A Ghostly Romance

I sat in the living room on the couch, which the movers brought in earlier this morning, and stared at the blank wall. My parents left to have lunch with one of our new neighbors. They asked if I wanted to go, but I declined. It was an old couple and I didn't really feel like socializing, like always.The rooms were still empty with only boxes lying around. My mom put up a few decorations to give it a more "homey" feeling. It didn't make a difference to me. It still didn't feel like my new home.

I sighed and got off the couch, ready to make myself dinner. I went into the kitchen and pulled out a microwaveable meal. It wasn't very filling, but it stopped my stomach from growling after missing lunch. After eating, I started washing my fork and cup when my mind wandered to my first conversation with Kevin.

I shook my head. The last thing I wanted to remember was how pathetic I must have looked to him on the wet ground after missing my bus. I dried my hands on my old t-shirt. Before I went back to my position on the couch, I noticed someone on my stairs. Frozen in place, I stared the stranger down, utterly confused. I don't think it clicked to me that a random guy was in my house...alone...with me. I know I didn't feel scared or threatened and, since I just moved in, it didn't feel like my house yet. It felt as if I was the one intruding. So, I stared.

He looked like he was around my age, seventeen or eighteen. He had very pale skin and messy black hair, like he never bothered to look in the mirror. He was wearing a black jacket and a white shirt with jeans. Even though it was a considerably plain outfit, he could really pull it off. He looked...how should I say it...hot. That might have explained my staring too.

He stared back at me, with a confused look on his face. He looked behind him, as if trying to find out what I was looking at, and looked back at me, with the same bewildered look on his handsome face.

"Can you see me?" He whispered, not taking his eyes off of me. For some strange reason, he looked more confused than I did. His blue eyes seemed to look a little hopeful, but why, I'm not sure. He stared at me for a few more seconds, probably waiting for a response, and sighed softly before heading upstairs. "I shouldn't have expected anything different."

I snapped out of my daze and cautiously followed him. He didn't seem to notice and continued up the stairs, lost in his own thoughts, mumbling to himself. I kept quiet, hoping not to disturb him, even though I should probably be calling the cops or something. He walked into my bedroom and sat on the floor (my bed wasn't in yet) next to my boxes. The door was wide open, and I watched him with the utmost of curiosity. After a few moments, I finally spoke.

"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my distance. I didn't want him to freak out and attack me.

His head shot in my direction so quickly it made my head hurt just by watching. He looked behind him, just like he did on the stairs, and looked back at me, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He brought a finger to his chest. "Me?"

I nodded. "Who else would I be talking to? You're the only one in the room."

He looked around the room again and shook his head. "She can't see me. She's probably on the phone." He looked at me, though, his eyes hopeful.

I didn't know what to do. He must be crazy or something since he thinks he's invisible. I haven't checked out the neighborhood yet and for all I knew there was a mental hospital near by and this wack job happened to escape.

"I can see you," I tried again. "Black hair, blue eyes, sitting right next to my stuff." I stepped into the room, but stayed near the door. I had an urge to get closer to him. I was drawn to him and I didn't know why. He was different, that was for sure.

"You can really see me?" He looked around the room one last time before standing up.

"Of course I can. Do you think you're invisible or something?"

His mouth opened then closed. "Uh...I'm Michael," he said after a few seconds.

"I'm Danielle," I said, smiling to myself. "Everyone calls me Dani, though." I know it sounds lame, but I wasn't smiling because of him. I was smiling because I was proud of myself. I wasn't stumbling over simple words and my mind didn't blank like it usually does when meeting new people.

"That's-that's a nice name," Michael said awkwardly. "You...uh. Did you just move in?"

"Yeah," I said, taking a few steps closer to him. I was still about five feet away from him though. He took a few steps back. "What are you doing here?"

"I...I used to live here," he said, looking down at the floor a couple of times. He seemed nervous and it boosted my confidence. Here I was, talking to this really good-looking guy, and he was the one that was nervous. It should be the other way around!

"Oh. Is that how you got in?" I asked, stepping closer. He stepped back, again, and I figured he didn't want me to get closer, so I sat on the floor where I was. Michael copied me, and sat down too.

"Something like that. I lived here a long time ago." He looked at his hands and would glance at me every now and then, probably expecting me to leave the room.

"I still don't get why you're here though. You must've known someone else would've moved in. Didn't you think it would scare them that some random person is here?"

He shrugged. "No one notices me, really. Only...special people see me." He looked at me again.

"No one notices you?" I asked, getting confused. Maybe this guy really was crazy. "Do you hide out here or something?"

"I don't hide all the time. People just can't see me. Sometimes they'll hear me or get a feeling, but nothing more than that. At least...until you came along." He looked at me this time, not breaking eye contact. I started getting a little scared. I stood up.

"Um, I-" The door opened and closed from downstairs. My parents were home.

"Dani? Sweetie? Are you here?" My mom asked walking quickly up the stairs.

Michael glanced at the door then back to me. I was surprised that he wasn't running to hide or something like the freak he sounded like. A thought struck me. Was he the one in the closet earlier?

"Were you in the house before? Hiding in my closet?" I asked, walking backwards until my back hit the wall.

"Dani?" My mom asked from the door. I looked at her and then pointed to Michael.

"He-" I looked around the room. He was gone. The room was empty and I was alone. "He's gone."

"You had a friend up here?" She asked. "I heard you downstairs."

"Uh, I...he..." My mouth closed. There was no way I could explain this to my mom. She raised an eyebrow. "It's nothing."

"Are you okay?" She asked, her hand automatically checking my forehead for a high temperature.

"I'm fine, I guess," I mumbled swatting her hand from my face. "Just a little, out of it, I guess."

She seemed a little hesitant, but continued talking. "The neighbors are really nice here. Especially the elderly couple down the street. They said they had a grandson coming to visit this weekend and that maybe..."

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't pay attention to her. I nodded absently whenever it seemed necessary and kept looking at the closed closet door on the far side of the room.