Kendall & Me [discontinued]

01 | The Poltergeist

“I’m telling you,” Elijah exclaimed, his hands flying in the air, “that was the freakiest movie I’ve ever seen.”

I snorted along with my friend Diana, almost choking on my spaghetti in the process.  The rest of Willow High’s cafeteria inhabitants were completely oblivious to my friend and my amusement as they conversed at their own tables, trays of food set in front of them.  “Oh yeah?” I mused after swallowing the noodles with much difficulty.  Coughing fits followed.  “What was it?”

“I don’t even remember the title,” Elijah muttered, bringing a hand through his hair.  His tray, unlike Diana’s and mine, was completely untouched.  “But it was freaky as hell.”

“Yeah, you’ve said that.”  Diana rolled her eyes, taking a scoop of her chocolate pudding and swallowing it with unease.  She was smart enough not to be eating while Elijah was being entertaining.  She was a lot smarter than I was, that was for sure.  “What was it even about?”

“It was this poltergeist movie.”  Elijah sucked in a breath.  “Oh, I think it was called The Poltergeist!  Yeah, that had to be it.  But trust me you never want to watch that movie.  Ever.  I for one won’t be sleeping for the next week.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got the backbone of an invertebrate,” Diana teased.  “I bet that movie is hilarious.  Oh, tell me, did you hold Mr. Teddy the entire time?”

Elijah scowled, his blue eyes flashing.  “Leave Mr. Teddy out of this,” he snapped.

I smiled, watching as my two friends battled it back and forth.  The two contrasted each other completely, I couldn’t help but notice.  Diana had brunette curls while Elijah’s hair was a blond mop on top of his head.  Diana had sharp facial features that made her look eighteen instead of sixteen, while Elijah could pass for twelve with his baby face.  Diana dressed to show off her curves, Elijah dressed to blend in with the crowd.  The two had completely different personalities as well.  It was a wonder that the two were friends.  Sometimes it was hard to tell.

I myself was in the middle.  While I had brunette swirls like Diana, and the same hazel eyes, I could pass for fourteen with my lack of curves.  While I wasn’t as short as Elijah—and he was short—I was still considered one of the shortest people in my class.  In reality Diana wasn’t much taller than us, but her heels made her grow a feel inches.  Why she wore heels to school never ceased to confuse me.

“But Mr. Teddy will feel left out,” Diana cooed.  “Come on, Elijah.  Did Mr. Teddy scream, too?”

I laughed softly as Elijah’s scowl deepened.  He was very protective when it came to his stuffed teddy bear that he’d gotten when he was two.  He always had it with him.  He would have brought it with him to school if his mother hadn’t forbid it.

“Shut up,” Elijah hissed.

Diana snickered, eating some more of her pudding before smiling.  “Oh cool it, Eli.  I was just kidding.”

I sat back, continuing to watch silently as the two carried on bickering.  The fact that Elijah was complaining about a poltergeist movie brought back memories—memories that I didn’t prefer to dwell on.  Usually I didn’t mind the subject so much, but when it was so close to the anniversary. . . . Kendall’s anniversary, my mind whispered.  Her death anniversary.

I almost grimaced at the thought.  Almost ten years ago my twin sister, Kendall, had fallen off the swings at the playground and broke her neck.  I’d long accepted my sister was gone, and I’d moved on with my life.  But that didn’t make the anniversary any lest painful.  I remembered pretending that she was alive when I was younger and cringed.  How messed up was that?  Conjuring your dead sister up as an imaginary friend so that you could pretend she was still alive?