Andy

I finished my homework late, and went to school early the next morning. Like... Really early. I left before the bus even showed up, and I walked to school.

A cool, grey mist surrounded me as I walked the sidewalk to school. It didn't bother me much, just as long as thunder didn't get involved, I was fine. I actually felt great, hidden in the fog.

I thought about the letter a great deal during the night, but I didn't dare utter his name, because he'd be all too eager to appear and I might go into another panic attack, and I was not mentally ready for that yet.

I could feel the square of paper in my back pocket. Folded up neatly, precise and clean, with the slightly smart-ass message from Andy inside. It saddened me, in a way, when I wondered what he might've been like when he was alive.

School was dulldrum as I entered the locker hall. Fortunately, I wasn't the only person early to school, but there also weren't a lot of people. Most of them were the go-getters, here early to give their teachers apples and be so far up their ass they could see the sun, just for good grades and a letter of recomendation when they finally graduated to college.

I hugged my arms as I walked to my locker, my backpack hanging lazily off on shoulder as I went. The hallway was cold and dim, because no one expected anyone to be here this early. I had no place else to be.

When I realized just how early I was, I got curious. I battled back and fourth in my head. Telling myself no, but I couldn't really stop myself from walking out the exit of the school, to the forest area just behind the grounds. I pulled out his letter and gripped it tightly, turning in a slow circle, certain I was alone. And I was being retarded. I needed to wait until I got home this evening before I could even think about summoning Andy from the grave. But still, here I stood, gripping his letter, an artifical artifact of his existence crunched up in my fist, lips poised, about to whisper his name to the silent air.

I don't know why I decided to do it right then, maybe because I feared being lonely for the rest of the day, and actually wanted to be friends with Andy. Or maybe I just wanted to keep tabs on him, either way, nothing stopped me from calling out his name hesitantly to the trees.

"Really?"

I spun around and sure enough, he was there. Leaning casually against a mossy tree trunk, dressed the same way he had been the day before, despite the frosty cold to the air.

He didn't shiver or rub his bare arms. He remained still and cold, watching me with his raccoon eyes. I wasn't sure what I was even going to say to him. He was watching me, waiting for me to speak, and when I didn't, he flashed a smile and shrugged away from the tree and approached me.

"Okay, so clearly you're confused. And to tell you the truth, so am I. I simply want to talk to you, and ask a simple question..."

I raised my eyebrows in fear as he approached, and said nothing. I was forcing the thought out of my head, that he had died a few days before.

"Why do you care so greatly for me? You never knew me." He raised his chin a bit, he was still smiling, to keep the conversation light, but I could see the true confusion behind his eyes.

I shrugged a little, a simple lift of my shoulders. "I was there... It just... I dunno, shocked me. Made me feel weird." I said, a cold shudder shook through my shoulders. "It's not even normal for me to be talking to you."

"I know." He paced for a bit, "Because I'm dead and all... Well just so you know, it's not because you can 'see the dead'. I can choose to make anyone see me, if I want to. It just requires a great deal of energy, and once that energy is sapped up, it's a while before I can do it again."

"So why are you wasting it on me?" I wondered in confusion, "Why not use it on your family? Say your goodbyes?"

He pressed his pale lips into a firm line and stopped pacing to look down at his feet. "Because that's the limit. See, death is subjected to all these rules, and that's one of them. I'm not allowed to be around family or friends in ghost mode, because them seeing me could throw off the whole, carefully balanced death thing."

"So... You simply cannot appear? Or you choose not to, to obey the rules?"

"I can't." He sighed, looking up at me sadly. "I would love nothing more than to say my goodbyes, and let everything be final. But life does not work that way, and there are no acceptions." He frowned.

"So..." I began, hoping for a change of subject. "Why exactly did you choose me as your afterlife companion?"

He smirked, and I could see the worst of it had passed. "Because you were there, and I was curious of you. Why you were reluctant to look away, and I assumed you were probably used to death, maybe a mortian's daughter?"

I shook my head. "Construction worker."

He pressed his lips into a thin line. "Okay... Minor slip up on my behalf. Mind explaining why you weren't weirded out at the time? Because you seem to be nothing but terrified of me now."

"Well, you weren't a ghost stalking me then," I pointed out, then I gave it some real thought. "I don't know, I guess I just wondered why it had to be you. Why it had to be anyone. I was actually pretty petrified by it." I shuddered at the memory, and still found it creepy that he was here now.

"So you were just in shock?" He sounded disappointed that it hadn't been more.

I nodded. "Not exactly what I was expecting to see, first thing after church."

