"Dammit, Sanders! FUCK YOU!" I yelled in my head set, hearing Matts cackle on the other end. He had challenged me to a game of COD, and of course after being egged on and being called a weakling, I accepted the challenge.
He of course having more expierence than me, wasn't taking any mercy on my poor lack of gaming skills.
"Come on, princess, you said you knew what to do. Do I recall someone saying she had four brothers who she could whip their ass at this game?" Matt taunted me, making me laugh.
"Yeah, but that was before I put my foot in my mouth and took the challenge of going against you, you big hulking freak of a man!" I yelled again.
"I'm hurt!" He faked a gasp.
I could just pictre him, holding a hand over his chest as he faked a sob.
"Suck it up, playboy. Next round." I demanded.
This time, I got the hang of the game. I could pick up on stuff easily, but this shit...I didn't get any good until the fifth time of playing it. Matt was just crazy good. It didn't register to me that Jimmy had just walked into the room, an amused look on his face as he watched me shoot around aimlessly on the game. It wasn't until I heard his laughter behind me that I decided to call it quits.
"You win, Shadows, maybe next time." I said into my headset as I looked up at Jimmy.
"Ah, come on you girl!" Matt laughed, "Alright, Meadow. Catch you sometime later kid, tell Jimmy I said hey."
"Will do. Later hon." I said.
I disconnected the game, shutting everything off and tossing my headset to the side, "Hiyah, handsome." I said once I got up from the floor.
"You know the neighbors can hear you down the street right?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
"Ah, they've heard worse." I muttered, scrunching my nose up.
He chuckled, kissing my nose softly. "Get dressed, we're going out." He said, swatting my backside.
"Where we going?" I asked, frowning at him as I rubbed my hand over where he just slapped me.
"Zacky called, said he wanted us over for a cook out, grab sun screen, a bathing suit, and....those flowery thingies you put around your neck."
"A lay?" I asked, arching a brow at him.
He cackled, nodding his head, "Yeah, those thingies."
"Jim, we don't have any of those." I smirked, seeing him laugh more as he thought about the word.
"I'm gonna go pack." I muttered as I shook my head.

I ran up the stairs to our bedroom, grabbing my beach bag and started filling it. I stuffed two large, beach towels in that took up most of the room, but managed to get his swim trunks and my suit in, and a bottle of sun screen.
"What are you doing!? We gotta goooo!" I heard his screams from the hallway, rolling my eyes.
"Would you be patient!" I yelled back.
"I'll stop once you get your tight little ass down here, dammit!" He screamed.
His groans of annoyance were loud enough for me to hear as he started to stomp his feet around, "You're like a fucking baby, would you stop?" I said as I stood at the bottom of the stairs after getting everything we needed.
"I'm good now." He chimed, grinning at me widely.
"You're lucky I just don't keep you home." I muttered, lugging the bag by my side.
"Pfft, you love having me around. I keep you young." He said, swivelling his head as he took the bag from my hands. I looked at him, giving him a sarcastic look before grabbing the keys to the new truck that waited for us outside.
"This thing is so gorgeous, how'd I get it again?" I asked, chuckling to myself.
I loved to boast about the thing. After the accident, I got a large settlement that was enough to put down a payment for my house, and to buy this big, blue, beautiful Chevy truck. Duel cab. Four doors. Oh I was in heaven. I climbed into the drivers seat, Jimmy climbing in on the passenger side, tossing the bag into the back. "I like it because I can move my legs." He said, wiggling around in his seat. I laughed, shaking my head. I started the truck up and pulled out of the driveway, setting off to Zackys place. Surprisingly, his place wasn't as far away from mine as I thought. Of course it doesn't really help when I've found a new stress reliever. Speed. Going fast was like a new drug to me. And since I've never done more than your occasional blunt, it was addictive to say the least. Jimmy didn't seem to mind, seeing as he stuck his head out of the over head window, screaming wildly as we past several old folk and children.
"I AM THE FUCKIN' KNIFE MASTER, YOU PEASANTS!" he screamed, laughing wickedly as we stopped at a stop light.
This man knew no filter did he? I could feel my cheeks burn, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him to climb back into the cab. He was having too much fun, so I wasn't about to ruin it.

