Unexpected Company Pt. 03

This part doesn't contain any sex, though future chapters may eventually have some. Many thanks to Emmeran and Ningyou Macher for helping me edit this.

Contains: some voyeurism.

I sat in my car, staring at the front door of my house. The trip to the grocery store had given me a chance to clear my head, and now I was feeling increasingly sure I was crazy. When Mel was right there, moving things around, touching me, I couldn't deny her presence, but an hour or so without her voice in my ear had given the rational part of my mind the strength for a desperate final stand.

Don't go in there, it told me. Go to a psych ward. Get help. She's a hallucination, and though she seems harmless now, what about later?

On the other hand... literally everything I owned was in there. And I had a tub of ice cream melting in my trunk. Hmm.

Hey Gwen.

"Jesus-" My head almost hit the roof of the car, and Mel giggled. "Don't- Don't do that..."

I can't help it. Like, literally, and also because it's fun.

I guess it was true that it was unavoidable, since basically anything that alerted me to her presence also startled me, but... so much for leaving before I started interacting with her again. I popped the trunk and got out with a sigh, grabbing two big paper bags full of groceries and arranging them under each arm.

Want me to help? I can't lift much, but one thing at a time isn't hard.

"Uh..." If she was willing to show herself - well, her poltergeist abilities - in public, it felt less likely she was a hallucination... though admittedly, that wasn't something I really knew much about. "It might freak out the neighbors, but can you carry the milk?"

Hmm... I'll give it a try. The gallon jug wobbled, then floated off the floor of my trunk. Fuck, milk is heavy. It moved over my bumper, then slowly scooted towards my front door, only hovering an inch off the ground as Mel made tiny grunts of effort. I could imagine her bent double, straining to shift the weight with her fingers brushing the ground. I considered telling her to leave it, but she seemed determined. After a moment, I followed her, slowing my steps to match her struggling pace until I paused to unlock the door and she just dropped the jug on the welcome mat, breathing hard.

Shit... I'm out of shape... she panted. That's all I can do... Sorry...

"It's okay, but... out of shape?" I went inside to set the bags in the kitchen before retrieving the milk.

Yeah... she said, still somehow out of breath. It's, uh, complicated... Basically, if I practice, I can move bigger things...

"Huh." I went back outside to bring in another pair of bags, hefting them under my arms as I asked, "How big...? I mean, what's the biggest?"

After a few seconds, I realized I was talking to myself. Not just in the possibly crazy, 'what would the neighbors think if they could hear me' kind of way, but Mel didn't respond. I brought the bags in, pausing on the doorstep and cautiously calling out, "Mel?"

Yeah? she said from nearby, and I realized she hadn't moved from the welcome mat.

"Oh." I was already used to her following me around and hadn't considered her staying in one place. "I was asking what the biggest thing you've moved was."

Well... when I was really into trying to get better, I lifted up the side of... y'know, one of the big box TVs. That was pretty heavy. But, uh... I'm gonna go sit down for a sec. I'll be on the couch.

Sit down and catch her... ghost breath, apparently. I didn't understand how that worked. I continued bringing in groceries, stocking the empty cupboards and refrigerator. I wasn't too hungry after the leftover pad thai, but there was something that I hadn't been able to get out of my mind while shopping.

"Mel?" I called, peeking around the corner into the living room.

Mm? She sounded quite close to me, and I took a startled half-step back, trying to compose myself.

"Um," I began hesitantly. "This... is probably a really stupid question."

Oh, I'm all ears.

Suddenly even more self-conscious, I asked, "Do you... eat anything? Or drink? I should have asked before I bought stuff, but..."

I can't, Mel said, her voice surprisingly gentle. Thanks for the thought, though.

"Alright." I stood there awkwardly for a few moments, wondering what I should do now. The massive task of unpacking loomed over my head, and like a true adult I decided to procrastinate until I couldn't anymore. Trying to get the wifi set up so I could use the internet sounded marginally better, so I grabbed a pair of scissors and headed for the downstairs bedroom/office/room I had no idea what to do with but had dumped all the electronics stuff into.

"Do you know anything about wifi?" I asked, carefully slitting the tape on a box.

Oh, yeah.

