WEDNESDAY

The trio went over to Dana’s Diner after school. Penny was very excited to tell them something but completely refused to tell them what it was.

“Ok spill!” Roxanne said, laughing with anticipation.

“OK ok. So my brother’s coming home!” she practically squealed.

“You have a brother?” Lucas and Roxanne almost said in sync.

“Well, yah!” Penny said, exasperated.

“What's his name?” 

“Do you have a picture?” Roxanne asked skeptically.

“Of course I do!” she said, pulling up a photo of herself and some guy.

Lucas recognized him as one of the football players for the school.  He was tall. Blond hair, same brown eyes as Penny. Kind of what you'd expect for a football player in highschool. 

“That's your brother?” Roxanne asked in shock, grabbing the phone out of her hands for a closer inspection.

“Yes!” Penny said. laughing.

“Naw!” Roxanne laughed as well, handing the phone back. “He’s cute,” she said giggling.

Penny rolled her eyes.

“Where's he been?” Lucas asked.

“Oh, he's been visiting my grandparents for the last couple of weeks.”

The other two nodded, satisfied with the answer. 

They sat laughing for a while talking about school and just regular things. as there was a lull in the conversation Penny spoke up.

“I want to tell him.” 

The two understood instantly and a grim air seemed to soak in. 

“A-are you sure?” Roxanne asked, looking around to be sure no one was around listening. 

“Yah. We've always been close,” she said quietly.

“If you're sure,” Lucas said. “But you need to be sure. He might think we are crazy. I don’t need more people thinking I'm crazy,” Lucas added darkly.

“He’ll believe. But how do we tell him?” she said. 

They talked about it for a bit. It kind of ended up being decided that they'd go to the diner after they'd all met up. So it was not their first time meeting. But then basically. They'd just say all that happened. They just hoped it would work.

Thursday came and went then Friday. And then Saturday.

SATURDAY

Mark,Penny's brother, got in on Saturday. That evening they were going out to meet at the diner. Roxanne and Lucas got there first. The two others arriving next. Lucas felt awkward. He was social to a point. He never felt like he was good at meeting people. For the longest time it was just Jasper, Roxanne and himself. He barely remembered Penny joining; they kind of skipped the meeting part. 

Mark seemed nice enough though. It was nice to meet someone new. Like normal teenager stuff. It was a little awkward when he asked how they met. They kind of ducked the question saying it just kind of happened. Lucas wondered if he’d heard the rumors from school. If he heard he did a great job of not mentioning it at all. But it was most likely he had not as he had been gone for the last few weeks. They were going to stay longer but the sun began to get a little too low for their liking. Mark seemed kind of confused about their urgency to get home before the sun set but he did not argue with it.

The ride back home was nice. Penny and Lucas sat up front. He had been growing closer and closer to Penny. She had a very fine, bright personality. Lucas found it comforting on a level he did not even understand. He sat enjoying listening to the others talk. Roxanne was trying to explain some book plot to Mark, who was having a hard time tracking and had to keep backing up. But it was nice. It was real. Normal things. 

SUNDAY

Sunday was nice. They did not hang out as Mark had been out of town for some time. Lucas used the time to study. Monday was coming soon and with it exams. 

MONDAY

Monday brought with it the first exams. Lucas felt pretty confident in them. The group hung out at the diner afterwards.

TUESDAY

That Tuesday Penny and Lucas went and saw a movie with both Roxanne and Mark dipping out at the last minute. Lucas was nervous but it was nice. Penny and him went to Dana's Diner afterwards just the two of them. 

They were both eating and laughing. Lucas felt so comfortable.

“Lucas.” 

“Yah.”

“I-I like you,” Penny said, giving him the shyest smile he had ever seen on her face.

“Eh,” was all he responded with, choking on his drink. 

“Lucas! Are you ok!?” Penny asked,

“Yha- Yah, I’m fine,” he said coughing, finally regaining his composure. “Penny, I, I like you too,” he said, feeling his ears turn red.

Penny only smiled as she blushed. 

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday went by quickly as there were more tests.

THURSDAY

Thursday was the same. Penny and Lucas went out to study together.

FRIDAY 

Friday was utter chaos. It was the final day of school. It was the day at school where some people were crying in the hallways, others just cheering. Lucas’ group all did pretty well. 

“Finally over!” Penny said, tossing her backpack in her car. 

“You’re telling me. I don’t care if they say everything in the online class as the normal one. I swear they missed stuff,” Mark said with a laugh. He had kept up with school while being gone through the school's digital course. 

The group went out to celebrate. They all laughed and talked.

It was nice. 

“Lucas,” Penny whispered in his ear.

“What?” he whispered back. 

“I want to tell him,” she said, grabbing his arm.

“What now?” he said, trying to keep his voice quiet.

