Confessions of a Teenage Zombie

A few minutes later, my phone was ringing. I glared at it before getting up and walking to it. I picked it up, flipping the top open.

"What!?" Totally horrible greeting.

"Wow. Cranky much?" It was Brent. "Blake told me his boyfriend was going to help him with homework, so I wanted to know if it was cool to stop by and chill."

"Oh. Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was crying," I explained, wiping my eyes. "Yeah, come on over. You can even sleep here if you want, we're all cool with it. Besides, Ryan might want to question you. Maybe."

"Ryan?" Brent questioned. "Uh, we kind of got off on the wrong foot this morning. He probably doesn't want to talk to me period."

"That was only because I was all sad and stuff," I said. "But really, just come on down with some pajamas and clothes for tomorrow. Oh, and your own toothbrush. Maybe a teddy bear, since I don't have one."

"I just have stuffed lemurs, sorry." He wasn't joking. "But I'll be right down."

And just like that, Brent was in the living room. I didn't even hear the doorbell ring or anything, and it was only because Ryan told me did I know Brent was here.

"How did you get in?" I inquired. "Did you just nonchalantly walk in like it was your own place? Because if so, I'm going to ask that you don't. Because then anyone will think this place is fair game."

"Ryan came out and told me it was okay to come in," Brent explained. I looked over my shoulder at Ryan, who was just standing there, hanging out. I looked back and forth between the two. I kind of assumed Ryan might wanna like, badger Brent about Spencer's well-being or something.

"I'll get us some drinks," I said, hoping that maybe if I left, they'd get to talking. I dashed out of the room and into the kitchen. Shane was sitting on a stool, slurping some kind of weird, dark liquid out of a glass. "Um, what are you drinking?"

"The juice that came from some steak last night." He said it like it was a normal thing to do. My eye twitched as he continued drinking the liquid. I shook my head and got some cups, filling them with ice and soda. I walked back into the living room, where Ryan and Brent were now sitting on a couch.

Excellent.

"Back." I placed the cups in front of them. Ryan stared at his cup as if it was going to sprout wings.

"You know he can't drink it, right?" Brent inquired. Ryan looked at me as my face turned red. I was so intent on leaving Ryan to question Brent, I didn't think of the fact that Ryan could not have a drink. Where was my head?

"Sorry," I muttered as I took Ryan's drink. He smiled before looking down at the ground, crossing his legs. I'd say it was to get more comfortable, but I don't think ghosts felt anything. I sat on a chair and watched the two of them.

Neither of them said a word. Brent would look at me from time to time, but he mostly kept his gaze to the floor. Ryan's eyes darted around, almost as if he felt uncomfortable. I cleared my throat, urging one of them to say something.

Of course, considering my company, that could be difficult. Neither one really liked to speak unless necessary.

"So two dead people and a live one," I finally said. They both looked at me. "If we got some cameras in here, it would make for an interesting reality show. We could even get tons of viewers in if we had a love triangle going on."

"Um, no," Brent stated. Ryan looked over at him, then at me. "I thought it was like, really dangerous for people to be here."

"Your brother and Spencer were here," I stated, hoping to steer this conversation in the right direction. Ryan looked down at the floor while Brent rolled his eyes.

"Because like idiots, they decided to follow me. I didn't ask them to, and I definitely did not want them to. I'm glad Blake believed me when I told him it was haunted," he explained.

"Spencer didn't look like he believed you," I said, grinning. Ryan looked at me. "Right? Hey, maybe he'll come investigating! That'll be cool, right, Ryan?"

"No. Can we talk about something else?" he asked.

"But... you can ask Brent about him! Right? That'll be cool." I scratched my ear. Brent looked at Ryan. Ryan furrowed his eyebrows.

"No, it won't," he growled. "I don't want to talk about it, especially with Brent! Brendon, you ass! Is that why you've been weird? Because you wanted me to talk with him about Spencer? Did you think that maybe I didn't want to? You're a prick, and you should've asked me about it!"

Ryan stood up, taking a swipe at his cup. It flew across the room, spilling soda everywhere as he stormed out of the room. Brent stared at me.

"Not cool," he said. "I don't know what just happened, but you obviously made a bad move. Ryan's probably right; you're a prick."

He got up and followed after Ryan.

"Well why the hell are you angry!?" I inquired, standing up. Brent turned around, glaring. I winced, because shit, that was an intense look.

"I know!" he said, a mocking hint to his voice. "Let's bring up a shitty experience and then continue talking about it, even when someone pleads for you not to! Whatever happened, it's not cool. He's right, you should've asked him. That's just... never mind. You won't get it."

He turned back and walked up the stairs. A door slammed shut a moment later, and I could only guess that Brent and Ryan were now discussing various ways to get back at me.

Whatever, I was just trying to help.