I waited for more, but none seemed to be forthcoming. "What do you know...?"

That it exists.

"Oookay. Well. That technically is anything." I pulled a router out of the box and set it on the desk.

Oh, you meant, like, setting it up. Sorry, no clue.

"That's fine. You can help me with the wires if you want."

Sure.

I did this kind of thing all the time at my last job, so the setup for my router was familiar. It would've been a pain in the butt to run the cables behind the desk by myself, but with her assistance in floating the ends through the narrow gap, I managed to get things working without much hassle. I grabbed my laptop from its travel case and sat down, then hesitated as I looked around for Mel.

"Um, could you not watch me when I'm on the computer?"

Oh, sure. Got some personal stuff you don't want me to see?

I should have seen it coming, but I replied, "Yeah, I-"

She interrupted me with the most fake moan I'd ever heard, crying, Fuck, yes, oh, oh, right there, oh my gaaaawd!

"Not that kind of personal stuff," I said, feeling my cheeks grow hot.

Oh, so you're more of a story type of girl? Her voice was very close to me and an octave lower when she spoke again. 'Lilith ran her tongue up the smooth, warm thigh of her lover-'

I coughed and scooted my chair away, blushing furiously for multiple reasons - not the least of which was that I had something embarrassingly similar to that bookmarked in my browser. "It- It's not porn. I get emails from my family and stuff that I don't want you to look at."

Oh, okay, she said, back to her normal voice like she hadn't just been whispering erotica in my ear. Give me a shout when you're done.

"Alright..."

The door closed. That seemed to be her way of telling me when I was alone. I popped open my laptop and drummed my fingers on the edge of the desk as I waited for the old hardware to boot up. It proved to be for nothing, since a glance through my emails and social media gave me zip. Sighing, I closed the lid and headed for the kitchen, my stomach urging me to break into some of the food I'd bought.

"Mel?" I called out, raising my voice.

Boo, said a voice right in my ear. I managed to stop myself from leaping several feet into the air. Barely.

"M-Mel!"

She giggled, farther away from me now.

"Don't start doing it on purpose now..." I muttered, holding a hand to my chest as my heart thrummed with adrenaline.

It's way too fun. The look on your face is just hilarious.

Annoyed but unable to think of a response that didn't sound petulant, I continued into the kitchen, staying quiet. Mel... probably floated along with me, not saying anything until I had gathered up what I needed for the sandwich I was craving.

Whatcha thinking about?

"Um." I started spreading mayo across the soft sourdough. "This sandwich, mostly."

She laughed. What else are you thinking about?

"Um..." It might not have been the best thing to share, but she was asking and I needed to get it off my chest. "I'm still kind of... wondering if you're a hallucination."

Really? she asked, far more seriously than I'd expected. You think you might be crazy?

"I mean, what am I supposed to think?" I gestured to the empty kitchen with the butter knife. "I'm talking to someone I can't see."

Warmth wrapped around my outstretched hand, and I stopped myself from flinching away. Could a hallucination touch you like this?

"I'm... pretty sure people can have hallucinations they can feel." I managed, imagining her standing there with my hand clasped between hers, earnest green eyes staring into mine.

'Pretty sure'?

"I'm not an expert..." Another thought occurred to me. "Doesn't schizophrenia show up when you're in your twenties?"

Hey, don't ask me. You've got wifi now, right?

I fished my phone out of my pocket and pulled up Google, typing in 'what age does schizophrenia occur.' I could sense Mel reading over my shoulder as I scrolled through the results.

Shit, you're right. That one says sixteen to twenty-five.

"Can be triggered by stressful life events..." I read under my breath. "I have been pretty stressed with moving and everything. But... I feel like a schizophrenic hallucination shouldn't be helping me find out I'm schizophrenic. That just seems... really wrong."

As not a hallucination, I agree.

I also looked up 'can hallucinations be physical' and got a solid affirmative from Google.

Well, what about this? Movement in the corner of my eye brought my attention to the bag of cheese slices as it floated into the air and wiggled around.

"That's not really different, is it?"

Someone else could totally see this. They'd freak out. Like, seriously, invite a friend over. We can settle this.

"I..." I felt a pang in my chest. "Um. I just moved here."

