Naomi's POV

I still can't believe I'm doing this.

I'm .... helping a ghost.

A ghost.

A dead person.

It's still hard for me to wrap my head around.

So, after our initial introductions I had to do my homework to return by the end of the week. He was just watched me like a curious puppy as I headed over to my bag to grab my things. It was kinda creepy being watched doing something so simple like grabbing my pencil case and homework.

I've had people stare at me at school before, but that's different.

This is a boy who looks around my age and is watching me do a menial task as if he's never done it before himself.

Once I had what I needed I headed over to the kitchen table, spreading my stuff out and opening my textbook to the correct page.

As I was reading the text; the ghost floated in and sat on the counter, staring down at me.

Does he have to watch me?

It's really unnerving....

I looked up at him, eyebrows furrowing, "Can you not watch me? It's creepy."

"Creepy! Me! I'm not creepy...." he exclaimed, sounding hurt, but it also sounded like he was joking.

What kind of sense of humour is that?

I let out a long sigh, turning the page and reading the next text, trying to ignore his presence.

I have to put up with this guy for who knows how long.

Until we find his body or he somehow moves on.

Whenever that will be....

A silence wafted between us for a few moments.

It was something that I'm going to have to get used to.

The awkwardness I feel from him just wanting to be around me is so annoying.

I don't like being around others, so why would a ghost be any different?

My eyes drifted to him every so often. It was hard to tell what he was thinking as he was just watching me with that unnerving smile on his face.

It almost looked innocent....

For a ghost that I could see right through.

"So, how are we going to do this?" His voice spoke suddenly, surprising me a bit.

I turned my head to face him, noting how his brows were furrowed in confusion. "What?" I asked, dumbly. I just didn't know what else to say to his sudden question.

He let out his own sigh, imitating me from before.

I don't know if he was doing it on purpose but it annoyed me a bit.

"How are we going to go about finding where my body is?" He asked me. "It could be anywhere. And because I don't know my living name we can't look up my records."

I blinked, turning my head away from him. That was actually a pretty good point. I didn't think he'd be smart enough to point these things out to me before I did to him. 

Maybe I thought too little of him....

"I...." I looked over at him; seeing how he was awaiting for my answer. I should just give it him like it is. "I don't know." He winced out of the corner of my eye. "But ... I guess that's just what makes it a mystery. We have to try and look into it."

"Oh! Like in those detective novels!"

"Umm ... yea, like that..."

My eyes drifted over to him once more; taking in his puppy-dog eyes and goofy smile. He seemed genuinely happy that I was helping him.

Even if at my own reluctance....

I turned my head away from him, turning my attention back to my homework, but what he said raised a good question.

How will we find his body?

He doesn't remember his name a part from an abridged version which doesn't help.

I'm no detective, but I've read my fair share of mystery novellas to know this is where the protagonist usually gets stuck and it'd only be the beginning of the journey.

That doesn't really help me here....

I mean we could try looking at a library, but what would that do to help our progress?

Maybe I could still check the library tomorrow after school to see if anything there could help. Maybe even looking into some of the mystery or supernatural novels to see what authors interpretations are.

I lower my head with a frown creasing my face as that idea ran through my head.

However, that's just someone's idea on the concept not their actual experience.

I might have to look into sections I don't normally look at like 'spiritual' or 'true crime'. 

I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over this?

It's so frustrating!

"Hey...." his voice spoke up causing me to turn towards him once more. "....are you okay?"

I blinked, taking my hands away from my head. I didn't realize I'd done that. "I'm fine."

"You didn't look fine to me," he responded, sounding annoyed.

"Well, how about you mind you're own business, ghost!" I exclaimed, turning away from him and back to my homework.

"That was uncalled for...." he sounded hurt, but I'm too frustrated to care right now. "Fine, I'll leave you alone...."

I don't understand why that hurt his feelings so much.

Do ghosts even have feelings?

It doesn't matter right now anyways.

I could tell he was gone because the area surrounding the kitchen was warming up and not so densely cold anymore.

I'll have to tell the ghost that he'll have to stay home whenever I'm at school or else he'll distract me from my schoolwork.

I don't want to fall behind.

I'm sure there's a lot of stuff a ghost can do on their own.

I mean what has he been doing before he came across me?

Actually....

"Hey...." I called out to him, causing his form to float dejectedly through the wall. This will take some getting used to. That is if he stays longer than needed. But seriously, does he have to pout like that? "....how long have you been a ghost for?"

A contemplative frown crossed his face as if he was recalling his earliest memories of becoming said spiritual being. "I don't exactly remember." He crossed his arms, closing his eyes. "I would say it was...." 

He opened his eyes to look around the kitchen; eyeing everything. He was probably trying to find something that looked familiar to him that way I can pinpoint what era he was originally from.

His eyes seemed to land on my phone then go to the landline. He pointed between the two objects in excitement at finally finding something he recognized. "The phone! The one on the wall I recognize, but the one beside you I don't. I don't believe it was around when I first became a ghost."

I blinked, surprised. "Anything else?"

"Umm...." he paused once more, looking around the room and sticking his head through the wall to check lounge. He was really trying. "The TV! It was big and bulky last I remember." He pulled his head back from the wall, pointing at it.

My eyes widened at hearing this.

The last time CRT TVs were a thing was in the mid-late 2000's, but if he doesn't even recognize a touch-screen phone which came out around that time period as well then just how old is he?

He's either early 2000's or earlier than that.

Maybe he's from the 90's?

But if that's the case then .... how did he die and how did he lose his body?

The mystery surrounding him seems to be getting more complicated the further we go.

The further his death is from this time it'll be harder to find information on him.

Why'd I have to be the one to see him?