Sitting in a car with people who were best friends felt like I walked in on a slumber party that I wasn't invited to.

The car ride to this unknown location was 3 hours long and I was dreading it. The thought of sitting on my ass for this long, hoping to God that the restless leg syndrome which was a common pregnancy symptom didn't decide to kick in at the most inconvenient time was keeping my thoughts occupied, along with hoping I didn't pee my pants before we got there.

I read it was more common to get RLS towards the end of the pregnancy, so I can't wait to look forward to that. I texted my mom about it, and she said it sucked, which only made me more excited to get closer to the third trimester.

I've kept in contact with my family back home whilst on this trip, wanting to make sure my mom's recovery was going well, feeling guilty that I wasn't there to help her.

Along with keeping up to date with Aaliyah and River and how things were going.

River was trying to get a work promotion so he and Aaliyah could move in together, and Aaliyah was trying to save up to take some sort of online college course in Photography.

I was excited for my friends and everything they were trying to accomplish. I just wish I was right by their side to help them.

Brennen and Colby were talking about something, but I couldn't focus on it since I felt my stomach turn, making me reach for the peppermint oil.

I tried the ginger recommendation, but it didn't do it the same way the oil did. I also hear the bracelets work pretty well, but it was easier to hide a little oil on the wrist, than a pregnancy bracelet.

I might as well scream COLBY I'M PREGNANT if I wore one of those.

Even if he didn't know what it was, I'm sure one of their viewers would, and we didn't need that.

"Guys! Sam and Colby kidnapped me and are taking me to a haunted place! Send help!" Brennen explained, showing Kat and I on his IG story. "They nabbed Kat and Leigh too!"

Colby laughed as Sam piped up "You are all willing participants!" and Brennen stopped the video, tagging them and adding it to his story.

"So do all of your guys' car rides to haunted places involve just filming videos for Instagram?" I asked, noticing a pattern.

Did they ever not use social media?

"We film videos a lot in general. It's nice to have memories. Here, hand me your phone Leigh" Kat said, holding out her hand.

I handed her my phone, deciding it was better to go along with things, than to question them. Kat went to my camera, taking a couple photos of Sam and Colby in the front, Brennen and I in the back before leaning in and taking a selfie of the both of us.

"It's time we bring you to the dark side" Kat said and Brennen reopened his Instagram story.

"Kat what did you just say?" Brennen asked and Kat repeated it, and then Brennen panned the camera to me. "So Leighton doesn't have ANY social media. Never has. Vote below if we should bring Leigh to the dark side! Sam, Colby, what do you think?" Brennen asked, turning the phone around so the backside was facing us.

"I think that's a bad idea now that she's in our videos and with the current situation" Sam said and I nodded, understanding what he was saying. They had told me the horror stories of people attacking their friends, and that was the last thing my pregnant ass needed was to be stressed by their little fanbase all because I was standing across from Colby or was getting too close to Sam.

For all I know I could be getting hate just for sitting next to Brennen and Kat.

It was easier to pretend they were nobodies than to think about all the online drama there could possibly be brewing.

Sam said some people even attack people he's friends because they're "protecting Katrina"

I was honestly thankful I didn't have social media these past few days. It's made it less stressful being in their videos, because whatever people said, didn't affect me

I didn't have to read it, therefore it wasn't controlling my thoughts.

"I think she should do whatever she feels comfortable with. I kind of like that she doesn't have social media" Colby put his two cents in before Brennen ended the video.

"So are you guys nervous?" Kat asked and I nodded but Brennen had this cockiness to him as he replied "I'm ready to go beat some ghosts ass with Colby!"

"I'm nervous to meet up with the medium. I don't want to like... offend her y'know?" I spoke softly and Sam nodded.

"Just tell her you're a skeptic. She loves skeptics" Sam said, and I saw we were getting near the hotel.

I rested my hands on the bloating of my stomach feeling nervous.

I was currently wearing an oversized XPLR hoodie that I got from Sam and Colby along with some comfy leggings.

