Wide Awake - Academy of the Fallen Series (3 page)

FIVE

I thought Carolyn was creepy before and now she had taken that to a whole new level.  Either she was a ghost or some other type of weird thing… or I was going completely nuts.  

There was just no way I was going to spend that night in my room, not after that… although Carolyn could probably just follow me wherever I went.  Heck!  In a way I was now hoping that I was imagining things and that her vanishing from right in front of me had been the end of it.

I figured that Andrew and Kelly were probably sleeping by that time, so I decided to go to the living room.  I got on the computer thinking that if Carolyn was a ghost, she would probably have some relation to that address she gave me.  So I looked up the address
history
for that house and wasn’t able to find anyone by that name…  Of course I didn’t have her last name, so I eventually gave up, convincing myself that I was losing my mind.

Good.  I probably did imagine all of this.
   I mean… that wasn’t really a good thing, but better imagining things than seeing ghosts and have it following you around.

Now that I felt somewhat better about it, I moved myself away from the computer and lay down on the couch to watch TV.

***

Kelly woke me up in the morning and I was already late for school. 

Great!

Being that I was already running late anyway, I took my time getting ready.  I was freaked out about going into my closet, but I managed it.  I walked in there, grabbed my school uniform, and I practically ran out of there.

I was exhausted, and in much need of a stop at Starbucks before I went to school.

Kelly and Andrew had left for work, and I considered just not going to school at all, but then I knew everyone would have thought it was because of the whole Justin and Ashley thing, so I figured I better at least show up.

I got in my car, drove to Starbucks and then to school.

I was about two hours late when I got there and went to my
History
class.

One of my best friends, Emily, had that class with me.  I walked in, gave my pass to the Mr. Keenan and went to my seat, which was right in front of Emily.

As soon as I sat down, Emily handed me a note that Justin had asked her to give me.

Mr. Keenan walked by my desk and without even saying a word, confiscated the note, which I couldn’t care less about.

Time couldn’t have gone by any slower in that class.

We were all working on what could have been the most boring assignment ever, when I felt as if someone was watching me.  I just hated to be the topic of gossip.  That had happened a few times before, and there were always those few people who were just so curious that they couldn’t help but to stare…  Totally annoying!

I turned to my right to find that as I had anticipated, someone was staring.  I was surprised at first that it was actually a guy, which was unusual.  Girls are the ones famous for that type of thing. 

I had actually never noticed this guy before.  He looked a little older, maybe a
senior
.  There was something weird about him.  His eyes were just dark and cold… just meeting his gaze made my stomach turn.  He was definitely not my type! 

Anyway, girls were usually the ones doing that type of thing, and my usual ‘what-is-your-problem’ look did not faze him at all.  He just grinned and kept staring.

He then waved at me and I was just wondering what in the world was wrong with that guy.  I turned around to face Mr. Keenan, and somehow he missed that, which was totally weird.  Mr. Keenan always kept a close eye on the class and at any sign of disruption he would give us a whole lecture on respect, and blah… blah… blah.

I waited until Mr. Keenan turned around, and looked to my right.  The guy was still there and he was still staring.

This time, Mr. Keenan caught me.  “Is there a problem Miss Gallagher?”

I faced the front of the class again, “No, Sir.”

Mr. Keenan gave a quick nod and then started walking around while everyone else worked on their assignments.

I discreetly glanced to my right, and he was still staring. 
That is enough
!  I wondered how come Mr. Keenan wasn’t saying anything to him.

I was just about to get Mr. Keenan’s attention; although I wasn’t even sure what exactly I was going to say.  I was starting to raise my hand when I heard a familiar voice coming from my left side, warning me.  “Don’t.  You shouldn’t talk to him.  He is not really here and that will only get you in trouble.”

As I turned to my left, Carolyn materialized right in front of me.  That scared me enough to make me jump.

“Miss Gallagher, are we not done with the interruptions for the day?”  Mr. Keenan asked in an annoyed tone.

I knew I must have looked pale; I was shaking all over and I felt really hot.

Emily interrupted before I could answer.  “Mr. Keenan, I don’t think she feels well.  She looks kinda pale.”

Mr. Keenan approached my desk, took one look at me and said, “I’m going to write you a pass.  You need to go see the nurse.  Do you need anyone to accompany you?”

For Mr. Keenan to act like that, I assumed that I must have looked awful.  I just shook my head, and said the pass would be enough, no need for an escort to go two rooms down the hall.

