The Sounds of a Ghost

She would want him to do whatever made him happy. Vic knew this well. That was what made his old girlfriend so perfect. Instead of him spoiling her every day, she spoiled him rotten. Everything he wanted to do, she let him do and she'd join him if requested it.
The dark haired boy was happy here in the house but he knew he could be happier. That's all Mike wanted for him too. Vic stood up and ran a hand through his straight hair. He would call Mike to stay with the girl in her apartment. It seemed like a good opportunity for the dark haired boy to become happier.
“Thanks, Lex.” Vic whispered before exiting room.
As long as she was gone, she'd always be there for him. She knew him better than anyone, even Mike. Vic didn't like to admit that but it was the truth. The couple had just spent so much time together, as much as they possibly could without a second thought.
It wasn't until she was gone that Vic wished he'd spent more times with his friends and family, instead of a beautiful girl. He didn't regret it a single bit if he really asked himself. A few nights on occasion, the long haired boy would wish he had a friend or two to call up and spend time with.
All Vic had was Mike though. Mike was all about changing up Vic's life way too much. He needed a step at a time, no matter how long one step took. This wasn't an easy situation to maneuver through. There were so many things he needed to do and so many things he needed to get over.
Vic just wasn't ready to accept the stunning dark haired girl was gone and never coming back. He couldn't accept she'd never be back to speak to him or dance for him. She wasn't ever going to come back to Vic, and he wasn't ready to accept that. He didn't know when he'd be able to accept that.
The boy ran a hand over the numbers on the phone. He stared at the technology before setting it down again. He lacked the minutes he needed to make a phone call, he'd have to dig out his phone call which had more minutes then he'd needed since she left him.
Vic ran up the stairs to the guest room, the room he took over as his own when she was gone. It didn't feel right to stay in the room they'd had together on his own. The first night he couldn't sleep well, the second night he puked twice, and the third night he was awake all night until his alarm went off. He slept better in the guest room away from so many memories.
Vic located his cell phone and searched through his contacts for his younger brother. He hit the green button and waited patiently to hear Mike's voice on the other end.
“Vic?” Mike was surprised at the phone call. His older brother really didn't speak much after she left. Vic had gotten quieter and quieter until he was done speaking in general.
“Yes, it's me.” Vic replied.
“I'm assuming you've thought about the apartment.” Vic confirmed he had and answered in the affirmative. “Good, you need to leave that house for a little bit. We're gonna get you a new phone too.”
“Who am I staying with?” Vic inquired.
“My friend Sophie, she's really sweet. I met her after,” Mike stopped speaking and Vic knew immediately what his brother was going to say. “She won't hit on you or anything. At half past noon she goes to work and comes back at five, I told her to take you with her a few times. She works at a mall so you can buy some new clothes or whatever, okay?”
Vic bit his bottom lip. This was becoming more than he signed up for. New clothes wasn't part of the plan. She'd picked out all his clothes so he'd look stylish but not like he was trying. He didn't want to replace his wardrobe.
“Am I scaring you?” Mike asked. In person, Mike could read the elder's face. Over the phone was much more complicated with the silent boy. “Talk to me, man.”
“I'm scared.” Vic admitted.
“Just tell Sophie if you're uncomfortable with something. She'll accommodate you. She knows a bit of your story so she's prepared to have a tough time. Don't worry, bro, she offered her apartment.” Mike awaited his brother's reply or remark. When nothing was said, the younger boy continued. “I'll pick you up at six tomorrow and drive you over to get a new phone and then I'll drop you off at Sophie's. I'll go in with you and everything, don't worry.”
Worrying was just a bit of what was going on with the elder. He was full-on panicking in his head. He was so nervous to talk to someone again. Speaking with Mike was something he still wasn't used to and now he'd be moved in with a girl he didn't know.
“Pack up a few things so you're ready when I get there tomorrow. Goodbye, Vic.” Mike didn't await a reply he knew he wasn't about to get.
The line went dead, and Vic was once again left in the solitude he'd never once asked for. One difference being he had things to do, to prepare for. He wasn't excited, he really didn't get excited anymore. He was scared more than anything to go out into an environment he hadn't frequented since her.
