Through Their Eyes

Part 3

The next morning, instead of being a groggy memory that slowly faded away, the dream was still vivid in her mind. Ella could still feel the slicing of the blade on her forearms spelling "goodbye" and the pills sliding down her throat, labeled "WARNING: Take proper dosage. Side effects may include sleepiness, dizziness, diarrhea, and reduced immune system. Overdose may cause violent sickness and/or death." The dream haunted her all morning, even as she taunted a chubby, dark haired eighth-grader with glasses. The girl was mortified, and her friends tried to stand up for her, but Ella, who towered over the girls, scared them away with one narrow-eyed look and a hissed, "Your mouths stay shut, or I'll come for you when I'm done with her!" The brown haired girl took her chance and fled as soon as Ella had her head turned. She cursed under her breath, but strode away feeling wonderful.

The dream stopped following Ella for the morning, but found her again seventh period at lunch when she spied the boy's old picnic table and all his friends, not talking, not looking at each other, all dressed darkly, just eating in silent mourning. She noticed there was an empty spot at the table where the boy usually sat. She actually felt a hint of guilt rise up inside her. What's wrong with me? She chewed a piece of lettuce from her taco salad. I don't usually feel any kind of regret or guilt anymore...

Ella heard someone sit down next to her. It was Macky, wearing a black blouse with a black to grey ombre colored skirt. On her feet she sported the sparkly black flats Ella had outgrown and given to her last month. Around her neck was a silver chain with a cross pendant, and around her wrists were small black beads.

"Hey, Ella, what's wrong?" Macky asked in a soothing voice.

Ella couldn't tell her about this bullying problem or the dream, not now. But she wouldn't lie to her best friend, either. And she certainly couldn't say nothing. So she just went with, "I'm tired, that's all. I had a bad dream last night." There, that was honest. Right? Ella finally looked at Macky, who was looking her up and down.

"Girl, what is with your outfit today?!" Macky exclaimed, trying to get off the subject. Come to think of it, Ella couldn't remember what she was wearing. She looked down at herself to see a wreck. She wore a black leather bikers' jacket over her favorite John Grey t-shirt. John Grey was her favorite country singer! He was from Texas, just like her. How could she make a mess of him? He was absolutely too cute. She slid out of the jacket and continued her inspection. She wore light flare jeans, holes and worn spots around and below the knees (that was good- they matched her t-shirt), but they were tucked into her favorite combat boots. The ones with the silver studs and black sparkly laces. They REALLY didn't match. Well, the jacket. They matched that.

Well, at least I have some backup riding boots in my locker... I think... she thought with an embarrased look at Macky. Much to her relief, Macky was studying a fat blade of grass she found, trying to figure out how to make it quack. Ella reached down, grabbed a blade from the same clump, and showed Macky how to blow through her thumbs and across the grass.

Meanwhile, the dream kept nagging at the back of her mind. Why did it keep haunting her? What made her have it? And why did she still remember it so clearly? Most of all, why did she have a gut feeling that it had to do with that mysterious Lindsey lady at the antique shop?