It was an odd day. Beautiful, but most definitely odd. There was a strange brightness to everything, despite the fact that there was enough of a cloud cover that the sun wasn't directly shining. Instead, the noontime sun caused the sky to glow a brilliant yellow, so bright that you couldn't look at it directly. All the colors shone blindingly - the greens of the grass, the white stone of the buildings, the gray of the sidewalk - and yet, a haze numbed the colors and gave everything a surrealistic softness.

"It really is kinda pretty," Cait murmured, squinting up at the sky. "If only it wasn't so damn bright!"

"I think it's a great day!" a voice chimed in behind her. Cait winced. Raash. She'd almost forgotten about Raash. His cheerful voice added, "Not too hot, not too cold, and with this gorgeous light illuminating everything... Beautiful!"

Cait glanced behind her, irritated. There he was, just sauntering along with his hands in his pockets and that silly smile on his face. She snapped, "How would you know what the temperature's like? You can't even feel it!"

Raash gave her an indignant look. "Maybe not, but I can still see what everybody's wearing and make a pretty good guess, ya know!"

Cait snorted and continued walking, readjusting the weight of the book bag on her shoulders. "I thought you were gonna stay and see if Mark and Brad were gonna get into it. Whaddaya following me around for?"

A couple students, running a bit late for lunch, gave her odd looks as they passed. As usual, they completely ignored Raash, who merely shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint ya, Cait, but it's not everyday you get called down to the principal's office! Normally, it's the psychologist's office."

The short brunette narrowed her eyes, not even giving him the satisfaction of a look. "Yeah, and whose fault is that, Mr. Nobody-Can-See-You-Except-Me?"

Raash grinned, hazel brown eyes twinkling. "Hey, ain't my fault! Of course I'm gonna stick with the one person that can see me!"

Cait growled something under her breath. One of Raash's long, pointed ears twitched. "What was that, m'dear?"

The girl whirled around at last. "I said, I think Dr. Caseman's right! You are just a figment of my imagination, created by some sick, sadistic part of my mind to torment me!"

A boy who hadn't been all that far behind Raash suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide. Getting over his shock, he snapped, "What the hell! Why not? I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today!"

He brushed past her, looking as though his entire day had just been ruined. Cait felt her face grow hot even as she called desperately after him, "No, wait! Not you! Him!" The boy just waved her off and kept walking.

Cait shoved her fists to her sides in frustration. "Argh! Raash, do you see what trouble you cause? That guy's gonna hate me for life, and I don't even know him!"

Raash looked after the boy in a pondering fashion. "Well, can't very well blame that on me. You're the one that was yelling in the first place. Besides, he isn't that much of a loss, if ya ask me!"

"I DIDN'T ASK YOU!!" she shrieked, exasperated. Every person in hearing range stopped to stare at her. She noticed. "What the HELL are all of YOU looking at?!" They quickly went about their business.

Raash unplugged his ears. "My, you do have a temper, don't you? Did that make you feel any better?"

"Not one frickin' bit," she muttered, turning around again to continue stalking towards the principal's office.

Raash resumed sauntering along, hands back in his pockets again. "Well, with such a winning personality, I can see why people just flock around you!"

"Were you this annoying when you were alive, or is this a recent development?" Cait snapped, pushing open the door to the main building. A gust of warm air brushed against her face, carrying with it the musty odor of books and learning. Pale metal lockers lined the way as she stalked along the narrow halls. Raash followed with a smile.

"Nope, born this way!" he cheerily replied. A mischievous glint in his eyes, he suddenly wrapped his arms around Cait, snuggling against her cheek. "But only around the people I love!"

"AHHHH! You're cold! Get the hell offa me!" she yelped, taking a swing at him as he let go. Her fist slid right through his chest as if it were nothing but air. Angrily, she drew it back, the skin now cold to the touch. "God, I can't even hit you!"

Raash was grinning oh-so-exasperatingly again. "Just another benefit of being dead, m'dear!"

Too furious to even think of a come-back, the girl just stood there and glared at him for a moment. Finally, she turned and started walking again. "I swear... as soon as I get enough money, I'm gonna pay some telephone psychic to exorcise you!"

Raash feigned utter shock. "But... does this mean... it's over? But... but... we were so good together! Why would you... Ah-ha! I know! You're leaving me for another ghost, aren't you!" Her resulting glare was absolutely chilling. It was good enough to get a laugh out of him. "Besides, psychics don't do exorcisms. You'd need a priest for that!"

