Read The Wraith Project :: Goofball

The light breeze brushed against my skin before fading away.

The park around me is bustling with people connecting with their friends and family -couples interlinked in their embrace.

And here I am.

The coldness of the bench presses against me, my body trying to adjust to its sensation. Rain falls as I take in the park.

The ice stand's shutters remain closed as a woman walks past with her dog. After years, she barges into my life again- her web of lies now dissolving.

She would initiate fights, planting seeds of doubt. Tears would trickle down her cheeks. The damage was already done. Once I realized she'd be the end of me, we broke up. Frantic calls of pleading only reminded me of our tragedy once we started dating.

I flinch violently, my body jolting forward. My heart slams against my chest, and my breath remains caught in my throat. I spin around, surprised to see Julia behind me.

"Julia! How'd you find me?" she pouts her lips, her hands resting on her bag's strap.

"figured you'd be here. It's our favorite spot."

Her hair cascades down my shoulders. Julia has to know about Caitlyn. I take a deep breath. "Julia, I need to tell you something".

Julia's eyebrows rise, and her lips curved into a smirk.

"Sure, go ahead. What's wrong?" Julia's presence beside me shines, giving me the confidence to tell her.

"Caitlyn, my ex called me." Julia shifts beside me. At first, it's just a subtle lean, but her shoulder brushes against mine. My words falter, and for a second, I lose control. Is she aware of how close she is to me? Her knee bumps into mine. She tucks a hair behind her ear, a habit I've noticed.

"She said, I left some belongings at her place. Cate wanted me to pick them up." I pause for a second, my voice trembling. "Just another lie. She wanted to talk."

My arms cross over my chest, steadying myself. My legs shift anxiously against the weight of unspoken words.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know, Jules. I'm helping everyone around me. All it does is just tear me down."

"Sometimes, I'm unsure if I'm enough."

"Stop, talking like that." her voice gentle and soothing. "You got Jenna, Nathan, and me.

The darkness within me won't leave.

The world around me becomes hazy, my legs shaking as my heartbeat slows down.

Dianes shop. The crashing sound of the metal blinds only reminds me of the accident.

"Oh yes! I love roses." Her eyes begin to sparkle, her smile only widening.

"Ethan," she nudges me, the world's appearance now clear. "Roses, yes, Roses."

"You weren't listening, were you?"

leaves and twigs lay scattered on the gravel. Some crushed underfeet, whilst the leaves shift from the breeze. Diane strides past us, her keys firmly in her hands. A car's honking breaks the silence, and Diane smiles, raising her hand to wave.

My hands shake as I grow more irritated each second.

"What do you want?" Sterness and anger coates my face. "I'm sorry for what happened." his hands rest on his neck, and his grip tightens. "I was a jerk." Diane steps forward from her stand. "Hey? What do you think you're doing?" Diane's expression, once happy, fades. "Don't you think that you're coming to my stand?" she fixes her hair. The heat rising from her body. " After the stunt you pulled."

I haven't known Diane for a while, but I know how kind and heartfelt she is.

His hands stretch out, anticipating a response from Julia, but my arm shields her.

"Don't you dare," Jenna's right. I'm afraid of my feelings, but they exist.

"I'm sorry. I'll give you some space."

My body's tension fades once he's gone.

"Aw, look at you, getting all worked up." Julia's hands pat my leg. "Goofball"

"You deserve better." Julia's gaze softens as she ruffels my hair. " Thank you, Ethan."

"You're not afraid anymore." Our eyes meet, perplexion apparent on my face.

"Oh please, when was I ever afraid of you?" Julia's eyes shifted upwards, her fingers playing with her hair.

"the day we met, you were scared shitless." I scoff, puffing my chest out, clearing my throat.

"That's why you were in the bathroom for so long."

My fingers tremble as my legs shift.

"I was cleaning myself." Her index finger presses down my chest as she gets closer. "Bull." Her gentle, soft finger hesitates before touching my nose. sending shivers down my spine.

"shit"

My heart slams against my ribcage, the last relationship left me scarred.

A soft ringtone blends in with the park's ambiance. It's Caytlin. "Hey, I um... I found your sketchbook. Ask Jenna for it." The enjoyment of drawing kept me awake. Nathan would give me advice on how to improve. Until now, my drawings aren't even close to his.

"Thanks, I guess. Bye." Julia's fingers brush against her waist, and she shivered from their touch.

Her form molds into my warm jacket as her face lights up from my warmth.

"Thanks, goofball."

"If my mom would see us, she would freak out. She's so protective." The cold around me becomes unbearable.

"I'm cold. Let's go home."

Colors lose their vibrancy and meaning. The world around us fades into the ordinary, and details become uninteresting.

"See that cute couple over there resting on the bench?" Their hands are interlinked as they take sips of their coffee. From laughing, the girl can barely contain her coffee before it spills on her white shirt.

Sometimes, I wish I had those moments in my life, but in the end, all I am is unimportant.

"Yeah, cute." Suddenly, the cold sensation of water hits me like a wave, my clothes clinging to my body, soaked with water. Tiny drops of water trickle down my fingertips. The car is already gone by now.

Without daring to care, I continue walking nonchalantly.

"Omg, we're drenched, Ethan." Julia's presence beside me gives me something indescribable. Something that terrifies me.

I am used to the loss of feelings or the loss of interest in things I used to be in love with.

"I don't care, I just wanna go home."

When we get home, the familiar scent of home immediately fills me with relief. However, this feeling is immediately shattered when I see him. A man stands next to Jenna, holding a book in his hands. He immediately focuses on us, extending his hand. "You must be Ethan. It's nice to meet you."

This content is intended for mature audiences for the following reasons.