I haven't been feeling the best the past couple hours, but I knew I'd be fine, I just didn't feel like dressing up for the camera.

I had some light mascara on my eyes and a pink tinted Chapstick. I had all my piercings occupied by earrings, and a few dainty rings on my fingers.

"We're meeting her there right?" I asked and Sam nodded, focusing on driving.

"She's bringing her boyfriend, so they're meeting us there" Colby said and I nodded, looking out the window.

I was starting to feel anxious now that we were getting a lot closer to our final destination. We had a three hour drive to wherever we were going, which meant every hour we had to stop so I could pee and eat. Sam told me I had to constantly eat snacks and drink water or else I wasn't allowed to come, and we were already two hours in, which meant I was currently eating my chips ahoy cookies while Colby read off some facts about Hotel Coronado. It was apparently one of the mediums favorite places to go, and none of us had been before so Colby was doing a little research before we got there.

~

"This place is so cool!" Kat spoke in awe, looking around.

"Do you know where we're meeting her?" Brennen asked and Sam pulled out his phone. "I think in the Lobby?" I watched him pull up his texts, verifying it.

"We need to find her and do our intro so we can get started" Colby said, holding their camera.

We eventually found her and her boyfriend waiting in the lobby, and Sam walked over to her. "You made it! Thought you guys got lost" She joked.

Sam and Colby talked with her a little bit before I saw everyone look at me.

"What?"

"They were telling me that you're a skeptic, so I can't wait to change your mind" She smirked and I nodded slowly, extremely intimated by the gleam in her eye.

~

"Wassup guys! It's Sam and Colby!" Colby slurred, making Sam and Kat laugh.

I laughed when Sam repeated Colby, mocking him with hand motions, before making sweater paws and covering my face to hide my smile.

Once we all stopped laughing, they continued their introduction.

"Today we are with some friends!" Sam spoke, which was our cue to jump into frame. "We have Amanda the medium, my girlfriend Katrina, our friend Brennen and our roommate Leighton!" Sam pointed to each of us, and Kat laughed, making me giggle. "What!?" Sam exclaimed, starting to laugh while looking at us.

"We brought giggle McGee with us today, I'm sorry guys" Colby chuckled, pointing his finger at Katrina which made her laugh harder. "Kat, are you okay?" Sam laughed with her, and we all found ourselves giggling and then laughing at Kat's laugh.

"I'm sorry! I was just really caught off by Colby" She chuckled, covering her smile with her perfectly manicured hand.

"WASSSSSSUP GUYYYS!" Kat spoke in a a surfer dudes voice and we all laughed as she continued to cackle.

"Alright let's try this again!" Sam spoke and we all nodded, getting out of frame, not knowing if Sam was going to keep that in or put it as a blooper.

"What's up guys, it's Sam and Colby!" Colby reintroduced, overly pronounced the beginning making us chuckle.

"What? I did it normal this time!" Colby defended as we all giggled.

"I don't know what you guys were worried about in the car. This doesn't seem so bad" Brennen laughed ,making Kat and I giggle.

We tried really hard to pull ourselves together, but we kept bouncing off each other's energy and just laughing harder at the other person.

"We've been laughing for the past 10 minutes of being here, so hopefully it'll be a good night!" Colby grinned at the camera.

"Anyway!" Sam drug out "We are here today at one of Amanda's favorite spots, Hotel Coronado in San Diego, Colby and I have never been. We are joined by a couple of our friends, Brennen, Kat, and Leighton. It is Brennen and Leigh's first haunted video and probably Brennen's last" Sam and Colby chuckled and Brennen rolled his eyes, smirking. "So please comment down below how much you love Leighton being here, so we can con her into coming more often!" Sam grinned and they all cheered and I blushed, covering my face.

"Damn, Sam's already kicking me out before I even started!" Brennen jokes, making us laugh.

"Watch them all spell my name wrong" I teased, and they all laughed.

"Your name is spelt how it sounds though?" Sam noted and I shook my head.

