Chapter 2

"Groan... groan," Evan was in a deep, sound sleep on his bed when suddenly, "THUD," something landed on his body. "Ugh," Evan twitched restlessly in his sleep.

"Evan... hey... Evan,"

"Ugh," Evan began to moan and wake up. He opened his eyes, but he felt something pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe and impossible to get up. He tried to scream, but the sound was choked in his throat.

"What is this... why... why can't I talk?" Evan thought.

"Hehe, you're finally awake,"

Evan glanced up and was shocked to see a beautiful girl in a high school uniform sitting on top of him. He was terrified because this beautiful girl was more than just a ghost, and he recognized her. She was his classmate, even though her hair, which should have been black, was now white.

"Am... Amelia? You're... a... ghost?" he asked slowly.

"Yep... sorry, don't be scared and don't scream. I'm the ghost of Amelia, and I need your help," the ghost of Amelia said.

"Wh... why are you a ghost? Don't worry, I'm not scared, but please get off me; I can't breathe," Evan asked.

"I'm a ghost from the future, 50 days from now. I'm going to die, but I don't remember why. Please help me prevent my death," Amelia replied.

"Huh... wh... why me?" Evan asked.

"Hmm, I don't know why, but when I became a ghost, all I could remember was that you were the weird one and you could definitely see me," Amelia answered.

"You know I can see ghosts? Wait a minute... this is weird. How can you talk? No ghosts or spirits can talk," Evan said, confused.

"Hmm, I don't know either. I've read that ghosts can't talk... but whatever, you have to help me. In 50 days, I'm going to die, and I want you to help me prevent it," Amelia said.

"Please move first, I want to get up," Evan said.

Amelia immediately floated off him and gently landed beside the bed. "WHOOOOOOSH," Evan took a deep breath and let it out. He then sat up on the bed and looked at Amelia. He watched her cheerful face as she looked around his room. Evan had to pinch his cheek to make sure he wasn't dreaming, because the prettiest, smartest, and most sociable girl in his class was now in his room as a ghost.

He also tried to process Amelia's request, which she had just said twice.

"Okay, so you want me to help you not die in 50 days?" Evan asked.

"Yep, that's it. Oh, right, there's this event that changes all our lives, but I don't remember what it is, and that event leads to my death in 50 days... I think so, sorry, I can't remember clearly," a cheerful Amelia said.

"I see... but why me? Aren't you Chase's girlfriend? Why aren't you going to him?" Evan asked, confused.

"Hmm... I don't know... do I have a boyfriend?" Amelia asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"How should I know? You're the one who's supposed to tell me," Evan replied.

"Hmm... all I know is you, your house, and your ability to see me. Don't ask me how I know, because I don't remember," Amelia said.

"But how am I supposed to help you? Try to remember what event leads to your death," Evan said.

Amelia was silent for a moment. She looked like she was thinking really hard, floating and spinning around Evan's room. She looked confused and sometimes more interested in Evan's stuff in his room.

"Hey... what's up? Come down," Evan said.

"Oh... okay," Amelia replied.

Amelia floated down and sat back on the side of Evan's bed, her face cheerful but blank, as if she wasn't thinking about anything. Suddenly, Amelia leaned her face close to Evan's, making Evan pull back a little.

"How about this, since I'm still alive right now, you get close to me, the living me, and stick to me to find out what's happening to me. What do you think?" Amelia asked.

"Huh... are you crazy? You know what they call me at school: a stalker and a weirdo... if I get close to you, who's way more popular than me, I'll be judged by everyone and maybe even killed on the spot by the crowd," Evan said.

"Hmm... I don't think so. I'm sure you can do it, because for some reason, I came to you now," Amelia said, casually trying to convince him.

"No way... you hated me. You slapped me a few months ago," Evan said.

"Did I? I don't remember anything," Amelia mumbled, pulling back and trying to recall.

"Just forget it. It's better if you try to remember the event that kills you and when it happens. Come on, help me so I can understand and guess what's going to happen," Evan said.

"Hmm," the ghost of Amelia began to think again. This time she sat cross-legged and floated in the air, her face scrunched up in deep thought. Impatient, Evan got out of bed and walked over to his desk to grab his smartphone. He sat back down on the side of the bed and opened his smartphone. He opened his school schedule in his email and looked at the activities for the next 30 days.

