i know betty is actually pretty nice but she's not here so... yeah...

At dinner, I'm not exactly hungry since I'm still scared out of my mind about what happened in my room. He was right next to me, I swear it. I felt his breath on my ear and I could almost feel him next to me. There's something weird going on about all this…

"Cynthia, eat your food."

"I'm just not that hungry."

"Did something bad happen at school?" Mom asked.

"No… it's just… I had a weird encounter with Jimmy today."

"Who's Jimmy? A boy at school?" Dad asked.

"Kind of…"

"Well, just remember, Cindy, that boys aren't the best at conveying their feelings to girls sometimes so don't take things too personally. He may like you and just can't figure out how to get you to notice him."

I poked a few carrots. Oh, I notice him alright…

"Either way, Cindy, you'll get into the swing of things soon and it won't be so bad. I know you miss High Tech City a lot but we'll get settled into Retroville soon."

I sighed. They really didn't get what was going on at all. We had a ghost in the house that was harassing me and they're talking about the moving blues. I poked at the carrots again and then thought about something. Jimmy asked what was for dinner tonight… I had read in some of the articles about the place that people would find their leftovers gone when they knew that they had had them. So Jimmy stole people's food…

But if he was a ghost, then why did he need food in the first place? I smiled, knowing what I could do to catch Jimmy in the act.

I stayed up working on a couple of things and browsing the Internet and heard my parents go to bed. I decided to take a shower and head to bed myself. As I got out of the shower and was heading back to my room, I swear I heard the microwave going in the kitchen. I smiled. This was my chance! I quickly got dressed and tiptoed down to the kitchen to see what was going on. The house was dark except for the light over the stove in the kitchen, which I know my parents turned off because they have this thing about any type of light being on at night that isn't needed. As I suspected, the microwave was being used.

I look around the corner and see a glass being pulled out of the cupboard and the fridge open on its own, the chocolate milk being pulled out. I frown, since that's my chocolate milk but pull back and put my camera on video. I turn the phone so that the camera is just peeking out from the corner and hit 'record'. The microwave dings and I hear him humming.

"Mmm, this looks pretty good." He says.

I hear the cutlery hit the plate and I stop the camera, running back to my room.

When I get back to my room, I go back and play the video and am completely floored by what I see. It's the fact that I see anything that's so astonishing. Jimmy was there, plain as day and completely solid, pouring milk and eating our leftovers. I watched as he licked his lips and then looked up. He smiled and gave a wink to the camera.

That little piece of shit! He makes me want to strangle his ghost ass! But then again… if he was a ghost then he would be somewhat transparent or at least ethereal… but he was nothing like that. He was as plain as if I had taken a picture of a friend. That left the question of if he wasn't a ghost, then what was he?

Libby got done watching the video from the night before and I looked at her.

"Well?"

"That's really weird… and I can't say you Photoshopped it or something because you didn't even know Jimmy. That was him alright, a little fatter than he used to be, but that's him. Then again, if he's somehow trapped in the house then eating leftovers and not exercising would make someone fat…"

"I don't care if he was the size of Texas. The point is that he is terrorizing me in my house and I don't know what to call him. He can't be a ghost, right? I mean, that's just way too clear."

"Maybe he's invisible? But I guess if he was invisible then he would be terrorizing other people and would probably be here at the school rather than hanging around at his house… I dunno, girl. Maybe I can ask Sheen and Carl if they know anything about any experiments he was working on involving invisibility or etherealism."

"Is that a word?"

"No, but it seems like something Jimmy would work on. Oh, by the way, they are going to show the video from the Talent Show. You'll get to see what I was talking about in regards to Jimmy's performance."

I nodded but I could tell she just wanted to get off the subject. I wanted to stay on the subject and I mean, I just showed her that a guy who was supposed to be dead that I have no idea about was in my kitchen making food. How could I even pull a stunt like that off? I make a mental note in my head to give Jimmy the what for when I got back home. He knew no one would believe me. That's why he looked so cocksure in the video, smiling at me like that with that cute little smirk…

Ah! What was I saying?! He's not even real or is a ghost or something… I shook my head and just went into drama class.

Mr. Chippers put on the performance of the Talent Show and I have to say that Jimmy surprised me on a big level. I never would have guess he could move like that or even sing like that. Man, his voice was amazing and like Libby said, the pyrotechnics weren't even a thing. I have to say I was impressed. I'd have to let him know about it. Mr. Chippers turned the video off and smiled at us all.

