The Haunting of Amy Meyer

Chapter 1

"Hey" I hear the whisper.
Ok. Concentrate, I tell myself.
"Pssst"
Ignore him. Just find the square root of 25.
"Just flick the pencil! No one will know."
"Shh" I say under my breath, barely audible.
"Pleaseeee, he's not looking! Do it Now!"
"Shut up." I say as quietly as I can. Two students turn to look at me and I can feel my face heat up quickly.
"Who are you talking to?" This girl named Jenna, who's hair is a little too big for her face, whispers to me.
I look at her, wide eyed. "Um, just singing a song." I give an awkward smile.
Jenna gives me a weird look, the one that everyone gives me when I'm walking down the hall. She goes back to her test. I look up and see Lucas at the corner of the room, smirking at me. I give him a glare, promising that he's going to pay for my embarrassment later. I go back to my test and try to finish up the last problems of math.
"Wow. You really know how to embarrass yourself." Lucas says, as he walks around the room, looking at other tests. I roll my eyes, trying to ignore his comment. I always have to bite my tongue when I'm in public and Lucas is around, but it's difficult when his smartass mouth is always nearby.
The thing is, I see dead people. Actually, the word dead seems pretty harsh. I can see spirits. And, no, they're not like the ghosts you see in cartoons and movies like 'Casper'. In my eyes, they seem like real people, only no one around me sees them.
I finish up my test and turn it over to show the teacher I finished. Lucas is still walking around the room. "You're in a room filled with idiots." I glare at him from the corner of my eye. "What? It's true! Half of these morons don't even know what they're doing with their lives." I scoff and shake my head. "So, are you throwing the pencil or not?" he says. I shoot him a look so he can stop asking. Ever since I started school this year, Lucas started having bad vibes about certain people. I wonder if spirits have feelings? I doubt it. All Lucas has is sarcasm and lack of common sense. Anyways, he said he has a 'bad feeling' about this guy in my class named Jonah. Personally, I think it's just jealousy. I find it strange that he only has bad vibes about guys. Not girls. So up until today he's been trying to get me to do harsh things to Jonah, which includes throwing stuff at him or trying to trip him in the hallway. I've just learned to ignore him, and everyone else in this school.
Except my best friend, Rosie. She's the only person in the school who loves my eccentricities. While everyone calls me a crazy whackjob, she only hears unique and awesome. If only I could think the same about myself.
I guess you can also count Noah in my short list of 'friends'. But he only hangs out with us because he has a secret crush on Rosie. Not so much of a secret if you ask me.
Rosie knows I can see dead people. Sorry, spirits. That's how we became friends in the first place. Noah on the other hand has a bit of a hard time adjusting to that idea. He's a skeptic so he needs more proof of what I can do, but who has the time?
The bell rings, releasing us from our last class. I start walking in the hallway, towards my locker. "Why won't you just trust me? He has this bad aura, I can see it." Lucas says, as he walks behind me.
"Do you even know what an aura feels like?" I say, the words barely leaving my lips. Yet I still get some strange looks by some students. I've been getting strange looks since elementary school, so I'm pretty used to it.
He scoffs. "Not all dead people are completely dead." I raise my eyebrow at him. "Whatever. I'll wait for you outside." he says. He makes his way through the hallway, passing through students, and walks through the door. Even dead, Lucas thinks he owns the hallway. I get to my locker and start spinning my combination to open it.
"Ugh"
I look to my side and see Rosie leaning against the lockers, her head tilting back. "Tough day?" I ask.
"You have no idea."
"Talk." I say.
"I got a D- on my history test. Apparently the teacher thought an F was too harsh. What a moron. Second, that little shit, Maddie, 'accidently' stepped on my beautiful piece of drawing."
"No!" I say dramatically.
"Yes! She left her bigass footprint on my drawing, making me start all over again."
"Watch your language, there's children around." I joke.
"I don't care! Payback is going to be a bitch for her" she says, glaring at everyone who passes by.
"That makes two of us." I say.
"Why? Where's Lucas?"
"Outside. He made me upset again." I close my locker and twist the lock.
"What did he do this time?"
"He embarrassed me in math class. I'm pretty sure I failed the test. He kept bugging me." Something catches my attention from the corner of my eye. I see a guy leaning against the doorway, students passing through him. Spirit, I think.
Rosie catches me staring. "What is it? Who do you see?' I lean my back against the locker, trying not to stare directly at him.
I look at him for a while, trying to recognize his face. "Remember that rumor about the teacher who died in the teachers' lounge, from a heart attack I think."
"Yea". She gasps. "Do you see him? Where?"
"By the science classroom. In the doorway."
She tries to look, hoping to see some sort of silhouette or shadow. I hit her arm. "Stop staring. He'll think we can see him and try to talk to us"
"But you CAN see him"
"Yea, but don't tell him that. I deal with enough dead people already. One more isn't going to help." I look back to the doorway and he's gone already.
Rosie shakes her head at me. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have a gift like this"
I roll my eyes. "Don't start with this 'gift' crap again". If only she could deal with Lucas for a day, then she'll see how "lucky" I am.
Noah makes his way towards us. "Hey Rosie." he says.
"Hi" she says, sounding annoyed. Probably with me.
I raise my eyebrow. "Hey Noah"
He looks at me as if I just popped out of nowhere. "Oh, hey, Amy. Didn't see you there."
"Shocking." I say.
"What? I didn't!"
"Right" I roll my eyes.
"Don't start bullshitting me"
"Don't you think it's sad that we've been friends since freshman year, yet you still don't acknowledge my presence?" We're juniors now. I give a disapproving nod.
