.

“What is it? Do I have something on my face?”

“No…” She shook her head. “You’re just not what I expected?”

“And what did you expect?”

Instead of an answer, she started the car and then pulled out of the parking lot. The car ride was pretty quiet, just the shaky rumbling of the engine that was desperately in need of a tune-up. It was only about ten minutes when we pulled in front of a restaurant. I frowned when I saw it. It was one of those higher-end places, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to afford it. I grabbed the card and cash in my wallet, hoping it’d be enough.

The pair of us entered the restaurant. After giving my name, the hostess quickly found us a seat. Once she handed us menus and left, I was feeling slightly embarrassed. I was sitting across from Tiffany like this was a date. She looked fine, but I was still wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a stained shirt. I felt very underdressed.

“How are you doing today… Wait, Tiffany?” The waitress who arrived to take our order looked shocked.

“Ah! N-no…” Tiffany cried out in shock. “Who-who are you?”

“It’s me, Chayanne? I’m in homeroom with you.”

“Huh? Chayanne?” Tiffany blinked.

“Oh, maybe you don’t recognize me because of my makeup… company policy, I can’t wear my usual getup.”

“Wait, are you the girl with the piercings and the black makeup?”

Dylan stared at her, but he couldn’t place her face at all.

“Yeah, wait… Dylan?” She finally seemed to notice me there, too. “You’re on a date with Dylan?”

“Th-that’s not it!”

“She’s right!” I coughed. “We’re um… It’s a bet.”

I really couldn’t come up with anything else to say.

“It’s still super cute!” She chuckled. “What did you guys want for your first date?”

With her face red, Tiffany placed her order. She just wanted her drink order, but Tiffany was so flustered she placed the whole order right then. I quickly selected something as well. Once Chayanne left, Tiffany looked even more nervous.

“Um… I’m sorry about that.”

“Hmm? What?”

“I know you don’t want to be on a date with me.” I gave a weak smile. “You kind of got pushed into this by my father. She might say stuff at school and destroy your reputation. So, if that happens, I’ll lie and say we never did anything.”

She stared at me for a moment, her face looking a bit guilty. “Dylan… if I didn’t want to go on a date… I wouldn’t be here. I chose to do this.”

She cautiously reached out and took my hand. I couldn’t help but feel my heart racing a bit. She continued to hold my hand even as Chayanne returned with our meals. She finally broke her grip as the waitress put out plates in front of us. As soon as I smelled it, I couldn’t hold back. I took one bite, and then another. My eyes couldn’t help but water. After eating nothing but ramen for who knew how long, and then starving myself, this might be the best-tasting meal I’ve ever had.

“Why are you crying?” Tiffany asked.

“J-just ignore it.” I sniffled.

“Hey, Dylan, I’ve been meaning to ask. You’ve been spending a lot of time at the old school. Have you seen the ghost yet?” Chayenne didn’t seem ready to leave our table.

I swallowed hard. “Huh? Ghost?”

“Yeah, the old school is allegedly haunted.” She smirked. “The story of the lonely girl.”

“I’ve heard it’s haunted, but what is the story of the lonely girl?” Tiffany leaned forward with a bit of interest.

“Oh, well, the story that people tell is that there was once a girl. She was a student at our high school back when it was still held in the old building. Even though she was pretty and popular, she fell in love with a less popular boy.” Her eyes brightened as she recalled the story. “Unfortunately, she was also desired by the popular boy in school.”

“Wh-what happened?” Tiffany asked.

“Well, she wrote a love letter to the boy, asking him to meet her on the roof. She was finally going the confess to him. However, the popular boy ended up seeing her put the note in his locker, and he broke in and read it. Once he learned that she liked the other boy, he was filled with jealousy. He wanted them both to pay for it.”

“That guy…” I couldn’t help but dislike the popular kid, perhaps putting the face of a certain someone in his place.

“So, he tricked the girl into entering the boiler room where he shut the door and locked it, keeping her from making her rendezvous. He then went to the roof and beat up the unpopular kid. As a result, the pair weren’t able to meet.”

