scar-crossed lovers ➶-͙˚ ༘✶ wally clark

The hallways of Split River High School were as crowded as they had been forty years ago, though smartphones and the lack of leg warmers marked the passage of time. Daniella White, a spirit bound to these familiar corridors, observed it all, decades of remaining unseen. Yet, there was one person who always made her feel seen, feel heard.

“Danny!” Wally exclaimed from the end of the hallway, his voice a familiar comfort. She turned, a smile blooming as butterflies stirred within her. Wally Clark, her best friend since childhood, jogged closer, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Have you heard about the new girl?” he asked, his excitement palpable. Daniella’s smile faltered slightly. “New girl?” she murmured, shaking her head. Wally rambled on about the recently deceased spirit, Maddie, who had no memory of her own death. “That’s fucking insane,” Daniella exclaimed, a familiar unease settling in.

They made their way to the gymnasium, where the Afterlife Support Group was about to begin. The air was thick with the usual blend of sadness and morbid curiosity that accompanied a new arrival. Inside, Wally picked up a basketball, dribbling it idly, while Daniella settled into her usual chair beside his, their proximity a decades-old habit. When Mr. Martin began, all eyes turned to the nervous blonde girl who introduced herself as Maddie. The group chorused a greeting, but soon, Rhonda’s blunt question cut through the air: “How’d you die?” Maddie's answer, however, was unlike any they had heard before.