1 My Girlfriend is… Dead?

"She's what, now?"

Brad stared at me in silence. He had just come into our dorm, pale as I had never seen him before, and stood still at the door after closing it. Words finally came out of his mouth after failing repeatedly, but I couldn't hear them.

"What's up? Why the long face?" I asked him, rubbing my eyes after waking up from my two-hour nap in the evening.

He kept opening his mouth but hesitated every time.

"C'mon, dude. You're scaring me," I nervously giggled.

"I don't know how to—"

"Just say it, dammit."

"It's Clara!"

"What about her? She's cute, isn't she? I still can't believe what happened yesterday; she said yes!" I smiled.

"Matt…"

"And the way she talks to me… Have I shown you her messages? She spams emojis everywhere!" I said, getting off the top bunk to grab my phone from my desk.

"Matt!" Brad yelled, grasping my shoulder.

"Yes?" I answered, confused.

"Clara… Clara is dead."

A sudden, high-pitched sound faded into my ears. Nothing more than my rhythmed heartbeat pulsated within time. My limbs began shaking the more I looked into his eyes. I had to plant my hand on the desk not to fall.

"Brad, that's a bad joke even for you."

We had known each other only for two months, yet I knew he wasn't lying, I just didn't want to accept it.

"It's a joke, right?"

He simply stared at me, seeming about to pass out. I couldn't bear it anymore and clasped his shirt.

"Answer!"

"No! It's not a joke. Cops are here and they told us to lock in our rooms. The murderer might still be around."

Unable to process anything he said, I pushed him aside and unlocked the door.

"What are you doing?" he questioned.

"I need to see it with my own eyes."

"But the cops said—"

I shut the door before he could finish his sentence; I didn't care. Everyone panicked in the hallway, screaming and pushing around. Cops were already in the dorms, yelling at anyone that didn't get in their room. They were too distracted with them to notice me and I simply ran through.

Everything felt surreal. Sirens brightened the dim evening as I walked out of the building. I didn't have to look around too much; the girls' dorm at the other side was already secured by dozens of cops and medics.

I ran barefoot over the paving and grass. Even though I was seeing the chaos, I didn't hear it. My body moved on its own and my mind was blank.

A cop put his hand in front of me to stop me as I got close. I saw his mouth opening and closing, but I just stared at him.

What?

"Kid! Don't you hear me?!" he yelled with a deep and raspy voice.

"What?"

"You can't be here, there's a murderer around! Go lock in your room!"

"But Clara. She…"

The cop's eyes suddenly opened wide and his brows frowned.

"How do you know her name?"

"She is… was my girlfriend."

"But who told you it was her that was murdered?!"

"What? My roommate told me. Why does that matter? Clara—"

He stared at me for a brief moment before commanding, "Wait here. Don't move," and walking towards other cops.

I dropped to the grass and threw my hands onto my head.

What is happening? Why? Why her? Who hated her that much to kill her? She was an angel. It must be someone on the campus, it's impossible to get in if you don't work or study here…

"I know, right?"

"Yes! It must be—"

I snapped my head to my left—where the voice came from—but there was no one. Not only they replied to my thoughts, but the voice was…

"Clara?"

"You guessed!" she replied on my right, but I still couldn't see her.

I stood up with a jump and felt lightheaded. I turned around in all directions to see nothing.

"Where…?"

She giggled behind me before stepping in front of me. "Tada!"

There she was, standing in her usual clothes. No blood, no scars, nothing. She looked the same as the last time I saw her that day. I couldn't stop looking at her. My breathing had stopped for a while already.

"But you are…"

"Dead?" she smiled. "Why don't you confirm it yourself?"

For some reason, I knew what she meant. I lifted my arm and reached for her face, just for my hand to go entirely through her head.

My chest got crushed under colossal pressure. My head was unable to process anymore. My legs gave up on me and I fell on my knees. Tears streamed out of my eyes as I stared into hers, also getting teary.

No, it's impossible. I'm going crazy already. She can't be a…

"I am a Ghost, Matt. You're not going crazy."

"But no one's saying anything about you. They would've screamed and run away the moment they saw a ghost…"

"Why aren't you screaming and running away, then?"

"I… I would never run away from you."

She smirked with her angelical smile. "Look at you, flirting with a ghost."

"Can that be considered flirting?"

"Maybe," she chuckled. "Matt, only you can see and hear me."

"Wait, doesn't that mean—"

"Who are you talking to?" the same cop as before asked me, standing beside me bewildered and worried.

I jumped out of the scare. "Clara! I-I mean, myself!"

He stared at me even more confused. "Look, I'm sorry. It's awful these things happen, but they do. That's life and it will keep happening."

What a way to cheer someone up…

"Right? He sucks," Clara joked.

"Excuse me, sir, but I'm nineteen. I know how life works," I replied.

"Believe me, you know nothing, kid. But don't worry, therapists will help you through this," he added, slapping my back.

I wanna punch him.

"Can you do it twice for me?" Clara asked.

"Anyway. Lead me to your room; I need to ask you and your friend some questions."

"What? Why?"

"I'm the cop here, just do as I do and everything will be okay."

What a bad cop, then.

"This is gonna be fun," Clara grinned.