I descended down the crooked, squeaky, brown stairs. Outside of my room, the house is shining bright with fairy lights every here and there. They were turned on even though its morning. Jerremy must have forgotten to turn them off yesterday night. I closed them and turned to open the window for some fresh air only to be surprised with the smell of trash. I looked out to see a garbage van and decided to close the window again and simply leave the blinds open. Behind me, I hear the noise of plates hitting the face of the dinner table and only know Jeremy and mom were setting up the breakfast.
"Morning kiddo," I told Jeremy who is basically as tall as only my waist-length as he put two cups of chocolate milk -for himself- on the table. He does not reply back as he was concentrating hard on not spilling the chocolate milk almost overfilling the plastic cups. I sat down by the table and soon mom and Jerremy sat on either side of me. I had sausages on my plate with waffles topped with honey. I don't like sausages. I glanced at Jerremy's plate and found some toast with honey. I took an attempt to switch my sausages for his toast. Luckily, he agreed, only after I bribed him with an extra small piece from my waffle. I like honey.
After a silent meal, like usual, I cleaned up the table. That was my chore to do at breakfast. I placed the plates in the sink and turned to face my mom who was searching for god knows what in the fridge. "So, mom, moma, mommyyy" I started saying. I sort of sounded like I was talking to my homies if I had any alive ones. My homies are my ghosts.
"Yes, yeah, yup, what?" mom answered me. We really did share the same energy sometimes.
"So I know this may be too much to ask, but I kinda was wondering if we can postpone the farm trip a week?" I asked her. I started with an unreasonable request so that I can tell her I wanted to postpone it only a day.
Mom sighed in little frustration "Honey, we can't do that. I told the Jhonson family we are having dinner with them as soon as we reach. Sally says they are making a dinner party." she told me. Oh. The Johnsons. The Johnsons pretty much are our family friends, if not best friends. Only, I don't like being around them. I always feel like their eyes are on me. Perhaps it might be what I wear that catches their attention. Their daughter, called Lila, is too entitled. The Johnsons always tried to get us to talk, but I never complied. Lila always felt like she was of higher status than our family or something. Maybe it was because we were the ones visiting them and not the other way round? I could not tell.
"Can't be it be on another day?" I asked.
"No, Vince," mom says firmly "You know the dinner party would take them a great hustle to prepare. Canceling on them would be extremely rude."
"Not even if we had the dinner tomorrow instead with them? They can store the food right?" I asked.
"Vince, we are having dinner at Johnson's house tonight and that's that. Why do you even want to postpone it? Do you have something tonight to do?" she asked turning to face me.
I could not come up with an excuse to bail me out of the Jhonson's dinner party that second. A party? Noway. A study group meeting? An obvious lie. An award ceremony? far fetched.
"Nope, nothing," I told mom. "But like, do you mind if we pass by the central park on the way please?" I asked her
"why?" She had to ask.
"I am meeting someone," I told mom "from school" I added "I will hand him my school books to return them to school. I forgot to return them. There is a fine on not returning them in time." I hoped this excuse could work. If it's something about school, parents would never resist.
"Sure fine dear," she told me "now go up and prepare your things so that you don't miss something." She turned again to the fridge, searching for something.
"He will meet me by 8 there," I told her and she did not reply
And that was it. I walked upstairs to my room and started packing my bag, not for the farm trip, but to spend the night at the Night Kingdom. I got some necessities: an extra set of clothes, a jacket, a flashlight, a hygiene bag, the eyeliner. When I was done, I realized I still had my phone with me so I packed a charger along. I would send mom a text when I reached the far enough for her to catch up to me, to tell her not to worry and go to the farm and I would tag along the next morning.
I looked around realizing something is missing. Where are the ghosts? I snap my fingers and Hannah and Ross, who is another ghost, stand before me. It's like they teleported, only it's on my command. "Where did all of you go?' I asked.
"We just decided to pay Lunar a visit," Hannah answered after a pause.
I wanted to ask them why they did so without telling me first but I decided not to. "And what did you find out?" I asked.
Hannah and Ross glanced at each other "Nothing about you. A lot about Stella."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
"You know, that girl who liked Jay and had like star powers and ability to make mini black holes," Ross says.
"Yeah, yeah I know who she is, But what's up with her?" I asked in confusion.
"I think she sort of turned bad?" Hannah said in concern "we could not hear the full conversation. You commanded us to come back."
I paused thinking about this. Lunar, Jay, and Stella. Did all supernaturals from my childhood just turn evil? Also, why were they all connected to each other in a way even connected to me? Why now? Wow, I guess that made me feel better about lying to mom. It's not like I used my powers in mischief.
"Are you still going to the Night Kingdom?" Ross asked.
"Of course I am," I told him. It's still a no-brainer "Why are you asking?" I asked Ross. I thought he agreed with me about going.
"Nothing, it's just that.." Ross started.
"There is a war going on. We do not think Lunar just invited you to have coffee together on a bright afternoon" Hannah explained.
Part of me wanted to believe that. Actually, I believed that which is exactly what made me want to go more. I was extremely curious. I had a plan to when I go to the night kingdom: visit Lunar, ask him to stay the night, instead of sleeping I'd explore the kingdom.
"Believe me, it doesn't matter. Trust me" I told them "It will be a small talk then he will simply leave me be. "
"And did your mom postpone the trip?" Ross asked curious.
"Of course not, which is why Plan B it is," I told them putting my hands on my hips "Fellas, prepare for the ultimate sneak out of the century," I said closing my eyes while I imagined superhero music around me.
"That sounds a bit dramatic," Hannah said.
"Shhh, Hannah, don't ruin my moment," I told her still holding the same pose.
Tonight was going to be the ultimate sneak out.