Vic drank from the warm cup of water he had on his bedside table before pulling out a Burberry duffel bag. She'd bought them matching ones because she absolutely adored Burberry and she insisted they both just had to have them. She had also wanted to get him a Burberry backpack for when he took walks on his own, but Vic had quickly talked her out of it.
She used to love buying him gifts from anywhere and everywhere. When Vic asked why, she would shrug and tell him that she'd thought of him when she saw it and knew he had to have it. Vic would always kiss her and tell her she needed to think of him less or else they'd need a storage house which made her insist she didn't purchase too much for the lanky boy.
Now Vic didn't purchase anything. It was a good thing she'd thought of him so much whenever she went out to shop. Everything in the house were the things she purchased, no more and no less.
Vic threw in a few band shirts he'd gotten at concerts they'd went to together. He pushed in a pair of blue and a pair of black jeans and a pair of blue cut-off jeans, black cut-off jeans, and grey cut-off jeans. He got out a few more shirts and two button-up shirts just in case. Vic got out three bow ties in case of a dress up emergency and threw in a picture of him and her together at the Vatican City in Italy. They were both so happy then. Vic missed it so much it hurt.

“Explain to me once more as to why we're going again if you've been already.” Vic said as he stared at the price of two roundtrip tickets to Italy specifically so the couple could go to the Vatican City.
The brunette stopped making them dinner to head over to the couch where Vic currently was hunched over a HP laptop. She picked up the laptop so she could settle on her boyfriend's lap. Her brown eyes read over the information before turning her head to look at the boy.
“Firstly, it's so beautiful there and I love it so much. Secondly, you need to see the real thing.” She was referring to the huge framed poster they had in their house of “The Last Judgement”. “Thirdly, I wanna go again with my boyfriend.” She pecked her boyfriend's lips lightly and clicked purchase at the same time. “There, all done.”
“You bitch!” Vic declared looking at the confirmation webpage with wide brown eyes.
“Yes, and don't you forget it.” Vic chuckled as he closed the laptop and stood up. “It'll be an amazing vacation, babe, I promise.”
Vic watched the beautiful girl he'd gotten blessed with continue on to make mashed potatoes to go with their steak. She looked content as she sang quietly to herself as she cooked. The girl absolutely loved to cook as long as Vic would clean, which he always did.
“We have to start packing so we can go on Thursday. Oh my gosh, are you gonna love it there!”
The brunette began raving about the city to Vic who tuned her out. Instead, he focused on her features and her lit up face. The girl was ecstatic just talking about the large city and all the paintings.
“This better be a fantastic vacation.” Vic teased with a slight smirk.
“Oh, trust me, it'll be absolutely amazing!”

It had been one of the best vacations. They'd stayed for about five days, enjoying the city and some local shops. Every night the two had went out to dinner and once Vic had treated his girlfriend to a show. They hadn't understood a word of it but she'd claimed it was the best play she'd ever seen.
The brown haired boy stared at his filled Burberry duffel. He hadn't even filled up the large bag yet he felt he had everything he needed. All that was left was a toothbrush and toothpaste. He never used to fill up the large bag, he always asked her why she'd bought such a big one and she'd always say he'd never know when he needed the extra space.
Vic went to the kitchen, ready for his dinner. It wouldn't be much, he never had much. When he did, it still wasn't a quality meal. He used to prepare quality meals whenever she wouldn't cook and a few times when Mike brought him groceries.
Nowadays, Vic was eating microwave meals and pasta. Sometimes it wasn't even that much because of the lack of electricity which had him eating a sandwich which Nutella and some marshmallow filling, like tonight.
It didn't bother him as much as it might bother people. From the start, he'd been okay with not eating any quality meals. She was gone along with his need of excess.
The lanky boy ate his sandwich before heading up to bed. His day was done. There was no television show he needed to watch, no chair he felt the need to occupy as he read a book in the lamp light. Vic didn't do anything anymore, he didn't feel a need to do anything.