As I walked to Mr. Keenan’s desk, I noticed that everyone was staring at me.  Everyone, except for Carolyn and the guy who had both just faded away.

I rushed out of the classroom and instead of going to the nurse; I went straight to the bathroom.  I was shaking and I felt as if I was going to pass out.

Just as my breathing got under control and I thought about how glad I was to be alone in the bathroom, I looked at the mirror and I saw Carolyn materialize right behind me.

I quickly turned around and started to back away from her.  I closed my eyes hoping she would disappear, but when I reopened my eyes, she was still there watching me.  I wanted to just turn around and run, but I needed answers.

“What are you?”  I asked her.

Then the bathroom door opened and Ashley, the boyfriend stealing skank came in and Carolyn was gone.

“You don’t look good,” Ashley said in an indifferent tone.

“Yeah, well, neither do you.” 

I turned around and left the bathroom.

This time, I did go to the nurse, and managed to convince her that I was sick enough to where I needed to be dismissed from school.

The nurse called Kelly and after much convincing, I talked Kelly into believing that I was okay to drive home; promising that I would call her as soon as I got there.

I took my time walking to the parking lot.  I kept glancing around, expecting to see Carolyn or even the guy from class, but there was no one. 

I was just getting in my car when I heard someone asking me to wait.  The voice was coming from right behind me.  Fortunately, this voice wasn’t spooky at all. 

I turned around to see none other than Hunter Chambers standing behind me.  I assumed he had followed me out of my
History
class and I wondered what he could possibly want. 

Hunter used to be pretty cool, I mean… back in middle school he was friends’ with everyone, but then he left for a year or so and after he got back he just kept his distance from everyone.  He was cute.  He didn’t play any sports, but he definitely looked like he worked out.  He was tall, broad shoulders, brown hair with natural highlights that wouldn’t look right on just any guy, brown eyes…  Literally the only thing he had going against him was that he was rude to everyone.  He acted as if he just wanted to be alone all the time.

“Umm.  I need to get going… Can I help you with something?”

“No, but I can help you,” he said.

I gave him a puzzled look and laughed.  “Please, amuse me!  What do you think you can possibly help me with?  All I need is to go home and rest.”

This time, he was the one laughing.  “I know you see them too.  I can help you.”

I felt sick to my stomach.  “See who?”

He sighed.  “You know...
them
,” he said as he looked toward Carolyn, and then the one guy from class who had suddenly appeared a couple of steps behind Hunter.

I tried to put on an act as if everything was normal, and I wasn’t sure it worked.  “Look Hunter, I really don’t feel good and I need to get going… and I’m thinking that maybe you should get seen by a doctor or nurse too.”

I got in my car, and drove off.  As I looked in the reviewer mirror, all three of them stood there, watching me drive off.  Hunter and Carolyn, side-by-side, and a few steps back there stood the guy from my
History
class, but it wasn’t long before Carolyn was no longer with them.

I slammed on the brakes when I realized that Carolyn was now sitting right next to me.  There was a car behind me, the driver honking the horn, so I managed to drive until I found the first empty parking lot and that is where I parked the car.

“What the hell are you?  How did you get in here?”  I asked.

Carolyn started to fade again.

“Oh, no!  You are not doing that again!”

My warning did no good.  She disappeared.

I punched the steering wheel, said a couple of not so nice words and took off.  When I got home, I went straight to my room. 

I realized that Carolyn disappeared every time I started to attack her with questions, so I knew I had to prepare myself not to do that next time she decided to show up.

I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths and then I heard her voice.

“Who taught you that?” she asked.

I opened my eyes and tried to remember to stay calm.

“Taught me to do what?”  I asked in a calm voice.

“To summon me.”

“I – I’m not…sure.” 

I assumed I had done that accidently when I was trying to focus on staying calm.  I took a deep breath. 

“What are you, Carolyn?” 

She now seemed much more relaxed.  She smiled.  “I’m a ghost.  Isn’t that obvious?”

“But why is it that I can see you?”

She shrugged.  “Some people just can.  Usually little kids and pets are good at seeing us, but I never met one like you before.”

“What do you mean?”

“No one could summon me before.”  She wasn’t smiling anymore.  “I don’t like it.  It makes me feel like I’m being ordered around.”

I looked at her, puzzled.  “You couldn’t just, not come?”

“No.  Not when you summoned me like that.”

“… but I didn’t… never mind.  You can go whenever you want.”