Chapter 65

The university campus was alive with the hum of student chatter and the rustle of late-summer leaves. Amanda walked briskly, her bag slung over one shoulder, the familiar routine of classes a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of emotions she had been navigating lately. But today, something else occupied her mind—Ghost.

It had been a week since their first real conversation, and though it had started out tense and awkward, it had ended with a tentative understanding. Ghost wasn’t the person she had imagined during those long, terrifying nights of captivity. He was complicated, wounded, and, most surprisingly, he was trying. They were siblings, linked by blood and by the secrets their mother had kept from them, and now Amanda was determined to build something out of that fractured foundation.

Amanda’s goal today was simple: she wanted to see Ghost smile. She had seen flashes of warmth in him, hints of the person he might have been if life had dealt him a different hand, and she wanted to bring that person out, even if just for a moment.

She found him where they had agreed to meet—by the old oak tree near the library. Ghost stood with his back to the tree, his eyes scanning the crowd with a careful detachment that Amanda had come to recognize as his default state. His black hoodie was pulled low over his face, a subtle barrier between him and the world.

Amanda approached him with a smile, her heart light despite the gravity of their shared history. “Hey, Ghost,” she called out softly.

Ghost looked up, his expression softening slightly when he saw her. “Hey,” he replied, his voice low but not unfriendly. He pushed his hood back, revealing the sharp lines of his face, softened just a bit by the rare ease in his posture.

Amanda stood beside him, leaning casually against the tree. “How’s your day been?” she asked, her tone light, conversational.

He shrugged. “Quiet. Just trying to keep out of trouble.”

Amanda smiled at that. “Well, that’s a good start. I was thinking… we should do something different today. Something fun.”

Ghost raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Fun? Like what?”

“I don’t know,” Amanda said, her smile widening. “Something that doesn’t involve you scaring the living daylights out of people. How about we just hang out? I can show you around campus, maybe grab something to eat.”

Ghost’s expression remained guarded, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. “You really think I can just… blend in here?”

“Why not?” Amanda replied, her voice encouraging. “You’re my brother, after all. If anyone asks, I’ll just tell them you’re here to visit. No one has to know anything more than that.”

Ghost seemed to consider this, his eyes narrowing slightly as he weighed the idea. After a moment, he nodded. “Okay. But no weird stuff. I’m not exactly used to… socializing.”

Amanda laughed, a soft, genuine sound that seemed to catch Ghost off guard. “Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you. Come on, let’s start with a quick tour.”

They began walking through the campus, Amanda pointing out various buildings, sharing stories about her classes, her friends, and the little quirks of university life. She kept the conversation light, avoiding anything too serious, and gradually, she noticed Ghost starting to relax. His shoulders weren’t as tense, and though his responses were still short, there was less of the usual edge to his voice.

When they reached the student commons, Amanda suggested they grab some coffee. Ghost agreed, though he looked a bit out of place as they entered the bustling café. Amanda ordered for them, picking up two steaming cups before leading Ghost to a quiet corner.

“Here,” she said, handing him a cup. “Try this. It’s the best coffee on campus.”

Ghost eyed the cup warily before taking a tentative sip. His expression remained neutral, but Amanda could tell he didn’t hate it.

“Not bad,” he admitted, his voice begrudging.

Amanda grinned. “Told you. So, what do you do when you’re not… you know, being mysterious and brooding?”

Ghost chuckled softly, a sound that surprised both of them. “I read a lot. Keeps me out of trouble.”

“Really?” Amanda asked, genuinely curious. “What kind of books?”

“Mostly old stuff. Classics, I guess. Dickens, Orwell, that kind of thing,” Ghost replied, his tone more animated now that they were on a safer topic.

Amanda’s eyes lit up. “I love Dickens! ‘Great Expectations’ is one of my favorites. Have you read it?”

“Yeah,” Ghost said, nodding. “Pip reminds me a bit of myself. Lost, trying to find his place in the world.”

Amanda’s heart softened at that. “I can see that. But you know, Pip eventually finds his way. He figures out who he is and what really matters.”

Ghost didn’t respond immediately, but Amanda could see the wheels turning in his mind. She decided to shift the tone, to keep things light. “Okay, serious question: have you ever tried to laugh at something totally ridiculous?”

Ghost gave her a sideways look. “I don’t really do ridiculous.”

Amanda grinned mischievously. “Oh, come on, everyone has a silly side. I bet I can make you laugh.”

Ghost shook his head, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I doubt it.”

Amanda thought for a moment, then leaned forward, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Okay, so, there’s this video… it’s of a cat trying to jump onto a windowsill, but it totally misses and ends up falling into a box. It’s so stupid, but it’s hilarious. You have to see it.”

Ghost’s lips twitched slightly. “A cat falling into a box? That’s what you think will make me laugh?”

Amanda nodded enthusiastically, pulling out her phone. “Just watch.”

She found the video and handed the phone to Ghost. He watched, his expression neutral at first, but as the cat made its clumsy leap and tumbled into the box, Amanda saw the corner of his mouth twitch again. Then, to her surprise, a soft chuckle escaped him.

“There it is!” Amanda exclaimed, her eyes bright with triumph. “I knew you had a sense of humor in there somewhere.”

Ghost handed the phone back to her, shaking his head but unable to hide the small smile that lingered on his lips. “You’re something else, Amanda.”

“I try,” she said with a grin, feeling a warmth spread through her at the sight of his smile—genuine, if brief. “It’s good to see you like this, you know. You don’t have to be so serious all the time.”

Ghost’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a more thoughtful expression. “I guess I just… forgot how to relax. How to enjoy things. It’s been a long time since I’ve had anything to smile about.”

Amanda’s heart ached at his words, but she kept her tone light. “Well, you’ve got me now. And I’m going to make sure you remember how to smile, even if I have to show you a hundred cat videos.”

Ghost chuckled again, the sound more natural this time. “I think one was enough.”

They finished their coffee, the atmosphere between them far more comfortable than it had been at the start. As they stood to leave, Amanda felt a sense of accomplishment. It wasn’t much, but it was a start—a small step toward building the connection she wanted with her brother.

As they walked back toward the library, Amanda glanced at Ghost, a playful glint in her eyes. “So, what’s next? Should I introduce you to my friends? I think they’d be thrilled to meet my mysterious brother.”

Ghost looked at her with a mix of amusement and wariness. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. One step at a time, remember?”

Amanda laughed, nodding. “Fair enough. But just so you know, I’m not giving up. You’re stuck with me now.”

Ghost didn’t respond immediately, but as they walked together, Amanda caught a glimpse of something in his eyes—something that looked a lot like hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something new, something that could heal the wounds of the past and give them both the family they had always needed.

And for the first time in a long while, Amanda felt like things might actually turn out okay.
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