Taylor's first idea was a perfect hit. She had already suspected at the medium’s place that Colby would surely be at the Proxley Ferris wheel.

He stood aside, near the base of the Ferris wheel, his figure barely more than a shadow against the colorful sea of lights. His posture was slumped, as if a heavy burden weighed on his shoulders. Taylor hesitated, but finally stepped forward resolutely.

"Colby!" she called out loudly, her voice trembling with concern. She didn’t care that everyone was now staring at her. She couldn’t care less at this moment.

Colby turned slowly. His eyes, usually sparkling with life and energy, were now dull. "Taylor," he said hoarsely. Then he saw Harper and Charlie. "Why are you here?"

"We just had to find you," Taylor replied, her hands nervously clasped in front of her. "We’re here to help you."

Harper and Charlie stepped closer. Harper looked down, as if she felt uncomfortable, while Charlie said softly, "Colby, we don’t want to leave you alone."

Colby shook his head and looked at the ground. "You don’t understand. You can’t help me. This... this is my punishment."

Taylor took another step closer and reached for Colby’s hand. "That’s not true. No one deserves to suffer like this. You’re not alone, Colby."

The Ghost Boy looked at her, tears welling in his eyes. Then he looked at Charlie. "I-when I was hitting you, y-your nose bled. I found that funny," he said, disgusted with himself. "Because that’s how you died. And I found that funny."

Harper bravely lifted her head, her eyes also filling with tears. "We’ve all done things we regret. It’s not about what we’ve done, but what we do with it." Everyone present knew she was probably also talking about herself.

Charlie nodded. "You were angry and hurt. We’re all angry and hurt. But we can get through this together."

Colby closed his eyes and let the tears flow freely. "I don’t know if I deserve to get through this."

Taylor squeezed his hand tighter. "You do, Colby. You’re worth it. More than anyone."

"And we can prove it to you," Charlie added. "We’ll meet at the Tau Alpha Nu house. In fifteen minutes. Promise you’ll be there?" He crossed his arms as Harper explained it to Taylor.

Colby nodded cautiously and teleported away.

"S-so, that went better than expected, didn’t it?" Harper asked, breaking the sudden silence.

"I really hope he shows up," Taylor murmured.

"He will," said Charlie.

"He says he will," Harper repeated.

“This is it,” Taylor murmured as she looked at the massive oak door in front of her. “This is where Colby spent his best years.” The last time she was here, she barely had time to think about it.

They stepped inside and were immediately greeted by the lively bustle of the young men in the house. The grand entrance hall was full of energy and life, a stark contrast to Colby’s current sad state. The walls were adorned with trophies, photos, and memorabilia from past years.

Taylor wondered why no one was here the last time. Maybe it was for the best. To her surprise, she was then nudged by Harper. “Hm?”

“Charlie and I think you should maybe do this alone. Explain it to him,” Harper said, and Charlie nodded, though only Harper could see that.

“What? Why?”

“Well, you’re Taylor. And he’s Colby. You’re Taylor and Colby.”

“Are you sure?”

Both nodded. “Looks like I trust you, Lautner,” Charlie joked, and Harper explained it to her.

Taylor thought for a long moment and then nodded resolutely. “Okay, wait here.”

So, she walked alone through the fraternity house. Young men were engaged in various activities—some playing pool, others loudly discussing the latest football game, and others just sitting together enjoying the company. Many were clearly drunk.

Taylor reached the grand staircase, where celebrations were also in full swing. And there he stood. In front of his portrait.

“You came,” she said softly into her phone, Colby was familiar with this game.

“Of course, I came. I had no idea Tau Alpha Nu still existed. When I... was following Charlie, everything was empty here.”

“Well, that was very early in the morning.” She looked at the portrait, the reason they wanted him to come to the fraternity house.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It showed Colby in a light blue shirt and white pants, relaxing with wet hair and a cigar between his fingers on the white leather seat of a yacht. He looked at the camera with a smug expression while the dark blue sea rocked behind him. The pride of Tau Alpha Nu.

Taylor wondered why no other picture was used, but somehow it reflected Colby very well. Before it was used as a portrait, someone must have even upscaled it. That’s how important he was to them.

“See that? That’s you.”

Colby just shrugged in disappointment.

Okay, Taylor needed to come up with something else. She put away her phone and cautiously tapped a guy on the shoulder.

He turned around and looked at her curiously. He had brown, slightly tousled hair, wore a casual T-shirt with the Tau Alpha Nu emblem, and worn-out jeans. His face was friendly and open.

“Hey,” Taylor began hesitantly. “Can I ask you something?”

The young man smiled. “Sure, what’s up? I’m Emmett, by the way.”

“Taylor.” She pointed to the large portrait of Colby on the wall. “Who’s the guy in the picture?”

Emmett glanced at it and nodded with an admiring smile. “That’s Colby Vance. He was a legend, man. He disappeared years ago, but you must know him. Doesn’t change the fact that he’s still like a big brother to us, looking out for us.”

Colby, standing next to Taylor and hearing everything, stared at Emmett with a mix of surprise and emotion.

“A legend?” Taylor raised an eyebrow. “Tell me more.”

