Voices |E. Cullen|

FOUR

Jace was the only ghost I had helped, and once I did, my entire world changed. The figures that used to torment me became background noise. It was still annoying that I heard mumbles all day, I would occasionally focus in on one particular spirit and listen to what they had to say, but overall my demeanour was different. Doctor Cullen diagnosed me with a substance-induced psychotic episode, I wasn't sure if that's what he truly believed went on considering my hallucinations were still occurring, but it regrew many of my old friendships that had been previously ruined by Lucy.

I stood beside Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley for several minutes before school started, we shared a bag of Twizzlers and talked about an upcoming history paper that had all of us dreading life. I enjoyed this friend group, Angela and Jessica frequently tagged along which wasn't a problem, but I tended to gravitate more toward the men. It wasn't anything about the fact that they were feminine, I've just always had more guy friends. 

An all too familiar voice came from behind me and called my name, "Julia!" She dragged the "u" out and all of her friends were cackling like witches. "Can you do me a favor?" 

"What do you want, Lucy?" 

"Can you tell my great grandma that I miss her? Y'know, since you see dead people," she coped The Sixth Sense.

I looked at Mike and my lips formed a straight line, "You can drop my homework off to me, right?" 

His eyebrow rose and he looked confused, "Uh, yeah?"

"Good," I nodded. 

"Or, better yet, want to talk to Kurt Cobain for me? Oh! Even better, tell your dad he made one fucked up child," she didn't get the chance to laugh. 

My fist connected with her jaw in the blink of an eye and she collapsed to the ground, she was stunned. I put the heel of my boot to her chest and dirtied her seventy dollar blouse, "Fuck you." I wasn't going to lie, that action made me feel amazing, we were even at that point. I stepped over her body and started walking toward the entrance of the building. I tossed my hair to get it out from under my bag's straps and then started my imaginary timer to see how long it would take for myself to be called into the principal's office. 

My first class had been biology, my seat was kept beside the popular kid who may or may not have murdered several people- the theory was not confirmed at that moment. I arrived early and assumed the rest of the class would trickle in after they all did their duties of being nosy high school students. My completed homework rested on top of my spiral bound notebook and my pencil bounced in my hand. The rest of the time between my arrival and the other students' was filled with awkward glanced courtesy of Mr Banner. 

Ten minutes later, the rest of the class took their seats before giving me looks as if they assumed I was slipping back into my psychotic tendencies. Mike and Tyler were the only ones that understood why I did what I did, they were the only ones that knew about my dad's death. Edward sat next to me and took a moment before speaking, "What was that about?"

Fuck it, what was the point in hiding anything anymore? "She insulted my late father. Also, why is that the first thing you say to me? No hi? No introductions?"

He seemed caught off guard, he stuck out his hand and produced a half-smile, "My name is Edward Cullen."

I reciprocated the gesture, "Julia O'Connor," only slightly concerned about the temperature of his skin, I turned to the door of the classroom as it opened and saw two security guards walking toward me. 

I gathered my things and placed them back into my bag, "In school or out of school, fellas?" I knew I was getting suspended.

"You'll find out after you talk with principal Anders, are you going to come willingly?" 

"Obviously, what is this, prison? Jesus, lighten up," I tried to crack a smile, but they weren't having it. "Oh well," I shrugged, "worth a shot," and walked with the officers out of the classroom to the principal's office to await my fate.