"People spell my name like the chip brand Lays. Or like when my brother does talk to text and says Leigh he gets pissed off because it will spell it L-e-a-h. Like to the point he stopped doing talk to text" I giggled before scanning my surroundings feeling a little creeped out.

"He could change it in his settings. I had to do that with Kat's name because it would always spell it like the animal. Just to make it known her name is spelt L-e-i-g-h-t-o-n" Sam said and I nodded, focusing back on the camera as he started to talk "We are going to share some brief history with you guys" Sam spoke and I started to zone out, placing my hands on my back and pressed in on the pain that felt like the muscles in my back were being stretched.

"There is a guy watching us, standing by the tree about 10 feet away" Amanda spoke up, startling everyone.

"Wait what? Like right now?" Sam questioned, and she nodded. I saw Sam and Colby turn to look at each other and their eyes were widened whilst Katrina covered her face with her sweatshirt.

From left to right went Brennen, Me, Kat, Amanda, Sam, Colby. Brennen made a weird face when Amanda said she saw a dead person, glancing at Kat and I and then to Colby since Sam was focused on Filming where Amanda was looking at.

"He has on dark skinny jeans, a dark t-shirt, and shoulder length hair" Amanda spoke and I muttered "Harry Styles?" to myself but I heard Kat snicker making Colby look at us.

"I think Kat had too much caffeine today. She's been giggling since dinner" Colby noted and Sam nodded, agreeing.

"Leighton made a joke! It's not my fault!" Kat defended, smacking Colby's arm.

While Kat and Colby were talking to each other, Sam and I were looking at Amanda who was intently looking towards the tree.

"Does the name Steven mean anything to anyone?" Amanda asked, causing Colby and Kat to shut up.

We all shook our heads and I noticed Sam was asking Amanda questions, but I wasn't able to focus.

A steven with shoulder length hair?

It couldn't be...

Life would be a lot easier if it was a dead fake Harry Styles...

"He says he's a relative to someone here. He's looking at Leighton and Kat. Like towards that direction. He's kind of skinnier. Kind of a stern face. He's just kind of watching." Amanda paused and looked over at me before back towards the tree "He says he's protecting Leighton. Like he gives off protective dad vibes" she said, looking back at me and my face scrunched up and Sam looked at me.

"Guys we haven't even entered the building yet and Leighton's already haunted!" Sam looked towards the Camera, and I felt everyone's eyes on me. "Maybe we really should bring her with more" he joked but I shook my head, already knowing this wasn't something I wanted to do all the time.

"He's my relative? My ex lost his grandfather last year who went by Stephen. That's all I can think of" My brow furrowed as I looked back towards the tree. I tried to imagine the description of what she had said, and I was starting to feel kind of choked up.

If it was who I thought it was, I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back my tears, so I tried really hard to pretend it wasn't happening.

You can't see dead people when looking at the air.

Ghosts aren't real.

You die and that is it.

The End.

Sam filmed us walking into the building, getting some cinematic shots before he and Colby filmed a brief history for the video. Brennen went to use the bathroom, which left us girls all huddled over in a corner, waiting patiently.

I was looking around in the building, feeling uneasy when Amanda lightly touched my arm, making me jump. "Hey Leighton? Can I ask you a personal question?" Amanda asked and I nodded, focusing on her. "Um, do you know anything about a baby?" She muttered and Kat and I's jaws dropped.

"What? Why?" I asked quickly and Amanda's face scrunched up.

I instinctively rested my hands on my bump, from the pocket of the hoodie, feeling the raise under my fingertips. I felt very nervous that if she was the real deal, she not only knew my secrets, but something was going to happen.

"The man is still with us. He's very protective and he just keeps showing me baby feet. Like footprints if you'd dipped them in ink and pressed them down on a paper, like they do for birth certificates" Amanda said and I felt my eyes tear up.

"I'm pregnant" I whispered so Colby didn't hear me. I watched surprise fill her facial features as I closed my eyes to hold back tears. "Colby is the only one who doesn't know, please don't tell him." I begged, and Amanda nodded.

