✫Dead lovers ✫

My so-called death

As I entered the school assembly, I noticed that everyone had gathered together. Little did I realize that this gathering would revolve around my own death . The principal took the stage and began to speak, reminiscing about me, Iris Melody, as a remarkable student who had been taken away too soon, with a promising future ahead. I couldn't help but laugh. My life had never been meticulously planned, and now, in death, it was even more uncertain. While the principal continued his speech and the cheerleaders performed their routine, my attention wandered , and I overheard a conversation between some girls nearby. "Iris, who was she?" one of them said . "I don't know. I've only seen her in the school library. She was just a nobody," another replied. Their words stung, and I wanted to confront them, wishing I could give them a piece of my mind. "Hey, I'm Charley," a voice interrupted, drawing my attention to my right. "Don't pay attention to them. It's not helpful to be here, acting as if it  isn't your own funeral," Charley remarked. I nodded in agreement, and together we strolled through the hallways. As we walked, I couldn't help but voice my confusion. "Am I really dead?" I asked."Beyond dead. I've been here since the '90s," Charley responded calmly. Observing my surroundings, I spotted my friend Nicole and rushed towards her. "Nicole, I'm right here!" I called out desperately. However, she remained oblivious, completely unaware of my presence. "It never gets old," Charley commented dryly. we proceeded back to the gymnasium, where a small group of people stood in a circle. Naturally, they were all deceased. After searching for a vacant spot in the circle, I finally found one. A figure resembling a teacher entered the circle. "Let's begin. We have a newcomer," he announced, pointing in my direction. "I'm Mr. Martin, and I understand how challenging it can be to adjust, especially when you're new." "Thank you," I responded."Tell us about yourself. How has your day been? Has Charley been a helpful guide?" "how'd you die" a girl with short black curly hair. "I don't know. I skipped study hall and went to the library, and now I am here. I have no idea who's responsible for my death" I explained."Oh, so you were murdered,"a tall jock-like student with black hair said . "Welcome to the club,"  the same girl with curly hair. Mr. Martin, visibly irritated by the interruptions, intervened. "Let's introduce ourselves without too many questions, Rhonda" he suggested. As I endeavored to recollect the details of my demise, uncertainty clouded my thoughts.

FLASHBACK  

I was in the study hall accompanied by my friends Simon, Nicole, Maddie, and her boyfriend Xavier. Simon, Nicole, and I were seated together at one table, while Maddie and Xavier occupied another. I grew bored as Nicole and Simon were engrossed in their homework, except for Simon, who seemed dejected due to Maddie's mention of Xavier joining them for a horror movie event. Although I didn't fully grasp the details of the gathering, I knew that Simon wanted to spend time alone with Maddie and not with Xavier. Simon had feelings for Maddie for years and held a negative opinion of Xavier, believing him to be unsuitable.As I stared out of the window, I noticed a car driving recklessly in the parking lot. I alerted Simon, who promptly called Maddie. Maddie came over, saw the car, and swiftly departed. Puzzled by the situation, I looked at Simon, who informed me that it was Maddie's mother. I had previously heard about Maddie's personal struggles, including her mother's alcoholism, as she had confided in me. However, I had never encountered her mother or visited their home. Our usual hangouts were limited to school or other locations.Feeling unsettled, I gathered my belongings and left the study hall, making my way to the library. Just as I was exiting, Xavier intercepted me and asked, "Do you know where Maddie went?" I replied apologetically, "No, I'm sorry, I don't." Xavier responded with understanding, saying, "That's alright." With those words, I proceeded towards the library and never returned to the study hall.

