Phoebe was sitting in her living room, staring at the TV but not really watching it. She was lost in thought, thinking about her feelings for Catherine and how she couldn't seem to shake them off. She had been feeling this way for a while now, and she didn't know how to process it.
Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. She got up to answer it, expecting it to be a neighbor or maybe a delivery person. But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see Catherine standing there with a big smile on her face.
"Hey, Phoebe! I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Catherine said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Phoebe was taken aback. "No, not at all. What are you doing here?"
"I was in the neighborhood and I thought I'd drop by and say hi," Catherine said, her eyes scanning the room behind Phoebe.
Phoebe was about to invite her in when she noticed that Catherine wasn't alone. There were people standing behind her, and as Phoebe's eyes adjusted to the light, she realized that it was a group of ghosts.
Phoebe's instincts kicked in and she reached for her proton pack. She had always been a bit of a hothead, and she wasn't sure what to make of this sudden invasion of her home.
"Who are these ghosts?" Phoebe asked, her hand on the proton pack.
But before Catherine could answer, Phoebe had already raised her proton pack and was about to lasso the ghosts.
"Wait, Phoebe!" Catherine shouted, grabbing Phoebe's arm. "Don't! They're with me!"
Phoebe was taken aback. She hadn't expected this at all. She looked at the ghosts, who were all staring at her with curious eyes.
"Who are they?" Phoebe asked, her proton pack still raised.
"They're my family," Catherine said, her eyes shining with pride. "Leylah, Evie, Athena, James, Robin, Kailea, Violet, Seraphina, Valerie, and Milli. Everyone, this is Phoebe."
Phoebe was taken aback. She hadn't expected this at all. She looked at Catherine's friends, who were all staring at her with curious eyes.
"Hi," Phoebe said, trying to sound friendly. "It's nice to meet you all."
Catherine's friends started to file in, introducing themselves and shaking Phoebe's hand. Phoebe tried to keep up, but it was a bit overwhelming.
As they all sat down in the living room, Phoebe couldn't help but feel a bit like a cornered animal. She wasn't used to being around so many people at once, and she didn't know how to react.
But as they started to talk and laugh, Phoebe began to feel more at ease. Catherine's friends were nice, and they seemed to genuinely care about each other.
As the evening wore on, Phoebe found herself relaxing and enjoying their company. She was surprised by how much she had in common with them, and she found herself laughing and joking along with them.
As the night drew to a close, Phoebe walked Catherine and her friends to the door. She was surprised by how much she had enjoyed their visit, and she found herself feeling a bit sad that they were leaving.
"Thanks for coming over," Phoebe said, smiling at Catherine's friends. "I had a great time."
"We'll have to do it again sometime," Catherine said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Phoebe nodded, feeling a sense of excitement at the prospect. She had never been one for big social gatherings, but with Catherine's friends, she felt like she might actually enjoy it.
As they said their goodbyes and Catherine's friends left, Phoebe couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. She had never expected to enjoy their visit so much, and she found herself feeling grateful to Catherine for bringing them over.
As she closed the door and turned to go back inside, Phoebe realized that she was feeling something else too. She was feeling a sense of hope, a sense that maybe she wasn't as alone as she thought she was.
And as she walked back into her living room, she saw Catherine standing there, her eyes shining with happiness.
"Thanks for tonight, Phoebe," Catherine said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it."
Phoebe smiled, feeling a sense of warmth in her chest. "I did," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I really did."
Catherine smiled back, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "I'm glad," she said. "I was hoping you'd like them."
And with that, Catherine gave Phoebe a tight hug, which Phoebe happily returned. Phoebe liked Catherine's hugs, they always gave her a sense of comfort. When they pulled away, they gave each other one last little wave and Catherine left. Phoebe didn't want to admit that she missed Catherine and that Phoebe's feelings for her has gotten stronger, and she wouldn't.
