My name isn’t Jake; that’s my neighbor’s name. Almost everyone has a close friend, but my situation is a bit different. My friend Jake isn’t here anymore. He left this world far too young, caught in a tragic accident alongside his mother. His father survived, but it’s as if he’s lost in his own sorrow. One day, he came to my doorstep, drawn by a feeling that someone might understand his pain.
My family has always said I have a special gift. Ever since I was little, I would talk to people who others couldn’t see. At three, I’d point and chatter away, and my parents would just smile, thinking it was cute. But when I mentioned it at school, a classmate spread the word. I became the target of laughter and teasing.
Then there’s my friend Mia. She’s kind-hearted in a calm way, not overly cheerful but always supportive. In seventh grade, I’ve faced things that others can’t comprehend—shadows that seem to lurk, trying to pull me under. You might think I’m making it up, or that I’ve lost my mind. But I know what I see, and I just want someone to believe me.