Norfolk, Virginia wasn’t known for the snow so when it snowed this January everybody was shocked. I just came back to school from winter break so all this week I am going to end up writing 2015 five hundred times. I’m a plain and simple 16 year old girl with a plain and simple american name,Lauren. I have a boyfriend his name is Connor Keefe he is the love of my life we have been together for 3 years now but Connor has a horrible temper when I tried to leave a year into our relationship due to the lack of commitment he decided that it was okay for him to hit me and slam me against the locker. I have been stuck since. I love Connor we have so much history together but I am not happy at all. My family and friends keep on telling me to leave him but they don’t understand how hard it actually is. Somebody bought the house next door and I’m excited to meet the family, the last people who lived there were old and hated kids. My mom April and my dad John were lawyers so they were never home or if they were they were always busy with some stupid case. The next morning I was walking to school when I tripped over the curb and all my books fell onto the wet dew, I looked around to make sure nobody saw me to hide the embarrassment and when I looked over to the house next door I saw a face a young beautiful restless face, a boy probably around my age. I decide to go to the new boy's house to welcome him to the neighborhood I walk up to the front porch “I should just turn back” I tell myself.

As I turn back I hear “can I help you?”

“oh hi and no I thought one of my papers flew by your house” I said

“my name is Flip what is yours?”

“Lauren” I said

Flip smiled and said “Lauren it's nice to meet you”

“Thanks I have to go to school now” I said as I walk faster than usual so I am not late once again.

7:20 the bell rings for class to begin I can’t stand this math class my teacher Mrs. Derrickson is the worst I am failing this class with an F I have stayed back with her and done everything and I can’t even get up to a 30%. Mrs. Derrickson stood from her desk and said “class we have a new student his name is Flip” I look up with shock the Flip as in the Flip from next door? Flip walks into the classroom and I can’t help but stare he is even more beautiful up close. “ Flip you can go sit by Lauren there is an open seat by her” Mrs. Derrickson says. Flip sits in the desk next to me and just stares at me I turn my head to look at him and he says “hi” and smiles that is when I realize that he is not from here his accent is very strong. But where is he from? I question Itlay? France? Spain? I finally ask him and he says Germany. “Germany?” I said “why on earth are you here in America? Germany is so beautiful” I said. “and America isn’t beautiful?” Flip said. I smiled and laughed “you’re right America is beautiful” I said. Than Mrs. Derickson started her lesson for today. As the school day was over Connor walked me home every single friday because that is when he doesn’t have basketball practice. When I got home I opened my window that is when I notice that Flip’s room and my room were right across from each other and we could see each other but I feel that there is something wrong really wrong. I look closer in his room from my window and realized that Flip was on the ground unconscious. I ran down the stairs out the door and into Flips house I try to find his room opening every single door but there is a problem all the rooms are empty there is no couch, no t.v., no dining room table nothing. Finally I find his room but he isn’t there “where is he?” I said confusingly. I turned around to leave but the door slams shut! But I was the only one in the bedroom and there wasn’t anybody outside of the door. Than Flip appears out of where right in front of me I am so scared I scream and try to run but Flip grabs my arm and throws me on to the bed I have no clue what he is going to do. He tells me to be quiet that he won’t hurt me something inside of me believes him even though I have heard this before from Connor and it was a lie, but I believed Flip. He told me that I couldn’t tell anybody ever or he will have to go away.

“Lauren listen to me I am not somebody you want to be around or talk too” Flip said

“why is your empty where are your parents Flip?” I said

“my parents are dead Lauren” Flip said

“but you’re 17 how did you buy this house?!” I said

That’s when Flip disappeared I felt like I was dreaming where did he go? Than he reappeared “I’m a ghost” said Flip I automatically start laughing “yeah right you’re a ghost” I said. He grabbed my arm and closed his eyes and said “you had cancer when you were 7 years old and almost died” “you broke your leg riding your bike when you were 10 years old” said Flip. That’s when I started believing him I mean how can’t I? I don’t even know him and he knows all the horrible things that have happened to me. “So you’re a ghost?” I said “yes” said Flip “but ghost’s can only go through walls and haunt people” I said. Flip laughs of course, “that is what people think that is a dumb stereotype, yes we can go through walls, haunt people, but we can also see people’s pasts but not their future” Flip said. “I have to go my parents are looking for me” I said, which is so false one time my parents left me at the mall and didn’t even notice for 2 hours.