Emmett leaned against the railing and began to talk. “A real TAN brother. No, the TAN brother. Colby was a guy who knew how to live life. He showed us how to have fun, but also how important it is to be there for each other.”

“Could you give me some examples?” Taylor asked. After all, Emmett needed to convince their Ghost Boy that he was a good guy.

“Well, he was known for doing anything for his brothers. Once, when everyone was about to fail a test, he snuck into the dean’s office and stole the exams. Apparently, all the members passed. But he wasn’t just a troublemaker. He also did great things. He was always there to help newcomers settle in and motivated everyone to get involved in charity work.”

“Sounds like a pretty versatile guy,” Taylor remarked.

Emmett nodded. “Definitely. Colby was the one who held the fraternity together during his time. He was a true leader.”

Colby felt moved by these words. It was strange to hear others talk about him, especially from someone he had never met before. Emmett smiled and continued, "Colby had his own rules, you know? He wasn’t just here to party and have fun, but also to make sure we did the right thing."

Taylor and Colby listened intently.

“For example, he always taught us to take responsibility,” Emmett explained. “Yeah, we often partied hard, got drunk, and hooked up with girls. But he always made it clear that it was only okay if everyone involved agreed. Consent was the most important thing to him.”

Taylor nodded approvingly and looked at Colby with pride. “That sounds like a respectful way to treat each other.”

“Exactly,” Emmett agreed. “He taught us how to party without hurting anyone. And he was always the first to step in when someone crossed the line—not with drinking, he found that funny, but with bullying and stuff. Colby was a true gentleman. I mean, unless he was the one getting wasted or hooking up with someone. He did that often, from the stories I’ve heard.”

Colby felt a mix of pride and nostalgia as he listened to Emmett speak about him. And it was really reassuring to know that his efforts to make the fraternity a safe and respectful place had not been in vain.

“He could have anyone he wanted. And he did have anyone he wanted. But he always made sure everything was consensual and respectful. He was the guy who knew how to treat a woman,” Emmett continued. “He showed us how important it is to show respect and appreciation, whether it was for a short fling or a serious relationship. Colby never tried to manipulate or deceive women. If he was just looking for a fast fuck, excuse my French, he always made that clear. And he always made it clear that we should never do shady things to impress or get women. No tricks, no manipulation. Colby was a man of honesty and decency, even though he was a total fuckboy. And he nailed everything he could get his hands on.”

A smirk spread across Colby’s face as he heard Emmett’s words. Yeah, that was him. Putting it everywhere he could.

Emmett sighed lightly. “I know his legacy isn’t perfect,” he continued, “but for us here in Tau Alpha Nu, it is. A real role model. A brother.”

“I can imagine that,” Taylor said thoughtfully. “He seems to have had a truly unique personality.”

"He showed us how to live," Emmett continued. "And he will always be a part of us. I wish I could thank him."

"Thank him? Why?"

Emmett grinned. "Look at my skin color. Before Colby's time in TAN, this fraternity would have tormented me. It's thanks to him that it’s not a racist bunch of jerks anymore. Thanks to him, I'm here. I've made friends for life."

Taylor felt her eyes grow moist. Emmett's words resonated deeply with her and apparently with Colby as well, who had closed his eyes, absorbing the memories.

"Thank you, Emmett," she said finally. "That means a lot to me—and to Colby, I'm sure. Thank you for sharing all of this."

Emmett smiled warmly. "No problem, Taylor. It was my honor. He taught us so much, and it's important that we pass it on."

Taylor nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude toward Emmett and the other brothers of the fraternity. Despite their wild stories and lifestyle, they seemed to be genuinely good guys who supported and respected each other.

"You know, Emmett, you and the others here, you must make Colby really proud. You're continuing what he started," Taylor said.

Emmett beamed. "We try our best."

Taylor turned back to the large portrait of Colby and smiled. "I'm sure he knows that." She glanced briefly at Colby and then back at Emmett. "Thanks again. Really."

"Anytime. So, what do you say?" He had a grin that was suspiciously similar to Colby's. "You and me, huh?"

The old Colby chimed in. "Not so fast, Romeo, that's my girl."

"Nice try, but I'll pass. Thanks," Taylor laughed.

"Can’t blame a guy for trying," Emmett grinned again. Wow. Taylor knew enough stories about guys who would have freaked out or gotten offended. But not the Tau Alpha Nu guys. "If you want more stories about Colby, the other boys probably have a lot to share too. But if you'll excuse me, I have a sudden craving for beer," Emmett said and then waved as he walked back to the others who were still partying loudly.

Taylor stood still for a moment, then turned to her Ghost Boy. "Colby, did you hear that?" she said quietly into her phone, her eyes still on the portrait. "You’ve impacted so many people. You're a real hero to these guys."

Colby was moved. "I didn’t know they thought of me like that. That’s… that’s incredible."

"They haven’t forgotten you. They never will," Taylor said gently. "You’re important, Colby. Not just to me, but to so many others. You’re not a monster."

"Thank you, Taylor," Colby whispered, rubbing his head thoughtfully. "But what was wrong with me?"

"Ghosts are just angrier than humans, the star medium explained to us." Taylor grinned.

"Medium? Of the stars?"

"You’ve missed quite a bit, Ghost Boy. Welcome back."