Teenage Ghost

    “You cut your hair!” Rhonda exclaimed as Jeff walked through the front door. “I love it!”
    “I’m glad you approve, Mom.” Jeff and Evan walked to his room and closed the door behind them.
    “She’s right you know, you’ll have all kinds of..” Evan started to speak up for her.
    Jeff cut off his friend. “I’m not interested in that.” He reached over and pulled out his new backpack and emptied the new folders for the school year out on to the bed. “I’m more interested in this.” He pointed to a small half man half robot he had drawn on a folder titled Math.
    “Hey! That’s pretty good!” Evan marveled at the art.
    “I’m taking Makelbee’s Art class this year.” Jeff smiled.
    “That’s awesome!” Evan sat back on the edge of the bed. “I’m taking Shop this year.”
    “Metal or Wood?” Jeff asked as he stuffed the notebooks back inside his pack.
    “Wood. They wont let me take Metal first.” Evan complained.
    “In Metal they let you work on cars.” Jeff stood in front of the mirror and looked at his new haircut.
    “Where did you get it cut at anyway?” Evan asked.
    “The Mall.” Jeff turned around and looked at his friend. “Now you need a haircut.”
    Evan sighed, “I know, but I can’t ask my mom.”
    “Why not?”
    “She’s still depressed. My dad goes to work and everything, it’s just nothing is the same. No one is talking. They don’t even look at each other anymore.” Evan slouched over.
    “I’m sorry, Man.” Jeff sat on the opposite edge of the bed. “I’ll go with you to the Mall, that way you have someone to copy for a haircut.” he grinned at Evan.
    “Like I’m going to copy you!” Evan’s spirits changed and he grinned at his friend.
    The two friends walked near the trendy wing of the mall, when Jeff began to feel a strange sensation in his lower abdomen. He stopped and looked around but saw nothing out of place.
    The two teenagers laughed and joked while Evan got his hair cut in one of the coolest styles of the year. All the while Jeff had a strange, queasy feeling where his gut should be.
    They exited the hair salon and Evan wanted to walk down to the punk wing of the mall. The wing that catered mostly to the absurd, rude, arrogant teenager. The wing you would most likely run into Vi at.
    Jeff didn’t want to face Vi today, with his new look. He didn’t want to have to listen to her try to destroy his self esteem and make him feel small. “I don’t know, Evan. I keep getting this queasy feeling in my stomach. I think maybe it’s time for me to head home.” Jeff tried to persuade him off course but failed.
    The feeling in his gut grew stronger and stronger until it felt like it suddenly burst. Jeff felt as if you could see straight through him. He glanced down in panic to realize it was true, he was no longer in corporeal form. He stood mouth open in shock and surprise as he watched Evan walk toward a novelty shop.
    Evan stopped and turned around to look at Jeff, but there was no one there anymore. He walked back the way they came and looked around but didn’t see his friend anywhere.
    Jeff couldn’t believe it when Evan walked straight through him and didn’t even see him. How? Why?
    Evan stood for a second thinking about where Jeff might have gone, then ran towards the nearest restroom. After all, Jeff had said he felt sick.