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Kat watches as her photo is sat on the football field next to a podium, the seats slowly filling up as she sighs. "Isn't it funny cupcake? They treat you like shit and then once your gone they cry..... by next week their back to talking about the newest gossip." Rhonda huffs suddenly walking up next to the girl who shrugs.

It didn't really affect her being dead, it was similar to how she was alive being ignored and no one knowing of her existence. The only thing that sucked was her dead pointless dream of getting away from her father and having a life of her own.

She was free now- bound to a location forever but she was free to do as she pleased yet- she was still shielded.

"I'm just surprised their doing anything at all. I didn't talk to anyone so what memories could they share? What kind words?" Kat says with a pointed glare at the superintendent that fixes his tie and forces a look of sadness.

"Good evening students.... Faculty, and concerned parents. Today we hold a memorial for Katherine Verro, one of our fellow students that sadly left us a little too early. We have officially decided her locker will forever remain empty. Her father Ivan has donated a photo and plaque to go on it for her memory." Kat feels the breathe leave her lungs as she follows the older man's sights to her father.

"Whoa hey- we get to meet your dad." Wally's says with a smile appearing with Charley as Kat looks away from the man approaching them.

He steps up to the podium shaking the superintendent's hand before looking out across the huge crowd. Kat looks to him swallowing harshly as she felt like his eyes stared at her, but they looked right through her.

"Good evening.... I don't really know what to say..... having lost my wife many years ago it's just been me and Katherine. We really relied on each other as we went through such a rough patch. Katherine was smart, she got the best grades, she was kind so- I don't understand how some teen boy could just kill her like it was nothing. He took my pride and Joy-..... if he ever gets out of jail he better fear me." Ivan says making Katherine blink slowly in disbelief.

"Your dad better not kill him on school grounds or your screwed." Rhonda laughs at the irony making Wally and Charles give her a look to stop.

"I will be setting up an annual scholarship.... For bullied kids at this school to get to college and chase their dreams like I know Katherine planned to do." Ivan says before leaving the mic and walking away acting upset.

"Thank you Mr. Verro. Im hoping from now on these students see that their words and actions have consequences. May this scholarship be a reminder for future students to be more mindful," the superintendent says before having a moment of silence before dismissing the assembly.

"Come on let's go get something to eat and- talk." Charley tries to persuade Kat but she follows her father to a pay phone. All looks of sadness gone as she watched him. Waiting to see the cold harsh man she knew when she was alive,

She didn't have to wait long as he called his girlfriend who was at work.

His girlfriend knew of the abuse he inflicted on Kat but- she never said anything to stop it. She even took part in it rarely when she was drunk laughing as Kat would cry curled up in a ball on the floor.

"God- even in death that little brats ruining my fucking life." He spat bitterly into the phone making Kat flinch and tears to slowly fall realizing....

He really didn't care she was dead.

"I had to miss work for this." He sneers aggressively as Kat sighs leaving as they go to talk about couple stuff.

She goes and finds the others eating lunch, she grabs the bare minimum like she did when she was alive and plops down next to them. "Look who finally decided to join us. Enjoyed eavesdropping?" Rhonda huffs but slat just winces and eats slowly avoiding eye contact with the girl.

"You know a bright side to us being ghosts now is we don't have to watch out figures we can eat as much as we want without gaining anything. So here- have this." Wally says kindly piling the girls plate before going to get more food for himself.

"Pussy whipped asshole." Rhonda mutter making Charley elbow her giving her a look as she looked annoyed. "What?" Rhonda asks in a hiss his eyes go to Kat who looks sad and unmoving.

"Do you guys ever wonder if being dead just-.... Is easier? Like do you feel any relief from it?." Kat asks sadly making the two look at each other before at her a bit offended.

"No. Because it's not. It's terrible." Charley says with some huff as Kat sighs feeling bad she was the only one. "Awe come on why are we so gloomy everyone?" Wally asks with a smile trying to cheer up the mood as his two ghost pals stare down the newest addition to their group.

"Ask her. Ask her what she just asked us." Rhonda spat making Wally look to Kat with anticipation.

"What uh- what did you ask?" He asks and she repeats it making his brows furrow.

"Is that uh- how you feel?" He asks slowly because he too did not feel any relief by his death. Kat shrugs but tears brim her eyes as she shoves the food away from herself going to the library deciding she'd write the obituary rather then focus on her father phone conversation.

She did this alone for hours before she felt herself being watched and looked to see Wally standing over her watching her with his undivided attention.

"I'm sorry." She says with a sigh making the boy eagerly sit next to her and to stare at the blank paper she still hadn't wrote.

"It's okay- some of us have different feelings on it..... I mean- Rhonda she's angry. Always has been. Charley- he's sad he regrets a lot." Wally explains making Kat look to him with a sad smile.

"And what about you?" She asks and that stumped Wally making him look confused.

"What about me?" He asks making her look at him funny before explaining it in more detail. "What feelings do you have on it?" Kat asks making him oh and nod with a smile. "I've come to terms with it, it's unfair dying young but- .... I was living to my full potential." He sounded so sure of himself that it made Kat a bit jealous.

