"What do you mean by ghosts? Aren't you a little too old to believe in those stories?" Amelia asked, a concerned look on her face.
"No, I'm not lying. I saw Rita and a male ghost in my room. I'm telling the truth! I saw them, and they followed me all the way here," Ryner said, trembling with fear.
"Wait, did you just say Rita?! As in Rita Holt?" Amelia asked, her face shocked.
"Yes, Rita Holt—the girl who died five years ago. You know, your friend from high school," Ryner replied.
As Rita overheard Amelia and Ryner talking, she suddenly regained some of her memories from when she was alive. The doorbell to Ryner's house rang, and Amelia happened to hear it.
"Coming!" Amelia called as she walked to the door and opened it.
"Hey Rita, come on in. Let's get this project over with," Amelia greeted.
"Yeah, I can't believe it's due tomorrow," Rita said, a frustrated look on her face.
"Yeah, me too. But somehow we always manage to get all our assignments done on time," Amelia said with a grin.
"Yeah, we always do," Rita said as she chuckled.
Ryner, who was visibly a child at the time, hid behind the staircase, watching both Rita and Amelia converse. Amelia's eyes met Ryner's, and she called out to him.
"Ryner, come on out and say hi to Rita. Don't be shy."
Startled, Ryner ran off.
"I swear, that boy always gets on my nerves," Amelia muttered, holding her head.
"Let him be. Kids are usually shy around new faces," Rita said with a smile.
"Well, even though that's true, he's been seeing you around our house for three years now. I'm sorry if he offended you in any way," Amelia apologized.
"No, it's totally fine. I'm sure he'll come around sooner or later. Let's get to work," Rita said cheerfully, and Amelia nodded.
Amelia and I had been friends ever since our first year in high school. We met during orientation, and since then, we hit it off. She used to call me her "right-hand man," and I used to call her my "lefty." We did everything together. We went shopping, went on double dates, and even studied and did our assignments together, Rita thought to herself.
As Rita returned to her senses, she was overwhelmed with guilt. I can't believe I forgot about you, Amelia, she thought to herself as tears filled her eyes. I've regained some of my precious memories that I had lost of you. Wait, so this means that I must interact or come in contact with people I knew before I died in order to figure out what happened to me?
Amelia slapped Ryner in the face, and he fell to the ground.
"Why did you do that?" Ryner asked, holding his now red cheek. "Is this some sick joke to you?"
"You of all people should know how much it hurt when I lost her. She was the whole world to me. She was more than just my friend. She was my other half!" Amelia shouted, angry tears running down her cheeks.
"So why would you jokingly bring up those dreadful memories to me? Do you think this is funny? Do you know how much it hurts?!" Amelia cried, voice trembling with emotion.
"But I'm not lying. I'm telling the truth! Why don't you believe me?" Ryner asked in a low, sad tone.
"Hey, tell her that she has a huge mole on her butt cheek," Rita's voice suddenly came.
Ryner jumped in surprise at Rita's sudden appearance. "Stay calm and just ask her, jeez. It's not like I'm going to hurt you," Rita said.
Ryner, still trying to process everything, spoke hesitantly. "Rita talked with me just now. She said that you have a huge mole on your butt. Is that true?"
Amelia was flabbergasted. "Wait, how do you know that? The only person I told that was Rita."
"Tell her I also know about the bald spot in her hair and how she broke up with James, Brian, and Jonathan," Rita added.
Ryner, wide-eyed, asked, "Wait, my sister actually talked to that many guys in high school?"
"Never mind that. Just continue to tell her what I'm saying," Rita instructed.
Ryner continued to relay everything Rita told him, acting as an intermediary between the two. Amelia stood there in disbelief.
"No way! I only told Rita all those things, and there's no way you'd know all this. It's true, then. Rita is standing right here beside us, isn't she?" Amelia asked, looking around.
"Yes, she is," Ryner confirmed, smiling.