"Great, thanks, I'll be sure to remember that," she muttered venomously. Then, a more thoughtful expression crept over her face. "Hm, think a priest would do it for free?"

"Cait?" a voice called out. The teenager nearly tripped for stopping so suddenly as she realized that she'd completely passed the principal's office. Face red, she backtracked and stepped into the office, nodding sheepishly as the secretary ushered her into the office.

Principal Elliot, a large man with a warm, friendly smile, stood to greet her. "Miss Everett, glad to see you! Please, have a seat!"

Suddenly feeling downright timid, Cait slid into the proffered chair. Completely at ease, Raash perched himself on the principal's desk. Cait would have glared at him if not for the chance Principal Elliot might have thought it was meant for him. After all, glaring at the principal generally was not the smartest thing to do. She watched the large man warily.

Sinking into his own chair, the principal set his elbows on the desk and steepled his fingers. He beamed at her. "Well, I bet you're wondering why you're here, aren't you!"

Cait blinked. Was that supposed to be an accusation or what? It occurred to her that he was awaiting an answer. "Um, yeah, kinda. Normally when I'm called to an office, it isn't yours."

Principal Elliot's smile turned a little nervous for some reason. He coughed. "Uh, yes, I suppose that's true... but I won't spoil the surprise for you! Your mother should be here any minute now."

This just kept getting better and better. The girl stared at him, mouth hanging open a bit. "My... mother? She's coming in?"

Raash cocked an eyebrow, casting a scrutinizing eye over the beaming man. "Why do I get the feeling he doesn't know anything more than that?"

Completely oblivious to the long-dead elf, the principal just kept right on smiling. "Yep, she should be here any mi-" The door behind Cait inched open quietly, and Principal Elliot's eyes brightened. "Ah, Mrs. Everett! How good to see you! I got your message and found Cait right away. Please, have a seat!"

Cait, meanwhile, was eyeing her mother suspiciously. The young woman simply beamed at her with an infuriatingly pleasant smile. All of this was starting to give Cait a very bad feeling.

Apparently, Raash was a bit bothered by it, as well. An eyebrow raised, he looked from the principal to her mother and back suspiciously. "What in the world is everybody smiling about? If there's some joke or somethin', I'd love to know what it is!"

Finally, Mrs. Everett broke the silence. "Well, I have some very important news for you both!"

For a moment, Cait somehow thought her mother meant her and Raash. Then, she realized she meant her and Principal Elliot. The portly man was still smiling. Giving Cait an annoyingly knowing wink, he replied, "We're all ears!"

Raash groaned. "What is with all this cheerfulness? I didn't think anybody could smile like that all the time. It just ain't natural!"

Unable to hear him, her mother finally told them all her important news. "My little Cait will be studying abroad in France, starting next week! Isn't that wonderful?"

Cait could only gape at her. Before the shock could wear off, Principal Elliot gushed, "Why, congratulations, Caitlin! I had no idea you intended to do that!"

"Neither did she!" Raash chuckled.

Cait still managed to glare at him before turning her attention to her mother. "France? But Mom... when... where... how?"

Mrs. Everett patted her daughter's knee happily. "Your grandmother and I have been discussing this for awhile now, and your father thinks it's a wonderful idea, too! Starting next week, you'll be taking your classes at the Miette Academy for the Gifted!"

"Grandma Amelia's school? But... why?" Cait asked, still feeling overwhelmed.

Raash grinned, trying his hardest not to snicker. "Isn't that rather obvious, kiddo? You're... 'gifted!'"

The way he said it confirmed all Cait's suspicions that this could be nothing but bad. Maybe she was being punished for something...

Principal Elliot didn't seem to think of it that way. "My, what a prestigious name! I'm sure you're be quite happy there, Caitlin! What a wonderful opportunity!" Still smiling in an oh-so-very-relieved fashion, he turned his attention back to Mrs. Everett. "So, just tell us where to send her transcripts, and we'll be sure to get everything in order."

"Mom, wait!" Cait interrupted, the shock fading into mild upset. "What about my opinion? Don't I get a say in this? I mean, what about all my stuff? My grades? My friends?"

Raash gave her a skeptical look. "Your stuff isn't going anywhere, since when have you had to worry about grades, and what friends?"

Her mother remained silent, waiting patiently as her daughter stared off into thin air. Cait thought it over for a moment. Raash did have a point, as much as she hated to admit it... At last, Cait smiled and shrugged. "Eh, what the heck... Okay, France! Here I come!"