'You live in a place like this on your own?!' Sophia gasped, looking at the myriad lights, beautiful marble, glassed stairs, and a gorgeous three-story suite penthouse located in a bustling area. This place easily cost more than twenty-five million dollars. One of those properties multimillionaires would have for collection rather than to live in them.

'Yes, don't you?' Andrew inquired back with a little surprise. Her family is rich as well so he thought she may live in similar conditions.

'I mean... my humble adobe can't be compared with this... aside from that it is my parents and some maids living in there, it is not just me. If you live on your own, who does the cleaning?' She flew all around, checking up on every single corner and getting awed with each turn.

"I do the cleaning. Someone else comes to polish the marble, and that's it... now you stay here, I'm going to take a shower before going to sleep" The boy said offhandedly, yawning and going to his room to pick up his stuff, unaware that a ghost was looming around.

'Sure...' Sophia floated alongside him, following him to his room where she found everything tidy and perfect, he picked up his towel and headed back downstairs.

Andrew went to the living room and started playing his classic music, however... upon seeing the time, two o'clock in the morning. He instead decided just to have a quick shower since tomorrow he had part-time and it was going to be busy... it is likely that his uncle would also be present tomorrow evening or at least some representative from Archonte's legal team to assist in Sophia's case. Something else came to mind that he had to do tomorrow... though.

'I will have a date with Beatrice... a date with Beatrice' He repeated in his mind, thrilled beyond words.

Andrew removed his towel and went into the bath which started filling itself up with warm water. He put some soap and the bubbles began spreading wantonly; It was time to think deeply.

'We will be out by twelve, which means I'd probably be staying at her place... that's a problem... I will have school. I can't believe it. A date with Beatrice! a date with-'

He was mumbling inwardly and trying to recede the thoughts welling in his mind when something popped up from the periphery of his vision. Half of a head, protruding through the ceiling with pitch-black hair falling in front of his face.

"AAAAHH!!" He nearly had a heart attack when a terrifying scene from any mainstream horror movie presented itself.

"Hahahaha!~" The ghostly vixen laughed loudly with her ghastly yet melodious voice.

"Stop that! I'm going to have a goddamn heart attack!" Andrew growled, standing up even to yell back at her which only made the ghost descend from the upper room and enter into the bathroom, effectively invading his private time.

'Sorry, I couldn't help myself!'

"Wait, why are you coming here?! I'm naked!" Andrew got back into the pool of bubbles, blushing and mad. Never had his privacy been so violated... Pickle was one thing, but this... this was a crime.

'You're under the bubbles and I'm clothed... you don't see anything... I don't see anything. So stop your melodrama. Furthermore, with such a big bath it is a pity that only you get to use it, let me in too'.

She didn't ask for permission. Still in her clothes, Sophia sank into the pool of bubbles but a few seconds later her gaze contorted into one of immense disappointment.

"You can't get wet, it is a ghost principle~" Just seeing her disappointed expression, Andrew felt vindicated. There is nothing like a good warm bath, and she won't ever be able to feel that. It was vindicating... but also pitiful.

'... this sucks' She hugged her knees, downcast and depressed... sometimes being dead was nice, sometimes... not so much, 'Say... are you going to that date tomorrow?'

"I am" He answered, taking the chance to clean himself and scrub around, 'Since she's a ghost and has no shame, why would I? as long as I don't stand up, there should be no problem'.

'I see, then I'll try to not be around, just so you have some privacy'.

"That's... quite considerate of you, who would have thought" He smirked and the ghost rolled her eyes, sinking deeper into the puddle of bubbles until only the upper side of her face was visible, from her nose up.

'Oh, shut up... I can be a good girl, sometimes. Also, get some condoms, they're important'.

"Who are you, my mom? I don't think we will be doing that" Andrew stopped his scrubbing, he blushed deeply and started imagining, 'I'm supposed to be underage for those things!'

'Having a date in the girl's place during the evening... and she's an adult to top it off. What else are you going to do? karaoke?' Sophia felt irritated... she didn't know what was the reason but thought that perhaps... it was because it looked like a trap. Too good to be true and also inconsistent.

'This Beatrice is a twenty-three years old woman... why would she invite a student to her condo during the night? even if they have known each other for a while... it is just not appropriate' She thought, if she had a friend that was an adult male, inviting her under the same circumstances, she'd absolutely not go. And she wanted to tell him the same, but he looked so enthusiastic.

'We barely know each other, even if he has helped me and I want to get involved. It is not my business...' Sophia didn't want to appear meddlesome.

...

"Karaoke is a possibility... or we could play truth or dares?"

'... are you for real?'

"Listen, Sophia... Beatrice and I have known each other for a while but we have barely interacted outside of the store. I'm she doesn't think that way. We may just have a meal and then I'll be on my way, frankly... that would be good enough for me".

'Do you have pictures of her? her social media or something like that?' The more they spoke about the girl, the more curious she was... for one Andrew had Clare -who despite much she wanted to downgrade her- was no doubt one of the school belles... so she imagined this Beatrice was at least decent looking.

"I don't... actually, I haven't looked... let me see. Beatrice Parker" Andrew took his phone, careful to not dip it in the bath and started looking through the cemetery-like social media that he almost never used.

'You got something?'

"Who would have thought, she actually has Casper chat, look, this is her".

!!!

