Lily and Max had just moved into their new home, an old Victorian house that had seen better days. It was a fixer-upper, but they were determined to make it their dream home. The house came with a few quirks—creaky floorboards, drafty windows, and an ominous reputation for being haunted. Undeterred, the couple decided to throw a housewarming party to celebrate their new abode.

Their friends arrived, armed with snacks, drinks, and a healthy dose of skepticism about the rumored hauntings. As the night wore on, the group gathered in the living room, sharing ghost stories and laughing at the absurdity of it all. Lily decided to up the ante by suggesting a séance to «communicate» with the spirits.

«Come on, it’s just for fun!» Lily said, lighting a few candles and dimming the lights. «What’s the worst that could happen?»

Max rolled his eyes but played along, joining the circle of friends around the coffee table. They placed their hands on an old Ouija board that Lily had found in the attic. The planchette trembled slightly as they began to chant, and the room grew eerily quiet.

«Is anyone there?» Lily asked, trying to sound serious.

To everyone’s surprise, the planchette moved, spelling out a single word: «BOO.»

The group erupted in laughter, convinced that someone was playing a prank. Just as they were about to abandon the séance, a loud crash echoed from the kitchen. They all jumped, their laughter turning into nervous giggles.

Max volunteered to investigate, grabbing a flashlight and heading towards the kitchen. As he entered, he saw the source of the noise—a stack of pots and pans had fallen from the counter. Shaking his head, he picked them up, muttering about old houses and their tendency to be noisy.

Suddenly, the lights flickered, and a chill ran down Max’s spine. He turned to see a ghostly figure standing in the doorway, its transparent form glowing faintly in the dim light. The figure raised a spectral finger to its lips and whispered, «Shh.»

Max screamed and bolted back to the living room, breathless and pale. «There’s a ghost!» he shouted, pointing towards the kitchen. The group fell silent, eyes wide with fear and curiosity.

Lily, ever the skeptic, decided to see for herself. She marched into the kitchen, her heart pounding. There, she saw the ghostly figure, now leaning casually against the counter, sipping from a ghostly teacup.

«Seriously?» Lily said, crossing her arms. «You haunt our house and the first thing you do is have tea?»

The ghost looked slightly embarrassed. «Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had company,» it said with a shrug. «And I do enjoy a good cup of tea.»

Lily couldn’t help but laugh. «Alright, let’s make a deal. You stop scaring us, and we’ll keep you company.»

The ghost grinned. «Deal. But I do have one condition.»

Lily raised an eyebrow. «What’s that?»

The ghost set down its teacup and floated towards the living room, where the rest of the group was huddled together in terror. «I want to join the party!»

The friends exchanged glances, unsure whether to laugh or run. But as the ghost introduced itself as Clarence, a former butler who had tragically met his end in the house, they couldn’t help but warm up to him. Clarence had a wicked sense of humor and a penchant for terrible puns, which quickly endeared him to the group.

As the night went on, Clarence regaled them with tales of the house’s history, making them laugh with his ghostly antics. The group quickly realized that having a ghost at a party wasn’t so bad after all—especially one with such a flair for comedy.

By the end of the night, everyone had a newfound appreciation for their haunted house and their new ghostly friend. And as Lily and Max said goodnight to their friends, they knew that their housewarming party had been a success—thanks in no small part to Clarence, the haunted house’s unexpected comedian.