Unbeknownst to her he was in denial.... Truth be told if his mother hadn't forced him to play football he didn't know what his life's purpose was.

"What was that potential?" She asks trying to keep busy and not think of a stupid obituary she was struggling with. Katherine used to get straight A's but writing something nice about herself seemed like a true struggle.

"Football, I was a beast at it. And my mom and dad they were proud, they still come to every game." He says with a big smile but the mentioning of his parents made the girl stop smiling softly at him and for her face to go back to stoic.

"That must be nice." She mutters looking at her blank paper as he looks conflicted by something.

"I uh- I feel like I say the wrong thing to you a lot. I'm from the 70's and 80's so- maybe it's a time difference thing...." He rambles as the girl shakes her head.

"It's not you. It's me....... I'm weird." She excuses making him agree but smile at her happily. "But that's what I like about you. You've always been different I could always sense it, especially when I saw you reading Romeo and Juliet and you laughed instead of cried? Most girls during that section cry a lot." He says casually as the girl slowly blinks staring at him funny.

"That was this fall." She says as a fact making him nod not seeing what she was getting at. "You uh- noticed me back then?" She asks and that's where Wally goes stiff and realizes what he'd said.

"Oh- yeah uh.... I mean we haunt the whole school so.... We see every student everywhere. Even the bathrooms and locker rooms." He adds the last part like it's no big deal but Kats eyes go wide as she looks to him in surprise.

Wally realizing what he just said to her blushes shaking his head vigorously. "N-no I didn't mean like-..... I didn't watch you like that.... I mean- one time I- I'm gonna stop talking." Wally rambles making Kat wonder what that one time was but she shook it off and looked away embarrassed.

Had he seen the bruises that littered her body?

"It's okay. I get it. You didn't mean it like that." Kat says in agreement making him nod and sigh with relief that she didn't think he was a pervert.

"Yeah sorry sometimes I just kind of speak without thinking. Probably one of the concussions from football." He says in thought making the girl laugh short and quick but it still made him look at her funny.

He only ever seen her laugh while reading books, no one ever made her laugh. It made him feel special.

"So uh- what did your obituary say? If you don't mind me asking." Kat asks in a rush and the boy shrugs. "I wrote about football, being a proud son and about future plans that I sadly lost out on it." He described it so simply but Kat sighs and shakes her head.

"I'm never going to be able to write this." She says softly making him confused since he knew she could write. He watched her do it a lot this past year but he thought before he spoke this time.

"Come on- you've been working on this thing for hours. Just- talk to Mr. Martin for an extension of sorts. He is really understanding and.... He might be able to give you some advice. But for now we are going to go vote for which movie we are watching tonight at the movie night." He says standing and grabbing the girl hand leading her to the gym.

Kat couldn't help but blush never having touched a boy like this before. It was such a small gesture but to Kat it felt much bigger.

Her face felt beat red as he guided her into the gym making all the ghosts eyes go to them.

"Katherine- so glad you could join us." Mr Martin exclaims excitedly as the girl grimly nods and finds a seat removing her hand from Wally's.

"Hi- I'm Dawn." A girl says with a kind smile leaning over Kat who jumps at the sudden appearance of the girl who laughs at her expense. "Uh- Katherine." Kat says awkwardly as Dawn nods. "I know. I know everything's at this school. I dig through everybody stuff, plus sometimes they leave goodies behind." She explains making Kat nod before scooting noticeably away from the strange girl that stared her down.

"Fun." Kat says sarcastically before curling up to get comfy her eyes trail to Charley and Rhonda who look to her before away. It makes Kat sighs looking at her finger dark blue nail polish she had on when she died.

"This seat taken?" Wally asks plopping down right beside Kat who shakes her head.

"Won't your friends be mad your talking to me?" Kat asks dejectedly as Wally waves a dismissive hand. "They can't be mad for eternity. Besides..... we all have things we have to work through here. They move on quick trust me-.... And their your friends too, we all are." Wally's says with that broad smile that makes Kat smile softly.

She knew they weren't all friends, they didn't know anything about each other. But maybe- maybe she needed to be a bit more open about certain things.

"Alright everyone let's get this party started." Mr Martin says starting the moving making Kat look to see it's a sport movie her eyes going to Wally amused.

She could just tell he picked this.

Not really that into sports Katherine began to doze off before the opening credits were even done. For sleeping arrangements she'd been sleeping on a random part of the library floor since it was carpeted. It wasn't the softest but all the good spots had been taken.

Like for instance this couch that sat in the coach's office usually was Wally's. Rhonda had the one in the teachers lounge, Charley would lay on the grass outside the other ghosts laid around the school in weird places like Kat.

Kats eyes continued to drop slower and slower as she fought to stay awake. She didn't want to let her guard down and sleep next to these friendly strangers.

She didn't want them knowing of the nightmares she woke up from time to time.

But Katherine slowly felt her head lull to the side landing on something soft yet firm and her eyes finally stayed glued shut as she was comfy.

The thing she'd landed on was Wally.