"That isn't my place. I won't say anything. The guy is just pestering me about a baby. He kept saying my baby, and was looking at you. At least now I know why" She chuckled and I nodded, wiping the stray tear away.

"I mean it's my baby's great grandfather if that's my ex's grandfather" I bit my lip, wiping a tear away.

My heart was starting to race, so I took some deep breaths, knowing Sam would have my neck if I passed out again on this trip, especially after everything we've gone through.

I saw Amanda's face brighten from Sam's camera light as he quickly looked over at us, concern making itself in his eyes. "Hey what's wrong?" He asked me and I shook my head, wiping at my eyes again. Sam pointed the camera down towards the floor and gave me his full attention. "Off camera, what's up? Why are you crying? Did something happen?"

"Amanda knows about the baby. A ghost told her" I whispered and his eyes widened. Before he could ask questions, I asked if they were done filming the history part of the hotel, and he nodded, bringing his camera back up since Colby was walking over towards us, Brennen by his side.

Colby walked behind me and I put my hands in the sweater pockets, resting against what I hoped to be a significant bump, as Sam filmed Amanda who was explaining her past experiences here.

"I saw Kate Morgan last time I was here. But so far I've only seen that one guy" Amanda explained and I offered Colby a cracker and he laughed, shaking his head. "I think Sam would disown me if I took your food. He made is very known that the snack bag was yours"

"What? When did he do that? And you're not stealing, I offered" I opened the bag of goldfish for him again and he declined.

"When you went to the use the bathroom, he told us we weren't allowed to steal your snacks, and that it was doctors orders you had snacks and water at all times" he told me I tried really hard to mask my surprise, but I think a little of it slipped since I watched Coby smirk.

~

We were all sitting in a circle, the Rempod in the middle and Sam was sitting over in the corner with the speaker box and headphones. To my left was Amanda, and my right was Brennen. Kat and Brennen were acting a little spooked here and there, but they were still cracking jokes, whereas I was feeling very nervous. The idea of Stephen following me made my chest tighten, and thinking about him knowing about my little baby made my heart hurt.

He meant so much to me, and he died such a sudden death, that the idea of him being near me was making my eyes well up with tears.

Was he disappointed in me? If he was protecting me.. that showed he still cared.. right?

"Is anyone here?" Colby asked and we got no reply. We asked a couple questions, and nothing was happening until Sam went "Hello" startling us.

"Hello. What's your name?" Colby asked and Brennen and I looked at each other, shock clear on both of our faces.

I was not expecting Sam to say a damn thing, let alone for it to be so polite.

"Stephen" Sam spoke and my eyes widened. "Hi" Sam's voice bounced off the hotel room walls.

"He's standing behind Colby" Amanda said to me and I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears.

I was too distracted by all my past memories with Stephen to even process what was going on.

I didn't believe in ghosts, but how else would she know?

If she knew about Stephen, this would be a very cruel joke.

"I'm Colby, nice to meet you" Colby said and the silence was killing me.

"Did you die here?" Colby asked and I was praying to God it wasn't who I thought it was. I was so not prepared for any of this to happen, let alone for it to be someone I knew.

Going into this, I really did have low expectations. I figured nothing would happen, or they'd fake things for the camera, but they seemed dead set on proving ghosts exist, even to themselves, and it was making me incredibly nervous.

"No" Sam spoke immediately and then followed it up with "Tattoos" making all of us look at each other's arms

I held my breath, before asking "Whose tattoos?"

Colby pointed the camera at me as I subconsciously rubbed my fingers up and down my forearm that was beneath the sweatshirt.

"Silly, run, someone laughed" Sam spoke quickly and Colby made a face that read "What the fuck?"

"I hate that" Colby shuddered, and Kat nodded, everyone staying quiet.

This was the most serious I've seen Brennen all night, glancing over at him and seeing his eyes locked on Sam was only adding to my nerves.