"A girl of religion, I like it!" He exclaimed with a sudden burst of enthusiasm. I looked at him in confusion, waiting for him to explain himself. "I, ah, never took up religion personally. I mean, my parents were religion, but I just never identified with it." He shrugged.

"I'm going to be late for class soon..." I looked down at my watch. "Will I see you again later?"

"If you must." He shrugged. "I'll be around all day, anyways. You won't see me, but you'll be able to hear me, I'm sure. I'll see you later, kid."

And like that, he was gone.

I walked back to school, in a round about way so no one questioned why I'd been in the woods. Fortunately, no one saw me exit the trees. They were more concerned with finishing last week's late test than concerning themselves with what some minor girl in the background was doing.

Unless you were Connor, the school's journalist, then you were always paying attention and looking for people to stalk.

I entered the school and headed to History without checking my locker first. I was grateful to find that Andy wasn't such a topic of gossip today, but he was still there, in the back of everyone's minds.

When I sat down at my Biology table the hour after, the one class I did not have a partner with, I noticed my papers shuffled on the table, and I knew Andy was beside me, leeched onto me.

"How come you only follow me?" I hissed under my breath so only he could hear me.

A quiet chuckle, "You're the only person I know in this shithole, besides the teachers."

I looked forward as, on cue, Mrs. Calander stepped into the classroom, wearing a fake smile like everyone else in this place. She helped introduce a new student; a boy with slick black hair and a Ramones t-shirt.

I pretended that there wasn't a spirit seated next to me, and that worked the whole class, especially after the new boy came to take the empty seat beside me, then Andy disappeared.

"Hi." He offered me a nervous smile as he sat down next to me. I smiled back, trying to not come off as tense and stuck up. "Hi," I replied, "You just moved to Pendant, right?"

"Yeah, two days ago, as a matter of fact."

"Cool." I nodded, wanting to keep the conversation going, but Mrs. Calander called the class to order then, and everyone's attention directed towards her.

After Biology, Elizabeth joined up with me, but with the new boy by her side. "Hey Ash! This is my cousin, Mark."

I grinned at him then, Elizabeth had told me about Mark before. She just hadn't mentioned that he was moving to Utah. I felt more connected to him already, and he seemed relieved that Elizabeth knew me, too, so he had a small circle of friends.

I stepped out of their group for a moment and excused myself to the bathroom. When I got there, I made sure I was alone.

"Andy!" I hissed, and jumped a mile when I heard his laugh behind me. There he was, leaning against a stall, except now, he wore a studded leather jacket.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked, easily distracted. He shrugged.

"Anyways, where were you?"

He laughed, "I didn't realize that we were such good friends already!"

I scowled at him in embarrassment, but I didn't deny it, either. With a sigh, I brushed off his comment. "I was just wondering where you went."

"Well after that kid took my place, I went and explored. It's been ages since I've been here... In fact, I had a favor to ask."

I looked up at him warily. "What kind of favor?..."

"Back when I went to school here, I buried a capsule here. I can't dig it up, it's an ability outside my own. I need you to."

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes up at him.

"Because?... Anyways, you might not want to do it during school hours. Sneak out tonight?"

"I don't know you! And talking to a ghost is still weird..." I mumbled, "And you're already asking me to sneak out for you. Do you know how long I'd get grounded if I got caught? Do you?"

He grinned and held his hands up in defence. "You don't have to, but I'd appreciate it. I'd also appreciate it if you'd stop referring to me as a ghost. It's rather distracting."

"Sorry." I apologized. "What would you rather be called? 'A figment of my imagination'?"

He frowned, "I am not amused. Anyways, I have to run... Some dead guy stuff to catch up on. I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"You're leaving?" I asked in confusion.

"It won't take long." He reassured, "It's nice to see you not having a panic attack over my very presence. Different..." He added on sarcastically with a genuine smile. "Being here all the time is quite draining, too. I'll see you around, kid."

"I'm sixteen!" I cried out in annoyance. "And I have a name." I frowned in embarassment.

"Oh?" He inquired, "Well what would it be, because you've yet to tell me."

"My name is Asheen. I go by Ash."

"Cool. I'm Andy, friends call me Andy." He stuck his hand out in an attempt of a proper greeting. I hesitantly locked hands with him, surprised when there was no surge this time. He shook my hand once, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Although we'd only officially 'met', it felt like we'd made some silent promise. I was grateful to be past the stage in the relationship when I panicked about everything. But there was no denying, he was still a ghost, and still very dead.

I hurried to catch up to Mark and Elizabeth, already ten minutes late to lunch. Luckily, they'd saved me a seat.

"What took you so long? Did you fall in?" Elizabeth cackled when I finally sat down. Mark snickered, and I cracked a laugh.

"No, I just ran into someone in the hall."

Notes