Dead and Here:
Written: Thursday, May 9th, 2013
Chapter #1: Strangely Familiar
There's only one thing in life I will never fully comprehend, and that is death. What happens after you die? Do you immediately go to heaven or hell? Or-according to Catholics-do we wait in purgatory? Why does it hurt to die? What are we going to do in heaven for eternity? Eternity scares me, and I know it shouldn't because eternity is forever. But then...forever is forever.
I guess the reason why I'm talking about death is because it occurs a lot in my life, and it's like a piece of my heart gets ripped out every time someone important to me perishes. Yes, I move on after time passes, but that person still remains a part of me and reminds me every day that he or she is gone. But there's nothing I can do to bring them back. There's nothing ANYONE can do to bring them back.
I wish though. I really do.
Staring blankly ahead at my laptop screen, I let out a sigh and shut the lid without saving my journal entry for the day. It's 6:58, which means it's time for school. Only a week and a half left until my junior year is over. I can't believe it flew by so quickly. Next year I'll be attended Johnson Academy, a co-educational New England boarding school for my senior year.
Constantly things are changing all around, and it seems like it's out of my hands, out of my control. I lost my best friend three weeks prior due to me discovering that she had been using me for almost three years because of what I owned, especially my car. She didn't even fight for me nor I for her because I wanted to see if she'd do anything or if this whole friendship was basically a scam.
It was basically a scam. She's been more attached to her boyfriend than her friends, and her friends are dropping her like flies. Part of me feels bad for her, but the other half does not because "she had it coming" says my evil side.
Luckily, a few good friends of mine remain true to me, and I'm pleased that I won't be leaving my home town of Greenville friendless. How sad that'll be when I come home to visit and have no one to hang out with because we fell apart earlier. That means I'd be stuck with my family for two weeks. Joy.
"LEIGHTON!"
And there's my friendly reminder from my mother that breakfast is ready.
Ten minutes later, I am out the door and hop into my car that is parked in front of my house. It rained last night, so I turn my windshield wipers on for two seconds and then switch them off. The sound of my car coming to life wakes me up more, and I speed out of my driveway and towards school.
As soon as I park my car in my usual spot, a face pops up in my side mirror, and I scream. When I see who it is, I frown and open my door, purposely hitting him in the process.
"Ow!" My best friend Phillip Hester yelps. "Damn, Leighton, what's your problem?"
"What's my problem?" I laugh and retort, "What's yours? I'm not the one who window pops every morning because he's bored."
"Why do you call it window popping?" Phillip groans. "You make it sound bad."
"Because it is bad. What if you catch two people-"
"Hey that just makes my day even better." He grins evilly.
Rolling my eyes, I inform him, "You're such a perv. C'mon let's go to class."
After I retrieve my backpack from my passenger seat and lock my car, Phillip and I walk side by side to our first period, which just happens to be taught by his mother Mrs. Hester.
Spanish 2. Fun, fun.
Phillip slides into the seat behind me because he hates sitting on the front row. His mother tends to call on people, who sit near the front, and he loves to hide behind me. Of course she knows he's there and picks on him when he leasts expects it, which just makes the class even more enjoyable.
Three minutes before the final bell, everyone files in and takes his or her appropriate seat. The desk to my right is empty. Strange. Where's Catherine McGee? She's been one of my closest friends since we were little. It's not like her to miss a day of school.
Mrs. Hester's voice resonates throughout the room, and apparently she's talking with someone.
My iPhone vibrates twice. Perhaps it's Catherine texting me why she's not here. I gently pull my phone out of my pocket and see that it is from her. Unfortunately, I have the preview turned off, so it just reads "Catherine McGee iMessage." I slide the arrow across and enter my password. Then I see that she has the "flu." Lately, it seems like everyone has been either catching the flu or the stomach bug.
I've been fortunate enough not to come down with either, but I'm just dreading the moment I either throw up or...what's a symptom of the flu? A fever?
"Here she comes," Phillip mutters under her breath, and it's as if everyone heard him.
All eyes watch as Mrs. Hester strolls into the room with a new student beside her. Something about him seems strangely familiar...
The boy is tall; I'm assuming at least six foot. He has a good head of blonde hair, and his eyes are piercing blue like the planet Neptune.
Phillip's mother immediately ceases talking and turns her attention to her class.
"Class, we have a new student. His name is...I'm sorry. What's your name again?"
"Lee," the boy replies and smiles, revealing a set of perfectly straight, white teeth. A shiver runs up my spine.
No. F-ing. Way. It can't be.
"Yes, right! Class, this is Lee. He just transferred here from-"
Mrs. Hester is lost for words once again. Behind me Phillip stifles a laugh. I kick him in the leg with my foot, and he liberates another cry of pain.
"Georgetown," Lee answers for her.
"Right! Georgetown. Umm you can have this seat next to Miss Hendricks."
At the sound of my last name, I jerk my head to the right just as Lee takes a seat in Catherine's seat. He quickly flashes me a smile, and I return one and then raise my hand.
"Yes, Leighton?" Mrs. Hester calls on me.
"Catherine is sick. She has the flu," I notify her.
"Thank you. I shall mark her absent."
Cowering back into my hole, I scratch my head and pretend like I never said anything. I hate being the center of attention in her class, but I always am since I'm buddies with her son. Everybody knows it too. There was a rumor that went around our freshman year that we were dating, and I was pregnant with his son. That was an interesting month and a half.
But it seems there's no point in returning to my hole because surprisingly enough, Lee decides to strike up a conversation with me.
"This is probably a stupid question, but have we met before?"
His words slowly enter my brain and process for what seems like forever until a realization hits me.
His name. His voice. His looks. His straight, white teeth.
No. It can't be him. That's impossible.
But it is. There's no other explanation. How else can I explain the remarkable resemblance? He had no brothers. Just a sister.
Sitting beside me is Lee Welsh, a boy who switched to my elementary school in fifth grade.
And why is it impossible that he's sitting beside me right now?
Because he died five years ago.