As soon as he finished up his dinner, the boy would lay in bed until he fell asleep. Tonight wasn't any different. His alarm clock was set for six so he didn't need to worry about sleeping the day away. Not that it mattered, he sat through the day doing nothing. It was just as bad as sleeping but Vic didn't care.
She would always sleep away the day, staying in her bed until lunchtime. Vic would be eating lunch when she came down fully dressed, car keys in hand. She tell him she was going to get a slice of pizza and when she came home an hour later she always had a to-go box of whatever she'd eaten for lunch for her boyfriend.
However, she'd always complain about how she slept too much. So now that she was gone, Vic refused to sleep the day away. She hated it too much for him to be able to do it. He would wake up at six and do everything he wanted, not that he did too much.
At six, he turned off the beeping piece of technology and headed to the garden. Ever since Mike had come seven days in a row and made Vic have breakfast out there, the elder now ate his breakfast out there every morning. He had toast and coffee and fruit if Mike brought groceries. If there wasn't fruit, he fried some toast using a lighter, depending on the electricity status. If there wasn't electricity, he also didn't have coffee he just drank water.
Today his meal was water and toast fried by a lighter. It tasted as it did everyday, only making him content. The meal could be loads better, Vic knew that. He wasn't set on his ways.
He cleaned up his dishes after looking at the wilted garden for about an hour and a half. Vic went on to take a shower and then he traveled to the ballet room to think for a while. He frequented the room after she left.
The boy walked in and took a seat in the center. He crossed his black jean clad legs and searched the room with his brown eyes. Vic loved this room now as much as she did before. It felt like she was still here when he sat in the room. Every now and then it would creak, reminding him of the beautiful brunette who would dance and make the room crack.
Sometimes he liked to pretend she was still around, she was just too concentrated to talk or laugh or even look at him. He would never admit it, and honestly he was used to it, but he was very lonely. Being on your own took some getting used to when you had someone by your side permanently for over three years. Vic was very used to it, but he was still lonely. He never told anyone though so they wouldn't visit more.
Vic really didn't want any visitors. He didn't want to speak to people anymore. He hardly even talked to his own brother, even his family was out of the loop. There were no doubts in his mind though that Mike would get him over to the Fuentes' household. The younger boy always made sure to express his distaste in Vic's choices since she'd left and Vic not speaking to people was just one of many.
It didn't matter how many times Mike told Vic he hated the life Vic was leading though. After she left, Vic wanted nothing to do with the outside world. He didn't want to have to go through the pain of losing someone close to him. It was too hard, too painful. Vic didn't need that depression in his life. Once was enough, and as it was going, it would last his entire life.
He was constantly reminded of the girl he lost. Everything reminded him of her, whether it be in the house or on the car rides Mike used to force Vic on. There was always something somewhere Vic found. The beautiful girl would come alive in his mind and Vic would go crazy.
She was so special to Vic, he had loved her with everything in him. He still loved her with everything he had. He wasn't sure why she was so absolutely special to him still. She'd left him without a goodbye. That was only part of what she'd done to make her departure so terrible.
A few tears fell from Vic's brown eyes at the depressing memories becoming vivid in his mind. He blinked them back as he stood up. It was time to leave this room and it would probably be nearing two soon anyway. He needed to eat and make sure he had everything.
The lanky boy brushed away the tears as he exited the room. He still couldn't believe she was gone. The house they'd gotten together had been custom built so they could combine their dream houses. They'd picked out all the decorations.
How she could leave that was beyond Vic. He couldn't accept it. It just didn't make sense in his mind. It would always be something that he wondered about, he couldn't help it.
Vic went into the kitchen to see that it was three twenty, only about three hours until Mike came. That would be soon enough after he ate and double checked his duffel. He could sit and think for a while.
Vic needed to have his conversation topics planned out so he could speak to the girl he was to live with. It'd been a while for him. The boy didn't know the hip things to do or the newest movies. All he could talk about were the new things from when she was around. Hopefully the girl he'd be staying with wasn't a trendy girl who liked to keep up with only new things.
The brown haired boy picked up his plate and headed to the front porch, where he ate lunch. He opened the door to find a familiar red Jeep parked in front of his house. There was a brown haired boy walking towards the door who looked similar to Vic.
“Mike?”