"Ghost Boy." Colby flashed another wide grin. He seemed to do that a lot. "I like it. So, Living Girl, how do we deal with the police now?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure if we can even pull it off. I mean, nobody sees or hears you, you can't be captured in photos and videos—"

"Do we know that for sure?"

Taylor opened the gallery again. "I already told you, you're not on the photos—"

"No, no. I mean, nobody else can see me. Can we really be sure about that? Just because those two cops didn't see me doesn't mean nobody else can. Because... you can see me, after all. Why couldn't a few other people? Let's go outside, do some things, and find out." He was ready to head to the door, but Taylor didn't seem to be following him. "What's wrong?"

"I-it's just a lot to take in all at once. I mean, there are ghosts. Plus, my day was already shitty enough," she lied. Okay, it wasn't a lie. Taylor's day really sucked. But that wasn't the reason why she didn't want to go outside now. Colby seemed to notice that too.

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. Forget it. Let's just go."

Proxley was a typical college town. Cafés dotted every corner, clubs and pubs filled the nightlife, there were multiple sports fields and centers, and a huge library with several floors—although the one at Clinton College already provided an incredible number of books to get lost in—and there was even an amusement park at the pier with many attractions. Especially the Proxley Ferris wheel attracted love-struck students every day. The coastal city in California was the dream for anyone seeking an aesthetic and perfect student life.

But for Taylor, none of this mattered. She was only in Proxley because her apartment was here. It was too warm here. She couldn't care less about the sea. The sand was just everywhere. As soon as you stepped out of the shower, you might as well turn around and try again desperately. She had dropped out of college anyway, and she could do her job practically anywhere. Plus, it didn't feel good to be constantly reminded by all the students, the college jackets, and the student discounts everywhere that she had quit.

Every time she walked out the door, she was stressed. But okay. If that was the last wish of a dead boy from the early 2000s...?

»Hopefully, you can even leave the apartment», she said as she took her keys in hand.

Colby's eyes filled with fear. "What does that even mean?"

"In many movies, ghosts can't leave the place of their death."

"Seriously?! Why is that?"

"Well... I don't know. Because of the plot. Ask Hollywood."

"Man, I must have missed out on so many awesome movies."

"You can catch up on them," she explained, holding her phone to her ear as she walked into the hallway. "So people won't think I'm completely crazy if nobody else can see you."

Colby grinned again. "Very smart of you, Living Girl." He hesitated to cross the threshold. "What... happens to ghosts in those movies who still want to leave the place of their death?" he asked, concerned.

Now Taylor grinned. "Don't worry. Most of the time, they just end up right back there. Or there's an invisible wall."

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Colby exhaled and stepped over the threshold. Nothing happened. "See? You really scared me with those movies. You like stressing people out, don't you?" He lightly tapped her shoulder.

"If you want to, you can go out into the big wide world all by yourself, from which you have no idea," Taylor replied. Actually, that would be preferable to her.

"I'm just kidding. You really need to loosen up."

Taylor simply nodded. What had she gotten herself into?

It was a beautiful spring evening. Of course, even at this time of year, it was terribly warm in California, but it usually cooled down a bit by late afternoon. At least that, Taylor thought. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was the heat. Sweating. Bare-chested students. Female students in the shortest hot pants imaginable. Everything smelled of sweat, and suddenly everyone seemed to have forgotten to apply deodorant or take a shower. Plus, under all those sunglasses, you could never tell if you were being stared at. And Taylor hated being stared at.

The plan was simple. Taylor and her ghost, in a college jacket, would simply stroll through Proxley. Colby would greet every passerby, and if someone responded or even stared rudely in his direction, they would have their answer.

"In the meantime, tell me something about yourself. Oh, hello!" Colby waved to an older man, but he didn't respond.

Taylor held her phone to her ear again. "What do you mean?" she asked, feeling stressed. Ugh, how she hated being out in public.

"So far, it's been mostly about me. And even though I must say I like that... I'd also like to know a few things about you. Because... I don't even know your name. But I've been in your apartment. Hello!" This time, his grin and waving hand were directed at a woman with a stroller, but she didn't react either.

"The way you come across to me, this must be normal for you."

"Hm? Hello!" The next woman didn't notice him either.

"Waking up in the homes of complete strangers, even though you don't know their names."

Colby took a moment to understand. "You really think I'm the biggest womanizer of all time, don't you? You hardly know me."

"Am I wrong?"

"Okay, maybe a little," grumbled the ghost. "Seriously now. What's your name?" A drunken student approached them. "Hey! What's up, bro? Need something?" he asked, but again, he received no response.

"Taylor."

"Taylor and what?"

"We don't know each other that well yet."

You could tell that the answer had depressed Colby a lot. But then some switch flipped in his ghostly brain, and his mood immediately improved. "We can change that." He stopped greeting people. "Looks like we can forget about the deal with the police. Only you can see me, it seems." He grinned again. He grinned a lot. "Looks like Taylor We don’t know each other that well yet now has a friendly ghost on her hands."

Taylor sighed in annoyance. "Okay, can we go home now?"

"Is that my home now too?" he asked hopefully.

"No. We'll figure something out when we get back to my apartment." Under normal circumstances, she would never take him to her safe place. Other people are never good for your safe place. But there was something different about him.

But Colby grew suspicious again. "You didn't want to go out in the first place. And now you want to go back in right away? What's going on? Are you wanted or something?"

"No." Taylor became increasingly stressed.

"But something's up."

"I'll explain it to you at my apartment," she whispered anxiously into her phone.

But the ghost had had enough. He stopped in his tracks. "No, please tell me now."

"Not here."

"Yes, here. Please, Taylor."

She sighed in annoyance again. She took her phone away from her ear and started typing.

"What are you doing?" Colby looked at her phone and began reading the text Taylor was writing in her notes app.

I have social anciety, okay

Colby didn't quite understand. "What's social anxiety? And why don't you just say it into your phone? Why do you have to type it?"

Wow, that's exactly it

People stress me out

Public places stress me out

So, I'm definitely not going to say in public to people that I'm scared of public places and people

He still didn't quite understand, but he grasped most of the key points. "You're afraid when you're outside? Right now, in this moment?" He understood that. And not much else mattered at the moment. Then he grinned again and suddenly took Taylor's hand. "If that's all it is, then let's head straight back to your apartment. I thought you were a murderer or something and would get caught if you were out." Taylor didn't find that particularly funny, but she didn't let go of his hand either. "We'll get your fear under control. We can handle it together. So, back to the scene of my presumed death!" He grinned again.

He really did that a lot. But somehow, Taylor wasn't annoyed by it anymore. He really was different. And she still hadn't let go of his hand. Trying to put on a smile despite her nervousness, she said, "Okay."