Generation 2-Chapter 9: Falling in Love

A strange fog loomed around the outskirts of the house as I approached. What have you gotten yourself into Candy Tea? I could almost feel the negative energy pulsing throughout the property as I lifted my hand to ring the doorbell. My hand was shaking and I hoped that my new employer wouldn't notice. You see, for the past few months I had been interning at Ghosts 'R' Us but this was my first solo gig as a Ghost Hunter-In-Training.

To my surprise, the door was opened by a beautiful and familiar face.

"OMB Candy! I didn't know you did this for a living!"

"Hi BarbieQ. I didn't know you were still in town."

"Yeah sugah! I teach the little ones ballet at the dance studio down the road. You know, "Sugarplums", but enough about silly ole' me! Can you get rid of these dreadful ghosts!?"

"I'll do my best!"

The hand-held ghost detector I used sensed 4 entities in the house but as I closed my eyes and listened, I could almost feel their presence in the home and I sensed a 5th, angry ghost.

I spotted a young ghost as it appeared on the porch and I raised my ghost ridder machine up but with BarbieQ watching, my nerves were getting the best of me and I almost lost the ghost before it was captured. But to my relief, and BarbieQ's, the ghost was eventually trapped in a crystal container which I placed in my pocket. I was about to enter the house when a second and third ghost appeared on the porch. BarbieQ ran into the house screaming and closed the door.

With her gone, I aimed and quickly evaporated the next two into identical crystal containers. 3 down, two more to go. At least that's what my gut was telling me. The ghost counter was still claiming only 1 more ghost was on the property.

I found the 4th ghost in the attic and as I added his crystal container to my collection I heard a high pitched shriek and saw a black shape come at me. I quickly dove out of the way and as I did so I felt an evil, powerful entity shift by me and then leave. Although I was relieved as I stood up and dusted myself off, I had a strange sensation that I would be crossing paths with this powerful entity again.

I arrived home to smell something delicious wafting from the kitchen. I soon found the source and as I set down to a piece of Mom's famous bubbleberry cobbler. I was joined by Blood Orange who was already working on a piece of the cobbler.

"Hi Blood Orange! What in the world are you doing here?"

"I'm...uh...I'm well, I was invited over." He was avoiding my gaze.

"By whom?"

"Um....I'd rather not talk about it." He gobbled down more pie and looked like a kid stuck with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Well fine then, don't tell me. How's your brother doing? We are supposed to go to the movies tomorrow afternoon but I haven't got to see him since the party."

"He's well. He has been talking my ear off lately. About you."

I felt my face burn. He ate his last piece of pie and quickly put it into the dishwasher. "Well it was good seeing you Candy, I better be headed out"

"Wait a minute! You never told me who you came to see!"

At that moment Honeydew came walking into the house, home from work, grinning and humming to herself. She spotted me sitting at the table and then Blood Orange and her eyes became as big as saucers.

"Hi Honeydew. Bye Honeydew" said Blood Orange as he hurried out the door.

"Hi. Bye." I noted a hint of disappointment in her voice. Had he been here to see Honey? No. He couldn't have been here to see Honey, she isn't interested in him. In fact, I thought she pretty much had made it clear that she couldn't stand him at work. 
 
"Hi sis! You're home early" she said to me.

She sat down beside me and began asking me about work and then Juniper and before I knew it, it was time to head to bed. Oh well, I guess I'll just ask her about the whole Blood Orange thing later I thought as I headed to bed.

Needless to say I woke up extra early, got ready so fast that I ended up having to wait around antsy before it was time to go meet Juniper at the movie theater. He was waiting for me when I got there. We stood there awkwardly for a moment before he looked up at me with those eyes.

"I was thinking we could see a rom-com if you'd like"

"I'm more of a suspense girl actually"

He laughed which made the flutterbies in my stomach start up and went to go by the tickets.

The movie was pretty good, what I watched of it. I was all too aware that I was sitting next to the man that I had had a crush on for a very long time. I was a little disappointed after the movie ended, that he hadn't even bothered to reach for my hand or even put his arm around me. I guess he really wants to take his slowly, snails pace slowly.

We chatted and flirted a little a bit when all of a sudden he broke out into a huge grin.

"Candy, look behind you"

"Oh my. Well that explains a lot. I thought my sister had sad your brother was a macho-man jerk if I remember correctly."

Juniper moved in closer and laughed "More like big ole teddy bear...Just like his brother."

"Oh really, how very interesting" I said with a raised eyebrow.

He put his arms around me and said "Candy, I'd really like it if we could spend some more time together tomorrow. Maybe meet at the park beside your house?"

"Sure" I said a bit surprised, "I'd love that."

"Great, I'll meet you tomorrow after lunch."
With that he gave me a huge hug. I was half afraid he'd feel my heart pounding but also a little disappointed. I had kind of been expecting a kiss. A kiss that I had been thinking about for almost two years!

When I got home, I saw that Honeydew's light was on in her bedroom. I walked into the room and saw this.

"Oh my!" the sound of my voice startled to two lovebirds.

I quickly back out of the doorway and snickered to myself as I went to my room. Well I guess I know who he was here to see last night.

I was sitting on my bed reading a book when I heard the front door close and a light knock on my bedroom door.

"Sis?" 

"Come in Honeydew"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not telling you about Blood Orange soon. We weren't really sure at first where things were going between us but Candy, we are in love and I think we are going to move in together. So I thought it'd be only fair to tell you first beings you walked in on us."

"My goodness...has everyone in this family hooked up with someone but me?"

"Candy!" Honeydew said with an amused smile on her face, "You just went on your first date with Juniper! Give it time. I'm a lot older than you and Bubbles is just...well that's a different situation."

"Yeah, I know I just was hoping to get a kiss tonight."

"Just be patient sis, you have a lot on your plate with work, college and dating someone. Let things develop naturally."

With that she left the room and I heard her talking to Mom and Dad in the living room. Mom and Dad were happy for her. I guess they were used to their children leaving at this point.


The next day, after my morning classes, I went home and ate a quick lunch before I met Juniper at the park.

"Hello beautiful girl! I thought we might take a walk around town today and then maybe head towards the beach. I have a favorite spot I'd like to take you."

"Sounds perfect! It's such a pretty day."

We walked about town, stopping in at the bookstore to browse, fishing at the park for a little while. Talking the whole time and holding hands as we walked. We saw a few familiar faces, a few disapproving ones, but there seemed to be a repeating theme about town....

There was a lot of love in the air.

As we made our way towards the beach, it was getting close to sunset. Juniper decided to challenge me to a race towards the north end of the beach and I was a little peeved when he took off way ahead of me.

When I finally caught up with him he was standing in a beautiful little bay area that I had never noticed before.

"This is my favorite spot" he said.

"Its absolutely beautiful!" 

"You're absolutely beautiful Candy Tea."

He moved in closer. I felt the flutterbies kick up full speed in my belly. "Th-Thank you Juniper. That's so sweet of you to say."

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this."

"Do what?" before I even knew what was happening he leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back.

When he pulled away, I felt almost dizzy. He smiled at me and I smiled back at him. The only thing I could think was...

 

I can't wait to do that again! So I did. 

When he finally walked me home that night, I felt as though my feet were floating. He kissed me good night and I walked inside knowing that for once, I had been absolutely right in following my heart with something. Who care's if it took so long to get here and who care's if we aren't the same age. This is the way I've always dreamt of feeling.. When I laid my head down on my pillow that night, I couldn't stop smiling....