Joan stood in front of the school steps, a reproachful look washed over her face. Great... stuck here again. All summer I was either at the hospital getting treatment or at home being depressed and mopey. Constantly watched over and observed. I wish I hadn't seen God in the first place.
"Back so soon Girardi?" Joan turned around to the familiar voice of Grace. "Yes, unfortunately Grace I am here."

"Glad to know you're better."

Joan looked at Grace and had to suppress a chuckle. Grace had definitely softened after her time in the hospital. Maybe it was because she was dating- seeing- liking- whatevering Luke now.

"Hey guys." Joan didn't turn around at the voice calling them. Without hearing a response, he walked in front of them and gave Joan a small smile. She didn't return it.

"Hey Rove, how's your dad?" Adam shrugged. "Getting better, he might be returning to work soon." Joan nodded silently as the awkward scene played before them.

"Hey everybody, where's the bandwagon so I can jump on it?" Luke appeared out of nowhere and instantly stood beside Grace who eyed him carefully.

Joan tried to clear the tension. "Ahem, well if you excuse me I have to ... uh ... go." She made a mad dash for the stairs and to her locker. Joan eased against it and stood in thought. Adam... all summer he's been trying to talk to me... and he's gotten nothing. The one person I thought would believe me without a doubt... Failed to have faith. Snap out of it Joan. You know those hallucinations were just because of the Lyme disease. There is no God.

Joan looked down at her schedule and the first class was AP Physics. "Yuck stuck with another AP class?" Joan trudged off to class, unaware what was happening at that very moment.

"Well let's see, your first class is AP Physics Ms. Marina. It's down the hall and the last door on your right. If you have any trouble at all getting around, come see me or a girl named Joan." Mr. Price flashed a picture of Joan from the yearbook. "She doesn't know it yet but I'm making her your classmate buddy. At least it'll give her a good foot in, with the new school year." "Thank you Mr. Price."

A short, petite girl walked out of the office and sighed. She had black hair running down the length of her back, toward her elbows. Her brown eyes danced with mischief and her conventional clothes of a white tank top and black capris showed that she was a new girl. She pulled her books closer to her chest and walked into AP Physics with a promise of a new day.

"Okay class, welcome to AP Physics. Please take one of these textbooks that are being passed around and turn to page 12."

Joan moped in her seat. She was yet again stuck between Grace and Adam for another fulfilling year, and her brother, Freidman and Glynnis were in front of them yet again. Adam kept side glancing at her but she tried to ignore it. Grace kept glancing at Luke's head and she tried to ignore that as well. Her mind was focused on more thoughts. How could they all be hallucinations? Everything I believed in, everything I trusted and had faith in...

Gone.

Just as Joan was about to turn to page 12 in her textbook, a girl walked into the classroom and handed the teacher a yellow note.

"Attention Class! We have a new student. Faith Marina is from Hawaii and just moved here, so please make her feel welcomed. Ms. Marina why don't you take a seat in the back next to Ms. Polk." Faith was a beautiful girl in Joan's opinion...too beautiful. Her tanned skin and slight Asian looks made her attractive to anyone who looked her way. Half the entire male section of the class was staring at her but she didn't seem to notice. Already Joan was irritated with her. Grace tried to make friendly with her however, maybe to turn her into an anarchist.

"Hello Faith, my name's Grace." Grace stuck out a hand and Faith meekly took it. "Hi." Grace pointed towards Joan and Adam. "That's Adam in the back and Jo-" "Joan right?" Joan raised her eyebrow at Faith. "How do you know my name?" Faith flashed a big smile. "Mr. Price told me you're my classmate buddy. You know if I get into any trouble or can't find something I can always find you and ask you for help. He said he was going to tell you later." Joan heaved a sigh. Great. Stuck with the new kid.

The entire class was boring as expected. Faith, unlike the rest beside her, actually participated in the class discussion and seemed to have a real interest in the physics subject itself. Once it was finally done, Faith stood up and most of the male population came hoarding after her. "So you're from Hawaii?" "What's it like there?" "How are the beaches?" "Do you surf?"

Faith was so entangled in the mob; Grace had to pull her out from under them. They escaped silently to Grace's locker, conveniently near Joan's. "Thank you Grace. I might've suffocated and died in there." Grace chuckled. "Knowing those jocks, you probably would have." Luke came up beside Faith and began a dialogue about physics and it's greater properties.

"Great, the geek has found its conversation buddy." Grace turned to Joan and Adam. "'Cha Grace, just leave it be Yo. You're the one making out with him so who cares?" Grace hit him hard on the arm. "Oh you'll get payback for that comment Rove." Joan seemed monotonous and pulled out her books from her locker, not really quite paying attention to what was going on around her. "Girardi! Earth to Girardi!" Grace finally slapped Joan to get her attention. "OW! What was that for?" Grace gave a look of concern to Joan. "Dude you're like spacing a lot today. What is up with you? It's been this way ever since the hospital." At the word hospital, Faith's attention turned from Luke's, to Grace's. Joan shrugged, "I don't know! I just... ah forget it!"

Joan slammed her locker shut and walked to her next class, her head down and her thoughts troubling her, too consumed with those thoughts to even vent about the new girl. Grace apologized for Joan's behavior and explained about the trip to the hospital. Faith half-heartedly listened, as she watched Joan's retreating figure.

"No Mom, can't I just walk home? It's still light outside and you're going to be here forever, grading these paintings, IN your classroom."

Helen Girardi looked at her daughter, her face clouded with doubt. "But Honey, you're still weak from-" "Mom! I just want to get home so I can do my homework and be done with it, is that so much to ask?"

Helen looked at her daughter, and marveled at her new personality. Ever since Joan had found out she might have been hallucinating, she withdrew into some new form of Joan, depressed, mood-swingy, just not herself. At least, what she was, this past year. "Fine, but take Luke with you." "Luke has a meeting with the science club. Just let me go mom." Helen sighed. "Fine, but be careful, and have your cell phone on."

Joan walked down the sidewalk, her back against the school. She was left wandering alone, her thoughts troubling her more than ever.

Things always worked out when I obeyed... Maybe not on my behalf but in the grand picture, it was better. He brought me and Adam together... And He brought us apart.

There really is no God is there...

"How can you think that Joan?" The familiar voice of superiority floated in the air. Joan was almost too afraid to look. She turned around and in the flesh, or so to speak, was cute boy God, in all his glory. "Questioning of faith Joan? I'm surprised. After all you've seen this past year. You really think I could be the effects of Lyme disease?"

Joan couldn't believe what she was hearing, let alone seeing. In a fit of rage, she finally bursted. "You're not real! YOU'RE NOT REAL! After everything I did for you this year, it turned out that it was all a figment of my imagination. YOU WERE NEVER REAL! Everything happened on chance, and I've almost gotten myself killed for you imagination creature thing! I've put myself in situations I didn't have to put myself in just because of something THAT'S NEVER REAL! I don't care what you say anymore! YOU DON'T EXIST TO ME!"

Joan angrily stormed off, leaving a silent God to his thoughts. All of a sudden a shadow stepped out from behind a tree and held God's hand.

"So God... you're in the real flesh. Again. It's like seeing Jesus all over again, but a much cuter version of Him." God smiled down at Faith, who seemed to have a white glow around her. A faint image of a halo adorned her head. God sighed. "I usually never doubt myself, but in this human form, my mind is prone to all weaknesses..." Faith squeezed cute boy God's hand. "Don't worry, in time she'll come around. Just have a little faith."