The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

****13 years later****

Today is the 26th of December and Amelia turns eighteen today. Still sleeping on her bed, Tessa came to her carrying a bowl of water in her hand.

"Rise and shine birthday girl," Tessa said as she poured the water on Amelia's face. The poor girl woke up, coughing and choking at the same time. "What do you do that for?" She asked getting up from her bed and cleaning the droplets of water falling from her hair down to her face.

"It's your birthday today," Tessa said acting all innocent.

"And that's why you have to bathe me with water?" Amelia asked looking at Tessa. "What am I supposed to tell my parents if they see me with wet hair... on my birthday."

"I'm sure you'll think of something 'cos here they come." Within a few seconds, the door opened revealing Andrea and his wife with a cake in their hand.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you Amelia, happy birthday to you." Her parents sang as she smiled.

"Thanks, mom... thanks, dad." She pecked them both on their cheeks.

Laura dropped the cake on the desk beside Amelia's bed as she took a look at her eighteen-year-old daughter all fully grown with beautiful brown eyes, her curly hair falling over her shoulders and her figure was perfect, she was neither slim nor fat but in between. "Happy birthday honey. May you live a prosperous life." Laura prayed.

"Amen."

"And may you get to see a handsome young man who would sweep you off your feet," Andrea said.

Amelia looked at her dad then at her mom. "Am I suppose to say an amen to that?"

"Don't mind your father," Laura told her daughter as she stroked her hair. "What the hell happened to your hair?"

Amelia looked at Tessa who was sticking out her tongue at her.

"Just um... trying to get ready for my birthday."

"You'd better go dry up." Her mother instructed.

"And be quick some can eat the cake. I'm starving."

Everyone in the room laughed. Amelia was almost to the bathroom when she turned to face her mother.

"Mom," she called. Her voice sounded a little bit sad.

"Yes, honey."

"Has there been any call from Clarissa?"

The first day she and Clarissa met was the last day the two saw each other. Amelia was worried and she didn't understand why she would lose her friend the same day. Although she has been sending her emails, she never got any reply back for thirteen years and now it's her birthday, she thought Clarissa had gotten the mail and would visit her.

"No calls yet." Her mother said.

Amelia was very sad that on her birthday she wouldn't be with her friend. She nodded and went into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she came out and dressed up.

"Amelia, I have a surprise for you." Her father said.

Amelia wasn't in the mood for surprises but she knew her parents were trying hard to make her birthday beautiful and she didn't want to ruin it.

"What's that?" She asked.

"We'll be going out to celebrate your birthday." Her father said as her mother clapped.

Amelia didn't feel excited as they wanted her to and that was because she has never gone out ever since the incident that happened a year ago. "What?" She asked.

"Only if you promise the incident that happened last year won't repeat itself."

Amelia was lost for words. How can she make sure the incident won't happen again?

Amelia was dumbfounded although it was her birthday she was not expecting this kind of gift.

Amelia knew the incident definitely will happen again but if her parents want her to lie and say it wouldn't, she just had to tell them what they needed to hear. "I guess it won't." She replied.

"Good." Her father said. "Now let's eat some cake," Andrea said as Laura cut the cake into slices.

After enjoying eating the cake, Laura and Andrea went downstairs leaving Amelia alone so they could get dressed.

"What incident happened last year that you didn't tell me about?" Tessa asked folding her arms. "When did you start keeping things from me?" She added.

Amelia looked at her. "It's not something I can say, Tess. It's horrible." She replied with a sad look.

"I've seen and heard worse. Come on, tell me." Tessa said.

Amelia came closer to her and sat on the bed. "Last year on my seventeenth birthday, my parents took me out on a family date, I got to meet some of my uncles, aunts, cousins but then something happened." "What's that?" Tessa asked. "Stop keeping me in suspense girl."

Amelia took a deep breath.

****Flashback****

Sitting with her family and hearing them converse was kind of fun although Amelia didn't lose people because they told her parents to take her to a psychiatrist to check on her mental health. "Does your daughter still talk about ghosts?" Her aunt Gabriella asked as they all laughed. Amelia turned to look at her parents and she could see they were forcing their smiles.

"Not anymore. She's a grown-up lady now and I'm sure she's done with those things." Her father said staring at her. "Right Amelia?" He asked.

Amelia was eating and when her father asked her that question, she almost choked on her food. She turned and gave a slight smile and nodded.

"That's good because no one would want to marry a crazy woman who talks about seeing ghosts." Her uncle Justice said as everyone laughed again.

"If she ever talks about ghosts, bring her to me... I'll treat her." Her cousin Mirabel said as Amelia glared at her.

The discussion went on and on, everyone mocked her and called her all kinds of names, Amelia had to eat her food with a pain in her heart, if only she could just get out of this place and never return.

She was eating her food when she noticed a ghost coming to meet them at their table. The ghost was very angry and he was even good-looking at all, he had bloodstains all over his body and Amelia couldn't help but feel scared. This is the first time she's seeing such kind of a ghost and he wasn't looking friendly at all.

The ghost walked up to her while she kept moving away from him with her chair, everyone in that area saw her and burst into laughter.

"Maybe she's seeing more ghosts." Her cousin Mirabel said.

Amelia didn't bother about what people said about her, she was more bothered about what the ghost would do to her.

"It's you, isn't it?" The ghost said. "I've waited so long for this day." He moved closer to Amelia and strangled her neck. Amelia was holding the ghost's hand everyone who saw it couldn't see anything but Amelia holding thin air.

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"Amelia, will you stop this madness?" Her father yelled.

Amelia felt she was going to die at this stage. She didn't know what to do. She grabbed a plate of food and threw it at the ghost but unfortunately, the ghost disappeared. Amelia coughed and kept breathing in and out.

"Amelia, look at what you've done." Her mother said. Amelia looked and she saw that the plate of food she poured at the ghost poured on her aunt Gabriella. "Apologize right this minute!!." Her mother demanded. It was the first time in forever her mother ever raised her voice at her.

"I'm so sorry aunt Gabbie," Amelia said as she tried to get the food from her aunt's body but Gabriella slapped her.

"I can see you're crazy," Gabriella said as she looked at Andre and Laura. "If you know what's best for you, you'd better take this daughter of yours to the psychiatric where she can mingle with people who are as crazy as she is." Aunt Gabbie got up and so did the rest of the family leaving Andre, Laura, and Amelia.

"From now on, you're not allowed to go anywhere... Who knows what menace you'll cause." Andre said in anger.

Amelia stood there and tried her best not to cry. She turned and everyone was afraid of her, some were making bad comments about her. ****Reality****

"That's why you never go out," Tessa said.

Amelia nodded. "I'll just bring disgrace to myself and my family," Amelia replied as she got prepared. "If Charlotte was there, I'm sure she'd believe me and she wouldn't call me crazy but I haven't heard from her. To be honest, I'm scared." Tessa hugged her from behind. "You are special Amelia and until when you see that and accept it, that's when you'll be able to live your life peacefully."

"But how? I'm already labeled as the crazy girl who needs to see a psychiatrist, how am I supposed to accept the fact that I'm special when no one will see me as one?"

"In due time Amelia, you'll understand." Tessa helped to make Amelia up and after she was done, she complimented Amelia's look. "You look beautiful." Amelia smiled.

"Amy, are you done yet? We are about to leave." Laura yelled.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"Coming mom." She carried everything she needed. "Thanks, Tessa."

Tessa waved at her. "Just make sure to have fun, OK?"

Amelia nodded. She left to join her parents.