out."
"That's too bad."
"I can't wait to get out of this creepy house and back to school. I just want to see him again."
"Sorry Nat, I had no idea."
"Well that's because I didn't tell you."
"I noticed. So why were you bringing up the ghost at dinner?"
"I was just curious. I thought the ghost took my diary."
I had to laugh at that. She gave me an evil look. "Sorry."
"I know you think I'm ridiculous Lucy, but I saw what I saw. I know something is here!"
"Yeah, and like I said, I lived here all year without you, without being scared, so I'm not sure what your problem is!"
"Well maybe you're just jealous because I can see him and you can't!"
"Jealous? Seriously! You are insane!" I put her brush down and stormed out of her room, slamming her door shut and then slamming my door shut.
Ryan was on the bed with an amused look on his face.
I had to stifle myself from bursting out laughing, I jumped on the bed and buried my face in a pillow and started howling with laughter. Somewhere along the line my laughter turned into hysterical crying and it took Ryan a few minutes to realize what was going on.
"Lu, everything okay?" He was patting my back in a sort of there-there gesture.
"I'm just having the craziest night. I ran into Julian on my way home."
"Oh. I hate that guy."
"I know I know," I said pulling my face out of the pillow and rolling over to talk to him. "But I think he really is certifiably insane. Or just messing with my head."
"What?"
I relayed the events of our encounter and Ryan looked about to burst.
"If that dude ever touches you again I swear to god I am going to kill him."
I had to stifle a laugh and it came out as a weird snorting cough. "And how do you plan on doing that exactly?"
"I'll think of something."
"Don't waste your time. He's not worth thinking about."
He was still patting my back, and after a while it was just amusing. "You do realize I can't really feel that right?"
"I can't really feel you either. It's like I'm getting a warm pins and needles when I touch you."
"Yeah, it's like that isn't it? I mean, that's what it feels like when you touch me, but it's icy, kind of electric, shocking but it doesn't hurt, but I get a chill up my spine sometimes."
"Really? I wasn't sure if you ever felt anything."
"Yeah, it's an odd sensation but I'm getting used to it."
"Oh," he said and I thought I caught him blushing, but then he fell through the bed as we heard Nat's door yank open, followed by my door.
"Who are you talking to?" she demanded.
"What?"
"I heard you talking just now, who were you talking to?"
"Well obviously no one."
She looked around the room. "It was like someone was here, I heard you having a conversation!"
"Well, I just got off the phone with Ling a minute ago, do you think it was that?"
"Oh. Maybe."
"Seriously, I think you need some Valium or something Nat."
She backed out of the room and closed the door quietly behind her.
Ryan sat up in bed, which was a little disconcerting in itself to have just his head pop up. "Is she gone?" he whispered.
"Yes," I whispered back. "Keep it quiet, okay?"
He nodded and got into bed like normal people do. I had to laugh at the stupidity of the situation. "Ryan, were you blushing earlier?"
"What? No."
"The other night when we were going to sleep, were you..." I never got to ask because there was another knock at the door. He fell through the bed again to hide.
"Yes?"
Stazi poked her head through the door, carrying Jon's guitar. I totally forgot about that thing. "Okay, check this out." She sat on the edge of the bed and started playing something I couldn't recognize.
"Yeah, that's great," I mustered, having no idea what it was.
"Okay, wait, see if you know this one."
She started playing Boys Don't Cry and of course I knew what that one was. "Nice," I said. "I didn't realize you were a Cure fan."
"Well, you play them all the time, even leave it on when you're not home, they're kind of growing on me."
"Oh, yeah. I guess I forget to turn off my CD player sometimes when I go to work. Sorry."
"Nah, it's okay."
"Learn anything else?"
"Um, I looked up some chords online..." she struggled to get her fingers in place and strummed the guitar. It sounded awful. She made a