Ghost

0602

"Natalie, why aren't you eating?"

 We were sitting in the middle of the Country Bay Buffet, people swarming around us like buzzing bees in their hurry to get a refreshed helping of bacon. We came here every other Sunday for breakfast, and going to a new church wasn't going to change that. Going to a new church wasn't going to change my appetite either. I sighed.

 "I'm not hungry."

 "Then why did you fill up your plate with so much food? That's such a waste."

 I grabbed my spoon and shoveled a pile of scrambled eggs into my mouth. My mom dotted her mouth with edge of her napkin. "Manners, Natalie," she sang, keeping up a pleasant act while we were in public. "I would hate to have the waiter come over to perform heimlech on you if you start to choke."

 I heard a giggle slip out of Audrey's mouth before she covered it. "Sorry," she said, reaching for her fork and continuing to pick at her cantaloupe. I dropped my spoon with a clank that rang over the table. My dad jumped, his eyes darting up from the newspaper he'd snuck in. 

 "Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom."

I stood before my mom could say anything and rushed into the flurry of people, trying my hardest not to bump into anyone. It was like playing Operation. Anytime I got too close to someone, a little warning buzzer went off in my head.

The bathroom was stuffy and wreaked with the smell of baby powder. I headed for the sink and turned the faucet knob, splashing cold water onto my face until it was dripping down into my collar. I sighed when I looked up at myself. My under-eyes were shadowed rings, my eyes hollow. I flashed myself a smile just to see what it looked like. It looked as if forgotten how, the muscles in my cheeks working harder than they were used to.

I was in desperate need of a dentist.

"You look beautiful."

I gasped and spun around, my cheeks flushing at the thought of getting caught smiling at myself. My eyes widened when they caught sight of her long twilight locks.

"Raven?"

"Josie," she corrected with a polite smile. I was so shocked, almost didn't hear it.

"What are you-I mean, how did you get here?"

She giggled. "I followed you, of course."

"Yeah, but-" I stopped, taking a moment to think. I'd seen ghosts in every place under the sun, but never had one followed me.

"You like him, don't you?" I hesitated at the sudden change of subject; lost.

"Who?"

"That boy," she said. "From church. Your cheeks turned very red when you saw him."

"I don't know what you're talking abou-"

"I think you two would make such a lovely couple."

And then she was gone. Just like that. It was so sudden, I had to stand there a while just to grasp her absence. A lady had walked in, used the bathroom, washed her hands while staring at me, and left before I finally decided that I had been hallucinating.

And then I remembered that ghosts were real, and the hairs on my arms were still facing the ceiling.