After hours of waiting the school bell had finally rung and the classes were dismissed. Stinkie who'd fallen asleep on his desk and drooled shot right up in his seat as he screamed out. "W-WHAA!? I.. I didn' do it..!" His eyes widened they shifted around the classroom as the kids were leaving. A few of them laughed at him which in turn just annoyed him a little. Though one thing bothered him, where was Melle...? Had she left without him..?? "Hngh.. Dang it! I wanted ta walk 'er home..!" The ghost jumped to his feet and shoved his book into his backpack. It was then that Melle gently tapped him on his shoulder from behind.
"Hehe, Looking for someone?" Smiling widely at him she closed her eyes and giggled softly.
"H-huh?! Wha... Oh..! Heheh, Y-yeah. I was afraid ya'd gone on home wit'out me. I'd still like ta walk ya's home. I mean if dat's alright witcha..?" Looking rather nervous Stinkie rubbed his arm. After all this was an important set-up that HAD to be done. If he didn't know where Whipstaff was at when he was "Boomer", he couldn't just make himself appear there whenever he wanted. Which wouldn't work very well to his advantage.
"Oh..! S-Sure, but I've gotta warn ya. It's..well... It's .." With her eyes shifted to the ceiling Melle tried her best to explain.
"Haunted." Ghastly finally spoke up and appeared before the two of them. She'd watched that Boomer kid all day and she was curious as to why he wanted to get so close to her friend. Sure it seemed as if the sap was love struck, or, was it one of the school kids playing a prank..? That or perhaps it was someone else. Either way she wanted to test this guys reaction to her.
"GWAAH!" Stinkie forced himself to scream and jump backwards. This ultimately caused him to tumble over a chair and land splattered out on the floor in the next row. The poor specter winced and grimaced as he now realized how much pain those fleshies feel when they hurt themselves. After all he had to solidify his body for this. "Augh..D-Dat hurt.."
"Hrmpf.." With her arms folded over her chest she stared at Stinkie and his reaction. "Boy, He's polite isn't he..?"
"Oohh Ghastly, Leave him alone! He hasn't done anything mean to me. In fact he's been rather sweet and kind to me all day long. Oohh I HOPE you didn't just scare him off with that stunt!" Melle angrily scolded her friend as she helped Boomer back up to his feet. Normally she didn't mind when Ghastly did that but when it came to a boy that treated her well all day...? That she couldn't handle. "Well...as you can see.. Ghosts are.. well...real.. And there are 4 more at the place I live. One is sweet and kind, but the other 3 are rather... rowdy and rude. They'll torture you, play pranks on you and steal your food. They'll call you names.. and everything."
"Heh, Dey sound like fun.." With Melle's help he was finally placed back onto his feet with his backpack on. "Well it's nice ta meetcha...uhm..Ghastly was it...? I'm Boomer.." Holding out his hand to shake hers all he got in return was a raised eyebrow and a question.
"So... why do you have only 4 fingers...?" Oh she wasn't the type that was afraid to ask. Ghastly knew the answer she expected to hear. In fact she hoped the he freaked out because of her asking it.
"G-Gee... Didja bring one of dem meaner ghosts witcha...? ...Havin' only 4 finguhs is part o' my..disease ting." Stinkie forced his eyes to become watered over as well as making them shake with hurt. "I.. I know I'm differen'.. Y'dun gotta RUB it in..!"
"GHASTLY..! Augh, I'm sorry Boomer, I really am, She'll behave. I promise.." Quickly Melle hugged onto him and softly rubbed his back as she glared at Ghastly. It was then that Ghastly sighed and apologized for her actions but, it didn't stop her from being curious as to what this fella was up to. There was still no telling whether or not he really cared for her friend or not."You can walk me home. C'mon.." With that Melle lead him on out of the classroom her arm around his shoulder.
"T-Thanks Melle.." A warm smile placed onto his face as he laughed inside of his head at Ghastly and how her attempts at getting him blew up in her face. Yet another feeling crept over him that he rather ignored as he didn't know what it was. It was a foreign feeling though his cheeks filled with blush. It happened the second she put her arm around his shoulder. Once they started walking towards Whipstaff Stinkie began to ask questions trading answers with Melle. "..Favorite color is green..and I love Cheese!! Oooh ooh... and Baked beans. Haha, guess y'know what my favorite place is den right..??"
"Taco Bell?! " Laughing Melle looked at him clinging tightly to her backpack. "That's what it sounds like anyways!"
"Dat's right!! Boy...ya are good at dis. So, why are ya's livin' he'e at Whipstaff if you an' Kat ain't related..?" He finally popped out one of the questions and hoped he'd get an answer.
