A CREEPY GIRL THAT LIKES GHOSTS

"If she's a ghost, then why are you running from her?" asked Ryner, peering over his shoulder.

"Well, if she's not a ghost, she's going to find it weird that you're in here talking to yourself. So act normal," said Rita, hovering at his side.

"She'll find it weird that I'm in a creepy, dark place like this alone, no matter how you look at it," Ryner muttered, his eyes darting to the doorway of the old section of the school building. It smelled like dust and mold, the hallway barely lit by the dying rays of sunlight slipping through broken windows.

Footsteps echoed. The girl was coming.

As she approached, her long black hair dragged across her shoulders like smoke. Her skin was pale, almost gray in the dim light. Dark circles surrounded her wide, unblinking eyes. She didn't blink as she got closer.

"Wait... you're Ryner, aren't you?" she asked, her voice low and oddly calm.

"Yes, I am," Ryner replied, obviously uncomfortable. He instinctively took a step back, his eyes flicking nervously to her goth-like attire and expressionless face.

"Yep. She's definitely scary," said Rita in a singsong voice.

"Can you guys test to see if she's alive or not?" Ryner whispered. "I can see ghosts, so I can't tell."

"Who are you talking to?" the girl asked suddenly. She was now inches away from his face.

Startled, Ryner jolted backward. "N-No one! I mean… we're alone here," he said, scratching the back of his head and giving her a nervous smile.

Rita and Thomas, another ghost friend of Ryner's, hovered closer. "Alright, let's check her out," said Thomas.

They reached for her—and their hands passed straight through her.

"It's okay, Ryner," said Rita, trying not to laugh. "She's human. But the look on your face was so priceless."

"She's human. That's… good," Ryner mumbled with relief, trying to steady his breathing.

"Anyways, I didn't catch your name," he said, awkwardly.

"My name is Shimoya. I thought you knew that since we've been in the same class since junior high," she said.

"Oh, so you're in my class?" Ryner blinked. "Sorry, I don't really remember you…"

Shimoya tilted her head slightly, smiling in a way that felt more unsettling than friendly.

"So, Ryner, what are you doing in the old section of the building at this time of day?" she asked, clearly expecting a satisfying answer.

What excuse am I going to tell her? Ryner thought, beginning to sweat.

"Tell her you hang out here in your free time because you like dark and gloomy places," Thomas whispered into his ear.

"Well… I like to be alone," Ryner said slowly. "I enjoy how quiet, dark, and gloomy this place is."

"Oh, so you like dark and gloomy places… just like me," said Shimoya, and a strange smile crept across her lips.

"Well… yeah, you could say that," Ryner said, scratching his head again. He wanted to run, but something about her stare kept him frozen.

Shimoya stepped closer. "Earlier today, on my way to school, I saw you talking to yourself," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "But it seemed like you were answering and responding to someone else. But you were walking alone."

Was this girl stalking me this morning? Ryner thought, creeped out.

Shimoya wasn't finished. "Even during the exam, you seemed… annoyed. You shouted and disrupted the whole class. After that, I saw you responding to someone—like they were giving you the answers to all the questions. You kept saying, 'Yes,' 'Okay,' 'Sounds about right,' 'So that's how you work that out'… like you were having a full-blown conversation with someone invisible."

Yeah… she was definitely watching me, Ryner thought, his chest tightening. She probably thinks I'm crazy.

Shimoya's eyes didn't leave his face. "So tell me… are you some kind of psychic? Can you talk to ghosts? Or… do you just have a screw loose?"

Ryner chuckled nervously. "I don't follow. You must be imagining things. I just talk to myself sometimes—it helps me relax. Especially during exams."

"Oh, I see," said Shimoya. "So you do have screws loose."

Ryner opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Welp. I must be on my way now. Classes will start soon," he said quickly, grabbing the folded letter from the ground and stuffing it into his jacket. He walked past her, careful not to make eye contact again.

"Let's go," he muttered to Rita.

Rita floated alongside him. "That was intense. Did she really see all that?"

"I don't know. But she's seriously weird," Ryner whispered.

Behind them, Shimoya stood in the hallway, her silhouette half-swallowed by the shadows. Her smile lingered.

"I know you're here," she said quietly, her gaze still fixed where Ryner had stood. "There are two of you… aren't there?"

Thomas froze mid-air. "Wait. No way. Can she see us?"

"She's bluffing," Rita said quickly. "She's into us. Let's get going."

"O-Okay…" Thomas floated behind her, glancing back one last time.

Shimoya's smile widened just a little as she whispered to herself, "Ryner is such a terrible liar. I wonder what he's really up to… hanging out with spirits."