“Pasliee!” Stacy and Tracy yelled. Pasliee snapped out of her flashback and saw the end of someone’s long black hair disappear around the corner.
“Pasliee!” the twins repeated. She glared at them, her eyes cold with fear.
“Hey, that’s the look you had when we…found you in the boiler room” Stacy lied.
“Simon, I saw something” Pasliee said.
“Pasliee, can you please not do this?” Simon asked.
“I saw something, I know I did” Pasliee insisted.
“Simon, you promised you’d stay with us for lunch!” Tracy whined.
“Please believe me!” Pasliee begged. Simon looked into Pasliee’s eyes and she sighed.
“You don’t believe me!” Pasliee muttered.
“I believe you” Simon disagreed, not really believing her.
“No, you don’t!” Pasliee muttered and ran off.
“Pasliee!” Simon called.
“She’ll be fine, Simon” Stacy said. He followed Stacy and Tracy back into the lunch room. Pasliee ran down the stairs and into boiler room, falling to her knees in tears.
“Pasliee!” Miss. Sambilia called. Pasliee scooted over to the wall.
“What do you want?” Pasliee asked.
“I knew, I knew” Miss. Sambilia muttered.
“You knew what?” Pasliee asked.
“I knew that Simon wouldn’t believe you!” Miss. Sambilia answered.
“Simon believes me!’ Pasliee disagreed with a pout.
“Then, why isn’t he here?” Miss. Sambilia asked. Pasliee stood up and grabbed the doorknob. She suddenly started to have a panic attack and her knees wobbled. She fell to her knees and slowly stood back up. She felt out of breath, like someone was choking her.
“You can’t leave!’ Miss. Sambilia yelled. Pasliee gasped for air, her body trembling.
“Stop! Stop!” Pasliee gasped for air as the room started spinning. Miss. Sambilia covered Pasliee’s mouth with her hand, muffling Pasliee’s demands. Pasliee’s eyes closed, her body going limp and Miss. Sambilia dropped her with a smile. Simon, who was in the cafeteria, had a strange feeling that something was wrong with Pasliee.
“Pasliee” Simon muttered.
“Stop worrying about her” Stacy muttered, very annoyed.
“I should go and find her” Simon suggested.
“Leave her alone, Simon” Tracy agreed with Stacy.
Miss. Sambilia sweetly stroked her daughter’s hair. Pasliee’s eyed opened and look at Miss. Sambilia with a lost expression.
“Mommy” Pasliee muttered.
“Yes, my darling daughter” Miss. Sambilia said.
“Where are we?” Pasliee asked.
“Don’t worry, we’re safe and that’s all that matters” Miss. Sambilia whispered.
“We’re not lost?” Pasliee asked.
“No, we’re just not where we’re supposed to be” Miss. Sambilia answered.
“Where are we supposed to be?” Pasliee asked.
“Together” Miss. Sambilia answered.
“But we are together” Pasliee noticed.
“For now” Miss. Sambilia muttered.
“No, mommy…forever” Pasliee disagreed, grabbing her mother’s hand. The two smiled at each other. Pasliee closed her eyes as mother started to sing to her, Pasliee humming the song with her.
“I love you, my sweet, darling daughter” Miss. Sambilia told her, adoring Pasliee’s smile. Pasliee hadn’t smiled that way since she was five.
“I love you, mommy” Pasliee said.
“Mommy?” Pasliee opened her eyes.
“Yes, my ducky?” Miss. Sambilia answered.
“Where is this place?” Pasliee wanted to know.
“You’ll know soon enough” Miss. Sambilia answered. Pasliee suddenly started coughing.
“No!” Miss. Sambilia yelled, angry.
“Mommy, what’s happening?” Pasliee asked, scared and confused.
“NO!” Miss. Sambilia screamed.
“Don’t leave me!” Pasliee begged as the room got blurry and started to spin. She felt dizzy and light headed.
‘I’ll be back, darling” Miss. Sambilia promised her and kissed her head. Pasliee sat up and looked around. The school was staring at her, gathered around in a crowd. Stacy and Tracy were on their knees, holding her up. Then, she saw Simon’s face, his hurt, angry facial expression. Pasliee thought that was his reaction to seeing her sitting there with a scared, venerable expression. Simon turned around and stormed off, pushing past the crowd. Stacy and Tracy got up and ran after him, leaving Pasliee to fall back to the floor. Pasliee sat up and scooted herself up to a locker, using that to hold her up.
“Simon” Pasliee muttered. After a few minutes, Simon, Stacy and Tracy walked back. Pasliee stood up, the feeling gone. Actually, she felt as if all her feeling were gone. Just then, Mr. Leighton stormed over to Pasliee with a frown and a glare.
“What the hell is going on here?” Mr. Leighton yelled.
“Dad, please don’t make a scene!” Pasliee muttered.
“Me? Make a scene! You’re the one lying on the floor, possibly dead and your brother is just standing there! Where was he when this happened?” Mr. Leighton asked.
“He was around here, somewhere” Pasliee mumbled.
“Well, where was he before all this happened?” Mr. Leighton asked.
“I don’t know” Pasliee kept her voice low unlike her father. Simon and Mr. Leighton glared at each other.
“Simon, I told you to watch her!” Mr. Leighton reminded him. Simon started to walk off and Mr. Leighton followed him.
“I told you to watch her!” Mr. Leighton repeated. Stacy, Tracy and Simon kept walking.
“Simon, don’t walk away from me!” Mr. Leighton ordered. After a minute, Simon finally stopped walking and turned around. Stacy and Tracy distanced themselves a bit before stopping and turning around.
“Well, I don’t want to watch her! I have a life and it’s not my fault she doesn’t have one and I’m not going to give up mine just because Pasliee is going insane!” Simon yelled.
“Pasliee is not-” Mr. Leighton started to defend his daughter but stopped hearing Pasliee’s sniffle and her boots hitting the floor as she ran off.
“Pasliee!” Mr. Leighton called.
Simon looked emotionless, even though he had just heard the same thing.
“Simon, we’ll talk later!” Mr. Leighton growled.
“Maybe, if there even is a later!” Simon icily disagreed. Mr. Leighton growled and ran after Pasliee. He found her sitting in the passenger seat of his car. He got in and sighed.
“Pasliee, I’m-” Mr. Leighton tried to apologize.
“Just take me home!” Pasliee ordered not bothering to wipe the tears.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Just take me home!” Pasliee yelled her voice breaking. Mr. Leighton sighed, starting up the car.
“Okay” Mr. Leighton muttered.
