The Six Words [discontinued]

12

~Arabelle's POV~

First day of school. I hope I'm a good actress, and I can fool everyone here. I'm ready to spend an entire school year, class by class with Isabelle. This should be very interesting.

I'm walking to school right now with Isabelle, ready to get our locker assignments. As we arrive, I scanned the group of students. I guess the "new" students this year are me and Isabelle. Except we aren't really new, since I'm Melody in disguise, and Isabelle used to go here.

"Oh. Hi Isabelle! Who's the new girl?" someone said. That's basically what we have gotten all morning.

"You know, this is irritating. Let's ignore everyone. And just announce your presence here at lunch. It will be easier than telling it 1 million times. " said Isabelle.

~ Isabelle's POV~

Okay. I was just getting really annoyed by everyone here, like seriously I don't think anyone really care, but, since the no girl is with me, I guess that is a valid reason to wonder about her.

But I guess I wasn't just getting annoyed, because everyone here was asking the same question so many times, it might be because I'm so troubled about...

that voicemail.

Flashback Starts

It was a voicemail. An anonymous voicemail. Back before things had gotten serious, I'd tried playing with the *67 thing, calling my friends and asking for pizza orders. Fun stuff, from another life.

Now I had my own stalker, who blackmailed me into doing things I know I'll regret.

Finger shaking, I press the "play" button.

"Okay, " said a distorted voice. So distorted you couldn't even tell the gender. "I seen you have done it. " it continued. " I've seen better performances, but I will take it. That girl who you just left? What's her name? Oh yeah, Alexis." you could just hear the smile. " She wasn't as devastated as you thought, as I thought. Your next task ... is to RUIN her life."

BEEP! The phone went. "Voicemail is now complete." the phone said in its robotic voice.

Flashback End

That's basically why I'm scared. I don't know how I'm going to be able to concentrate on my classes. It's just, who cares about school when you have more important things going on in your life?

I swallow my feelings.

That was the eighth voicemail I'd received since the beginning of school last year. And somehow, I know it won't be the last.

I'd been at the mall, shopping, when I'd received the first voicemail. With my friends, of course. Back then I did everything with my friends. We were the tightest group of girls in the world, able to trust each other with anything. Secrets. Problems. Sorrows. That was us.

But I remember, on that particular day, I was keeping something from my friends.

James.

My boyfriend.

Who was also Melody's ex.

Even now, when I think about it, I'm sickened by the thought. How disloyal can you be? Even though Melody and I weren't the tightest of our group, we were still friends, and friends don't do that sort of thing.

But then again, James was a sweet guy, and cute, and I'd had a secret crush on him for years. So when he'd asked me out, I just couldn't say no.

That day, as I was threading through rows and rows of clothes, I was detached from my friends. I couldn't stop thinking about James, and Melody, and James, and Melody, and me.

At one point, I felt tears prickling in my eyes, and Melody noticed. "Hey, Isabelle, are you alright?"

Melody. So sweet. So kind. So perfect.

I only felt more rotten inside.

"Fine," I remember mumbling. "I'm fine."

Then everyone was looking at me, examining me, a look of concern on each of their faces. Alexis was opening her mouth to comfort me or something when I said, "no."

They all looked at me, shocked. Five faces. My five best friends in the world. And I was rejecting them.

I felt a knot forming in my throat. What was wrong with me?

"I'm sorry, guys," I said. "It's just- I'm in a funk right now, I guess. Sorry. I... have a cold."

"Isabelle, we know that's not the reason," Aria said. "You can tell us anything. We're your friends." She smiled reassuringly.

Not everything.

"I gotta go to the restroom," I mumbled. "Freshen up. It's been a long day."

Before they could stop me, I was whirling on my heel and striding as fast as I could to the bathroom.

I pushed through the door and into the stall and sliding the lock with a satisfying click. I stood there for a second, tears prickling in my eyes. I willed myself not to cry. I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white.

I was breathing hard, audibly hard, like I'd just run a marathon.

"What have I done?" I whispered.

And at that moment, at the exact second I said "done", my phone in my back pocket buzzed.

I pulled it out, more than grateful for a distraction.

The words "Private Number" blared up at me, out of place and eerie like bones in a flower garden. My fingers went numb.

The call ended. A voicemail appeared.

My knees were shaking as I pressed the button.

And then? Then came the first voicemail in the series of them.

But now I know will be fine as long as follow their orders.

"Isabelle? The bell rang. You kinda spaced out." Arabelle said worriedly.

"Oh! Don't worry about me, I was just thinking what's our first class?" I said trying to cover up my blanking out.

"Okay..." Arabelle said unconvinced. "We have English first, we should run if we don't want to be late."

"Do you know where to go? "I asked.

"Yes, Violet showed me around yesterday. She is really nice." She exclaimed.

"Ok then, let's go." I told her.

A/N : Sorry its kinda short, but I will try and update soon. Ok? But I did post when I said I would. Bye!!! (Karlie does co- write the book, she just never makes author's notes.)

~ Shruti