Ghost

4

Harry was close to tears when he left the hospital. Seeing Louis like that had really affected him. Even if they had never met in person he had still gotten to know him, or at least the ghost version of Louis.

Said ghost waited for him when he got home.
"So? Did you find me?" Louis asked as soon as he stepped into his room.

"Yeah, room 28, floor six." Harry replied.

"Oh. Did you see me?" Louis wondered.

"Uhm, yeah." Harry answered.

"And? Come on, Harry! Details!" Louis continued, sounding impatient.

"I don't know. You're in a hospital bed. Breathing through a machine. It was heartbreaking, to be honest. Maybe you shouldn't go there, like, it can be shocking." Harry replied, eyeing the ghost in concern.

"How am I supposed to get back if I don't do that?" Louis questioned.

"I don't know how these things work." Harry replied.

"Me neither, but being a ghost sucks!" Louis huffed and threw his arms out for the dramatic effect.

"Yeah, so, him, do you remember everything from your life?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yep. Every second of it. I actually see it more clearly, if that makes sense. I spent so much time worrying about things that don't matter." Louis replied.

"Such as?" Harry asked.

Louis glanced at him.
"Mostly silly things, but you know, deeper issues, like, ehm, worrying about what people would think of me if they knew...ehm, never mind."

Now Harry was really curious.
"Knew what?"

He immediately blushed. That was so intrusive. Louis was eyeing him, like he evaluated if he could be trusted. Then he smiled.
"Knew that I'm gay. It feels really silly now. Who cares, right?"

"Yeah, no, that's not a problem." Harry hurried to say. He hesitated. His heart beat fast. "Can I ask, like, how did you know?"

"It's always been there, you know?" Louis replied.

"Okay, but like, you never liked both? Or like, ehm, thought that you did?" Harry stuttered.

"No, but that's fine too." Louis replied and smiled at him.

"Yeah." Harry breathed out and returned the smile. He felt really happy.

"Do you like both?" Louis asked.

"I think so." Harry answered truthfully and blushed a little.

"Cool."

Harry started to giggle.
"What's so funny?"

"I just came out... to a ghost!" Harry said and his giggles turned into a laugh. This was an absurd situation.

Louis seemed to see the humor as well and laughed along. When their laughter died out Louis smiled at him.
"Thanks for telling me. Eh, I have to go. I'm gonna see if I can wake myself up, or whatever."

"Crap! Of course! I'm sorry for keeping you occupied. Go. Good luck!" Harry immediately said.

"Thanks. Harry? If this works and I for some reason don't remember you, remind me. Okay? Just call me." Louis replied.

"And say what? Hi, you used to haunt me, when you were in a coma?" Harry chuckled.

"Yep. I might need some convincing but don't give up. We're friends, right?" Louis smiled, sounding unsure.

"Of course." Harry smiled.

Louis disappeared into thin air. Harry sighed but decided to start with his homework before dinner. Louis didn't return. He hoped that everything went well but it wasn't like he could call him and ask.

He was absent-minded during dinner and went back to his room as soon as he was done. He looked around as he emerged but there was no sight of Louis.

Time passed and he got ready for bed. When he emerged from the bathroom he almost walked through a visibly upset Louis.
"Hi!"

"It didn't work. I couldn't wake up. Damn it!" Louis shouted and aimed at Harry's bedside lamp.

They both jumped when the lamp flew and crashed against the wall.
"Wait, did you just punch my lamp? How?" Harry questioned.

"I don't know." Louis said, totally baffled. He tried to kick Harry's bedside table but his foot went right through it.

"You were angry. Channel your emotions." Harry suggested.

Louis took a deep breath and then he walked over to Harry's desk. He started at his school books for a moment before he tried to sweep them off the desk. He had to try three times before he succeeded. Harry cheered.

A knock on the door made them both jump.
"Harry?"

"Yeah?" Harry shouted back.

His mum opened the door and poked her head inside.
"Are you okay? I heard a loud crash."

"Uhm, yeah. I accidentally broke my lamp. You know me, clumsy." Harry replied with a sheepish smile.

"Get the broom. You don't want to step on glass." His mum said. She took a sweeping look over his room before she left.

"She looked right through me. How come you can see me?" Louis wondered.

"I haven't got a clue." Harry shrugged.

He went to fetch a broom and returned to pick up the pieces of his former bedside lamp. Louis tried to help him but he couldn't hold anything. Harry giggled quietly.
"I know it's not really funny considering the situation you're but I can't help it. It looks funny." He apologized.

Louis seemed to be able to see the humor in the situation once more. Harry picked up the rest of the broken lamp and tossed it in his garbage bin. In the meantime, Louis tried to go sit on the bed. It looked hilarious and Harry giggled again. He quickly changed into his pajamas while Louis was occupied.

Ten tries later Louis managed to sit and gasped in surprise which only made him fall through the bed.
"Shit! Are you okay?" Harry asked and hurried over.

"Physically I'm fine. Emotionally I'm bruised." Louis joked and giggled.

Harry got under the cover and Louis sat on the bed again.
"Thanks for treating me like I'm not a scary ghost haunting you."

"You're like Casper the friendly ghost." Harry giggled.

Louis put his tongue out. They laughed it out and Harry settled down. They took turns asking each other questions about one another until Harry fell asleep. Louis sighed and went to check on his family before he spent the rest of the night beside his hospital bed, screaming to himself to wake up without succeeding.