Everyone knew Charlie Masters to be a bit of a stick in the mud. Being ambitious or wanting to get good grades wasn't a bad thing. But, like anything, too much excess of something wasn't good. So it startled everyone in his family and his best friend Ruben when Charlie acted out of character. It started about two weeks after he won the state spelling bee.
The usual, serious, and mature Charlie had disappeared, and in his place was someone who got lost in daydreams and stopped calling people by their formal names! He seemed a bit dazed and distracted; for once, he'd be forced to study and do his homework. No one knew what brought about this sudden change. However, his family and friends didn't want to invade his privacy. Regardless, Ceci couldn't help but worry about her younger brother.
One day, while fighting Carl the Mailman, he dropped several letters. Sighing heavily, she was about to return them to the post office when she noticed one had her brother's name on it. Unable to control her curiosity, she used her powers to turn the envelope intangible to read the letter. She noted whoever wrote was a particular gift in calligraphy and had a vast vocabulary.
After reading some lines she recognized as from Shakespeare, she flushed, embarrassed. Her brother had a girlfriend! And he didn't want the family to know! She quickly wished she could unsee what she had just seen! She didn't know who the girl was, only that she'd signed her initials A.A. W. Praying Charlie wouldn't realize she'd read his private letter, she flew invisible home and dropped it in their father's Packers mailbox.
She knew Ceci did her best to keep things quiet and not let on. But her brother, being who he was, confronted her about two days later about it. She confessed she'd come to the aftermath of a fight between Spirit and the Mailman, and the letter was partially opened from the fight. Charlie was a bit mad she'd read it but understood most people can't control their curiosity. He said he tell her everything if she didn't tell their parents till he was ready to tell them.
Ceci swore she wouldn't and listened as her brother explained the truth of his love life. After the spelling bee, it turned out that he'd started a relationship with the runner-up, Aurelia Angelique Walker. They had a lot in common, and it was only a short time before they began to correspond or find ways to meet up. Aurelia's family lived in the next town over in Timber Falls. He wasn't ready for anyone to know about their relationship. He didn't want to be embarrassed by his parents or friends, so they agreed to keep a secret.
He also admitted he was worried about what she thought of him living in a haunted town with ghost-hunter parents. Since her life was far more typical. Aurelia, Ceci learned that she was the top student in her grade and did a lot of volunteer work around her town. She was an only child but wasn't spoiled, and on top of being a scholar, she was also gifted at ballet since her mother taught it. Her father worked with children with various disabilities at a special school tailored more to their needs, and she had a pretty white cat named Freya.
"You know, Charlie, you've nothing to be ashamed of being in love. But you do know secrets come undone sooner or later. Perhaps we could meet at a restaurant for dinner and get to know each other. It would make everyone less worried and reduce your stress. What do you say?" his elder sister asked.
"Where can we meet without ghosts interfering with our dinner?" he questioned.
"Well, I've heard Timber Falls has some nice restaurants. We could all agree to meet at the Lunar Dinner. It's not overly expensive and more casual dining. What do you say? I won't press the matter if you don't want to."
"Okay, but don't let anyone else know who we're meeting, sis. I want to have this as normal as possible."
"You've my word."
So three weeks later, the Masters met up with the Walkers. It was easy to see that Aurelia was the spitting image of her mother. She had the same long, silvery blond hair, bright green eyes, and curvy body. Thankfully, Maddie and Vlad didn't mention anything ghost-related and acted normally. Everyone got along well, and finally, Charlie and his girlfriend could be more open with each other. So it worked out in the end for everyone!