When Sophia took the phone... if she had a body then her soul would have left it. It was a casual picture of the girl taking a selfie in front of a mirror... the classic. But.

'Goodness Christ... t-those boobs don't fit in that top! w-what is that, g-cup?!' Sophia was literally biting her nails, swiping through the pictures that left her more and more astonished every time... the more curious thing was that despite how wicked the woman looked, she didn't have that many likes and the number of pictures wasn't that many either.

She didn't give off the vibe of a girl that takes a picture of herself at every instance.

'Oh my god... n-no way... are you sure this is her?!' Sophia exclaimed in disbelief, sadly finishing up the photos, so she went back to start analysing them. Compared to her, Clare was an infant, literally. Sophia didn't even know if she could compare herself to this girl.

"Yes" Andrew spoke, unsure... he hadn't expected Sophia's reaction to being this overwhelming.

'And she works at McRonards part-time?!'

"Among other things..." He declared. It wasn't looking good.

'Andrew...' Sophia's lips were shivering, she put the phone to the side and gave him the most aggrieved look, they regarded one another for a while, not saying anything.

"You think she's in for the money".

'... I don't want to make it sound that way'.

"I know and I understand you. but she doesn't know... I mean, she knows my name is Andrew Mayers but... it could be any Mayers. I have never told her about Archonte, she doesn't even know what school I am in. She only knows it is in the Bronx".

'Then let's hope for the best... you know there aren't many, but... there are girls like that. I don't even think the problem is that you're chubby or anything. I think the problem is that you're too young for her. What woman in her mid-twenties would invite an underage boy to her place late at night? Andrew'.

"Don't say anymore..." He leaned his back on the tub. Downcast as if having touched reality, sometimes despite being logical, one can be overly optimistic. Ignoring a dozen flaws for the sake of optimism isn't a wise thing to do, 'I know and yet... what should I do?'

Someone else wouldn't have any suspicions. But Andrew couldn't allow himself to fall into traps. She could be someone that knows his uncle. She could be an enemy of Archonte. She could be someone paid to keep a watch on him, she could be someone paid to harm him. Things commonfolk didn't need to worry about. He had to worry about.

'What about Clare?' Sophia tried to divert the topic. Even if she hated Clare, Sophia still thought she was a better match for Andrew. She knew his identity, the girl was from a prominent family herself... at least it wasn't a trap.

"What about Clare...?"

'Aren't the two of you going out?'

"Uh? we have never gone out... we went on a few dates and that's all. She's my friend at most... yeah she's sexy and cute, but I could never have a girlfriend like her. Furthermore, she doesn't like studying and is always copying my notes, that's a no-no".

'Really? Clare always says you're her secret boyfriend though?~ and that you're going to marry once you become of age'.

*Snort!*

Andrew couldn't believe it. Not only was she spreading nonsense... due to his own antisocial behaviour he also hadn't heard of those rumours among her friends!

"What?! That girl is talking a load of crap... we never formalized anything, she just took my money and that was it".

'She thought you get ten grand a month from your parents, right?~' Sophia giggled and leaned back on her side of the bath, much like Andrew.

"More like fifty grand a month, I barely get one grand" the boy cursed inwardly... there had been a time in which he had spent every single cent in gifts for Clare. Not anymore.

'Even then, who would have thought... Andrew Mayers, living in this luxurious mansion, the last three stories of it; a suite penthouse just for his own usage. And yet he's the one that does the cleaning, sorts out his own food and has to go do part-time in McRonards downtown to get some sparing cash... if I said this at school no one would believe it... do you know what image people have of you at school?'

"What is it?"

'They think you isolate yourself because you're so filthy rich that everyone else disgusts you. You stay overnight just so people don't see the limousine that comes to pick you up every evening, perhaps even a helicopter'.

"Who spread such fallacy?!"

'Isn't it true? no one started it, sometimes rumours form on their own due to the subject's behaviour... if I tell you that I work part-time, would you believe it?'

"Of course, I wouldn't"

With such a resolute answer Sophia could only smile and exhale deeply, 'Then you can't blame them'.

"I don't talk to anyone because those spoiled kids don't like studying and I'm not about to waste my time with them. That's all".

'Arrogant much?~ you and I could have been good friends... if only we tried to understand each other sooner'.

"A pity indeed!" Andrew smirked, took some water in his hands and splashed it towards Sophia. The girl placed her hands to cover herself instinctively, but the water phased through her.

'W-Wait, that's true, I can't get wet... hmph! fool!'

"Are you sure? didn't you imagine your clothes getting wet just now?"

'Eh?'

The girl looked to her clothes aghast to confirm that just as he said, she did see herself getting splashed by water, her clothes getting wet... she almost felt it.

Her shirt was completely soaked and tightly clutching to her bountiful chest, giving Andrew a nice view.

!!!

'Pervert!'

"As I thought. Your clothes are somehow connected to your soul or something. In order for your powers to work, the thoughts have to be quite strong... that's why you fell last time when you realised you were flying... you lost control of your thoughts".

'Shut up, you perverted bastard! you just want to ogle my body!' The aggrieved ghost phased through the bottom of the bath, disappearing from the wet room and leaving a smirking boy.

In truth, it was time for him to get out of the bath so he needed to get rid of her somehow.

"That and I wanted to ogle you, let's see if you're going to come into the bath again, ghost".