"So, with that being said, you all are welcome and encouraged the join in the Talent Show this year. It's going to be a long way from now so that everyone can get their acts together." He laughed at his own joke and then cleared his throat when no one else did. "But let's make this fun, exciting, and try not to burn the school down. We have about ten minutes until the bell rings so you can do what you like until then."

I turned to Libby and she smiled.

"How'd you like it?"

"It was amazing. I didn't think he could sing like that."

"I don't think anyone else did either. I don't know anyone who could top that performance but we're going to try our hardest."

"There's no point in any of you people trying." Someone said beside us.

I looked over and a girl with dark brown hair looked at us with disdain.

"Jimmy was the best but I was best before him. He had a lot of gadgets and things but if not for his backdrop and accessories, I would have won the Talent Show."

"Betty, give it up. You always say you were cheated out of that prize when everyone knows you weren't."

"Besides, Jimmy sings really well." I added.

"Um, I'm sorry, who are you again?" she asked.

"I'm Cindy Vortex-"

"Then listen here, Sidney, I'm telling you that no one is going to be able to beat my act this year. I've got Apollo and Nick joining me and also Brittany. What are you going to do? Use Spleen and Carl-feit in your act, Libby?"

"Despite what you think, Sheen can dance really well. Carl wouldn't want to do it anyway, he's afraid of the limelight." Libby looks at me. "Are you going to be in it?"

"I thought about it but I kind of wanted to do something by myself just… well, I don't know a lot of people and I'm sure you have other plans."

"It doesn't matter because it's going to suck. Right, Brittany?"

"I'm sure. You might be smart like Jimmy but I don't think you could pull off being smart and talented."

I made a face at them. "I don't think you know me very well, Whitney."

Libby laughed as we ignored the other two and soon the bell rang.

I got home and sat on the couch for a minute. Mom and Dad weren't home and I looked at my video again. I just couldn't understand how he was so solid… A text came through and I opened it up.

I see you were spying on me last night.

I smiled a little. Just returning the favor.

I heard a small chuckle in the room and I looked around, looking for a floating phone or something but I didn't see one. I made a face.

You're in the room with me, aren't you?

"Hmm. Am I?"

I gasped and looked behind me but of course, he wasn't there. I turned to the TV and saw him in the reflection of the black screen, leaning on the back of the couch. I turned but of course, he wasn't there.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Oh, so you're speaking to me normally now?"

"I thought I'd return the favor."

I frowned. "What favor? I haven't even found you yet or whatever messed up game of hide-and-seek you were wanting me to do."

"True, but you are nice enough to act like I'm here, so I'll respond and let you know you're not crazy."

"Well, isn't that a relief."

"Besides, I had a role in this too, remember? The task was for you to see me or for you to make you see me."

"If that's the case then why don't you just let me see you."

"That would be way too easy and for a smart girl like you, a dismissal of your prowess."

"I can see why people didn't like talking to you; you are a prude."

"Takes one to know one, Blondie."

I scoffed. "You're impossible."

"That I am…"

"If you're here and then you can tell me what happened to you."

"Nope. Again, too easy. I have given you clues and if you think hard enough, you'll realize what it is."

I hate to say it, but I pitched a fit on the couch.

"I don't want to think! I want to understand why you're sneaking around my house and scaring the bejeesus out of me and hacking into my things."

Jimmy didn't say anything and I thought he had left. I sat up, looking around.

"Jimmy?"

"I'm stuck here. I can't leave the house."

"So you are a ghost."

"Nothing as simple as that."

"So… then you're invisible?"

"Kind of."

"How are you 'kind of' invisible? Huh? You either are or you aren't and if you were invisible you'd be able to leave- well… damn, I guess that would make sense. Are you, like, stuck in between astral planes or something?"

Jimmy laughed, a real laugh, and I liked it. It was full of genuine mirth.

"Only someone as smart as me would even come to that conclusion. I knew I liked you for a reason."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not."

"It is."

"Oh, by the way, I saw a tape of your talent show performance. It was really awesome! Did you know that they haven't had the talent show in two years to commemorate your, uh, 'death'."

"How sincere." He said with a sneer.

The door opened and Mom walked in with groceries.

"Cynthia, please go get the rest of the bags in the car for me."

I nodded and went to help Mom get the bags out of the car. My phone buzzed and I looked at the text.

It was nice to talk to you in person. It was nice to have a regular conversation without someone running away screaming. You don't know how lonely I've been… Please find me soon, Cynthia. I'm waiting.

so if he's not a ghost and he's kind of invisible then what is he? cindy, hurry up and find him! whatever that means. and he can only do that if no one is around because she'd look like a crazy person otherwise and jimmy's nice enough to haunt a little bit but he would never get someone admitted as a crazy person