Why… does it hurt so much?

"You should sleep." Ghost Lin snapped her eyes, lying on her side and having a staring competition with Quentin. 

"Don't tell me what to do." His reply was blunt, making her already dead expression die. "I want to look at you more, and don't turn around if that's what you're planning to do."

"Stop predicting what I will do! Gosh! You're so annoying!" she frowned, scrunching her nose as she indeed thought of turning around. "I'm not an illusion, alright?! I'm real — I don't have a body, but I am real!"

"Yes, yes. If that is what you're saying." Quentin nodded, but not even concealing that he was not convinced. If Ghost Lin had a physical body right now, she would've bitten his arms or shoulder.

"Once I wake up, you will be gone and I have to pretend we never had this conversation." He explained under his breath, blinking ever so slowly. "So, I want to stay awake for as long as I can. It's rare for you to stay even when I want you to disappear."