That night I decided to write in my diary that my Aunt Lisa gave me for my 14th birthday it was never used until now. I started to write about Flip though I felt a different connection between him a strange and weird feeling.

Dear Diary,

It’s January 12th 2016 and my neighbor Flip is a ghost which I really shouldn’t be writing this in a diary because Flip told me not to tell anybody and if somebody gets ahold of this I am in big trouble and Flip will have to go and I don’t want him to because he is so nice and so sweet. I can’t believe he took my dumb excuse about how my papers flew to his house my papers weren’t even out in the open. Anyways every time I see Flip I get so excited and my stomach hurts like I am about to pass out. I know for a fact that he is super cute but I have a boyfriend so i need to shut this feeling down. Though when i am around Flip Connor doesn’t come across my mind. I am trying to get away from Connor but I have no idea how I’m just not happy anymore with him, maybe I’m just being crazy I don’t know.

The next morning I wake up at 4:30 am with a loud footstep in my room “flip is that you?” I said as the shadow disappears I see that it is Connor with my diary in his hand  my smile leaves instantly. “so you want to leave me?” “no” I said “really then why is it written in your diary and it seems like you have a crush on this Flip guy” Connor says. “how did you even get in here and why are you in my house” I said. I am very scared last time I tried to leave he hit me and I have been stuck and forced to be fake with everyone when I am with him. “I felt that there was something weird going on with you and Flip you guys are always hanging out and ditching me to hangout with him” Connor says “than I come into your room to give you a ring promising that I will change because I love you and want you forever but I tripped over your diary and it wasn’t locked and Flip is a ghost? you must be drunk Lauren” said Connor. I just stare at him not even worried about that stupid ring he was going to give me but about Flip’s secret. My parents aren’t home they had some case that they had to studied and figure out so they stayed at the office. “so I came back with a different present” said Connor and I see him pull out a gun from behind him my heart is racing I look at the door thinking if I should run for it or not forget it, it’s now or never I run towards the door and Connor runs and grabs me by my hair and throws me on the ground with the gun pointed at my head I start to cry and plead for him to stop this madness that he has gone crazy. He takes the gun off safety and before he pulls the trigger Flip grabs him and throws him into the wall the gun flew onto my bed and Flip is hitting Connor nonstop. “Flip stop!” I scream “you’re going to kill him!” Flip doesn’t listen but a minute after I tell him to stop he does and Connor is on the ground not breathing.

I run to Connor to try and feel a pulse but I get no response “you killed him!” “what is wrong with you?!” I said screaming at Flip. I start balling my eyes out Flip grabs me and hugs me for a long time even though Connor is dead he leaves my mind and I feel Flips warmth against my body which confuses me because he is dead himself.  “Flip what are we going to do now”  “we have to get rid of this body” said Flip I grab a sheet from the hall closet and we lift Connor up and onto the sheet I can’t even look at him his face is so deformed. Flip throws Connor over his shoulder and we go out the back door. “now what we can’t just bury him in my backyard” I said “so we will bury him in mine” said Flip. I look at flip with a are you kidding me expression. But Flip was serious he tells me that there are two shovels in the garage and for me to go get them. I grab the shovels and when I return to his backyard it starts pouring I think to myself of course it starts raining right when Flip and I are burying my ex boyfriend that was murdered by a ghost in his backyard. We start shoveling the muddy ground “it needs to be six feet deep” said Flip. Once we reach six feet we throw Connor in the ground I have no remorse for Connor he really damaged me and now I am free. Once I get out of the shower and dressed I pull out my diary.