After about fifteen more minutes of fast driving and Jimmy throwing invisible ninja stars at passerbys, we finally made it to Zacky's home. It was nice. Nicer than what I could afford that was for sure. I killed the engine, yanking Jimmy out of the sun roof before getting out like any normal person would. I grabbed our bag, ready to walk to the front door, but then I was suddenly stopped by a Zacky rushing out of his house to greet us. "Bout fucking time you two got here, c'mon, foods cooking and the beers flowing." He said, taking my bag from my grasp. Jimmy came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, "Well that was unexpected." He murmured in my ear. "Well, after having you around for this long, that shit comes natrually now I guess." I joked.
We walked into the house, greeted once again, but not by a person, but by Zacky's enoumous monster of a dog, Majesty. "Jesus, is that a horse?" I croak out as the giant mutt jumped on me. Don't get me wrong, I love animals. But Baby was much more smaller than this beast. I almost didn't recognize the little black puff of fur at my feet until I heard a gently whimper. I crouch down and smile, "Well you're more my type now, handsome." I cooed, scooping the little bundle into my arms.
"Don't spoil him now." Zacky warned playfully as he handed Jimmy a beer. "Before I forget, the girls are here. Even uh...Leana..." He muttered.
Jimmy nearly choked on his beer, spitting most of it out on the floor, "Why the fuck is she here? She doesn't know anything does she?" He quickly asked. I felt my chest tighten, but tried distracting myself by putting my face in Ichabods soft fur.
"She doesn't know about anything, she's just stuck around after you...died...She's like family, just as much as Val and 'Chelle..." Zacky defended, taking a swig of his beer.
"Well isn't this just fucking perfect. I can't go out there. She's going to see me and everything is just gonna blow up." Jimmy silently fumed, running his hand through his hair.
"Use your glamour." I said, my voice void of emotion. "Or you could very well go out there and explain stuff. Excuse me won't you, I'm gonna go get some cigarettes..." I excused myself, setting Ichabod down before heading towards the front door. "Meadow." I heard Jimmy call after me. I only looked back for a moment, but a moment too long as I crashed into someone.
"Ah, Meadow, come on. I know I kicked your ass, but do you-wait, are you alright?" I looked up to see Matt, a concerned look on his face as he put whatever he had in his hands down. "Yeah, just um. I needed to go get some cigarettes. That's all." I said, trying to cover up the evident hurt in my eyes.
"Hey, whatever it is, you know we're here." He said, trying to soothe me.
"Leana's here..And I don't know what to do.." I whispered.
The expression on his face was that of realization, "Ah..well.." He cleared his throat awkwardly, running his hand down his face. "Come on. You're here with Jimbo, I'm sure Leana isn't going to really do anything."
"She's going to see her dead boyfriend alive and with another woman...I'm the other woman!" I almost screeched, making Matt wince.
"Yeah..." He muttered, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, "Come on anyway, we're all here to have fun. We'll just explain to Leana..And Val and Michelle...and Lacey.." He went on as he walked me back over to Jimmy and Zacky.
"Meadow.." Jimmy said, wincing as he caught the hurt on my face.
"Jimmy, it's fine...I've dealt with stuff far worse than this. Let's just get drunk..have some fun.."
"AND PLAY STRIP POKER! Who's up for a match against the champ!" Brian bellowed, doing what I assumed was a little jig but resembled that of a toddler walking around while intoxicated.
"....I worry about you sometimes, Bri..." I said, causing the guys to crack up.
Brian flipped me off, making me smile despite the guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know what to think as we made it to the back porch where everyone else was. Val, Michelle, Lacey, and Leana were all at one corner of the picnic table, laughing, drinking margaritas. The usual things girlfriends do. Course, I've never really had much luck with making friends with same sex people. I've never really wanted to. As I walked out behind Zacky, Gena, his wife looked up at me, "Is this Meadow?" She asked, causing the other women to look up at me. Talk about hearing a needle hitting the floor. It was like time stood still as they all stared at me. Leana seemed rather confused, up until she saw Jimmy walk out.
"What...What the fuck is this shit?!" Leana's voice screeched.
Jimmy looked at me before turning his head to Leana, "H-hi.." He muttered, trying to smile at her but to no avail.
Leana was losing her mind. Who could actually blame her? Her boyfriend, dead boyfriend, was not standing in front of her and the only thing he could say was 'Hi.' To be honest, I'd be a little mad as well. She stood up from her chair and began to walk over to the both of us. I grabbed his hand, ready for the onsault of curse words and hitting. I felt scared, but not only for myself, but for Jimmy as well.
"How?" Leana whispered, looking at me then to Jimmy, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Meadow...Helped me.." Jimmy said, looking down at his feet.
"How long have you been around?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"...About a month." He said, chewing on his bottom lip.
"A month..and you. You don't bother to pick of a phone?" She asked, her voice cracking.
Jimmy looked up, frowning at her, "Pick up a phone? Do you know how unrealistic that sounds? 'Hey, Leana, yeah, this is Jimmy. You know, your dead boyfriend. Well guess what I'm back now.' Imagine how that conversation would have played out." He said.
I watched as Leana shook her head. I still didn't know what to do as I stood beside him, my knees were about to give out, I just knew it. I felt like a homewrecker, stupid as it sounds, but I did. I wasn't part of these peoples lives. I was just someone who brought back a man that brought light to their lives, but now, here I was, squashing out a light for someone else.
"What about her? What does she have to do with anything? Are you sleeping with her?" Leana asked, turning her glare to me. I visibly shrunk away.
"Don't do that to her, okay? She's been my friend for this entire thing. It took a lot for her to come to the guys. You don't know how hard that is." Jimmy defened.
"I know how hard it was to watch them bury you, Jimmy!" She yelled.
I couldn't take it anymore! I pushed Jimmy back and stepped in front of Leana, "I'm sorry." I said, taking a hold of her shoulders. "He came to me as a spirit for help. See, that's what I do. I help the dead pass their messages on to their loved ones. If he had said anything about you, I can tell you now that I would have come to you with his message. I am sorry that it came out like this." I said, seeing the hate and anger in her eyes slowly subside.
"But I need you to know, Jimmy, isn't Jimmy anymore. Well, he is, but...He's still a spirit..." I tried to explain. "He's here to be a guardian of some sort..I don't know.. I can't explain it. Just please, find it in your heart to understand what I'm saying to you now." I pleaded, gripping her shoulders firmly.
Leana blinked at me a few times before biting her lower lip. "You're insane." She muttered before belting me in the face with her fist. I felt to the ground in a heap. "And you're just...A fake!" She screamed, obviously at Jimmy. I don't recall much after that, except the guys crowding around me as I drifted in and out of conciousness.

Notes

not much of an update. But hey! It's something! Don't hate me...