“Then why are you smiling?”

Even raised a hand to his face, and ran his fingers over his lips to find that they were in fact quirked up at the corner. He tried to make his face return to his usual blank expression as he turned back to his desk, where Larysa now perched with her legs crossed and a smirk on her face. He could still see his textbook through her translucent form, but the words were as blurred as his thoughts.

“Are you blushing?” She twirled a lock of long blond hair around her finger.

“No,” Even mumbled into his hand. “The cold just makes my cheeks go red.”

Larysa raised an eyebrow. “Sure…”

“Anyway, I really need to do some work now.” He waved a dismissive hand, catching the bow which held her hair back. It was just as intangible as Larysa herself, and wobbled like a mirage as his hand passed through it.  

“Come on,” Larysa whined, and he felt a familiar cold sensation as she rested her chin on his shoulder. “We’ve only got a few days left.”

Even turned to look into her unearthly purple eyes, and sighed. He wanted to stroke the stray strand of blond hair that was obscuring them away. He wanted to caress her cheek, but he could not. He could never touch her, could only see her for a month every year. Once Halloween passed, she would fade again in a matter of days, and he wouldn’t see her again until the start of October next year. “Fine,” he said softly.

The creak of the door was the only thing that alerted them to it opening, and Larysa’s eyes widened as she quickly disappeared.

“Hey Even, who were you talking to?” Vlad asked, striding into the room to sink into a soft white beanbag in the corner.

“Just mumbling to myself,” Even said, turning back to his textbook in case his annoyance showed on his face. As much as he loved his friends, sometimes he preferred to spend time with his undead housemate rather than his living ones.

“Alright then, you do you,” Vlad smirked, his tone teasingly condescending. “Anyway, D&D starts in fifteen minutes, Arthur told me to come and get you.”

Even blinked in surprise. “Oh, it’s Saturday already?”

“Yep, has been for a good few hours. Good thing I came up here.” Vlad laughed. “Anyway, we should probably get going or Arthur will have our heads.”

“Yeah,” Even chuckled. As he followed Vlad out of the room, he turned back and saw Larysa in the corner of his room. She waved to him, and he smiled back, ducking his head and hurrying out as a blush crept back onto his cheeks.

  Sparks danced into the air, winking out against the inky night sky. Even watched them as he leaned back on the log they’d dragged over to their makeshift bonfire. Though the sounds of firework displays raging on rang out in the distance, their bonfire was slowly dying down. He leant his head on Vlad’s soft brown hair as his friend leaned on his shoulder.

“You’re freezing, Even,” his friend complained in a sleepy murmur.

“So are you,” Even retorted, lightly nudging him in the ribs.

“Shall we cuddle up to Arthur instead? He’s the only warm one here,” Vlad smirked.

“You certainly shan’t,” Arthur snapped, his cheeks flaming as bright as the bonfire. “If you’re that cold, shall we head in and watch a film?”

“Sounds good.” Vlad stretched as he stood up. “Even, you coming.”

Even opened his mouth to respond, when he saw a face through the flickering flames. “Actually, I’ll stay out here for a few more minutes.”

“Alright then, mate,” Arthur shrugged. “Join us whenever.”

Once he saw the back door close, he turned with a soft smile to the girl he knew would be sitting by his side. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Larysa smiled back at him. In the dimming firelight, her faintness was painfully obvious; the warm light shone right through her. As she looked away from him, hair falling over her face, Even could tell something was up. Her entire demeanour seemed more closed off and reserved than usual.

“Is something wrong?” He asked, edging closer to her.

Larysa shook her head, but she still kept her head down. “I’m going to fade soon,” she mumbled.

“I know,” Even nodded sadly. “But I’ll see you next year.”

When she shook her head again, her movements were slower. “No…” She turned to him, her face etched with sorrow. “No, you won’t. I think I’m going to fade… for good.”

Even stared, his heart thudding as the words sank in. He felt numb, and heard his next words as if they were spoken by someone else. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just… I thought about it, but I didn’t want to put a downer on our last days together.” Larysa offered him a weak smile.

“Don’t say that. You’ll come back next year,” he insisted. He felt so petulant and childish, but he couldn’t lose Larysa.

“I might.” She shrugged, looking into the flames. “Or I might not.” Her form was starting to flicker like the bonfire itself.

“You can’t…” he murmured, his voice quavering.

Larysa reached out a hand to cover his. “Even, I’ve already stayed for longer than I should. It’s about time I let go.”

Even wanted to tell her no. He wanted to scream and howl in protest, at the unfairness of it all. How he’d met the perfect girl years after she had passed on, how just when he’d found happiness she was being taken from him by the cruel winds of fate. But his voice was choked, and all he could utter were muffled sobs as he clutched desperately to a hand that wasn’t there.

“Hey…” Larysa’s voice was as calm as ever. “Hey… it’ll be ok. You will be ok. These past three Octobers have been the best time of my unlife. Just breathe now, make the most of your own life. You shouldn’t waste time crying over a dead girl you never even knew.” She laughed with more melancholy than humour.