The day was more than finished, the light drizzle in the suburbs increased in tempo transforming into a massive rain.

Andrew was in his pyjama and Sophia also took some pyjamas from him and wore them, they were rather big but that was for the best. He entered his bed... and so did she.

The boy's eyebrows twitched but when he saw Sophia cutely clutching onto the bedsheet and looking at the ceiling. He couldn't possibly throw her away from the bed.

'Hey, Andrew…'

"What is it…?"

'Thank you for helping me with Sasha. If you hadn't done that weird thing with your flames… that monster would have probably erased me... like it was doing to Sasha'.

"It was nothing. I don't even know how I did it".

'Do you think this is related to your capacity to see ghosts? like a superpower?'.

"Most likely, even if it sounds fiction-like and unreal".

'Remember that you're currently talking to a ghost'.

"I guess that makes sense..."

There was silence once again; Andrew turned around with his back towards her and prepared to sleep, but he couldn't... she was a ghost but she was still a girl... sleeping in the same bed. If anything he didn't even know if Sophia could sleep. He thought about Pickle and all of the spirits that had once entered any of his lodgings. They all ended the same.

"Sophia…"

'Hmn?'

"If you ever feel like you want to move on or something… tell me beforehand".

'Move on? y-you mean the afterlife? how does that work…'

"I don't know… but a lot of my pets have moved on without saying anything... so I hope you'd at least tell me before you disappear".

'They're animals, how would they be able to tell you?~'

"I… don't know. I think I can understand them… so long as they're ghosts".

'Another one of your weird powers. Don't worry, the moment I feel like something is not right, I will tell you'.

"Okay".

'S-So you also tell me if you feel anything...' Sophia said words that confused him, he turned around to see that she had her back facing towards him.

A lightning strike fell down yet none of the two was shaken.

"Anything like what?"

'Just anything… good night'.

'... Good night, Sophia'.

**

**

The next day received Andrew with astonishing news straight from his phone. A message from his uncle.

'The campus' directive has contacted me as your representative to tell me that school will be suspended for a month due to some unprecedented damage that happened on the premises. They also told me that they found your bag that had your wallet and your identification... what is going on, Andrew...? are you involved in this somehow?'

!!!

"Unprecedented damage... could it be?"

'That creature... it must have done it when it fled from your flames... it was so dark when I fled that I didn't notice anything, I flew out through the first window I saw!'

The boy scratched his head, this was a tricky one.

'I don't know what happened uncle, I left with my friends and forgot my backpack but hoped to retrieve it the next day'.

'With your friends, are you sure?'

'Are you doubting me, uncle?'

'Not at all. You can go and pick up your backpack from the campus but there won't be any activity for a month due to the reconstruction procedures instead I'm arranging for you to be homeschooled for that period. You can't afford to waste time'.

'I understand...' Andrew sighed, no resting at all.

'I shall be landing with your aunty in new york tomorrow so we will pay you a visit to discuss this whole deal regarding this girl Sophia Jones and the other one, Sasha. I hope you know that whatever expenses are required shall be discounted from your inheritance'.

Merely hearing that his aunty was going to be present, Andrew felt an incoming headache.

'There is no problem with that uncle. Sophia's father, the chief of the Manhunt Buffet is willing to take the case in my stead free of charge. It is his daughter after all'.

'That's interesting... then I hope to have a meeting with Leon Jones and Harrow Euston very soon. It is better if we reach a private understanding instead of engaging in a legal battle straight to the higher court against the Belles. With your name on this. It will affect Archonte's stocks and we don't want that'.

'I understand, sorry...'

'Why would you even get involved in this, Andrew? that is not like you...'

'Sorry, it was an impulse...'

After a few minutes of passive scolding, in which he was told that he shouldn't have meddled in things that weren't his concern. Christian Mayers finally stopped texting and Andrew slumped back on the bed. Finally, take a glance at the sun outside and the wet streets of New York visible from the top of the penthouse.

'Your uncle is quite strict... but I guess it can't be blamed on him. This was not your business... this is something you involved yourself in for my sake. I'm sorry about it, Andrew' Sophia landed by his side, still in her pyjamas.

"There is nothing to be sorry about at this stage. I have no class today, what should I do" Andrew was already feeling uncomfortable. An unplanned change in his schedule was never a pleasant experience. He knew he'd have to do something from seven in the morning to five o'clock afternoon before heading Downtown for his part-time job. A lot of precious yet purposeless free hours.

'You don't have to attend the campus for a whole month, so... how about going to the gym?' Sophia suggested a notion that was immediately discarded.

"No way... I'm going to the library to study. That's i-" Andrew's plan was simple, but a ghostly hand gripped his wrist tightly.

'No, Andrew... you're going to the gym... I saw there is a good gym in this facility, it was empty yesterday evening and I think it is still empty now... there are not that many people living in this mansion anyway'.

The ghost started to lead him to the changing room where he was supposed to have at least some decent workout clothes. It was foolish of her to assume such.

"I hate the gym, Sophia!"

