“You what?” Josie's eyes widened as she heard what had happened to be earlier in the washroom. I couldn’t hold it in from telling so I did. “You heard a voice?” Shock spread over her face quicker than anything else.
“Yes. I thought someone was actually there but there wasn’t anyone. It was a voice in my head.” I pushed my index finger against my hair and explained. “I don’t know. I think I’m going completely crazy.” I sighed and then walked along with her across the pavement.
School ended just a few minutes ago. I called my mother to ask her to pick me up but she didn’t respond to my call. I assumed she was busy somewhere so I didn’t disturb her until she would be free.
Instead, I walked along with Josie around the town, still nearby the school. The weather was chilling cold and one layer of the jacket wasn’t enough. My fingers were turning red with cold as I had forgotten my gloves at home.
“You’re going completely crazy!” She nodded her head and agreed with me, her face still filled with confusion.
I was more confused than she was. Why was there a voice in my head? Was I actually going crazy? Did I need to pay another visit to the therapist? My next appointment was already booked with Mrs. Harmony later at four today. Just an hour and half away but I couldn’t go without my mother who wasn’t picking up my calls or reading my messages.
“I don’t know. I have an odd feeling about this all. It’s scaring me to death at this point.” I wrapped my hands around my shoulders and sighed while lowering my eyes to the pavement we were walking on.
Tiny little droplets of rain fell down but as it was just drizzling, we didn’t need to run indoors or pull our umbrellas out.
“What does your therapist says about this all?”
“Not much. She just said I might have a creative mind or something along those lines. My family doesn’t have a history of any mental illness so I doubt it’s any of that.” I replied while remembering the first time I researched about what was happening to me. There was a chance I could be delusional but at the same time, I couldn’t. “My mother says someone did witchcraft on me, on my eighteenth birthday.” I continued while chuckling to my self and shaking my head.
Josie laughed along with me, louder than I did. “Oh my God! Your mother could probably be right but who would do witchcraft on you?” She shook her head, still laughing.
“Exactly. No one.” I shrugged. “It’s just weird how it happened out of nowhere and it’s going on and on.”
We slowed down a little bit and began walking slowly.
Josie cleared her throat and asked, “What do you think about it? Why do you think you’re seeing these nightmares and hearing these voices?”
“Not voices. There is just one voice and honestly, I don’t know. I just want it to stop. Maybe there is something wrong with me or maybe I’m being delusional or maybe someone is actually messing with my head but I hope it will all go away one day.” I exhaled out a deep, cold breath and eased my shoulders.
I needed to stop worrying about it for a minute.
Another minute of walking and we reached the park nearby the school. Children played in the playground while a few couples walked and ran on the rubber track surrounding the park. Josie and I took the empty bench and sat down.
Josie’s home was nearby, just a couple minutes away from the park. She could home easily but I still had to wait for Mother as my home was a good twenty minute drive away from the school and I didn’t have a license yet.
For the longest time, I wanted to get a car and a driving license but my mother forbade me to get one. She told me it was too dangerous to drive while I was still so young. Instead of arguing, I just accepted and she agreed to letting me have a car later when I would be in my twenties.
That was a whole year of waiting.
Josie pulled out a cigarette from her box of cigarettes and she offered me one. I quietly shook my head and rejected it knowing if my mother found me smoking, she would end me and forbade me from ever seeing my best friend.
She lit up the cigarette and placed it between her lips. After taking a small puff, she blew out the air and it smelled sick.
Josie had a bad habit of smoking since she was sixteen. She reduced her cigarettes but she still did it everyday and as much as I hated it, I couldn’t force her to stop so instead I only advised her to do less until she would stop herself.
“Did you know Molly got suspended?” She snapped her to me and asked.
“Really?” My eyes widened. “For having sex in the janitor’s room?” It was unbelievable.
A while ago, one of the teacher’s had caught Molly, a student in our grade, having sex with Ian in the janitor’s room between classes. It was the talk of the school for the past few days.
“Yes, but I think she’s only going to get suspended for a week or two. I mean, her parents, they are obviously going to do something to invalidate her suspicion so maybe just a few days.” Josie said while taking another puff of her cigarette.
The scent of her cigarette bothered me but I didn’t give it much attention.
“Wow. She has a lot of guts!” I exclaimed.
Molly was the captain of the cheerleader squad and also one of the brightest girls in the school. She had tons of achievements and medals from all the good things she had achieved. But, since she was the school queen, she did whatever she wished to do and that even meant having sex in the janitor’s room with her handsome boyfriend that everyone crushed on.
“I wish I could have sex in the janitor’s room—with Ian.” Josie said, biting her lower lip and grinning.
“Ew.” I gagged.
She snapped her eyes to mine and rolled them, “Just because you haven’t had the pleasure of having sex doesn’t mean it’s ew. You’re virgin and virgins hate everything sex-related!” She stated the facts.
It was true. Until I didn’t pop my cherry, I couldn’t find interest in sex or sexual activities or even guys.
“You’re right.” I nodded and turned my head around.
From the corner of my eyes, I found a white Honda approaching the park from the other end of the street. I quickly grabbed the cigarette from Josie and threw it over the ground before pressing my boots against the bud and burning it out.
“Why you did that?” She pouted.
“My mother is coming. Act normal.” I quickly said while leaning back against the bench.
Josie pulled out the perfume in her bag and sprayed it all over us while the white Honda came nearer. From front window, I saw my Mother sitting inside with her glasses on. She parked the car on the parallel parking in front of the bench and I began saying my goodbyes to Josie.
“Well, I’m going to take my leave before she steps out. So, I’ll see you later, maybe, I don’t know but I’ll message you. Bye!” I stood up from the bench and grabbed my belongings before rushing into the car.
Josie waved her hand at me and mouthed a goodbye as my Mother begun driving the car away from the car and back home.
“I don’t like it when you’re with her.” She broke the silence only a few minutes into the car.
“Mom, she’s my friend!” I frowned. She never liked Josie, not matter how hard both of us tried. “My only friend and I was waiting for you. She stayed with me till you came.” I added, hoping it would bring some warmth in her heart for Josie.
Nothing.
“Whatever. I still don’t like that girl. She’s a bad influence on you.” She responded, staring straight ahead and squinting her eyes occasionally.
“Okay.”
I stretched my arm and turned on the radio to listen to some music instead of arguing with each other about Josie and if she was a good friend or not. I liked her, she was the favorite person in the world and she meant everything to me after my mother.
I just needed to find a better way for making them both bond with one and other.
Mother drove back to the house and she remained silent the entire ride till we reached the house. I pushed my bag over my shoulders and hopped out of the car once she parked it in the driveway.
“Go change and be down in fifteen minutes. You have an appointment.” She quickly said while walking into the house and setting the bags of groceries onto the kitchen counter.
I sighed and headed upstairs to my room.