You don't have any friends here?

I shook my head.

Oh. Why did you move here, anyway?

"I, um, got a good job, but it's across the state from where I used to live."

Huh. That sucks. She was silent for a moment. Well, you've got me.

An involuntary smile rose to my lips, and I quickly turned back to making my sandwich. I did have Mel. A friendly ghost - or hallucination - was much better company than no one.

Once you finish chowing down, what's the plan?

"Um..." I chewed my lip as I weighed how motivated I was feeling. "I should really unpack more... and then maybe watch some TV?"

Okay. Are you... putting olives on that?

"What?" I paused with my hand full of the little black slices. "Yeah, I like olives."

Bleh.

"You said you don't eat..."

I don't. I can't even, like, remember eating. Olives on a sandwich is still a crime. And you're putting on so many... She made a gagging noise and I let out an amused snort, but my curiosity was sparked.

"Do you have a favorite food to... look at? Actually, can you smell?"

Yup. I can taste, too, but it's a pain. I have to focus really hard on my tongue. One of the olives on my sandwich flew into the air and hovered there. Kine off thalthy an inigary...

I couldn't help but giggle as I pictured her holding the slice on her stuck-out tongue, stern concentration on her face.

The olive dropped to the floor after a few moments. But no, I don't really have a favorite. It's hard to try things out.

"Well, maybe we can..." I began, and trailed off. What was I suggesting? A taste-testing session for the ghost I just met? I resolved to leave that sentence awkwardly hanging and finished up my sandwich, beginning to eat it standing up in the kitchen.

"So," I said with my mouth full. "I guess I'll start with unpacking everything in my bedroom. I kind of need all my clothes."

Okay. I'll help out, if I can.

She ended up not being a whole lot of use, but we chatted as I slit open boxes and dumped clothes into drawers or hung them up in the closet. I told her a bit about my family and my hometown, trying not to sound too homesick after only being away for a week. I'd had an apartment before, but this was my first time living alone and so far away from my family and friends.

Well, "alone." I was starting to feel pretty sure Mel was real, at least in the ethereal sense. My brain wasn't creative enough to have come up with a hallucination so consistent or entertaining, and she seemed serious about proving her existence in front of other people. Maybe I could let her scare the mailman, just to put things to rest.

By the time my motivation evaporated, most of the boxes in my room were emptied and tossed down the stairs to be recycled. I flopped down on the bed with my laptop and brought up Netflix as Mel's now-familiar presence snuggled up close. It should have been nothing. It was nothing. I'd already lost track of how many times she had cuddled up to me, so this was par for the course. And yet... I couldn't ignore the sudden thrumming of my heart. And the heat in my cheeks. And the fact that my mind was now completely blank.

Are you going to pick something?

"Um. I. W-What do you want to watch?"

Uh... I've never really had the choice. Have you seen Dexter?

I tugged at the hem of my shirt, suddenly not sure what to do with my hands. "Is- Is that the serial killer one?"

Yeah.

"Um. I haven't seen it. I- don't really like scary stuff." I couldn't even manage some of Doctor Who.

It's not scary. It's not, like, a slasher movie. It's more suspense. I've only seen like half of the second season, though.

"Well, I guess we can try it..."

I fumbled at the keyboard to bring it up in the search bar and started episode one, hoping it would be at least a little scary. That way I could explain my racing heart to Mel. And myself.

As episode after episode played out and I found myself hooked by the story, I gradually became more comfortable with being snuggled up in such a close embrace. It was... nice, to lay there with Mel's warmth against my side, giggling quietly at her jokes. It was fun.

When I finally thought to glance at the time, I swore as I saw how late it was. "I have my first day tomorrow... I need to go to sleep."

Mel didn't respond. I glanced over to where I could feel her against me. "Mel?"

She remained silent. Now that I thought about it, she'd been quiet for a while. Anxiety tightened my chest until I realized the most obvious answer and smiled to myself. I imagined her head pillowed against my shoulder, her cute face the picture of serenity with her lips slightly parted for a silent snore.

...dammit, I just called her cute again, didn't I?

