Goodbye, Again

I looked around frantically for the ghostly friend of mind, where was he? Did he leave? No, it couldn't be, he'll stay around for a long long time. And I actually like his presence, hanging around with him is fun. It brings me joy and plants a smile on my face every time I get to talk to him, no one else can see him which kind of sucked since no one can really know him. People just thinks I'm insane when I try talking to him or talking about him.

I looked around my empty apartment, it's not exactly empty but it didn't have a lot of stuff. I live alone after all. "Buddy? Where are you?" I called out, getting worried about him. But my worries soon went away when that familiar ghost faze through the walls. My face lit up as I hurried towards him. There were so much I had planned, I was going to show him different places around town and maybe a little road trip.

"There you are! I was looking everywhere for you! Anyways I was thinking about a little trip." I started to tell him about my plan, I had some holidays to spare so I wasn't worried about work. I saved up quite a bit for this holiday trip between my buddy and I. The best part is that I only have to focus on my expenses, since ghost pal over here is a ghost after all.

"Evan-"

"I know I know, you're probably wondering whether if I have enough money. Don't worry! I saved up enough for this! Plus we'll be going to cheap hotels, I'm not a huge spender." I let out a soft chuckle at this, pulling up a map from a shelf that was near by. It already had markings on it, those were the places I wanted to show him. Really cool places, I had a plan mapped out already.

"Wait, listen"

I was too pumped up to even listen to him at the moment, I wanted to tell him all my plans I had, everything! "I got 5 places in mind, but they're a bit far from one another, so we'll be able to do a lot of things in between!" I was happy, really happy at the moment. Things had been going good for some time now, I haven't been this happy for a long time... That's all thanks for Buddy over here, he doesn't exactly have a name. So I just call him Buddy. Without him, I wouldn't know what I would have done with my life. "And after this, we could-"

"STOP TALKING!"

I stopped my tracks, looking at him with wide eyes. I never heard him yell for the last 2 years he has been here. What was going on? I felt something heavy in my heart, whatever it is, I know it wasn't good news. "If this is about that incident, you don't have to worry. I can drive perfectly fine-"

"No no NO! It isn't about that! Just listen to me..." I shut my mouth as I was cut off one more time. I let him talked, dreading what he was going to say next.

"I'm leaving"

...

"I'm sorry, what?" I didn't believe him, I played it out as a joke, laughing and just chuckling. Thinking this was just some sort of prank. Like those fake pranks you see on YouTube.

"This isn't a joke, I'm leaving. My task here is over, I'm being sent back" He didn't look he was joking around either, his translucent body touched the floor and looked directly at me.

"What? What do you mean? Task?" I wanted an explanation, wasn't he just some ghost that had died in this apartment or something? How could he be leaving? Are those things like, he needs to fulfil his last desire before leaving to I don't know, god or something? How does the ghost world even worked?

He looked at me with a sad look before letting out a soft sigh, seemingly preparing me to tell me an explanation. "I was sent here to complete a task. You could say I'm your guardian angel but we like to use a different term. My task was to help you realise the fun of friendship and life. Something you completely lack of when I first came here. And look at you now, willingly going off to some road trip. You're a completely different person from the person I first met. Which meant my task is fulfilled, I could go back."

I was in shock, this whole time I just thought I had a ghost buddy. "Go back where?" I asked in a shaky tone, I didn't want him to go, he was the closest friend I had, he is the only friend I have... He would not be like the others, he can't be replaced.

"I go back home, Evan. To my family and friends." His smile was heartwarming, but it held sadness behind it. I looked at my hands, they were shaking. I can't, I can't live without him. He's been with me through everything, how am I possibly suppose to do this alone. I can't get through life alone, it's a scary fucking world and it's unfair. I can't get through it without him, what if I went back to how I was two years before? Miserable, depressed, not giving a crap about myself and others. The insufferable asshole. Thoughts were swirling through my head, he can't leave. He can't leave me. Those train of thoughts were stopped by a sudden hug. Wait... He can hold me?! I thought I just faze through him, those thoughts where pushes aside for now as I give a hug back to my friend.

"You can't- I can't- Please... Stay.." I managed to mutter out to him, tears were falling, I couldn't hold them back. As this happened, I felt the hug tightened before I was let go. "Evan... Look at me. All good things comes to an end, but there will always be another chapter to look forward to. I'm just one chapter, there would be many many more." He held onto my face, wiping the tears off my face, that smile was still on him.

"W-when will you leave...?" I asked, but the looked on his face already told me, he had to go now. I let out a shaky breath, wiping the rest of the tears off my face.

"Show me that smile, Evan." Might as well make this moment last as much as possible, I forced myself to smile, not wanting these last few moments to be just sad and miserable. Why not make it a happy one.

"There it is..." Buddy smiled back at me, soon letting go. A white blinding portal appeared behind him, he looked behind him smiling at the fact he was ready to go.

"Wait! You never told me your name"

I got no response, only a small smile. Before the portal swallowed him whole. Soon there was nothing but silence, it was just me, alone and my own thoughts... He's gone... I can't help but let tears fall from my face again..

As I tried to comprehend what just happened, I heard knocking on my door. I walked towards it and open it, seeing two of my old friends that I haven't spoken to over two years.

"Hey! Long time no see! I'm glad you reached out to us again. About that road trip idea you had? Like those good time before"

I was confused my this, I never sent a text message to them. So I pulled my phone out, checking whether I did send a message or not. A message was indeed sent to them but I wasn't the one to do it.

"No- I, I didn't sent this. Maybe Buddy did-" I mumbled the last part to myself but they heard it since I saw the expression on their face change to a pitiful one.

"Evan... Nate died two years ago.. Let him go bro.."

That's when it hit me, a wave of emotions hit me at once. How did I forget? How- It was him all along, was this whole things in my mind? What was happening? A small sobbed escaped from me, before I realise. Two of my oldest friend pulled me into a hug, which I appreciate greatly.

He was taking care of me for these past two years, he never left me... How did I not notice this sooner? But, after a while of thinking a smile appeared on my face. Knowing that even if he's gone the second time, he would always still be around.

"Thank you.... Nate."