#gothvince

“Lydia, would you mind if I tagged along with you to school today? I wanted to spend some time in the library,” Jade said softly from her place on the couch.

The ghost had been brought into the household after being murdered in her home and asking repeatedly to leave. It turned out no one really liked to be stuck inside for weeks on end, much less facing down eternity alone. Sure, she could have gone to the Netherworld, but after breaking into her home less than a day after her death, Lydia had informed her that moving on tended to be permanent. And there was so much left to do! Like, get horrifying revenge on those who wronged you!

“Sure, just don’t murder any of the other teachers.” She paused for a moment. “The gym teacher counts as a teacher.”

“I’m not going to kill anyone, I just want to do some reading and see how my class is being handled without me,” she explained. Jade didn’t notice the demon coming up behind her, who proceeded to pick her up off the couch and into a standing position beside him. He tossed his arm around her while she glared at him.

“I’m coming too!”

“Why?”

“Can’t terrorize anyone if everyone is somewhere else. Besides, your teacher here needs to be taught how to haunt!” Beetlejuice grabbed Jade’s face, squishing it. “She lacks any and all ability to be intimidating.”

“I am scary!” Jade protested although it lost any effect when her voice was so altered by the way he had squished it. “I committed arson!”

“Babes, you told me that story. You were drunk and sixteen, and the tree was in your backyard.” He let go of her face and ruffled her hair when she stuck her tongue out at him. All seemed forgiven when he planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek, and she leaned on him, her hand taking his, fingers knitted together.

Lydia watched the two of them the same way any teenager watched two affectionate adults, a healthy mix of complete disgust and affection. “Uh yeah, you two can come, just don’t get me in trouble.”

“Come on Lyds, when have I ever been trouble?”

“You have killed multiple people.”

He shrugged it off. “Murder isn’t that bad.”

“Just… Behave Beetlejuice! And you too Jade! I know he’s a bad influence.”

School was school. Boring, cement, with lighting that no human being should exist in. Jade was excited though, her fingers fluttering and she was hovering slightly while Beetlejuice walked the halls. Being here brought some of her life back. 

Beetlejuice peaked into a classroom. “Hey babes, isn’t that the math teacher who was a jerk to you?” He looked over at her, wiggling his eyebrows. “You wanna have some fun?”

“We promised Lydia to not get her in trouble.”

“She doesn’t even have them as a teacher,” Beetlejuice pointed out, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Come on babes, it doesn’t even need to be lethal.”

Jade floated up to kiss him on the tip of the nose, utterly delighting in the small streak of pink that appeared in the mass of green that made up his hair. “Fine, a small amount of chaos. Then I want to go to the library like I said.”

Beetlejuice, never one for small gestures, dipped her and planted a kiss on her lips. “You’re the best babes.”

It was never actually a small amount of chaos. Beetlejuice was unsurprisingly wrong, and Lydia’s fifth-period class was math. Mr. Parks looked like he was near breakdown, and all of the desks were on the ceiling, and Lydia certainly didn’t miss the two ghosts giggling in the corner.

“Hey Lyds!” Beetlejuice had his arm around Jade, who was giggling softly while she focused on keeping the desks in place.

Lydia, who was pretty determined to have her math teacher not think she was crazy, glared at the two ghosts.

Jade cringed away from her glare, and waved her hand. The desks crashed down around Lydia. There was a ring around her, as if none wanted to hit her. One did land on Mr. Parks’ foot though.

Lydia sat at a nearby desk. “You two are terrible,” she mumbled.

“But, you gotta admit, you love us,” Beetlejuice said, pinching her cheek.

“In my defense someone told me you didn’t have math,” Jade said, nudging Beetlejuice’s arm.

“Yeah. I don’t pay attention to anything”

“We’ll get out of your hair kid,” Jade said. “Library, maybe?”