Roomie

Written by Deanna Nguyen

When Haru returned home after being stuck in traffic for two hours, he almost didn’t make it past the front door because exhaustion dragged him down. Once he kicked off his shoes and tossed his keys on the kitchen counter, he threw himself onto the couch, ready to sink into the cushions and sleep. 

“Wow, not even an ‘I’m home!’? You’re so booooorriiinng.” 

Not expecting company, Haru lurched upright and scanned his studio apartment for the intruder. His heart pounded so fast that he thought it’d crawl up his throat and leap out his mouth. He reached for the back scratcher on the coffee table and held it up with one hand, the other clutching onto his phone, thumb hovering over the emergency button. 

Haru waited, his body tense, but no one appeared. He could’ve sworn he heard someone right next to him. After a few more minutes, Haru lowered the back scratcher. Did he just imagine it? 

“That twig won’t protect you from me.” 

With a startled yell, Haru spun around and saw a young woman lying on her stomach on the couch with her legs swinging in the air. She propped her head up with one arm, chin perched at the base of her palm. 

“Who the hell are you?” Haru asked, raising his voice. “How’d you break in?” The young woman pointed to the front door. “You forgot to lock the door.” 

Haru shook his head, confusion settling over his initial shock. He pointed an accusing finger at her, or rather the couch. “You weren’t there a minute ago. There’s no way you could’ve appeared out of thin air.”

Her legs plopped back on the couch as she heaved a sigh. “It was a joke. I didn’t break in.” She changed positions, laying on her side with one leg bent and the other straight. Her elbow rested on the raised knee while the other kept her head up. “I live here.” 

Seconds passed by as Haru tried to process what she said and the situation he was in. Then he started to dial 911. 

“You’re just wasting time,” the young woman said, more bored than annoyed. “You’re the only one who can see me.” 

This time, Haru registered her words instantly. He ended the call before the 911 operator could answer. His throat and mouth dried up. Swallowing, he asked, “You’re…a ghost?” 

She shot him with her finger gun. “Bingo! Took you long enough.” 

Haru took a step back. Disbelief washed over him, replacing the exhaustion that’d weighed him down before. The young woman stared at him as if waiting for a grand reaction. He should panic, scream, and run out of the apartment without looking back. In his three months of living in his own place, not once did he believe or expect it was haunted. 

She must’ve read his thoughts because she told him, “I’ve always been here, but I chose not to appear before you until now.” She pointed at him. “Today’s your birthday, right?” 

Haru hesitated, but then nodded, not bothering to ask how she knew. Seeing his confirmation, she laughed. “Well, consider my presence your birthday gift. Happy birthday, roomie!” 

“‘Roomie?’” Grimacing, Haru’s mind started mapping out plausible solutions—from ending his lease early and paying the fee to calling in a priest who could exorcise the ghost. His routine had been disrupted, on his birthday of all days, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed without offending the young woman. He absolutely didn’t want her to turn evil and follow him even if he moved out.

“Short for ‘roommate,’” the young woman replied. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Don’t tell me this is your first time having one?” 

“I know what a roomie, er, roommate is,” Haru said, fighting back a sigh of frustration. “And this is my first time having a ghost for one.” 

“Oh, well, don’t expect too much from me. I can’t make a mess but I also won’t help you clean up the place.” Her words were nonchalant but her very existence was not. 

Haru, in an effort to distract himself from the fact that he was talking to a ghost, observed the young woman as she reached over and pressed the TV remote. Now that he focused, her body was somewhat transparent as if someone adjusted her opacity in a photo editor. He also noticed that she couldn’t pick up objects, which explained why she leaned over to press a button on the remote instead of holding it in her hand. 

“You’re making this very awkward,” she said, her eyes glued to the episode of Schitt’s Creek on TV. 

“Oh, um.” Why was it so hard to talk to her now? Haru placed the back scratcher on the table and continued to stand near her—the roles seemed to have reversed, she being the tenant and he the visitor. “What’s your name?” he finally asked. 

“My name is Lia, I’m an Aries with a Gemini moon and Scorpio rising, and I’m older than I look but whatever age you think I am, you’re wrong,” she answered in a casual manner as if she’d given this introduction more than a dozen times. 

It took a while for Haru to think of a response, or rather his own introduction that would match Lia’s. “I’m–” 

“Haru, I know,” Lia interjected, sitting up on the couch now. “You only just met me today, but I’ve known you since you got the keys to this place. Well, our place.” She flashed a smile, which unnerved him.

“You’re not bothered about me living here? You don’t have any evil intentions, do you?” Haru needed to ask, though he couldn’t say whether he’d trust a ghost’s words. 

Lia disappeared one second, and then the next she was standing right in front of him. He jumped, yelling, “Please don’t do that!” 

She was already laughing, and Haru didn’t find the sound of it unpleasant. “Good to know you’re easy to scare,” Lia said, still grinning. “And to answer your question, pulling pranks on you might be the only ‘evil intention’ I have.” 

“Oh, good.” Haru steadied his breaths. “I’m glad you’re having fun.” He didn’t mean it. Lia crossed her arms. “Well, birthday boy. Are you throwing a party?” 

He shook his head, putting space between them. “No, I don’t like inviting people over.” She scrunched her face. “You’re never getting laid that way.” 

Haru sputtered a cough, caught off guard by her unfiltered speech. He cleared his throat. “I’ll, uh, keep that in mind.” 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hang around if you do end up having sex all night. I know boundaries. See? I’m a thoughtful roomie.” 

A headache started to form and Haru rubbed his temple. Rather than being afraid of Lia because she was a ghost, Haru was afraid that she would tire him out. He wanted to live alone for a reason, but now it looked like he didn’t have a choice. 

Although, Lia’s presence was starting to grow on him. His body relaxed and, whether it was her personality or the way she treated him, he found it easier to see her as a roomie than a ghost.

She was apparently done talking to him and resumed watching TV on the couch. Haru didn’t even notice when she got there. He decided to go to his room and take a nap there, maybe hoping that when he woke up, she’d be gone and it was all a fever dream. 

“Have a nice nap!” Lia called out from behind him. 

Haru closed the bedroom door and fell onto his bed with a loud exhale. He could still hear Lia watching TV from beyond the door, her laughs filling up the empty space in the apartment. He drifted off to sleep, at last, thinking that a roomie wasn’t so bad after all—even if they were a ghost. 

When Haru woke up from his nap, he checked the time and realized he’d snoozed for about an hour. The apartment was quiet and dark; he remembered Lia and shot up from bed. Throwing the bedroom door open, he nearly fell from shock when he saw Lia and a bunch of other people with her, yelling, “Surprise!” 

Haru gaped at the scene: he didn’t recognize any of the new faces, but Lia beamed. “These are my friends! I told them it was your birthday and we had to throw you a surprise party. Oh, but sorry we couldn’t decorate the place or get you cake. We’re helpless in that department.” 

A mix of emotions overwhelmed Haru. He asked in a hesitant voice, “So your friends are also…ghosts?” 

Lia nodded. “Yep, and we’re here to party all night long! Think of it as a joint celebration— today’s your birthday and the day we finally met and became roomies!” 

Everyone clapped and cheered before EDM blasted from the TV. Haru held onto the doorframe of his bedroom. This can’t be happening, he thought, trying to maintain his sanity. 

Lia approached him and whispered in his ear, “Looking forward to living with you, roomie” before laughing and rejoining the others. 

Haru retreated into his bedroom, facing his new reality.