PRESENT

Throughout the entire day, I found myself fixated on my grieving friends. I longed to express my presence and let them know how much I missed them. Suddenly, Charley approached me, breaking my trance. "So, we're just standing here, staring at these people," he observed. "They're clearly not doing well." I distanced myself from the crowd in the hallway and Charley followed. "Is there any way to go back?" I asked . His response was disheartening yet honest: "There is no going back. The life you once knew is no longer an option. But there might be a way forward." I was confused "Forward to where?" Charley paused momentarily before answering, "Well, you know, the great beyond. Onward, upward, or wherever that may lead. Janet managed to find it; she's been here since 1960." "1960!" I exclaimed, astonished. Charley continued, "Alternatively, there's dawn, but she never attends the group meetings, and there's the marching band of the deceased." Our gazes shifted to a classroom window, both captivated by the sight. "They've been endlessly circling, performing the same routine and song," I remarked, my tone filled with sadness. The classroom we were in happened to be the history class I shared with my friends. My seat remained vacant, adorned with a jacket. The class's attention focused on it. "Miss, why is that jacket there? It's not like she's coming back for it," a student said . The teacher responded, "One of our classmates is no longer with us. It serves as a means for us to remember her." Simon interjected, "Remember her? Everyone's acting as if they knew her. We created a signup sheet to assist with her funeral, but nobody except for me, Maddie, and Nicole signed it. I felt sadness that no one else had signed the sheet, but I was grateful that my friends cared about me. It was strange that Xavier hadn't signed the sheet, and Simon pointed it out, saying, "You did something, Xavier. I know it." Nicole interrupted, saying, "Simon, that's enough." "If you think you're so clever, what do you think I did? I'm done with this." Xavier stood up to leave, but Simon grabbed Xavier's backpack, and they started fighting over it until it flung open, and my phone fell to the floor. I was shocked. Nicole asked Xavier, "Why do you have Iris's phone?" I had a million thoughts racing through my head. I remembered having my phone with me during study hall, but it had died before I could check a text message. As I followed Xavier to the principal's office, I told Charley, "He must have had my phone for a reason." Charley suggested we go to his office, meaning the locker bathroom, to talk. I asked Charley how he died, and he replied, "Oh, so no small talk, straight to the hardcore question. Well, the one day I forgot my Epipen was the day they cooked the French fries in peanut oil." I exclaimed, "God!" He reassured me, saying, "Don't sweat it. I thought I could taunt all the assholes who tormented me while I was here, but instead, they tormented me." I was still confused, and Charley explained, "I was a gay kid in the '90s who died because of a nut allergy." I still didn't fully understand, and Charley said, "That was supposed to be funny. Are you still fixated?" I admitted, "I mean, my best friend's boyfriend might have murdered me, so I guess yes." Charley warned, "You may not like the answer." But I was determined to find out what happened to me. I left Charley's "office" and started searching for answers. As I walked through the halls, I encountered Wally Clark, from the class of '84. He introduced himself as a former student who died during a senior year homecoming game. I realized his name sounded familiar because they named the stadium after him. I told Wally that I couldn't talk right now because I had gaps in my memory to fill. He responded, "Well, that's why I'm here. I can totally help you fill your holes." I blushed and replied, "Excuse me?" He quickly clarified, "I didn't mean it like that. It was more of a metaphorical way." I thanked him but said I didn't need help from someone who looked like they were going to an aerobics class. Wally joked about having something in his locker and mentioned shoulder pads, a walkman, and clean socks and deodorant. I asked if he was missing anything when he arrived there, and he jokingly replied, "Other than a pulse and a heartbeat, no." Suddenly, I spotted Simon, Nicole, and Maddie walking by, so I hurried to follow them. Xavier was being let out of the principal's office, and Maddie was with him. Simon confronted Xavier, saying, "They let you out. You don't have to tell me anything." Simon accused Xavier of having my phone for three days. Maddie intervened, urging everyone to calm down. However, Simon and Xavier continued fighting, and Maddie, Nicole, and I tried to stop them to no avail. Eventually, a police officer intervened, separating them. Maddie went to check on Xavier, while Nicole tended to Simon, who was bleeding. Simon cryptically remarked, "Still wondering where that blood came from," before running off. I couldn't help but think about the blood and decided to search the principal's office for something useful. There, I found a report stating that my death had been ruled a suicide. I rushed to the school gym, where everyone had gathered in a circle. I approached Wally and pleaded with him, "I need you to force a confession out of someone. Scare them if you have to. You wanted to help me, so help me." They all looked at me with confusion. Charley began to say something, but a group of students interrupted, announcing that new evidence had emerged, leading to my death being ruled a murder. They revealed that they didn't have a suspect yet but promised to find one soon. A curfew was imposed until the culprit was apprehended. I noticed Xavier talking to an officer, who turned out to be his father. I moved closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. Xavier's father asked him why he had my phone. Xavier explained that he had skipped study hall to meet up with Claire Zomer,and when Maddie found him in his car, he texted Claire to change their plans. However, my phone received the text instead, he took my phone during study hall to delete the message. Xavier's father questioned how he knew I hadn't read the text, to which Xavier replied, "Read receipts." They walked away, leaving me to process everything. But one thing was clear

I WAS MURDER