Dear Diary,

I throw my diary out of the window this is what killed Connor I start crying but whenever I cry about Connor even before he was killed I always think he was the one who made me depressed and sad and trapped now I am free and I can be with Flip I love Flip and I know he loves me. Flip showed up in my bedroom “can’t knock?” I said “i am a ghost remember?” I laugh he sits on my bed right next to me and says I love you Lauren you know that right? I smile and said yes and I love you too and I want to be with you forever. “I have to leave” Flip said my smile leaves my face what? I said why? “I killed Connor people will find out I have to leave” “than I am coming with you” I said “you can’t I’m dead and you’re not” “oh please you act like I can’t die” I said. I got up from my bed and went to my parent’s bathroom and grabbed her medication. Flip see’s what is in my hands and makes me put it back. “people will know that you’re dead I have a potion that can kill you but people won’t know that you’re dead so you can still visit your family” said Flip. Come over tomorrow I will have it ready if that’s what you want. “okay” I said then Flip disappears. I say myself I will finally be happy Connor is gone my parent’s won’t care they are never home anyway and I will be with Flip forever. That night I wrote my parent’s a “runaway” note,

Dear Mom and Dad,

Since you guys are never home I have decided to leave and go live in a beautiful place where people love me and care about me I will always remember you guys and love you but I am 16 years old and we barely know each other I would ask you to quit your job or get less hours but let’s face it you both are selfish and all you care about is winning. So this is my goodbye to you two.

Love, Your Mistake

I think to myself that my message to my parent’s are a bit harsh but they deserve it they needed this note to snap them out of it and if they really did care about they wouldn’t be taking all the hours at least have my mom stay and my dad go study his case than they could switch its hard believing that they are top paid lawyers but yet so stupid when it comes down to their daughter. I haven’t been in school for a week but let’s look at the facts one my parents are zombies when it comes to me and two i’ll be dead in 24 hours. Plus I have no friends so no need to say goodbye to anybody and I have never met my parent’s family members I was an accident that’s what my parents told me. It’s the next day and I have already made my bed and cleaned my room, watched all my favorite movies, and threw away all my school stuff. I say goodbye to my house I have lived in for my whole  life and headed to Flip’s house. I open the front door and say “Flip are you home?” “up here in my room” says Flip I walk up the stairs and see Flip my stomach starts to turn and I am feeling sick is this a mistake? Jesus christ what am I thinking it is to late to turn back now Flip sees me and says “hurry come in here it’s ready” he smiles. He hands me the potion and says “now we can finally be together and actually hold each other and kiss” Flip says. I smile but by my face expression I am really regretting this but I know it's just my instinct saying are you crazy you’re not suppose to die now what is wrong with you? But it’s too late. I slowing take the cap off the bottle and I just freeze am I doing the right thing? forget it I toss my head back and drink the whole thing I am waiting for the pain to kick in but it doesn’t I look and see Flip “see I told you I wouldn’t hurt you” said Flip I smile and hug him even though I could hug him when I was alive this was different his hugs were so special to me I can’t describe it. I look at him and he looks at me and we lean in and kiss but then he laughs at me and says “do you really think I would kiss you?” I am so shocked what is happening then I see him turn into a different person a hideous ugly person with black scaly skin and horns on his head and a long tail I realize who it is it is Satan! “WHO ARE YOU WHAT DO YOU WANT WHERE IS FLIP?!” I demanded. “Flip is not real and I want you and your soul I told you to stay away from me but did you listen? NO. I am so scared I turn and run but he grabs me with his tail and drags me into a fiery dark hole I AM IN HELL I screamed what was I thinking. I want my mom and my dad OMG this demon killed Connor! He throws me into a pot full of boiling water and I see Connor there I try to grab him but he just keeps saying “you killed me you killed me” I am crying no I didn’t he did and I pointed at the demon who pretended to be Flip and now I am stuck in hell. I keep thinking to myself that I am here forever I am so dumb for falling in love with somebody I barely even knew and I did everything to be with him, I should have never wanted a winter love.