She stopped, smiling at the two of us.

“And?” Tiffany asked.

“And… that’s it.”

“What about the ghost? How did she become a ghost?” Tiffany demanded.

“Oh, who knows? Maybe she killed herself. That’s not important. What is important is that she’s still in the old school, searching for her lost love.”

“That is…” Tiffany shook her head. “… the stupidest story I’ve ever heard.”

“Huh?”

“You don’t even know how she became a ghost! It’s a bad ghost story! You should be ashamed of telling it!”

“It’s not like ghosts are real anyway,” I added.

“You…” She shook visibly. “Ghosts are real! That’s why, at the cultural fair, I’m going to summon a ghost! You’ll all see then. You will!”

She was speaking loudly, causing several nearby tables to glance our way. With a huff, she spun and walked away. Tiffany and I exchanged a look. It appeared like she had gotten offended. I cleared my throat.

“That reminds me, Tiffany, why are you so… um… abrasive… sometimes?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She demanded.

“I mean, you offended the waitress, saying her story was stupid.”

“I think she was offended when you said you don’t believe in ghosts.”

“I’m just saying, you’d look cuter if you stopped lashing out…”

“I don’t lash out!” She glared, but when I looked away, her expression weakened. “It’s just… I’m poor.”

“Huh?”

“If you couldn’t tell from my car, I don’t have a lot of money either. I don’t have a lot of things. Amelia is naturally beautiful. She has rich parents and she can have anything she wants. As for me, I try to wear nice clothes like hers, but I can’t afford them. I can only find stuff at thrift shops. I never developed like Amelia, and the guys don’t look at me like they look at her. Even you want her… it just makes me feel… so jealous.”

“If you’re so jealous of her, why are you best friends?”

“She’s… never been mean to me. She’s never given me a reason. I thought… maybe if I hung with her, I could just be better. I could look better. I keep hoping that her light would shine on me for just a bit, but it seems like instead the brightness just blinds people to my presence entirely.”

“I see you, Tiffany.”

Her cheeks turned red. “I-I know.”

I coughed. That felt a bit embarrassing, even for me. I quickly focused on eating, finishing off my meal in short order. Chayenne had become cold after our words, dropping the bill when we were finished. I winced when I saw the bill. Hesitating for a moment, I put the card on the tray. I’m sorry, Miss Smith. Technically, you are paying to feed me. Don’t blame me too much.

“I’m sorry, your card has been declined.” Chayenne returned with the card a short while later.

“Eh?” I blinked.

“Why does the card have our teacher’s name on it?”

“Sh-she gave it to me?”

“Did you seriously steal our teacher’s credit card and try to use it?”

“No-no! Not at all!” I cried out.

“Yeah, well, you can stay right here-”

“Tiffany! Run!”

“Eh?”

“Let’s go!” I grabbed her wrist and stood up, tossing the $50 in Chayenne’s face before pulling Tiffany away.

“H-hey! Stop!” She cried out.

Thankfully, no one listened to her, and we made it to the car. Tiffany seemed to realize what was happening and quickly started the car and drove off, just as an angry-looking Chayenne ran into the parking lot. She shouted something at us, but the sound of my heart beating in my ears was too much for me to hear anything else. As I finally calmed down, Tiffany glared at me.

“Did you dine and ditch?”

“I didn’t! I gave her the money!” I protested.

That was the problem. The bill came out to almost exactly $50. I couldn’t pay her a tip, which was why I tried to use the card. I didn’t know why Miss Smith would give me her card if it was bad, but there was no way I wanted to drag Tiffany into that. Chayenne looked determined to make our lives difficult, so I just ended it like that.

Tiffany drove me straight home. We ended up sitting in the car awkwardly for a few minutes.

“I-I guess… I’ll see you on Monday?”

“R-right, Monday.” She nodded.

I got out of the car, and she drove off. Our date was over just like that. Why did our relationship feel so much easier inside the old school? Some things, I’d never understand.

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