'I can tell...' She said with twitching eyebrows, deciding to pick a common shirt and some shorts, there was nothing particularly sporty like hoodies or anything. All he had were some decent casual clothes and many spares of uniforms.

'That's why you're chubby like this! it is your sedentary bookworm lifestyle! you have so much potential and yet it is all wasted, you're coming with me Andrew, whether you like it or not. Five hours of work out and then we will fly to pick up your stuff from school'.

"Five hours!? do you want to kill me!?"

'I'll prepare your diet as well...five hours workout and tuna salad three times a day. You will be ripped in no time'.

"W-With mayo?"

'No mayo, Andrew...'

"My life is over... you're the most stubborn ghost I have ever come across!"

'Thank you~'

**

**

"I can't believe you convinced me" Andrew stepped foot on the gym for the first time in his life. It even felt odd and nerve-wracking. Like a fish stepping out of the sea to arrive in a desert.

Nevertheless, when he arrived the first thing Andrew noticed was that the gym wasn't empty. It wasn't an extended facility, barely thirty cubic metres with two stories. Cardio machines at the bottom and weights at the top.

There was a single lady which he recognised immediately, in fact... he had to gulp so hard when he saw what she was wearing. The woman was wearing leggings and a top that barely reached her navel. All curves are in the right place.

*Gulp!*

'You're drooling, Andrew' Sophia deadpanned, she had changed back into her 'dead' clothes... so she wa completely invisible to anyone else.

"I know..."

Who else could it be other than the plastic surgeon, Maya Stewart who was running on the treadmill. She saw with curiosity how someone else entered the gym.

"Andrew!" She yelled and stopped the machine with some nice enthusiasm. Like she saw an exotic creature.

"Mrs Maya..." Andrew felt awkward whenever he was close to this lady. Perhaps the only one he knew that could top Beatrice in looks... yet she was also rather easygoing and cuddly. Most of the time she minded her own business but whenever they meet she was warm and gentle.

However, he didn't know if she was warm to Andrew... or the Mayers' Heir.

'W-Who is this milf!?' Sophia's jaw almost dropped, she didn't think there were so many gorgeous beauties around Andrew on a daily basis... aside from those at school.

'W-Wait a minute, I have seen that face somewhere. Maya... Maya Stewart?! her clients are mostly actresses and models, she actually lives here?!'

"You're yelling, Sophia..."

'I know!'.

The beauty finally approached, cleaning her sweat with her whole body giggling back and forth. It was a visual struggle to focus on her face -which by the way- was as flawless as her body.

"Mrs Maya. I didn't know you worked out, I should have guessed… with that shape…" He complimented her as he usually did and the woman didn't blush, she merely giggled, since she was used to being complimented by the opposite gender, even by the same gender.

"You're going to make me blush, sweetheart. Tell me, did you lose a bet with a friend or a girl? how come you're in the gym? I thought the Mojave would be frozen before you came here~"

'*Pft!* she seems to know quite well how much of a lazy sloth you are'.

Andrew decided to think about how to punish Sophia later since punishing a ghost was quite difficult.

"Not at all… I just woke up today and there is this annoying girl that won't stop telling me to go to the gym. So, I suddenly want to get into shape. It should help me regulate my anxiety levels once I start taking care of the company, right?" He threw up some random bull crap that wasn't really a lie. Working out would at least be useful to keep a healthy mindset once he started working in an office.

Or at least that's what he told himself... in reality he was just convinced by Sophia's insistence. Moreover, her words resonated with him.

'I have potential...' words that no one had ever told him regarding his physical aspect... but that was quite valuable coming from a gorgeous girl like her.

"That's a good mindset to have~ if you want I can be your trainer, free of charge".

'...'

"... seriously? I wouldn't want to impose, Mrs Maya"

"Seriously~ in fact… you don't know because you never came, but I lead a yoga group of mummies upstairs two times a week. If you want you can join us for today's session. Now that I think about it... why aren't you at school? free day?"

'Y-Yoga classes filled with mummies... why doesn't that sound reassuring?' Sophia resisted the urge to course out loud. For her, Andrew's luck with girls was starting to be quite stubborn.

First, it was Beatrice Parker, the model. Then this bombshell who is also a plastic surgeon of models... and now a yoga club filled with mummies. It was ridiculous and yet. Sophia failed to include herself in this equation.

"Something happened at school so I'll be homeschooled for the next month".

"That's wonderful! it means you can attend our sessions!".

'I-It isn't wonderful...'

"Don't worry Andrew, all of those ladies are quite old-fashioned and cute... they won't have an issue with you being there" Maya patted his shoulder to 'reassure him' that he would be accepted into the group and Andrew accepted even if reluctantly.

As for Sophia, she was sighing in relief thinking that he'd be doing yoga with some old-fashioned grandmas. It all made sense now.

"I would like to, Mrs Maya!"

"That's the attitude! You can just call me Maya or Miss Maya, sweetheart… I'm not that old and also, I'm single~"

'This woman! stop sending so many goddamn signals! you're worse than a referee in a rigged match!'

"You're just jealous, Sophia... that's all".

!!!

'YOU WISH!'