I groaned when my phone's alarm went off, yanking me out of a peaceful sleep and into a bright and early morning. I considered snoozing it and just closing my eyes for a few more minutes, but I couldn't afford to sleep in on my first day of work. I sat up and rubbed my face, glancing around uselessly.

"Mel? You there?" I patted vaguely around the bed in case she was still asleep. When there was no sign of her, I shuffled to the bathroom, relieving myself and brushing my teeth while my brain gradually shifted into gear. Slipping out of my pajamas, I twisted the knobs in the old-fashioned shower/bath combo and stepped in when the water was steaming. The temperature was pleasantly scalding, and I just let myself melt under the spray, feeling my skin grow flushed and hot as the streams flowed down my long hair and over my body.

It wasn't until I was rinsing away my body wash, turning this way and that under the showerhead to clean every bit of me, that I noticed something strange. The steam rising from the water was moving unnaturally. It was almost like it preferred to flow around rather than through a particular patch of empty air...

A sudden, horrifying suspicion filled me. Waving my hand through the space revealed a familiar warm pressure.

"Mel!"

Oops. She giggled, and a wave of furious humiliation rose up inside me. I covered myself with my hands, struggling to find words as my whole body burned.

"O-Out!" I sputtered finally. "Get out!"

Aw, you don't have anything to be embarrassed about-

"Get the f-fuck out, Mel!" I shouted. "I'm not kidding!"

O- Okay, she said, much quieter. The disturbance in the steam vanished, and I stood there for a while, still shaking with anger. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt like this. I never got mad, but I was pissed. Hot, seething tension tightened my chest and made me feel sick. I wanted to... to... I didn't even know.

When I calmed down enough to dry myself off and go back to my bedroom, Mel was either silent or gone. I still got dressed under the covers.

She didn't show herself when I was eating breakfast, or when I was doing my makeup. I was glad when I pulled out of the driveway without hearing another word. I didn't know what I might say to her.

I forced that morning out of my mind as I did my best to make a good impression at work, but every free second was spent seriously considering the possibility of staying with Mel. She didn't seem to be going away, and I really, really couldn't afford to immediately move. It wasn't like she'd be a terrible roommate. No mess. She wouldn't eat my food. She was, overall, nice to be around, even if she had some... rough edges. And I was the only person she could talk to. If nothing else, the guilt of leaving her to haunt the house alone would haunt me.

I couldn't let her walk (hover?) all over me, though. Putting up with some of her antics wasn't bad, but I worried about what she would do if I allowed her to take advantage of me. I did not want a repeat of this morning. I had to put my foot down before it became routine for her to do whatever she wanted.

There was a nice sense of righteous anger and determination burning in my chest when I parked in front of the house. Anxiety dampened it rather severely, but I pushed open the door, ready to tell Mel off. I found the living room was much cleaner than I had left it. All of yesterday's opened boxes had been cleared away, and the ones yet untouched were pushed neatly into the corner. The furniture seemed to be freshly dusted. It even smelled nice, like someone had burned a candle.

Sorry, Mel mumbled, somewhere near to me. I... uh. Yeah. I'm really sorry.

"You should be," I muttered, but the rage that had been smoldering inside me all day was doused by the remorse in her voice.

It's different when you're a ghost. Like, I have basically nothing to do except watch humans and talk to myself. It doesn't hurt anyone to... keep watching. I didn't... I didn't think about how it would make you feel, though. Sorry.

"It's..." I stopped myself from saying it was alright. It wasn't. "I can forgive you, but... we need to talk about this kind of thing."

Okay, she said, perking up.

"Um... Let's sit down."

Her warmth pressed against me the second I sat on the couch; though I had been half-expecting it, I still tensed a little. "I- I thought you were going to warn me when you did that."

Oh, yeah. Totally forgot. She sounded significantly less apologetic than she had a few moments ago. I scooted away from her, focusing on the words I had prepared.

"So, um, if I stay here, we'll be pretty much roommates."

If...? she said, in one word confirming my worries about abandoning her. She hadn't seemed all that excited to have me around, just generally happy that she had someone to talk to, but there was a depth of fear to her voice that I couldn't bear.

"I'll stay," I reassured her, then cursed my own weakness and added, "At least for a while. I can't promise in the long term. But, um, we need to establish... rules. Boundaries."