Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Whisperer, any questions?
A/N: Reviews please!
The next morning, Melinda went back to the high school. She saw that dedications were being set up all around. At a tree near the entrance, Melinda saw Mr. and Mrs. Carter, with the girl Jim had brought out yesterday- Laura.
Melinda walked up. "I just… wanted to express my condolences again, and I was wondering… Laura, can I speak to you?"
The sullen teenage girl looked up in mild surprise. "How do you know my name?"
"My husband, Jim, found you in the high school yesterday." The girl gave a small nod. "Can we go over here?" Melinda asked, leading her away. "What happened yesterday? From your point of view?"
Laura didn't say anything.
"I'm not the police; I'm not a social worker- I just want to know what happened. It might be very important."
"How do I know I can trust you?" Laura asked.
"I knew Emily, too." Melinda said.
"I had planned on meeting her in the bathroom that day. It was about 9:30. Suddenly, we heard screaming, and the other girls in the bathroom started screaming too. We heard gunshots."
She stopped talking; it looked like she was going to cry.
Melinda didn't say anything.
Laura took a deep breath. "We heard gunshots. Emily screamed that we needed to get out of there… and she… she…" she stopped talking, and ran away.
"Laura!" Melinda called after her.
"She needs me." Emily had appeared to Melinda's right. "I can't leave her now."
"Do you have something you need to say to her?" Melinda asked, turning to face her.
"She needs me," Emily repeated. "How can I go into the light when I know that she needs me? When can I talk to her?"
Later that day, Jim came into the store.
"Is Mel, here, Delia?" he asked.
Delia smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she's in the back. Melinda! Melinda, Jim's here!"
Melinda came out from the back. "What's up?"
"You know that girl I pulled out from the school yesterday?"
Melinda nodded.
"Well, her mom feels as though she's eternally indebted to us. She's invited us to dinner."
"Oh, sounds like fun. I need to get close to Laura, anyway. Ghost girl is attached to her, and definitely not willing to let go."
"I was just doing my job, I keep telling her…" Jim said.
"You saved her daughter's life," Delia said. "You saved her jewel, she feels like she owes you a favor. She could have lost her daughter that day, can you imagine the relief?"
Jim nodded. "Yeah." He turned to Melinda. "So, meet me at five?"
Melinda nodded and kissed him good-bye.
At five, Jim and Melinda pulled into the driveway. Melinda went to knock on the door, but it swung open for her.
"Hey, Emily," Laura said.
"Hey! Peterson actually let you out?"
There were other girls in the bathroom. Karen, Jennifer, and two girls Laura knew to be called Margaret and Katie.
"So, what's this –?"
Laura was interrupted by sounds of gunshots. Everyone in the bathroom started to scream. Laura didn't move, she just stared around her.
"Shooters! Shooters in the school!" the sounds of people screaming came from outside the bathroom wall.
Laura looked at Emily, horrified.
"Come on, Laura! We've got to get out of here!"
Laura stared at her friend and then darted into the nearest stall, locking the door.
Emily pounded on the door. "Laura! You'll be killed! Laura, get out of there!"
"No! No, I can't move! You go, Emily! I'm not leaving! It's safer in here!"
"They'll break down the doors, Laura! Use your head, come out of there!"
"No! Leave me here! Just go! Just go!"
Laura heard footsteps stampeding towards the door- the other girls were leaving too.
From the stall, Laura heard screaming, and then five gunshots, one, right after the other.
Laura started to sob. She knew who had been shot. She heard the door bang open.
"I don't think anyone's in here, Josh! Let's just get the hell out of here!"
"There's someone left, I can feel it- search the place."
Laura tried to be silent. She didn't dare take a breath. She heard the boys kick open the doors.
The boy stopped in front of her stall. "There's no one in here, let's go!"
"Open that stall."
"They all left screaming when they heard us! Josh, we're dead men if we stay in here!"
"Open the stall, Avery!"
"We're getting the hell out of here- now."
Laura had never been so afraid in her life.
She heard a grunt. "All right, let's get moving."
"Melinda! Melinda! Can you hear me?" Jim was standing over her. Melinda suddenly became very aware of her surroundings.
She was huddled in a corner. "Jim… Mrs. Woodcroft, oh I'm so sorry."
Jim and Mrs. Woodcroft were looking at her concernedly. "Are you all right, Melinda?" Jim asked again, helping her up.
They shared a look, and Melinda hoped Jim understood that it was s ghost issue.
"Yeah, yes, I'm fine. Sorry… about that."
Melinda turned around. "I'm ready to eat; dinner looks amazing, thank you!"
Dinner wasn't the only thing Melinda was looking at. When she turned to look at the table, she saw Laura sitting at the table, looking sullen as ever, and Emily.
"I need to help her!" Emily shouted before vanishing.
A/N: Okay, just in case anyone was confused, that bathroom scene (the scene in italics) was a vision. More about it will be revealed later, I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page so I didn't get reviews saying "what was that scene about?" Thanks! Please review!