Chapter 19: Old Friends
Vlad's talk with the Fenton's did not end well. When we were at Fenton's workshop, there was a screaming match heard upstairs. K and I stayed put until Vlad came running downstairs. We left without dismissing ourselves from the Fentons.
It had been a few days since then.
Vlad had been disheartened, but understood his old friend's reactions. Something that surprised me. I thought he would be angry, or even resentful, especially at me. Instead he looked sad and took comfort during our time alone.
K and Vlad started to get along surprisingly well, a development we suspect to be a part of Infatuation's side effect. They were no longer glaring at each other and talked about ghost theories. The three of us were lost in our own world whenever we gathered.
Elizabeth and O have been spending their time together arguing over ghost biology and sentience. Taylor and Lilith started to bond over fashion.
The three of us, Elizabeth, Taylor, and I, were drifting apart. We barely spoke to each other as the days passed. It felt strange.
Vlad was currently swept with paperwork from his businesses and being mayor. Lilith went to city hall to organize and handle other things in person. K and O had GIW work and left. The only ones left at the manor were myself, Elizabeth, and Taylor.
"So," Taylor stressed the word. We were in the theater watching the end credits of a movie. "Want to watch another movie?"
"If it wasn't for the fact that Vlad's lab can't be entered by humans," Elizabeth sighed, "I would be doing so much studying."
"Why don't we head out?" I suggested. "We can take the bus."
"Shopping!" Taylor showed us one of Vlad's credit cards.
"Taylor," Elizabeth gasped, "when did you steal that?"
Taylor shoved it back into her bra. "He gave it to me and never asked for it back."
"Fair." Elizabeth shrugged.
We found ourselves at the Amity Park Mall. I wore a baseball cap and sunglasses to hide my face. I am still surprisingly popular even if I haven't been seen in public for months. But I never bought prescription sunglasses, so I'm essentially walking blind between my two friends.
Taylor spent the most and was holding bags worth of clothes. Elizabeth had two bags filled with books and writing utensils. I carried around a large plushie of a cat in an astronaut suit, with a clear plastic helmet. It was cute and I didn't really need anything else, sue me.
After a while of walking we seemed to drift apart and I found myself alone. At first I wasn't worried until I noticed I didn't bring my phone with me. I only had myself and a plushie. Shit.
I thought of a way to try to find my friends, but suddenly an explosion rattled the building. People came running inside screaming about a dragon. I could make the outline of things flying in the mall as the doors kept being opened.
I decided to run into a store that I was already familiar with and knew there was a bathroom. As I ran into the bathroom, a few mothers with children were already cowering inside.
"Jeanette!" I heard Taylor's voice. She went up to me and wrapped her arms around me. "I was so worried that I dropped everything!" She wailed. "What's happening?"
"Calm down." I shushed her. "I'm sure the Fentons and Phantom are taking care of it."
"Yeah!" A little boy shouted. "Phantom is gonna kick ghost butt!" A round of children cheered along.
Seeing as no one was coming into the bathroom, I locked the door to make sure nothing got in. Some mothers disagreed, but as soon as hissing and scratching was at the door they changed their mind.
The longer the screaming and rumbling went on, the more nervous we got. A few kids started to cry. Taylor jumped up and started saying a few jokes. The kids booed at her jokes. At least she got their mind off what was happening.
"Get off the stage!" One kid shouted.
"There isn't a stage!" Taylor shouted back.
A few of us chuckled and the kids started to say their own jokes. The time passed and we were forgetting the dangers outside the bathroom. Before we knew it a knock came from the door.
"The GIW, everything has been cleared." Someone shouted. "It is safe to be evacuated."
The closest person unlocked the door and we all poured out. Taylor and I let the mothers with children go ahead of us. Once we got out Taylor practically skipped to a pile of bags. She snatched them all up and walked back to me.
"I thought you dropped your bags?" I looked at her in disbelief.
"I did!" She smiled. "I'm just glad they're still where I dropped them."
I sighed in disbelief.
After we found Elizabeth we left to head back to the manor before any of the operatives could recognize us. As we made our way to the manor we could see the Fenton's waiting at the door.
"Can we help you?" Taylor called out.
Jack and Maddie turned to face us. "Yes!" Jack Fenton practically skipped to infront of me. "We were hoping to have a talk with Vladdie."
"Oh," I was skeptical, but Jack genuinely looked happy. "I'm not sure he's here."
Jack's smile fell. "Oh, then could you let him know, we stopped by?"
"Sure." I agreed.
"Thank you," Maddie finally spoke. "And could you tell him that," her mouth pulled down. "Tell him we're ready to listen." After that the two left.
As we entered the manor, we saw Vlad standing at the entrance.
"Vlad?" I slowly made my way towards him.
He looked up, eyes red from tiredness. "What did they want?" He asked in a wavering voice.
"They wanted to listen." I told him.
He put his hands on my forearms and placed his forehead on my shoulder. "Come with me?" He barely whispered.
I laid my head on his. "Of course, I'm here for you."
Taylor gagged then giggled, Elizabeth remained quiet.
Vlad and I sat with the Fenton's in their family room. We sat in a loveseat, with Jack and Maddie sitting in a matching one. Vlad held my hand and rested it between us, I squeezed his hand in reassurance.
"Can we ask some question?" Maddie asked.
Vlad nodded. "Of course."
"When you possessed and attacked Jack," Maddie and Jack shared a look." Why did you do it?"
Vlad squeezed my hand. "I was angry." He looked down, too ashamed to face them.
"Why?" Jack asked.
"You both left me alone all those years ago. All that time alone I spent at the hospital, not knowing what was happening to me." His shame turned into anger. "Both of you claimed to be my friend, but neither one of you came to visit." He looked up with sadness. "I thought that Jack would at least try to contact me but, after almost 2 decades it was me. And you both had the audacity to come to my manor and chum up with me as if though we've never broken communication."
"We didn't think you would want to see us." Maddie defended.
"I thought you blamed us for the accident." Jack leaned forward to look Vlad in the eye.
Vlad sighed. "Truthfully, I only blamed you Jack but, that was only after a week after of no acknowledgement."
Jack looked taken a back opened his mouth but, remained quiet. He sat back again with a somber look, while Maddie on the other hand leaned forwards.
"Why did you invite us, even with your grudge against Jack?" She asked.
Vlad grimaced. "I would prefer to not answer that." He released my hand and folded his hands on his legs.
Running from the stairs grabbed all of our attention. Coming down was Danny who looked a bit pale. As he looked at our direction his eyes widen at Vlad and me.
"Hi, sweetie," Maddie called out, "I didn't know you were home."
Danny scratched the back of his head. "Sam and Tucker caught a cold, so I came home from school." He glanced between his parents and us. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Oh," Maddie looked nervous. "Um, we were just catching up, nothing you need to worry about." She chuckled nervously.
Jack forced a smile on his face. "We're just talking about the past, reminiscing and what not."
All three older adults looked nervous.
"They're being old boring people, talking about ghost science and stuff." I waved off. "Do you're own thing kid, save yourself before they start talking about 90's fashion."
"Aren't you old?" Danny quipped.
I gasped in offense. "I just turned nineteen."
"Vlad, you cradle snatcher!" Maddie screeched.
Jack whistled. "I didn't know you had it in you, V-man."
"I missed you're birthday?" Vlad sounded disappointed.
I did not expect a serious conversation to end in such a way.