Page 61 of Ward D
I mean, what’s the point? I’m going to get kicked out of school anyway, whether or not I ace this exam tomorrow. So I may as well enjoy a little Netflix instead of learning all the details of World War I.
“Amy?” My mother is suddenly standing over me, peering down at me through her half-moon glasses. “Are you all right?”
Well, let’s see. I got caught cheating and I’m probably going to get expelled. Also, I’m seeing this little girl who doesn’t actually exist and who keeps urging me to do bad things. But other than that, I’m doing absolutely fabulous. Thanks for asking, Mom!
“I’m fine,” I say.
“Did you ever connect with Jade?” she asks me.
“Kind of,” I mutter, not taking my eyes off the television.
A deep crease burrows between her eyebrows. “Amy, is something going on with Jade? If there is, you can tell me. I can help.”
“Nope.”
She settles down beside me on the couch. “The teenage years are a really hard time. A lot of girls struggle. And it can be a time when mental health issues come to the surface…”
I look up sharply at the mention of mental health issues. “What do you mean?”
“Amy…” Mom rubs a finger along her jaw. “I never told you this before, but Jade’s mom… She has struggled a lot with her mental health. And these sorts of things can run in families. So I worry that Jade…”
“Jade’s fine,” I say, a little too sharply.
It’s not a lie. I mean, she has definitely changed a lot in the last couple of years. Her behavior has been increasingly bizarre. But Jade isn’t the one who’s hallucinating. That’s me.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything you want to tell me?” my mother presses me.
I don’t want to tell her any of the things going on with me. Part of me is hoping that I’ll go to bed tonight, and when I wake up, everything will be better again.
I can’t tell her the truth though. I don’t want her to look at me the way she looks at Jade. If she finds out I’m the one hallucinating, will she still love me as much? She’s always told me how proud she is of me and my good grades. She won’t be proud of me anymore when she knows the truth.
“I don’t feel like talking,” I say. “I need some fresh air.”
Before my mother can protest, I grab the remote and flip off the television. I pick up my bottle of iced tea and head outside. I wait a bit at the front door to see if my mother will follow me, but she doesn’t. I’m not sure whether or not to be disappointed.
The winter has finally come to an end and it’s turned into one of those really pretty spring days. The sun has dropped on the horizon, and the whole sky has turned shades of red, orange, and yellow. See, even if I’m crazy I can still enjoy a nice sunset.
Until I hear the loud honking.
I rotate my head just in time to see Jade pull up in her mother’s old Dodge, which is a couple dozen miles away from falling apart completely. One of the side view mirrors is literally hanging on by a single wire, and there isn’t one portion of either the front or back fender that doesn’t have a dent in it.
“Amy!” she calls out.
I just stare at her, clutching the bottle of iced tea in my right hand.
“Amy!” She leans on the horn loud enough to get a dog barking next door. “I need to talk to you.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“I know you’re mad at me.” She tucks a wayward strand of blond hair behind her ear. “But I fixed everything. I made it right again.”
I try not to roll my eyes, but it’s hard. “I’m sure.”
“I did! I swear to you, Amy.”
Jade’s blue eyes flecked with yellow are leveled at me. She’s not smiling like she’s making a joke. She means it. Except I don’t know how she could’ve fixed any of this.
“How?” I finally say.
