The Ghost Whisperer

Part 7

* flashback *

"Your handwriting is really good " I hear a voice next to me.

"Ummm..thank you," I say. I transferred here last week but..this is the first time I'm seeing this girl here.

"So you're the new girl? I'm Irma. Sorry, I wasn't around. I was on suspension " she says.

"Yeah, she's quite a trouble maker," says the girl sitting behind me.

"Hey now, that hurts " Irma laughs. She has a funny laugh. By now I can tell she's s popular.

"So, wanna be friends? " she extends her hand. Ever since I got here, I've made no friends. A loner. Uninteresting. I've tried talking to others but... it's just a waste of time. So when this girl, who I don't know anything about, asks me to be friends with her, I'm really surprised.

"Really? " I manage to say.

"Of course " she simply says with a smile. And that's how we became friends and I was no longer alone.

As I got to know her more, I learned that she's liked by everyone and was sort of a trendsetter. Whatever she compliments, people start to like it. Whatever she shows dislikes, people start seeing all kinds of faults in it. She's excellent at studies, beautiful and very helpful. She and her friends always invite me wherever they go. I was happy.

But along with everything else, I also knew about her bad side. She secretly bullied the outcasts. Because they disagreed with the way of things.Because they...were different. She helps people so they owed her one. I don't know if others know or not but even if they did, they wouldn't snitch. Irma was the teacher's favorite. She had this aura around her that compels you to believe her. I remember this one girl. Tessa. She was....timid and not very social. Everyone ignored her. She was just a nobody. She was always being targeted by Irma and her gang. Irma knew that I know so she'd invite me on the " fun " but I'd always make up excuses.

Even I didn't tell on Irma. This happy life that I was living...I didn't want to let go.

Once I accidentally ran into them doing that to her after in the art room.

"Yo, Lisa. You still here, thought you went home cause you felt sick " says Irma nonchalantly. They had the girl on all fours and were forcing her to lick their shoes. Her eyes drift towards me and then she looks away in shame.

"No, I....forgot my pencil case here " I look towards where I think I left it.

"Ah! There it is. I'll get going now " I say while grabbing it from nearby and as I'm about to leave, one of Irma's friends calls out to me.

"Wait, Lisa, why don't you join us this time " the sentence I never wanted them to say to me.

I hear Irma look at me and clap her hands "Oooh, this is great. Join us. It'll be fun I assure you " I look down at Tessa and there's a horrified look on her face as she looks at me from the side. Eyes begging for help.

"No, I gotta go. I'm really not feeling well today " as I turn to leave, Irma runs to my side and wraps her arm around my shoulder.

"Aww come on. Don't be like that. What, you don't like getting your shoes cleaned? Fine, do whatever you'd like. The stage is yours, miss " and she gives me a little push towards the girl.

I look down at her. Her head hung so low I can't even see her face .hiding behind her hair. Pitiful.

I guess there's no escaping it now. I look around the room and find a pair of scissors. I grab them and kneel to her level. She stays on all fours.

"Cutting her hair? Do the front! " yells one of Irma's friends.

"Yeah, cut her bangs. Give her a new look " says Irma.

Guilt had already started to wrap its claws around my heart. And as I held a bundle of her hair away from her face, I could see her face clearly. It was red with shame and her eyes were teary.

*snip* *snip *

Down fell long locks of brown hair. I get up and place the scissors back.

"I'm done. I'm going now "I announce and walk towards the door.

"Goodbye. stay safe on the way home " yells Irma. I say nothing and walk out.

The next day at school, I noticed Irma wasn't in class. I asked someone and they said they had no idea. The class was going to start in a few minutes, so I went out looking for her. She was nowhere... I basically checked the whole school. The usual ghosts were roaming here and there and some students were out of their classrooms.

Giving up, I was on my way back to class when I heard something. At first, I thought it was just a spirit and ignored it but when I heard it again, I realized its Irma's voice. It was coming from the roof.

As I went up the stairs to the roof, her voice got clearer. She was yelling at someone. The door to the roof was opened. I debated if I should go in or not. Then I heard a second voice It's Tessa. Her soft voice can be heard as she yells back and cries.

I peek from the door and I see Tessa near the edge of the roof, with her phone in hand, and standing afar from her is Irma, looking angry.

"I've had it with you thinking your special! You hear me! Your nothing! And from now on you'll see how I felt! " I've never heard Tessa yell like that before.

"HA! And who do you think YOU are, huh? Suddenly getting all high and mighty. Don't forget your place, you trash!!! . You think you got the upper hand here !? Don't make me laugh! " Irma yells back. I notice she slowly starts to get closer to Tessa.

"It's all over for you. From now on, you'll be treated the same way you treated me! Everyone will know all your dirty secrets! " as soon as she sets her eyes on her phone, Irma rushes to her quickly and pushes her back until she's at the edge of the roof.

And...I watch her eyes glance towards me as she trips and falls.

The sound of her hitting the ground sends shivers down my spine. I didn't notice how the blood had drained from my face.

Irma stands there, breathing heavily and looking up.

The look on her face....its relief.

As soon as she turns around, she sees me. I began trembling. She then smiles and walks towards me. Patting my shoulder says.

"Your smart, right ? " and walks away.