Roxanne and Mark had noticed.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

“I want to tell Mark,” Penny said, looking at Roxanne.

“Now!?” she whispered sharply.

“That's what I said!?”

“Tell me what? You guys know I'm right here?” he said, trying to laugh but stopped upon seeing the expressions of the others.

“What is it, Penny?”

“Mark. I mean… You heard about Jasper.” 

Both Roxanne and Lucas winced.

Mark nodded, “Yah, mom told me about him. She said it was a bear or something.”

“Well, yeah well. He was friends with Roxanne and Lucas,” Penny began.

“What! Oh guys I had no idea. I'm really sorry,” he began.

“Yah, I'M sorry but that's not the point. What she’s trying to tell you is it wasn’t a bear that.. erm, did it,” Lucas said, looking at the table.

Mark's eyes went almost comically wide. “What do you mean, are you telling me.. You guys?” he began and then stopped.

“Mark, the heck! NO, of course not,” Penny said half glaring.

“No… It was something, Mark, I don't know how to describe how it looked,” Penny faltered.

“Mark, a demon killed him and then it came after the three of us and then…” Lucas began but felt he couldn't continue because of the lump in his throat.

“It went for Lucas,” Roxanne said.

“A-A demon? Come on, guys, this is a joke,” he said, looking around waiting for one of them to laugh.

“I wish it were. We have not seen it recently, but I just thought we should tell you,” Penny said, shrugging weakly.

“A demon?” He said skeptically.

“Sort of. I don’t know what it is. But it's not a bear. And it laughs,” Lucas said, biting his lip. He had avoided talking about the monster or even thinking about it. Anything that reminded him of it. He had moved his book shelf in front of his window. He had not told his friends about that, he had noticed how they somehow seemed to be able to fully move on from it. He still couldn't sleep even when things were going normal. 

He was brought back to reality by Penny speaking, “I know it sounds crazy, but Mark, it's true. I mean it really is.”

Mark looked from person to person. Settling on Lucas, “Come on man. What's the punchline?” he said. 

“I swear.”

“And you're saying.. It came after you?” he said, raising an eyebrow. He obviously doubted them.

“Yah, I am,” Lucas said, annoyed. “I know it's hard to believe. But I-I.. It's true,"he said.

“And… Um. You don't just… think,” Mark said but stopped. Apparently he could not find a good way to voice his thoughts.

“I don't just think I saw it? You think I'm crazy?” Lucas said, glaring at him.

“Mark. It's true. It's not just Lucas who saw it. We all did,”Penny said, also glaring.

“Uh hu..” 

The rest of the evening seemed ruined. They went home soon after. They dropped Lucas off first.

 Once it was just Mark, Penny, and Roxanne in the car Mark spoke up, “Are you guys kidding?” he asked, looking around. “I mean. You're just letting him see what he thinks he did right?” he said, nodding in the direction of Lucas' place.

“What?” Penny asked, glancing at him angrily.

“I mean. You guys didn't really see it?” he said, looking to Roxanne for support.

“What do you mean?” she said, giving him a glare.

“Look guys, I like Lucas. And I can see you do too, Penny. But I mean. Mom told me,” he stopped, apparently not sure if he should keep talking.

“Mom told you what?” Penny asked.

She almost scared Roxanne; she had never heard Penny this mad even after being full on pumped by all her friends.

“Well..” Mark said trailing off.

“What did mom tell you?” she said again angrily.

“Ok. She just said Lucas isn't always the best on sanity and to be careful. Just to watch him, SO hey, if he sees things to cope with the loss of a friend, sure but I mean. Come on. It's not real?” he said, looking from Roxanne to Penny. He seemed to be waiting for them to just sigh and give in.

“No. It's real. I saw it too.”

“AND me.”

“Uh hu. and it is erm, went after just Lucas.”

“He was out alone at night,” Roxanne said.

“Why's that?”

“Um, he fell asleep outside,” Penny said.

“UH huh. He didn't dream of getting up and going psycho?” 

Penny slammed on the brakes sending the car to a screeching stop. Mark nearly smashed his nose into the dash.

“Jeez, Penny, watch it.”

“Shut up, Mark. Lucas is not crazy, he's been through heck recently so don’t go calling him psycho.”

The rest of the car ride home was quiet and increasingly awkward. So were the next few days. Lucas didn't like how Mark kept looking at him. Made him feel like a bug under a glass. Mark could tell Lucas was annoyed with him but no one mentioned it, or the monster. But after a week passed and nothing was mentioned it was kind of just brushed under the rug. Every once in a while it was brought up in subtle ways but never outright mentioned. As annoyed as the trio was with Mark they did make him agree to the three rules.

1. Never go outside after dark.

2. Dont be alone outside of your house. 

3. And run if you hear something coming.

Slowly it went back to normal.