Three Idiots and a Ghost

When a ghost said sorry and received a fart

"You're sure you want me to do this?" Rags asked Archer, standing right in front of him.

He nodded. "I'm positive. Take over my body, Rags."

After Cooper's banana tantrum, the house had gone quiet for a few minutes. Archer had taken that time to really think about Rags's possession ability. He eventually hypothesized that the front door had something to do with it. Not only was Rags able to possess Cooper's body while passing through the door, but she also was able to leave it while doing the same. Archer saw some significance in that and wanted to test his theory out himself. Sure, he didn't exactly feel easy about a ghost using his body, or a girl touching him at that, but he was the only person willing to play guinea pig. Cooper was too upset about his involuntary breakfast choice at the moment and had locked himself in his room. On the other hand, Skyler had made it clear he didn't want anything to do with the ghost.

"I'm going to walk through the door now," Archer informed, taking a deep breath. "We have to time this just right."

"Yeah." Rags waited until half of Archer's body was out the door just like Cooper's had been before she took over him. And just like then, she suddenly felt a strong force pulling her towards her tall roommate. In the blink of an eye, her perspective of the world suddenly rose by half a foot. She made it out of the apartment once more.

Skyler, who had been watching television on the living room couch, briefly turned his head around to see if the experiment had worked. Even though on the outside he looked completely indifferent to everything that was going on, on the inside he was still curious to learn a few things about the ghost. That way, he would know when, where, and what to be cautious of around her. And he'd now have to add the front door to that list.

All of Archer's theory was proven to be correct when Rags came back into the apartment and into her ghost form. Though no one knew the explanation behind it, it was now confirmed that the entrance acted as some sort of supernatural aid for ghostly body possession.

The apartment was quiet for the rest of the day as everyone went about their separate business. Archer was back to working on his Pattwad story in his room, while Rags and Skyler went on a marathon of TV shows. Although Rags tried to strike up a conversation every now and then, Skyler wasn't all that responsive.

Soon, it was time for dinner, and Skyler was once again busy in the kitchen. When the food was nearly all prepared, both Archer and Rags waited at the table. However, Cooper had yet to show up. He hadn't left his room once all day, except one time when he came out to grab a bag of chips for lunch. While doing so, he didn't make eye contact with anyone, especially Rags.

"Hey, you should go talk to Coops," Archer said. "He's a simpleminded guy. If you apologize, he'll get over being mad at you right away."

"You think so?" Rags asked.

Archer nodded reassuringly.

Although the issue was a bit ridiculous, Rags did feel sorry about eating something Cooper hated so much. She didn't like this tension she was feeling between him and her at all, especially knowing that she was stuck living with him. She wanted to be on good terms with him—with everyone. Thus, the faster she resolved this conflict, the better.

Rags walked over to Cooper's bedroom. The door was left slightly ajar, but it didn't matter since her ghostly body could easily pass through it. She saw Cooper lying on his bed in the middle of playing a game on his phone. Mr. Sprinkles was snoozing by his feet, muttering a few unheard death threats between breaths.

"Coops?" Rags called out to finally grab his attention.

Cooper's green eyes briefly moved toward her before returning to his phone screen. "What do you want?" he asked in a low voice that felt so out of place compared to his usual cheery high tone.

"I want to say sorry for breakfast. I'm sorry I had to take over your body without permission, although I didn't know that would happen. But above that, I'm sorry for eating that banana bread. I didn't mean to upset you because of it. Oh, and I'm also sorry for acting a bit like a lunatic in your body by twirling around on the sidewalk."

"You did what—"

"Never mind," Rags quickly cut in, thinking it'd be better if Cooper didn't know about the last part. "Anyways, do you accept my apology?"

Cooper paused his game and sat up cross-legged on his bed. He stared blankly at Rags's sincere face for a few seconds before his lips rose into a smile. And just like that, gloomy Coops was gone. "Yeah, apology accepted, Rags. So, should we like hug now?"

Rags smiled back. "I'd like to, but we probably can't. I'd just go straight through you."

"Well, we can still try." Cooper stood up and approached the ghost. He wrapped his arms around her like a rigid hula hoop, not being able to touch any of her. He was practically hugging the air. "See? We can do it...sort of."

"Thanks, Coops." Although Rags couldn't physically feel the warmth of Cooper's body, she felt something equally nice somewhere in her heart. She was glad to be back on friendly terms with him.

Just then, Mr. Sprinkles grumpily awoke for his nap. "Ugh, there's too much love in the air. It makes me want to fucking puke." He jumped off the bed and sauntered toward the door with a big yawn. "I'm going somewhere more miserable. Perhaps the gay one's closet will suffice. We all know he sure as hell spent most of his angsty teen years inside of it."

Rags knew she shouldn't laugh but couldn't hold back her giggle hearing all of this come from a cat.

"What?" Cooper asked, totally oblivious to his furry friend's foul mouth. "Did you like fart or something?"

Rags passed him an odd look. "Why is that the first thing to come to your mind? And I don't think ghosts can fart."

"Really?!" he replied with more shock than was probably necessary. "Man, you're missing out. There's nothing more refreshing than letting a big one rip." To Rags's surprise, Cooper then proceeded to show her said "big one," and yes, it was quite the big one.

"Oh my god, Coops! I am so glad I can't smell anything!" She headed out of the room, having lost her already nonexistent appetite.

"Hey, the loud ones don't smell!" he defended in the middle of laughing. Cooper was definitely back to his normal, playful self now.

"I don't really care to know about that! Just come to the dinner table already. Everyone's waiting for you."