"C-cupcake?"

"The first time I saw you were at the bakery, I think the cupcake is quite a befitting name, don’t you think? Let’s fasten up the pace now, shall we?" he said increasing the speed and pulling her along with him. Lilly found skating to be fun, that was only until there was someone to pull her. Finding her friend and Cole laughing at something, she smiled. They looked cute together, like a couple of idiots now as they caught people’s attention but not caring about it.

"You didn’t reply to my message," Ace said, letting her hand go. It took her few seconds to realize what he was talking about.

"You used my cell without permission and it a goodnight message. Isn’t that like an ending statement in textual language?"

"Hmm, I wasn’t aware of it. Are you going to sue me?" he asked humor laced in his voice.

"No but you could just ask for it," she said reaching the edge of the sidelines again like a tortoise finding corners in the room.

"I don’t like asking and instead do what I feel like," he said with a serious look, "How long have you been friends with Gwen?" he hunched his back along with her.

"Since we were little I think. We stay nearby. The first day of school, we happened to be sitting next to each other and we became best friends. She’s a good person," he hummed in response, "What about you guys?"

"I was once fighting a group of people when I Cole," he said casually. Fighting? Was he in a gang? , "So do you have a boyfriend?"

"No, you?"

"I do have boyfriends," he had a crooked smile and then continued, "In the past, yes. One..." he trailed getting a little lost at the thought.

"I see. I think it’s time to go there and remind them that the time is up," Lilly pointed in Gwen and Cole’s direction. It wasn’t a surprise that Ace skated effortlessly like a pro, reaching where they were while Lilly took a good one minute. When they handed back their skates, she caught Ace having an irritated look on his face as he spoke to Cole. There seemed to have a little disagreement going between them.

"Everything alright?" She asked once they were out.

"Just a little misunderstanding and brawl. We will have to leave, I hope it is fine?" he asked.

"Yes of course," she said seeing Cole talk to Gwen as he asked her to text him once they reached home before leaving with a cheeky smile.

As Lilly had received a message from Rose asking her to come home urgently. Apparently, a murder had taken place in the block and Rose wanted her to cut short her slumber nights. Before the last day of her parent’s returns, at night, Lilly had only taken a shower when she saw her phone vibrate. Wondering if it was from Gwen, she swiped the screen to see that it wasn’t Gwen but Ace.

What are you doing? read the message. Typing in her reply she hit enter that she was doing nothing in particular and her phone vibrated again. Good. Meet me at the haunted house.

Now? She stared at the screen of her phone for several minutes before deciding to be brave and type an okay. Biting her lip, she locked her room door and changed her clothes. Hoping Rose wouldn’t be visiting her room at this hour, she took the chance and jumped out of the balcony. Half running and half walking, she reached the eerie house. As previously, the gate was open and she stepped inside looking to see if Ace was around. Once she was inside the house, she called,

"Ace?" but there was no reply which made her a little worried.

"Lilly," he then answered, who stood at the top of the stairs. He waited for her at the door and when she reached, she found him raising his hand up to her face, taking one piece of her wet hair between his fingers, "You forgot to dry your hair properly. You’ll catch a cold."

"Mm, I just took a shower," she heard him hum.

"I want to show you something, follow me," he said walking up the stairs further and she followed him, leading her to an open space like a terrace, "Look up," when she did, she greeted by the vast star-filled night which looked beautiful.

"It’s pretty," she commented awed, "We have a lot of trees where I live and it’s-" she stopped mid-sentence when she saw a cloth move back and forth behind them at a distance. Pulling Ace’s sleeve, she whispered, "There’s something moving behind us," but unlike her, he sat there calmly. The next thing he told her, made her blood run cold.

"Of course it will, we are in a haunted house remember."

"H-haunted?" she stuttered looking at him and then the cloth which had vanished into thin air.

"Ah-huh," his reply was casual as though he was used to it but she wasn’t! Even though her parents were demons they weren’t ghosts. Slowly her hand caught hold of his shirt and she tugged to gain his attention. She didn’t even know why she came here especially when she had heard from Gwen that the place was haunted. She was a thoughtless idiot, she scolded herself.

"I don’t think we should be here," she continued to whisper now they weren’t alone in the house.

"Don’t worry, its fine. There are two types of spirits in this world. One that is good and the other that means harm. Spirits come searching for isolated places to lock themselves in solitary confinement and the ones here are harmless."

"And how do you know that? Did you speak to the ghosts here?" she questioned him to see him nod.

"I did. Would you like to meet one of them?" he asked pulling her hand in the process as he got up and dusting his back with another hand.

"I don’t think I have written it in my bucket list that I would like to meet a ghost," he took her back inside and then to one of the rooms in the first floor. The room was eerily quiet as the rest of the house. Filled with nothing but dust and webs which Lilly made sure to avoid as they stepped in. Staying alert, she wondered what object was going to move as she had seen in the movies. Minutes passed by and she saw nothing. Ready to ask Ace what they were looking for, she opened her mouth before closing it shut when she caught sight of a lightly smoky, translucent person. It was a woman who wore a long flowing gown, her hair cascading down her shoulder.

At first, Lilly felt the ghost hadn’t noticed them, but as the woman passed by them, she gave a look towards her and then left the space.

"She doesn’t speak much," Ace stated once the ghost disappeared into another room.

Lilly looked gobsmacked. She saw a ghost. She met a ghost. Oh dear lord, she thought as a chill passed through her body. Gathering her wits she asked curiously, "How do you know about this place?"

"Cole and I have been coming here for a year and a half now. It’s become a second home," she saw him lean forward to look at a photo frame that laid on the desk before standing straight, "Why did you come here? It is hard to understand that you would step inside especially when the whole town knows the house is haunted."

"Gwen’s curiosity dragged me here," Lilly confessed with a smile making him nod.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked when a dog outside howled loudly.

"Yeah. I think I should leave before my family finds my bed empty and report me missing," she joked, following him out of the house, "By the way you don’t have to drop me," she gave him a heads up. She didn’t want him seeing her climb the tree to get into her room.

"Wasn’t going to even if you asked," his lips curled up one side.

"Why? Are you a vampire? Scared that someone might spot you?"

"What if I am?" he asked, taking an intimidating step towards her.

"I’m not scared of you," his pitch black eyes was sucking her into it.

"You should be," he leaned forward as he said it. Gone was the playfulness to be replaced by a serious tone in his voice, "I am a full grown man past your age, things could happen which you won’t like," he warned. When she continued to look at him, his eyes softened and surprising her, he placed his palm on her cheek.

"Let’s meet again sometime. Careful on your way home. Goodnight, Lillian" he wished moving his hand back to his side, not waiting for her response he got back inside the house.

"Goodnight, Ace," Lilly said softly looking at his back which looked lonely for some reason and she headed back home.

The night had been strange but it felt wonderful. She pulled the blanket up until only her eyes and the first half of her face could be seen. That night her thoughts were filled with Ace. He was someone who spoke less, keeping him to himself and speaking only when spoken to.

She couldn’t help wondering why she found him to be lonely before leaving the haunted house. Was it her imagination? Maybe she was reading too much into it.