A New Friend

Nurse Christen and her daughter arrived at Amelia's house. She knocked on the door, and Laura opened it and hugged her. Laura's eyes met those of her daughter. "Is this your daughter?" she asked.

"Good day, ma'am," Claire greeted with a broad smile on her face.

"How are you, sunshine?" Laura said, touching the cheek of the girl. "Please come in!"

Nurse Christen and her daughter entered the house and were greeted with a beautiful sitting room. "Please sit," Laura gestured, pointing to the sofa in front of them. "My husband went to get Amelia." She said as she sat opposite them. Her eyes went to Claire. "What's her name?"

"Clarissa, but I call her Claire for short," Nurse Christen answered.

"Such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl," Laura commented. "Can I get you anything? Juice? Coffee?"

"Just a glass of water will do, thank you," Nurse Christen answered.

"And what about you, angel?" Laura asked, touching Claire's shoulder.

Claire looked at her mom and, when her mom nodded, she made her request. "Fruit juice, please, or ice cream, if that's okay."

Laura smiled. "A glass of water and ice cream coming right up." Laura left to get their orders when a knock was heard at the door.

"Can you get that for me please?" Laura called from the kitchen.

"Okay," Nurse Christen answered as she stood to open the door.

"Hello, Nurse," Andre greeted the nurse with a hug, while Amelia was waiting for her turn.

"You've grown so big," the nurse said as she carried Amelia and took her to meet her daughter while Andre shut the door. "Amelia, there's someone I want you to meet."

Amelia kept looking at the girl in front of her. "This is my daughter, Clarissa, and Claire, this is Amelia, the someone I told you I was coming to see," Nurse Christen introduced her daughter.

"Nice to meet you, Amy. Can I call you that?" Clarissa asked with a smile on her face and her hand stretched out to Amelia. Nurse Christen put Amelia down, but Amelia did the unexpected. She took off and went to her room, leaving Clarissa's hand hanging. The poor girl had to keep her hand back to her side sadly. Laura saw everything and was going upstairs to meet Amelia and scold her, but Clarissa touched the hem of her dress and collected her ice cream.

"I'll do it," Clarissa said as Laura looked at Christen and, when Christen nodded, Laura turned to face Clarissa.

"First room on your right," Laura directed.

"Thank you," Clarissa said, skipping up the stairs with a smile and ice cream in her hands. She arrived at the entrance and knocked on the door.

Amelia was having a chat with Tessa about how her day went and about the boy she met. "He's cute though. He was dark-skinned with blue eyes. His eyes were gorgeous, and the sound of his voice was cute."

"Are you supposed to be talking about a boy like that?" Tessa asked.

"Why not? He's God's creation, I'm just admiring him," Amelia said as she asked Tessa to help her with her uniform.

"Even though...you can't talk about a boy like that," Tessa warned.

"So do I have to reach a certain age before I can?"

"When you're old enough," Tessa answered.

Amelia turned to look at her. "That's not an age..."

"Shh! Someone is here," Tessa said, and immediately there was a knock at the door.

Amelia noticed something odd. Her parents never knocked at the door because the door was always open, but whoever was at the door was not her parent.

"It's opened," Amelia replied.

The door opened, revealing the little girl with glasses.

"I brought you ice cream," Clarissa said.

Amelia looked at Tessa, who was also looking at her, then at the little girl. Amelia went to meet the girl and pushed the ice cream back to her. "Get out of my room," she said, pushing Clarissa out and about to shut the door when Clarissa held the door.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "I'm trying to be and you treat me like this?"

"I never asked you to be nice to me. Now get out!"

"I won't leave until you tell me why you're being rude to me."

Amelia couldn't take it in anymore. If she needed a reason, then she was going to give her one. "You need a reason, then how about this... I see ghosts." She told Clarissa, and the girl just looked at her. Tessa, on the other hand, facepalmed herself. There was a long silence in the room. Amelia's eyes were fixed on Clarissa, who was just staring at her.

"I see ghosts," Amelia said.

"Really? That's cool," Clarissa said, smiling. Tessa was shocked, and so was Amelia. She wasn't expecting that.

"You say what?" Amelia asked.

"I said it's cool," Clarissa said again.

Tessa was just standing there smiling. "I like her already," Tessa said. Amelia turned to glare at her.

"You ain't laughing and you ain't calling me crazy?" Amelia said, as she sat on her bed, confused.

"Why would I call you that? I mean, it's not like you're making it up...or are you?" She asked, sitting closer to Amelia.

Amelia shook her head. "No, I wasn't making it up. I do see ghosts."

"How long?"

"All my life."

Clarissa put her hand on Amelia's hand, filling up the spaces in her hand. "It must have been hard on you," she said. "Seeing ghosts must have been very frightening. To be honest, I'll say you're really strong living your life despite all of this."

Amelia couldn't hold back her tears as they rolled down her cheek. Tessa stood beside her, putting her arms around Amelia's shoulder.

"This is the first time..." She managed to say. "This is the first time someone believed me. And...and didn't call me crazy." She said as Clarissa hugged her.

"You're not crazy. You're amazing and special. And strong too," Clarissa said. "Would you like to be my friend?" She asked, stretching her hand to Amelia for a handshake.

Amelia looked at her and wasn't sure what to do. Clarissa got tired of waiting, she placed Amelia's hand on hers and shook her hand. "Now we are friends."

Amelia couldn't believe this was happening. The first time someone believed her, the first time she talked so deeply with someone, and the first time she had a friend. She didn't know if she was doing the right thing by accepting her as a friend, but she was ready to take this one step at a time. Tessa smiled at her.

"So tell me, do you have a ghost friend?" Clarissa asked.

"Yeah, and..." She saw Tessa moving closer to Clarissa. "She's right beside you." And immediately, Claire felt her body tickling her, she couldn't stop giggling.

"Too bad I can't see her as you do. Is she cute?" Clarissa asked.

Amelia smiled as Tessa waited to hear Amelia's response.

"Well...um" Amelia looked at Tessa, studying the features she answered. "She has a long nose and big lips..."

Tessa knew Amelia was teasing her, so she went and tickled her, making Amelia giggle as Clarissa watched. She didn't look at Amelia as crazy, but she looked at her with keen interest. After Tessa was done, Amelia coughed. "She's beautiful, and a wonderful ghost friend too."

Tessa smiled with satisfaction.

"That's cool."

"Claire, it's time to go!" Nurse Christen yelled loud enough for the kids to hear.

"Coming, mom," Clarissa yelled back. "I guess this is goodbye."

Amelia got up and hugged her. "I'll walk you downstairs," Amelia said.

"Goodbye, Ghost friend," Clarissa said.

"Her name is Tessa," Amelia corrected.

"Goodbye, Tessa," Clarissa said as Tessa bade them goodbye.

Clarissa and Amelia went downstairs to meet their parents. Andre and Laura were surprised to see Amelia holding hands with Clarissa. A smile crept on their lips.