Demented

Chapter 9

"Hello." The principal greets us from the bottom of the field. "I came here to check on how your progress was going."

Crap! "Oh, hello principal Hayes." I slightly smiled and stood up a little straighter. Gabe just let out an annoyed sigh and thew his head back. Rude.

"How has Mr. Swintek been doing in the student council?" He asked, turning directly towards me. Gabriel then glanced at me, his light blue eyes made contact with my hazel ones. I didn't know if I should tell principal Hayes the truth and let him know how rude Gabriel has been, or if I should lie and cover for him.

I looked back to our principal and decided to go with the second option. "He's already made some new friends. He is even helping out with prom preparations." I excitedly replied and showed a fake smile. Even though Gabriel has been nothing but an ass to me, I couldn't be cruel and snitch on him.

"That's great to hear!" He pats Gabe's broad shoulder a couple of times. "Okay, well it's getting dark out here. I'll let you kids get going." He smiles and starts walking to the teacher parking lot, leaving Gabriel and I alone.

I don't bother to look at him and continue to walk down the steps, quickly passing him by. "Hey." He calls from behind. "Yes?" I reply with an annoyed tone as I turn around.

He is still standing on the steps with his keys in his hand. "Why did you do that?" He asks with no emotion in his voice.

"Because im not mean like you. You know.. us 'spoiled brats' aren't all the same." I give him a glare and keep walking, leaving him there to remember what my last words were.

---

I arrive home and throw my bag on the hallway floor. I'm exhausted and had a long day. "Dear, be sure to pick up your stuff after you eat." My mom orders me from the kitchen as I enter. I look over the island countertop towards the living room.

I see Grace sitting on the couch with some of her toys and watching Alice in Wonderland again. I guess she really likes that movie.

"Hey Grace!" I grab a handful of grapes and sit by her on the large sofa."

She gives me a small smile and hugs me. "Hi Jay." As she hugs me I look to the figure sitting on the other side of her, it's the doll. My eyes widen at the sight. The large doll is sitting up right with it's hands beside it's body, large glass eyes staring at the television. I plopped a grape into my mouth and kept my eyes on it until I noticed something extremely strange.

It was breathing.

I could faintly see the chest of the doll moving up and down, like it was taking deep breaths.

It looked almost human-like. It seemed it was alive and breathing. I instantly felt goosbumps form on my skin and started choking on the grape. Grace looked from the T.V to me. "Mom!!" She quickly runs to the kitchen to call my mother.

Adam walks in the door and notices me. "What the hell!" He yells and starts pounding my back. I cough out the grape and look up at him. Not even concerned that I was choking. "Adam It's breathing!" Is all I managed to say as I point to the horrid thing. "Yeah, your breathing now! What's the matter with you. Don't you know you're supposed to chew your food?" He nervously laughs.

"No Adam!" I get annoyed with his stupid joke and pull his shirt down to me. His face is now directly in front of mine. "The doll is breathing." I almost whisper to him since the doll is basically sitting next to me on the couch.

"Shutup." He groans and looks at the doll. He picks it up and looks at it. "Listen to it! It's breathing Adam." I nearly yell. He rolls his eyes and puts his ear to the doll's chest. "I don't hear anything, Jay." He replies as he puts the doll back down. "Maybe you are just tired. You sound a little crazy right now." He chuckles.

"What happened?" My mom finally walks in, Grace is standing behind her. Okay, if it wasn't for Adam I probably would be dead by the time she finally came.

"Jay was choking on a grape, but she's fine now." Adam comments as he walks to the dinning table. My mom looks from him to me. "You okay?" She asks.

"I'm fine." I simply reply. "Okay, well your father should be home any minute. Grab a seat at the table and i'll have dinner ready." She smiles and walks back to the kitchen.

Grace and I make our way to the table where Adam is already seated. I sit at my usual spot next to him and Grace sits across from me. "Adam, I need to let them know about the doll." I whisper to him. Grace is busy fixing her headband, not paying attention to us.

"No. You sound crazy. Your mind is probably playing tricks on you because your tired from today." He narrows his brows. "But Adam I saw it! I saw it breathing." I harshly whisper. He won't believe me and it's annoying.

"Be quiet! Do you realize how wierd you sound? A doll. Breathing. Really?" He sarcastically replies. Just then our dad walks through the door with his breifcase and a suit on. Adam gives me a harsh look as if to not say anything about the doll anymore. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was just tired.