The Voices of Ana and Mia (Book 1)

Chapter 6: They're just like me...

"Do you want to understand?" Mia asked me.

"Understand what?" What was she talking about? She had just told me I was about to start hell, I think that's pretty self explanatory.

"Understand everything that has changed in your life and why it has changed."

"Why do you..." I stopped short when I saw Christi walk out of the stalls in our school bathroom. What were we doing here and how was Mia getting me all these places? After she washed her hands she stared hard into the mirror. She proceeded to fix her hair and apply more makeup on. I walked up to her and touched her shoulder but my hand just passed right through her.

"She can't see me can she?" I turned to look and Mia only to find her gone. I looked around the bathroom but to no avail. I was on my own again...Well with Christi. Christi had just started to leave when Bianca walked into the bathroom.

"Oh hey! You're that girl... Christi right?" Christi smiled and nodded. Why was Bianca asking Christi who she was when they were already best friends? Then I remembered what Mia had said; this must be the past. Maybe this is where Christi met the stupid Barbie Bianca.

"You're so pretty! Your hair is totes adorbs. How can you have such sexy wavy blond hair like that? I wish I had hair like yours...hey, one of my guy friends was telling me how hot you were and that you were wicked nice. So I came here because I had to see for myself"

"Oh thank you..."

" Hey! Why don't you come eat lunch with me?!" Bianca smiled at Christi expectantly.

"I can't sorry, I told Lizzy that I was going to help her with her homework"

"Come on" Bianca pouted, "Just this once!"

"I... I guess Lizzy would understand..."

NO! NO! NO! I didn't understand why Christi had ditched me after she promised to help me with something that I had been really struggling on! I remember this day... Christi tried to shrug it off like it didn't matter but it had hurt me. I didn't get why she sat with Bianca that day and she wouldn't explain it either. Why did she let herself get persuaded by a stupid Barbie girl to not help her best friend? I failed that test too no thanks to her.

I then found myself in Christi's bedroom. Christi was lying on her bed with her school books spread around her. She was on phone and having a pretty heated argument.

"Can you just get off my back please?!"

"Oh so now you want to cuss me out?"

"Can you just shut up and listen for a second?!"

"What is wrong with you?!"

"I'm done! I'm done! Goodbye!"

I felt shame as I realized that this was her exact words to me. This must have been about a week after she had sat with Bianca for the first time. I had screamed at her for once again skipping out on me and I wanted to know why she was doing it. She wouldn't tell me so I had sworn her off and hung up.

"Lizzy you just don't get it" She whispered after she hung up the phone, "I so badly want to be popular. To be accepted and I am getting the chance. You don't get how long I've wanted this. I wish you could just understand and be happy for me, but no... If I'm not hanging out with you then I'm a bad person. People change! Don't you get it? I wish you weren't so selfish sometimes"

I took a step back as her words sunk in. She thought I was selfish?! How was that? I wasn't the one who ditched her best friend and then wouldn't explain why. If she wanted so badly to fit in then she can go and have a frickin' party with her new friends, I was done with her. I felt tears dripping down my face and I wiped them away. When I lifted my hand I found myself yet in another place. I didn't recognize this house though. My confusion was soon put to rest when I saw Andrew walk around the house.

"I hate her! I hate her so much I could just kill her!" He slammed his fist into the wall and flopped onto his bed. He picked up a picture on his night stand and stared at it as tears welled up in his eyes.

"I'm sorry dad. I'm so sorry that he had to be such a selfish prick and bully you. He had no right. NO RIGHT! You were the best dad ever. I want to honor your name and the short life that you lived. Why did you leave me dad?! Why?!" He wiped his eyes and continued on in a choked sob, "You know what dad, his daughter, Elizabeth, has the audacity to walk around as if she had nothing to be ashamed of. Can you believe that? Her dad was a psychopath who drove you into a depression and she walks around school as if she's royalty or something? Don't worry dad! I am taking her down a couple of notches. Even if it's has to be six feet under, she will feel the pain that her dad caused for you. I will save people from having to deal with what you did. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I am getting rid of this rotten apple. One less bully in this world. One less..."

" Where is he?! WHERE IS HE?! Andrew!" a male voice boomed. I saw a tall bulky man walk into the room. By his stagger I could tell that he was drunk.

"You worthless piece of..." The man didn't even finish his sentence before he proceeded to beat Andrew with his fists. I covered my eyes and just barely stifled a cry.

"You ready to see more yet?" I turned to see Mia looking at me. Her face held a compassionate look and she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Oh Lizzy, can't you see they're just like you?"