"Let's just say that my mother died a few years back. I was going to be forced into a foster home since that meant that both of my parents were dead. I didn't really want to live with any NEW parents especially since they all acted like they didn't want me. So I ran off...and lived on the streets. I ate from garbage cans and whatever Ghastly here could find me. That's when I finally decided I might as well finish up my schooling here. Ghastly snuck into the data banks and got me in. So I started going here that's when the kids started picking on me because obviously I didn't have anything to wear.. but the same... and I smelt horrible I guess. Oh that's the other thing. I can't smell..and I'm allergic to soap... and I cannot stand the smell of perfume since all I smell are the chemicals. I met Kat and she ...found out who my mother was and immediately invited me to... stay." Melle's eyes shifted to the ground.
"Who...Who's ya mudder...?" Stinkie pried just a little more as he swallowed. He had no clue that she was allergic to soap and the fact that she couldn't stand perfume. This fleshie suddenly became more and more exciting and not so bad at all. That funny feeling he had only seemed to grow a little more with the newly learned information.
"Her name was Carrigan, she rightfully owned Whipstaff. Though...she died while trying to take possession of it or rather, the treasure that was inside. There's not a day I don't miss her but...then .. knowing my mother she probably brought it on herself." Quietly she rubbed her arm and looked at him. Stinkie was shocked never in a million years would he have guessed that she was the daughter of Carrigan! Well one thing was for sure he had a scoop for Stretch. Though at that moment he was rather unsure of whether to tell him or not. He knew his brother would hit the ceiling or worse if he found out that womans daughter was living in their home. That'd probably be the end of it for poor Melle staying there and all in all she wasn't a bad fleshie. However, if his brother knew he'd kept information from him he'd probably cross him over.
"I see.. I'm sorry. I didn' know... I won't mention it again." Stinkie smiled lightly at her and patted her on the shoulder. "Sssoooo... Eheheh, tomorrow... Wouldja mind if I walked ya ta school too..?"
"Sure.. I don't see why no-...?" Melle paused and looked over her shoulder to Kat who was running to catch up with them. "Haha, I wondered where you were!"
"Y-YEAH...!! Sorry, I had to stay later for something. So h-how's everything going...?" Nervously she smiled and looked at Stinkie rather unsure of whether or not to trust this guy yet. Especially after what had happened earlier there at the school.
"Well from this ghoul's point of view rather boring, though I don't think Melle should've told Boomer here about her past like she did." Smirking Ghastly looked at Kat and then back at those two. "He's a little too curious for his own good I'd say."
"W-what..? Why... Why would you tell him everything...? You've only just met him.." Kat flapped her hands around a little as she didn't understand. It confused her how Melle could trust this guy so easily after only just meeting him. That was it! Stinkie now had enough with being persecuted by these two for no good reason. Well Kat maybe had a little but Ghastly shouldn't have judged him like that. So finally when Melle went to speak up he spoke up for himself.
"WELL den you two tells a fella how he's supposed ta find out about a gal he's gotta crush on..! Yeah, sure, ya might not believe in love at foist sight but it CAN happen y'know..! Sheesh, I wanted ta know mo'e 'bout her so I could make sure dat I never upset wit anythin' dat I said! Also I wanted ta see what she liked an' what we had in common. Y'know.. so I could bring things fa her ta look at an' such. Where's you two been unduh a rock?? It's called communication! Anyways... I uh.. I guess ya home now Melle. I'm sorry it toined kinda bad here at da end. See ya in da mornin'...?" He smiled gently at her.
"Y-Yeah.. I'll see you then." Warmly she smiled back at him and even hugged him tightly. "Bye..!" Laughing she stood there and waved until he was out of sight. Kat and Ghastly both stared after him a little longer before looking at Melle. There were a lot of things that he'd said that were true. Though there was still a lot of mystery about him that they didn't know about. They wouldn't say anything more to Melle right then but they would spy on the Trio and see if they were up to anything. If they weren't then they'd be happy to be proved wrong. So quietly the girls followed one another inside the manor. Meanwhile around the other side of the gates Stinkie carefully watched and waited for them to get inside.
"FINALLY...I thought dey'd nevuh get in dat joint..!" Sighing with relief Stinkie quickly removed the clothing and carried them all inside through an upper window. "Oy.. I can't believe I gotta do homewoik. Dis isn' gonna be easy. I ain't done dis sorta ting...in a LONG toime." Mumbling he placed the bag and the clothes under the bed. "Foist I guess I'm gonna have ta... " He shuddered "T-Take a shower..BLECH..." the idea alone caused him to cringe and curse. Of course he only used water to rid himself of the flesh tone. By the time that was done Stretch and Fatso were there smirks plastered upon their faces. They waited to be informed about anything that he'd found out.
"So bro...what'd ya find out...?" Stretch grinned mischievously as he placed an arm around his brothers shoulder. Stinkie in turn just stared and gulped as he pondered whether or not to tell Melle's secret just yet. For some reason this just turned a lot harder than he had expected it to be.