Anika POV
"Steve? Is that you?" I ask as I look at a ghost standing behind the bookshelves. As soon as I call his name, he suddenly shows himself. "Anika?" I was shocked that he is in front of me right now. "What? How? Why?! I thought you're already at the afterlife." I said as we hugged each other. It's been 3 years since the last time I saw Steven. After that, I never saw him again so I thought he's already in the afterlife. "Well, the good news is that I have finally done with my first move, but the bad news is that I still can't do my final move. That's why until now, I'm still here," he said. I'm actually glad that my friend from 3 years ago is back and I also hope that he will achieve his peace soon.
We went outside just to catch up and to get some fresh air. I wonder what is he been doing since I last saw him. "How are you doing? Have you done anything yet?" he asked me. I always wished that I've done something but still I haven't. "Nothing yet, I just kept on wandering around this town," I said to him. "Still no clue? Let me help you." He offered but I don't want to bother him just like before. I want him to focus on what he needs to do. I should be doing it alone.
"How about you? What is that final thing that you needed to do?" I asked him just to change the topic about him, offering his help. "I know what I should do but I think it's impossible, or maybe possible because I'm with you already." I was a little confused when he said about me. What does he mean about he's already with me? Wait, does he mean that I will be able to help him achieve his peace?
"So... I can help you?" I asked and stopped walking. I smiled and said, "What do you need me to do?" I think I would be able to help him. I will do anything for him to achieve his peace. It would be hard for me to achieve peace but at least my friends would be able to achieve it. I wanted them to be in peace, I don't want to see them in pain anymore. "I'll do anything to help you," I said happily and willingly. He just laughed and walked closer to me, "I know you can. Just be yourself" he said.
"So... what do I need to do?" I kept on asking him. I just needed to know in order to help him and also to plan on how I would be able to help him. "Let's talk about that tomorrow morning. Let's go to Kath's," he said. Then we started walking to go to Kath and for him to see her again after a long time.
The next morning, I was about to leave to start wandering around but Steve stopped me and said, "You're going to wander around? I'll come with you." he said but I wanted to go alone whenever I wander around. But since last night he kept on telling me that he wants to join me every time I wander. "I'm just going somewhere, I'm not going to wander around for today," I said that as an excuse. "Then I'll still go with you. I wanted to be with someone that I know, I've been alone for years after I left this place," he said, I don't have a choice if he really wants to join me this time. Fine, I will allow him to join me. Maybe someday I might need his help with something that I will found out.
"So... where are you planning to go today?" he asked me while we were walking around the town. "I don't know, maybe at the university? or... at the park? or maybe where will be my feet wants to go." I said not really knowing where to go this time. Every time I have nowhere to go, I just let myself go and take myself somewhere that might have a connection with my past life. "How about you? Don't you need to go or do something?" I asked him because I remembered that he still need to do something before going to the afterlife. "Yes, but I'm not ready to do it," he said with a smile on his face. "Let's just not talk about it, for now, let's focus on you this time. You've helped me before and I wanted to return the favor."
Why do I feel like he's being shy whenever I opened that topic about his final move? I think he is able to do it but he chooses not to, but why? I was about to ask Steve something but I stopped because I realize where we are right now. "Wait, what? Why are we here?" I whispered to myself. We are at the back of the building where Dylan's apartment is. Why did I let myself take us here?
We kept on walking around, there is a small park located at the back of the building then I suddenly saw Dylan sitting on a bench next to a small fountain. I was about to walk away from him but he suddenly stood up and started walking. "Are you okay?" Steven asked me, but I stayed quiet and stood still. Dylan stopped walking when he finally saw me, he was a bit confused when he saw me then he started walking towards me.
"What are you doing here?" Dylan asked when he approached us. "He can see us?" Steve asked me about Dylan's ability. I still can't talk and I don't know why I'm like this when I started to saw Dylan. "Who is he?" Dylan asked. "He really can see us! Who is he, Anika?" the two boys kept on asking questions to me and I don't know how to start answering them.
I felt a little shy when I saw Dylan. Maybe it's because of the other night that I keep on thinking and talking about him. I need to stop and wake myself from those thoughts. "Uhm... Yes, Steve, he can see us. Dylan is my friend and Dylan this is Steve an old ghost friend of mine." I said but I can't look at Dylan straight to his eyes, I feel uncomfortable. "He's just a friend? But why did I haven't seen you before?" Dylan asked Steve. "I left this town 3 years ago because I needed to do something for myself, then I just recently came here to do my final move before going to the afterlife." I looked at them but I saw that Dylan is a bit serious when he talks to Steve, while Steve is just chill talking to Dylan.
"And what is that? I'll help you." I got surprised when Dylan said that. He is really willing to help Steve but when I asked him about helping me, he only said that he's too busy to help me. What is going on here? "Wait, whoa! You're willing to help him? But not willing to help me?" I asked Dylan, I'm really confused right now. "I'm asking him, not you." my mouth just drop when he told me that. Okay, I'm going to end this right now.
"No! If you're going to help him, you have to help me too!" I said to Dylan. "I have reasons okay. So, please tell me what is it and I will help you." Dylan said but Steven just laughed. "I still can't do it even if you will help me. For now, I'm here to help Anika first. If you're going to help me, help Anika first." Steve said to Dylan. I crossed my arms and nodded, agreeing about what Steve said. Dylan took a deep breath and stared at the both of us. "Fine, what do you need Anika?" I still smell something strange here, what is his reason for this.
"I need to know where the school I went and also I need to know my identity," I said to Dylan. "Really? You still don't know where is the school you went to before? It's obviously Mcbridge University" the university where Dylan is working? But that is a college school, but I wore a highschool uniform. "But I'm wearing a high school uniform," I said to him. And again Dylan took a deep breath, it looks like he's irritated right now. "Mcbridge has a highschool department on the campus," I never knew there was a high school on that campus. I knew Dylan can help me, I should start looking around that department.
"And now, about you?" Dylan asked Steve about what is the final thing that he needed to do before going to the afterlife. But before Steve started talking, he stared at me first and smiled.
"I need to learn how to love again," Steve said and that really surprised me.
There are things that ghosts still needed to do even if it's nonsense. We needed to do it in order to go to the afterlife and live with peace.
But learning to love again is hard in his situation because he is a ghost.
Will, he able to do it?
And will I be able to find my identity this time?
To be Continued...