"I just- "
"You just found Rosie more attractive. Is that it?" I love giving him a hard time about Rosie. They've never dated. I know he wants to, but Rosie doesn't.
"No. I mean yes. I just mean- "he starts stuttering.
"God, you both are so pathetic. Can we leave? I'm tired of this conversation already." Rosie says and starts walking away. I give Noah a look. We catch up to Rosie.
"So, whose house are we going to today?" Noah asks. Me and Rosie say each other's names at the same time.
"Oh, come on! You guys always come to my house!" I say.
"No we don't!" Rosie protests.
"You were there yesterday!'
"Ok fine! But let me warn you, mom just got a new tan and it looks so disgusting. She's in short shorts and a tank top"
I roll my eyes. "Okay! But you both are buying pizza for me and Jackson." Jackson is my younger brother. Well, he's not that young. He's a sophomore.
"Whatever." Rosie says. We start walking out the school. We live in a town that's surrounded by woods and trees. Nature stuff. A shortcut to my house is through the woods, so we start walking away from the pavements and streets, our feet meeting the dirt. Lucas meets me by my side. Like always, I ignore him.
"Oh! Amy saw that teacher who died ages ago." Rosie tells Noah.
He looks at me. "Really? Where?"
"Where else, idiot. At school." I say.
"Someone's in a bad mood" Lucas says.
"I know! But where at school, idiot." Noah snaps at me.
"By the doorway in the science classroom."
"Hmm? Makes sense. He was a science teacher."
That catches my attention. "Really?"
"Well, a Chemistry teacher."
"Interesting."
Noah hits my arm. "Hey, why don't you ask him to find out the answers for my chemistry test next week."
I give him a look. "He was a teacher, Noah. He doesn't do miracles."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You haven't been able to pass that class. If you fail, then you'll have to retake it next year. You'll be stuck with freshmen again."
"How is he stupid enough to keep failing the simplest subject in school?" Lucas says.
I look at him. "Easy for you to say. You're good at every subject."
Noah whips his head toward my direction. "What did he say?"
"Nothing." I say and start focusing on walking properly, hoping I don't fall again. Noah mutters something to himself and walks away to join Rosie, who's a couple of feet ahead.
"By the way, that teacher you were talking about. He's actually a really cool guy." Lucas says.
I look at him. "You've talked to him?" he nods. My eyes go wide. "And you've never told me??"
"What is he saying?" Rosie asks.
I ignore her. "Tell me more about him." I tell Lucas.
"His name was Robert Clark. He died about 25 years ago"
"Really?" I say.
"What? Tell us!" Noah slaps my arm.
"Shhh!" I yell back and shove his arm away.
"I really haven't talked to him very long. All I know is that he has a kid. A girl, I think."
"Woah" is all I can say.
"Are you telling us now?" Rosie says.
"The teacher died about 25 years ago. Lucas says he has a daughter." I say, still thinking about it.
"Wow." Noah says.
"Wait. You said 'has'. She's still alive?" Rosie says.
I look over at Lucas. He shrugs, "Probably. He really doesn't go into detail about his family."
I look at Rosie. "He says maybe."
"Oh, I think I remember him saying she was about three when he died." Lucas said.
A twinge of sadness hits me. She was just a toddler. "Lucas says she was about three when he died. She can still be alive." I say.
"We should find her" Rosie has a determined look on her face.
My stomach drops. "What? Why?" I say.
"Uh, hello! You are the only one who can see him. We can pass some sort of message between them."
I scrunch my nose; a habit I have when I'm not convinced of something. "I don't know. I don't like getting in between dead people's business. Sometimes they just want to be left alone."
"Yea, but what if he doesn't. Tell her Noah."
Now it's his turn to look unconvinced. Communicating with the dead isn't his cup of tea. "I think Amy's right. Some people do want to be left alone after they die."
"The day I need you the most, you turn your back on me" Rosie says, trying to sound hurt.
Noah's eyes go wide. "No! I just mean that- "
"Just save your breath Noah. We'll finish talking about this later. I'm starving and you guys still need to buy me pizza." We're almost close to the house.
"Hey, Noah. I'll race you to Amy's house." Rosie says and starts running. Noah follows after her. He can easily beat her, but he's a gentleman to her, so obviously he's going to let her win.
I'm left alone with Lucas.
"Your friends can be annoying.'' he says.
"Sometimes. But they're the only people who actually believe what I say."
"I guess." Lucas never approved of anyone who talked to me. "I'll see you back at the house." With that, he disappears. I can see Rosie and Noah from afar, getting closer to my house. I don't bother trying to catch up, so I take my time.
I think about the teacher and how he lost his daughter, or how the daughter lost her father. It's a horrible feeling. Losing someone you love. I lost both my parents when I was about 10, Jackson was 9. That's when we both got sent to my Aunt Mae, in this very small town. I guess it's okay, sometimes.
I had my gift even before mom and dad's death. Mom always told me I had a very special gift and that I shouldn't take it for granted. Dad was always skeptical about the subject. He always tended to avoid the conversations. Jackson is also gifted, except his come and go. There are some days when he can only see them or only hear them. Then, there are days when he can't do either. Aunt Mae says it's because he doesn't practice enough. Who knew you had to practice to communicate with spirits?
I found out I was gifted when I was about 5 or 6 years old. Mom thought it was just a phase. Well that phase continued on. At about age 8, I still kept talking to myself and that's when I told her that they were real. I had to go see a therapist. That's when they found out I can see spirits.
And I bet you're thinking about this. Can I see my parents? No, I cannot. Not yet, at least.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS STORY! I HAD TO COMPLETELY EDIT THIS SO I CHANGED IT A BIT AND MOVED STUFF AROUND. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!