You still weren’t entirely sure why your parents had chosen to leave the city for this secluded little corner of nowhere. A fresh start is what they said. And while the thought of newness wasn’t unwelcome, the unfamiliarity bugged you a bit.

The house was small and quiet, the kind of place where the trees rustled at night, and stray cats felt bold enough to cozy up near your front door. It had that pristine countryside charm where neighbors wave at each other like lifelong friends and summers brought relentless mosquitoes. Comforting, sure, but it carried a strange stillness that you weren’t used to just yet.

Dust clung to your feet as you hauled boxes to what would be your new room. The floors creaked beneath your steps as you placed the box by the edge of your bed. You flopped down with a groan, staring at the ceiling. The idea of unpacking seemed tiring. A nap, though? That sounded like a good idea.

Your eyes fluttered shut, but just as the heaviness of sleep began to pull you, a sharp awareness shot your eyes open again.

Someone was staring down at you.

Twinkling teal eyes, sharply judgmental, locked onto yours, on a pale face framed by dark green hair that fell above his eyes. His presence felt strange, like he belonged and yet didn’t. The edges of his figure shimmered faintly which is what caught your eye the most.

“Seriously? My room?” His voice cut through the tense silence, sounding irritated.

You blinked, your brain scrambling to catch up. Who was this guy? And how had he even gotten here?

He rolled his eyes with a long sigh, crossing his arms as he loomed closer. “What, never seen a ghost before?”

That faint shimmer around him made sense now, even if nothing else did.