"Look at this. Next week there's a three-day study camp, in two weeks there's a sports festival, then the week after that are exams, and after that, we have summer break. Which event do you think it is?" Evan asked, showing his smartphone screen to Amelia.

"Hmm... I remember it wasn't a school event," Amelia mumbled, looking down at Evan's smartphone screen in front of her.

"Try to remember again. If it's not a school event, then what is it?" Evan asked.

"Hmm... what is it... I really can't remember. Sorry," Amelia said, sounding weak and looking tired of thinking.

"Oh man... this is a problem... whatever, I can't sleep anymore and I'm hungry. I'm going out to get some food, wanna come?" Evan asked.

"Of course... can ghosts even eat?" Amelia asked.

"How should I know? I don't think so," Evan said with a smile.

"Hehe, okay. I don't feel anything anyway... ever since I became a ghost," a cheerful Amelia said.

"When did you become a ghost?" Evan asked.

"Hmm... when was it? Sorry... I don't remember. I just remember I'm going to die in 50 days because of an event that changes our lives," Amelia replied.

"An event that changes our lives? It's clearly not a school event... did something happen in our country... like a war? But I haven't heard about a war or anything like it," Evan mumbled, thinking.

"No... not a war... but it's like a war... hmm... oh man, I really don't remember," Amelia mumbled, floating and rubbing her temples.

"Like a war, huh," Evan mumbled, thinking.

"Hey Evan, are we not going out for food?" Amelia asked.

"Oh... right, let's go," Evan said, walking toward his door and grabbing his jacket.

But suddenly, "KYAAAAA," Amelia immediately floated and hugged Evan from the front. Evan was shocked because he could actually feel Amelia's hug, even though as a ghost she shouldn't be able to touch him.

"Hey... what's wrong?" Evan asked, confused.

"Be... behind you," Amelia said, burying her face in Evan's chest.

Evan turned around. He saw his mom, dad, and grandma standing behind him, their faces tense, looking at Amelia as if they were asking Evan, "Who is she?" Then Evan pushed Amelia away.

"They're my family. They seem to want to meet you... but how can you touch me? Oh... right, you were sitting on me and woke me up... are you even a ghost?" Evan asked.

"Um... I don't know (she turned to look at Evan's family behind him and nodded) I just met them... they told me to take care of you, hehe," Amelia replied.

Evan turned to look at his dad, mom, and grandma. All three of them looked relieved and smiled, then they slowly disappeared from Evan and Amelia's sight. Evan then put on his jacket and walked out of the room while Amelia floated and followed him from behind. They walked out of the house and headed toward the 24-hour convenience store at the end of the street. The street was quiet, cold, and dark because the streetlights were spaced so far apart.

Evan walked while looking at his smartphone, while Amelia, floating next to him, looked toward the school and seemed to be thinking. Suddenly, Amelia smiled widely, then floated in front of Evan and stared at him, making Evan stop.

"What's wrong?" Evan asked.

"I remember something... I remember you dying the day after tomorrow protecting me... you die at school and maybe that's why I came here, to warn you," a casual Amelia said with a smile.

"CLATTER," Evan's smartphone suddenly fell to the street. Evan's head felt like it had been struck by lightning, and his face suddenly went pale, his eyes wide, his mouth agape. His mind went blank as he tried to process what he had just heard from Amelia, who was floating in front of him, smiling.

"W... what? Say that again? I die the day after tomorrow at school protecting you?" Evan stammered.

"Um... did I say that? Sorry, I forgot... don't worry about it, hehehe," Amelia replied, seemingly having already forgotten what she just said, smiling casually as if she hadn't just said something incredibly important.

Evan immediately raised his hands and grabbed both of Amelia's shoulders in front of him, looking at a confused Amelia with a serious expression.

"You just said I die the day after tomorrow protecting you, so don't tell me not to worry about it... explain everything... what happened? Why was I just sentenced to death? If you're going to drop a bomb on me like this, please don't be vague," a panicked Evan yelled, shaking Amelia's body.

"Ugh... so... sorry, I forgot... please don't shake me," Amelia said resignedly.

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