"Ha. Haha... Hahaha!" The deep voice leaked out from behind the curtain that separated us. The man sounded so amused by simply standing there behind a piece of fabric, that I wondered for a few seconds if there was something I wasn’t seeing, or if a joke had been made when I hadn't been listening —ultimately though, it was out of my league to be able to comprehend him.

I moved closer to his laughter at a steady pace before reaching out to touch the fabric between him and I.

If this was movie, I surely would have screamed.

It wasn’t.

Slowly, I pushed the curtain aside.

I paused.

A… a teenager?

At least, he looked like one.

The young man wasn’t very tall. In fact, I was only a couple centimetres shorter than him. His hair was tainted gold, and a cheeky smile was etched across his lips, as he stared right through me with his ash-coloured eyes; his expression turned from amusement to surprise.

Without thinking it over, the word “Ghost,” slipped past my lips.

My mind was empty, as I stared back at him, lost to my own bewilderment.

He shook his head and sighed. “You know, young lady, you should not be telling people they are ghosts when you look quite dead yourself. It’s rude,” he said, his tone nonchalant, as he approached and intruded my personal space.

At this moment, I was more ticked off than I should have been afraid, and I would have bet my life that it showed on my face. “And who do you think you are?” I stomped, one step towards him, close enough so that he could breathe in my words. “Why are you here? What were you doing behind that curtain? You’re the imposter, the alien, and yet you dare call me rude?” My tone grew cold, just like the space we stood in.

I expected him to be at least a little angry. He only laughed again. “Good,” he said, nodding in approval, as he threw me another one of his smiles.

What was so funny? I failed to understand. This guy wasn't a ghost, he was worse, and I couldn't possibly try to guess what was going through his mind at such a time. He was no friend, nor was he a foe, he was a puzzle — and I wanted to figure him out.

"What is happiness?" I blurted.

His giggles ceased. A stern, serious expression, began to cloud his features. "Happiness,” he hummed, leaned in, only stopping once his mouth was next to my ear. I shuddered. It was only now that I took notice of how strong, how overwhelming his presence was. In a voice that was but a whisper, he broke the silence, and told me: “Happiness is a journey. It is the small rays of sunlight that peck the clouds after a hurricane. It is a meeting, two lonely strangers in a hospital room, perhaps. It could be love. It could be knowledge. Happiness is everything, and nothing, all at once."

And I thought, is he crazy? Did he seriously mean that? What kind of person spouts such an answer out of nowhere?

“Is that so?” I said, and yeah my reply was lousy, but so what? I was confused by his words, and I’ll have you know I almost tripped over my own two feet because of it, so it couldn’t get any worse than it already was. Give me a break, I’m only seventeen, I don’t need to be an adult yet.

"It might be so,” he said, “but maybe it isn't. Are you unhappy?" he asked as he pulled away and looked me dead in the eye.

“I…” I looked to my feet. Push him, I thought, argue. Scream! What are you doing? This isn’t safe. You don’t know him. “I don’t know,” I said, “I really don’t.”

“You do,” he told me, “stop lying.”

“It’s not polite to say I do.”

He scoffed. “Nonsense,” and he waved away my words, “you believe I care? Go on. Tell me, how do you really feel.”

I took a deep breath. "I’m not unhappy,” I said, “I am haunted. And,” I averted his gaze. “I am not sad. I am lonely. I don't feel human. I am a ghost, as you say, it’s like I am watching them and they do not see me."

He burst out into uncontrollable laughter once more and held onto his stomach.

“W-why are you laughing!?” I cried as he mocked my honest words, ones that nobody had ever heard before. “You’re the one who insisted I tell you! What’s your problem!?”

"Oh dear,” he huffed, wiping a happy tear from his eye. “I just- I just don’t understand,” he said.

I cringed. I crossed my arms. “Really? You, who ranted so philosophically about happiness and whatnot before, you think I’m going to swallow that lie?”

He paused and looked up at me. “That’s not what I meant,” he cleared his throat. “Perhaps I should have put it more simply. Dear, why you are haunting yourself?"

The words hit me harder than any I’d ever heard, and without warning, I’d been struck with an indescribable sadness that pierced my soul.

Haunting myself... was that really what I’d been doing all this time?

"How... can I stop?" I said.

"Hmm. Well, first off, you should—"

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. Anxiety creeped up my throat. If anybody sees this man in my room, I will probably get into more trouble than with any of these wounds can bear, I thought.

Wearing a sly grin, he snickered. "Well, Miss Ghost, I suppose this will have to wait until next time."

And with that, he was gone, leaving nothing but a faint scent of ashes behind.

The window was now open. I rushed over to peer outside. He was nowhere to be found. I frowned. “What’s up with that?” I muttered.

"What's up with what?" A familiar voice asked.

It was the nurse.

“Oh,” I scratched the back of my head. “I’m sorry,” I said, “I thought I had seen… a cat.” In hopes that she would buy my story, I tried faking laughter, for better or for worse: it seemed to work.

"I understand,” she said, “but please get back to bed. You must rest." The nurse assisted me with getting back onto the most unwelcoming hospital bed that I truly didn’t adore from the bottom of my heart. She threw a blanket over my upper body and said, "If you need anything, remember to call me. Good night!” before she withdrew from my temporary room.

I stretched my arms.

I shut my eyes.

So much happened today in so little time.

Who was that mysterious young man?

How did he come in here and where did he go?

…

Why had I felt the urge to cover for him?

Too tired to think any longer, the questions rushing throughout my mind soon died as my body gave in to a deep, deep sleep.