NO TIME TO DIE◦𝒔𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓

chapter twenty seven.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN:
GHOST OF YOU.

⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅

THE DAY BIRDIE MET Kaiya near the end of their freshman year was still fresh in Birdie's mind as she stood in front of Kaiya's daunting front door.

She didn't think she'd be going back to Kaiya's anytime soon, but that changed when she got a text from Hiro a few days later, asking if she would stop by for a little bit to help him with packing up some boxes. She wasn't sure if she was ready to go back there just yet or could handle it. . .but she felt like she needed to go. Sam and Dean were already working another case after dealing with a vampire that turned out to be a shapeshifter, but Birdie assured them she'd be fine if they went on without her again. So, Birdie left Bobby's on her motorcycle and headed back to Kaiya's. Hiro's car was already parked in the driveway when she arrived, not another car in sight which left Birdie alone as she stood in front of the house——something she was quite familiar with.

A sigh left Birdie's lips, ducking her head down as she readjusted the pencil in her hand. Her dark curls dangled around her face, keeping most of her features out of sight from her fellow classmates. Chatter filled the dimly lit room as students chatted amongst themselves, divulging in teenage gossip or catching up with their friends that they missed over the weekend. Birdie didn't pay much attention as she sat by herself in the corner of the room, simply listening and observing those around her as she worked on her assignment.

The assignment was messily scribbled on a chalkboard——draw a sketch of your worst fear!——while they had the entire class period to complete it. It was easy enough, but when Birdie heard some the other students murmur spiders, cliffs, airplanes——she realized that her fears were quite different than those of her fellow peers.

If she were to draw one of her actual fears, her teacher most likely would contact her parents as well as the school counselor and that was one of the last things she needed; it would just be another thing to make the other kids avoid her as if she had the black plague.

"——old motel by my grandparents house."

"You're joking."

"No, I'm serious!" a girl with short blonde hair and a Backstreet Boys tee whispered not so quietly. Her back was turned towards Birdie, leaning close to a dark skinned girl with black hair who was nestled beside her in an identical band shirt. The blonde twisted in her seat, stealing a glance over shoulder. Birdie lifted her head, catching the girl's eye. She couldn't read the girl's expression, but she managed to hear part of what the girl said as she leaned even closer to her friend. "It's like a warped version of Running on Empty with Ri——"

"Hey." Birdie turned her head, doing a double take when she saw a girl standing off to the side of the table she was at. Her shiny black hair was pulled back in a braid, some strands sticking out near the end as if she'd been fiddling with it throughout the day. Her brown eyes were warm and inviting, a smile adorning her lips as she gazed down at Birdie. Birdie had seen her in class and in the halls, but she never really paid much attention to her——she didn't pay attention to anyone there, really. She saw the confusion on Birdie's face, a quiet laugh bubbling out of her mouth. "Sorry to bother you, but, uh. . .can I sit with you? My seat's kinda. . ."