Wait For You in 5 Stages

Pt.26 : Ghost

"Look at that!"

Me and Lumine have been walking for about an hour, going around town as if nothing happened. I found myself unable to look at him directly though, in fear that I'd see his distorted body and remember everything again.

"Is this like... jewelry? This is ugly", I added.

He laughed. "Hey, It's not that bad!" He breathed out a soft giggle. "Okay..maybe it is kinda weird looking."

"Yea. Oh, hey Lum", I noticed a woman walking by with a brown paper bag with a cake stamped onto it.

"Hm? Ohh..", I felt Lumine look over at me and waited a moment before asking, "Can we go see the bakery...", He asked, bashfully.

I scoffed. "Yea yea." We headed towards that bakery.

--

We arrived not long after, faced again with the softly lit building and its double doors. Around this time, there weren't many customers so we were able to see the staff cleaning up inside.

Just like before, Lumine took my hand and dragged me in. My heart felt full. This nostalgic feeling made me remember love.

"Hello! Welcome in sir!", a worker smiled.

"Hello", I replied. Lumine's eyes were glued onto the worker who greeted me. Even after I nudged his arm, he turned his head slowly towards me, his eyes lagging behind. He wasn't smiling anymore.

"So what do we get?", I whispered.

Lumine looked at the cakes, his ear twitching. Oh right...I almost forgot.

"Ah..."

He was dead, he couldn't eat.

The worker was waiting for us at the register, her eyes like bullets through my head. I felt pressured to order quickly.

"Could we get one of these white cakes please", I pointed to the small good with strawberries on it.

The worker looked.. confused. She looked at Lumine and then towards the door. She returned to her stagnant smile to grab the cake.

After paying for the cake and leaving a small tip, the cashier said one thing that made me realize something I hadn't thought of before.

"Have a good day sir."

How could a kind phrase like that get ruined like this. She referred to me as sir, and didn't even refer to Lumine at all.

It clicked.

She didn't look at Lumine, she looked through him. She didn't look at the door, she was looking outside for someone else. She couldn't see Lumine at all.

I was so inside my own head that I completely forgot that not everyone can see spirits. However I could see Lumine, so does that mean we're attached in some way? Soul tied?

I looked like a complete freak ordering for two people but it was only really me in that shop.

"Kody?"

"Huh? Oh sorry..."

I should probably tell him.

"Lumine.. y'know. I just realized that- That maybe other people can't see you."

Lumine pondered this analysis for a moment. He returned to me with his big blue eyes fixed on me.

"That makes sense."

He didn't look sad at all. I would've thought that someone as social as him would've been more upset. Instead, I'm the one who's upset here.

"You're not sad?", I didn't have any shame in asking.

An elderly couple passed us by, taking glances at me as they walked closer to us. I looked down.

"Well I kinda expected it... since I'm not here and all..", Lumine added coyly.

I was embarrassed. People are going to think I'm completely crazy but my dead best friend is seriously standing next to me. I can't really explain that to anyone either so am I just going to be alone to the rest of the world?

On our walk home, our conversations grew silent and the bickering in my head grew loud. How do I even KNOW I'm not crazy? What if Lumine really isn't real? Then again how could I feel him as if he was? This isn't some kind of way to deal with grief is it? But my imagination is shit.

I looked over at him. He was somewhat like the Lumine I knew before. He still had those pretty long eyelashes and those pure blue eyes, half painted yellow in his right. He still had his whispy and curly-ish hair that bounced as he walked. But now he was lacking the smile he wore.

Those faint scars and the transparency of his body told me he wasn't really REAL. He was a ghost, a spirit, an angel. He wasn't REALLY Lumine but he had Lumine's soul and thoughts. But how much of that should I believe? Does his heart still beat and express emotion like the living Lumine did?

I don't think I'll able be able to determine the truth. I hate living with lies but I'm physically unable to know the truth. I don't understand how this is happening or anything thats going on in my world. I don't get it. I don't get it. I want to know. But I can't. I really

I really

really want to understand.

Although it still wouldn't give me closure.