Edward and The Peculiar Discovery of the Three Rings

Millie 10

Voices.

So many voices.

They seemed to endlessly flow through my head, rousing me from a deep sleep.

I was sitting at a desk, furiously taking notes on net force and velocity vectors in my AP physics class. I had completely forgotten about my friends and the black rock. I was so focused on working that I didn't question whether this was all real or not. The lead in my pencil broke, which for some reason really annoyed me. I reached down into my back pack to get some extra lead when the voices came back, making me lose concentration.

"She tries too hard in class, what a nerd," one voice said.

"Ew, what is she even wearing? That is so last century," said another.

"I can't believe that she actually has friends. Edward and Alex are her friends just because she's gives them homework answers," said a third.

I focused on making them go away, which seemed to work for the moment, so I resumed taking notes. Throughout the rest of class, there were no more voices, which made me happy. I went to my locker to put away my book when I happened to hear the conversation of the girls next to me.

"How can anyone ever look at THAT?" Said one girl. "She must try so hard, but in the end she will never be anything but ugly."

I looked over to her, seeing that she was staring at me. I walked over to her, livid with anger.

"Excuse me Tiffany, but I don't recall anyone ask for your opinion did I?" I seethed. "Even if you're prettier, at least I'm not the one with all F's am I? Unless I'm wrong, I'm fairly sure pretty doesn't get you anywhere sweetheart."

At that, I turned away, determined not to let them get to me. All I wanted was to be accepted, to be a part of a group. I had always been the genius loner of the class, never really having any friends, until I met Edward and Alex. At first I had been cautious, for so many people had pretended to be my friend only to leave me soon after. But they were different, accepting me for who I was, and never judging me. Edward did tease me on occasion, but I always knew that he was joking. But the thing that surprised me was that they never left me. They were always by my side, constantly getting me into all sorts of trouble, but they helped me get out of it in the end. One remark from earlier kept nagging at me, making me doubt myself and my friends. One of the voices had told me that Edward and Alex weren't actually my friends, that they were just using me. Instead of brushing it off, I started to think long and hard about it.

"Maybe the voice is right," I thought. "I can't possibly have any friends. I mean, look at me."

"You're right Millie," came another voice. "You really don't have any friends."

Right as I passed by a mirror and saw myself, and something within me clicked, making all the voices go away instantly.

There in the mirror stood a girl. She looked exactly like me, but she looked much different, changed. She had on a bright blue ring, and matching gauntlets going up her arms. I jumped back in surprise, still not realizing I was in a dream.

"Millie," she said. "Theres so much I need to tell you but can't. All I can say right now is that you are in a dream. "Very soon, Alex and Edward will need you, so it is imperative that you get out of here as soon as you can."

"Um, I'm not in a dream," I told her. "Im at school talking to a mirror. Do you even know what people might say about me if they see me here?"

"Oh Millie, I know this makes no sense, but you are going to have to trust me on this," said the other Millie. "The voices are trying to trap you, and if you listen to them you'll never get out. If you want to escape, remember your true friends. That's all you need to do."