I saw a couple standing in front of the school gate, wearing old style Chinese traditional costumes, hugging together tightly and talking with some of the words which were extremely sweet that let me felt sick. And then they started to kiss each other like they felt like they couldn’t see anybody else except for each other. They kissed each other so hard, and they touched each other’s face. The couple held their hand together, also very tight----and kept on saying the romantic phrase “I love you.”

I hated it so much. A couple, standing in front of the school door, wearing strange clothes, and just started to kiss and hug like that. This was disgusting for me. I was not feeling jealous of their love, I just hated what they did. They were just showing off their love.

I ran quickly into my classroom as soon as I saw what the couple were doing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t even stop myself from thinking about it for the whole day, even during classes. The way they kissed, the way they talked, all of these were so annoying. The imagination dwelled inside my brain, until the time when the bell announced the class was over.

I packed my bag, and walked towards the school gate. I felt it was extremely cold outside. The raindrops were cold, dropping down onto my umbrella, and making a quiet sound as if needles bumping onto the floor. The sky was grey, and the air was freezing. I hopped over the puddles on street, that my shoes got all wet.

I walked my way home. The rain became heavier, and the air was colder. The road was slippery, so I walked as careful as I could. Still, thinking about the thing scenario I saw outside the school gate during the morning, I felt ridiculous of what the couples had done. I walked and tried not to think about it anymore.

“Hey.”All in a sudden, I heard a tiny whisper just beside my ear.

That was a quiet floating sound, right aside to my ears. I turned around, and saw a little girl. She was probably five or six years old, wearing a Chinese style Dress which looked pretty old, standing right behind me. I couldn’t see her face clearly because her hair was stuck on her face. She was like a phantom, suddenly appeared behind me which startled me a little.

“Play with me,” the little girl murmured.

“What? I don’t even know who you are...” I replied.

The girl was standing in the rain without anyone who looked like her parents beside her, so I asked, “Where is your family? Why are you standing here?”

“Play with me,” the girl repeated that same line again.

“Sorry, just find someone else to play with you,” I insisted.

I felt a bit scared. The water streamed down her forehead and dripped down at her hair tips, as if she had been standing in the rain for so long. I didn’t want to play with her, and I didn’t even understand what she mean when she said 'play'.

“Don’t try to escape. Play with me, ” she made the request again.

I felt frightened. The girl pressed on, with her quietly floating yet echoing voice.

“I don’t want to,” I couldn't take anymore, and tried to escape.

The way she appeared, looked, and talked, was not only strange, but ghostly as well. I turned around, and started to run away from that weird girl.

“If you don’t play with me, then please die! ” The girl behind me suddenly screamed.

Instead of talking, she was roaring. I am sick of her, because she cursed me to die. I ran faster because I don’t like this at all. But suddenly, I felt the little girl pulled my shirt, and accidentally I fell down on the slippery ground.

I couldn’t control my movement anymore, and felt like a power was forcing me to do things. My head automatically turned by itself, and I looked at the ghost-like girl. Her skin and hair started to fall off, and some blood-like liquid came out of her eyes, her face became pale like paper. She floated up into the air, laughing and screaming. I needed a help from someone, but there were nobody on the street, and I couldn’t move at all. I watched the little girl with shock.

“I forced you to play with me… ” the girl whispered beside my ear. 

The street was gone. I was floating outside of a tiny, old house. I was still paralysed, but I could look inside through the window. I saw a man and a woman sitting around a dirty rusty table, arguing.

“You are driving me crazy! Just let me die! I couldn’t repay that much money!” I heard the man shouted, “Just let me jump into the river and get the whole thing over with!”

“You can’t die, the entire family needs your help,” the woman begged the man.“earn money and pay back all your debts. I will help you.” The woman added.

The man sighed, and said nothing.

Then the view changed. The little house disappeared, and a restaurant appeared in my sight. I looked around, and I saw the same woman in the house. She was washing the dishes, one by one, hard and quickly. She seemed to be pretty tired, but her hand was still moving fast.

The view changed again. I saw a street. The weather was pretty hot, but I saw the woman were sweeping the ground. She kept on wiping off the sweat on her face, but she was still working hard. Her eye seemed to be exhausted, as if she hadn't been sleeping for years.

The street disappeared. I could still feel the hot weather. The sky was dark, which is was obviously in the night time. I saw the same woman walking slowly on the street, in her hand, was a whole bunch of money. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be so thin. She walked staggering, and suddenly, she fell down onto the ground.

“Did you see that…?” I heard a little sound behind me.

It was the scary, weird little girl. Her skin was back, and she looked pretty normal.

“You were in my memory and what you saw there was all true story. That was my mom. She fell to the ground and she never got up again, because she died. She had been working hard for helping my father to repay the debts. It kept on going for a year, and she was tired to death. As you see.” the girl explained.

“Um…” I couldn’t talk.

“And what about my dad and me?” the girl smiled.“Let’s continue to see.”

The street was gone and I saw a huge river. I saw the same man who was arguing with the woman, standing beside the river.

“She died… and it was all my fault. I should work harder myself and not allow her to work so much… I’m going to stay with her… ” the man shouted.

Then what he did, was that he jumped into the river.

Splash! The spray of the water was still there, but the man never came out.

“That’s my dad. He suicided because he felt guilty for my mom's death,” the little girl appeared again, whispered.

“I should tell you... ... I’m a ghost. I died because of hunger, since my parents were all gone and I couldn’t get food.” The girl started to laugh, “Just relax, I won’t kill you. The reason why I let you see the whole thing is because… Um… You saw my mom and dad.”

“You mean… Who?” I was still confused.

“Remember what happened in front of your school gate?” the girl smiled mysteriously.

I suddenly realized. The couple kissing and hugging in front of the school gate was her parents.

“I know that what you saw was scary, but I told you that it was just a game. I shared my parent’s story with you, just like that. Fine, I will send you out of my memory,” the girl giggled, and waved at me.  Suddenly, I felt into darkness, the feeling of unmovable immobilisation appeared again.

I fainted.

After the darkness, I felt myself was awake, stood at the same position before the little girl came. I looked at my watch, the time didn’t even move for a second before I saw the girl.

What I had experienced today was unbelievable.

I know. Love is not something always disgusting, but hard working, helping, like a person who truly know, understand, and care about you,  just like that couple. The woman worked for love, for the whole family. Love isn’t only between spouse, but family, friends, and everything.

I quickly ran back to the school gate, and I saw the ghostly couple. They were still standing there, but not kissing anymore.  When I walked near, they smiled at me, and slowly disappeared. I stared at the place they disappeared for a long time.

I think what the ghost couple had done, was not disgusting anymore, because I knew their love to each other was genuine, from bottom of their hearts. Suddenly I felt strongly missed the ghost couple., And strangely, I was looking forward to seeing them again.