His shoulder to be more precise, making him tense at first in surprise before smiling like a mad man as his eyes look to Kat in slight surprise.

Rhonda could be heard fake gagging as Charley gave Wally a look of slight happiness. Yes he still was a bit hurt by the girls question from earlier but now he was more suspicious.

What was so terrible in her life besides the bullying that death could feel so relieving?

She had a father who seemed to care, so why didn't she care that she was dead?

_________________________________

Katherine awoke to voices speaking around her making her grumble and curl more into the pillow ignoring them. Something beneath her rumbled, but a soothing rubbing on her back made her stay sleepy. Until she realized it was in fact a hand and she abruptly opened her eyes looking around in a panic.

They were still in the gym the movie long over as Kat looked at all the ghosts who stared at her with amusement.

She didn't sit up or anything in her panic in fact something was keeping her laid down. Looking at the source she came face to face with Wally who was smiling happily watching the movies end credit bloopers.

"Awe look- she's awake." Dawn says making Wally look and Kat in fact was awake and blushing avoiding all eye contact. At some point he had laid down with her on top of him and the girl felt like she'd forced him into this position.

"I'm sorry." She grimaced going to sit up as he looked perplexed. "Why are you sorry? It's comfy." He says pulling her back down and holding her tight making the girl blush worse and worse.

"I'm probably crushing you." She whispers trying to keep how embarrassed she truly was between them but he just snorted as if she had something ridiculous.

"Please your like half the weight I used to bench." He says still holding her against him. He secretly was hoping she'd just fall back asleep and allow him to keep holding her. He liked it. He enjoyed feeling her lay against him and he felt like he was protecting her. Not that there was anything to protect her from but- he still felt like he was.

"Can I- get up?" She asks uneasy making the boy slowly let her go of course with her luck sitting up she had straddled him by accident. His eyes shot wide open as other ghosts laugh Kat throwing herself off him in a panic landing face first on the gym floor.

"Virgins." Rhonda says with a sigh leaving them with a roll of her eyes mocking Kats lack in sexual knowledge.

"Shoot are you okay?" Wally says helping her up as the ghosts slowly leave the room. Mr Martin leaving as well looking like he wanted to ask Kay something but he'd do it another time.

"Yeah- sorry." She says again putting her hands over her face ashamed that she probably embarrassed him.

"It's cool you need to like- chill." Wally laughs making the girl peek to see he really wasn't angry in the slightest. "I uh- well.... I'm gonna go to bed then." Kat huffs before walking to the gym doors Wally and her the only ones left.

"Where uh- where have you been sleeping?" He asks making Kat look at him before wincing knowing it was about to sound bad. "The library floor- its carpeted so.... It's nicer then the regular classrooms." Kat explains but Wally shakes his head.

"You can share this with me." He says pointing to the couch making Kat shake her head and smirk. "That's nice of you to offer but- you've had it for years I'm sure." Kat says before he shakes his head.

"I have but- I don't mind sharing. We don't have to cuddle either like you can have one end and I'll have the other." He explains making her look at the couch before him and shrugging.

"Why not." She says since their dead it's not like she wanted to sleep in a floor for the rest of her time.

"Awesome!" He says doing an arm pump in excitement as Kat eyes him with surprise and confusion.

"Oh uh- sorry I was just..... something in the movie was- let's move this bad boy back." Wally says with a forced chuckle him and Kay pushing the couch into the coaches office to align with the real couch.

"If things don't change for them why do we still put it back?" Kat wonders and Wally shrugs. "It's like- ghost 101 to clean up after ourselves since we don't exactly have any ghost janitors to do it for us. Besides Mr Martin says a clean living place is a stress free living place. Plus I like to sleep in here for privacy and being out there early morning basketball gets loud." He huffs must have learning the hard way.

Kat nods before waiting for him to lay down first, she didn't want to pick an end taking his usual spot. "Lay down." He says with a laugh staring at her as she looks to the couch and then to him. "You first." She says making him quirk a quick amused smile.

He lays down and the girl goes to the opposite side his feet burrowed into the cushions making Kat stare at him funny but he just closed his eyes and got comfortable.

Kat laid facing the wall trying to force sleep on herself but- it was harder to do intentionally next to the boy compared to her accident earlier.

"Are you still awake Wally?" Kat whispers and he peeks an eye open and answers. "Yeah..... this is not really as comfortable." He says making her tense and sit up looking at him.

"I can go back to the library I don't want to impose on your space." She says in a rush going to leave but Wally grabs her hand.

"Or- and hear me out on this. We lay the same way? Just for sleep nothing weird." He says making her debate on it.

"I don't know..." Kat says slowly but he does a weird pouted lip and even begs making her agree. She crawls on top of him slowly before laying her head under his chin. His one hand rubbing her back again as the other goes behind his head. Wally sighs with contempt, "This is a lot better." He says with a smile making Kat chuckle and shake her head.

She didn't see how her crushing him was better but- she was comfortable too and just relished in the warmth and sage feeling she had.

That night was probably the best sleep she'd had in years, and she didn't wake with the sisal nightmares.....

And it was all thanks to Wa