I tried to avoid Mr. Foster in the past four weeks or so. I went to class, although I sat in the back of the room, or mixed in with the others so that I was not able to see him that much. I even made sure that I was one of the first to leave the class; I didn't want to take any chances of being the last one to leave. I never knew if he would try something again or not. Every now and then I would catch him looking at me or searching for me within the crowd. I really think he was afraid that I would snitch on him, but I didn't. And even if I had, what would anyone have done about it. I tried to pretend that it never happened. Just like he said that night, it never happened. But it made me wonder if he ever did this to any of his other students. Even though we practiced on other small skits we also had to make speeches. Today he gave the assignment of an impromptu speech, which means that you just have to get up and make a speech on a topic of his choice on the top of your head. JOY!

So here I am watching the others get up, making their speeches. Landon's topic was 'How does it feel to be on a football field with everyone chanting your name.' It was really an easy topic for him. He talked for a while. Mr. Foster went down the list and everyone had a different topic to talk about. Julie talked about being a cheerleader and dating the Quarterback. Kylie talked about her hobbies. Jaden talked about living in Guatemala and how the United States is so different from there. He mentioned his two older brothers that still lived there and how he missed them.

Then he called my name. I eased my way out of the chair and onto the stage. I stood there waiting for him to give me the topic. He stares at me up and down, getting an eye full, then finally says, "How does it feel to be different."

"I don't understand what you mean?" I swallowed as if something had been  stuck in my throat.

"How does it feel to have everything and then everything is gone in the blink of an eye. How does it feel to be you?" He glared at me, squinting his eyes just so as if he had a hard time seeing me.

I felt my body go numb, my fingers got all tingly, my heart started to race. I didn't think that the question was appropriate. It's really nobody's business how I feel. I was lost for words and I knew that he knew it. Had he been looking into my personal files? Stalker. I think he only asked so that I would get mad and hopefully drop out of drama. Either that or just getting under my skin, maybe he would rather talk about this after class, alone. He wanted me to keep quiet about the incident though.

He waited and then said, "Shayla tells all of us a little about yourself before moving here. What was your life like before here?"

I took a deep breath and then spoke. Softly at first. I really didn't know where he was going with the question and I probably took it the wrong way, but I thought about it and this is what came out of my mouth.

"I never understood why people want to know about me. Does anyone even care? Everyone here looks at me as if I have some kind of magic power. They think I know spells, and that witchcraft is what I'm into. Or what is the other rumor, oh yeah, something about the devil, a dark soul. It's funny how people make up crap about you. They look at the outside, not who you really are on the inside, your soul. They see me wearing black, black and more black." I laughed and pulled on my shirt for reference. "Black is just a color, I want to tell them get over yourself. It has nothing to do with the devil or with witchcraft. It's just who I am for the moment, a phase. A smear glimpse of my personality. I'm not here to please anyone. I have no one to please. I have seen things that all of you have never see and probably never will." I pause to look around the room and to take another breath. I tried to find the right words. "I was one of you." My eyes started to tear up just a little. "I was one of you. Yes, I wore pink and blue and my favorite thing in the world was my purple sweater and my pom-poms. I was all about color. My father even bought me a royal blue Mustang to go with my cool cheerleading outfit. Yes, I was like you Julie." I stared at her momentarily raising my hands in the air as if I was about to do a cheer.

"I wore the make-up, I was beautiful; I was pretty with long gorgeous hair, but not as plastic as you are, sorry. And I never had a thing for a teacher or never plan on it for that matter." I sneered at Mr. Foster. "I was in my junior year of school, and next year I was going to be the captain of the squad. I had a boyfriend, Jake. He was a quarterback on our football team. Kinda like Landon." I looked past him though as if he wasn't there. "I was popular then. I had everything, friends, a boyfriend, a car, a family, a life...." The room was so quiet. I never even told Kylie any of this before now. I didn't realize that I was drawn into the topic that my voice was so surreal as if I was someone else for the moment. I tried to swallow, feeling the knot that had formed into my throat. A single tear escaped, running swiftly down my cheek. My eyes glassed over and everything was blurry.

The day of the accident rushed into my memory. I saw the whole thing again, the cow on the black ice, the car sliding into it. The impact, glass shattering, my dad, my mom. Oh my God, she was there, she pulled me out. How? I stood there frozen, I saw her face. My hands quickly covered my mouth and I took off running, down the middle of the isle and out the door. I ran and ran until I got to the end of the road. I collapsed on the ground and started to dry heave. Suddenly a hand softly touched my shoulder. "Please leave me alone," I whispered.

"What happened? I saw you running past the window and came to see what was wrong. I am here for you Shayla."

Now he wants to be near me. "I need to be alone." Even though I knew that he would not let me be.

"Please let me help you. Come on let's get out of here." Isaiah stuck out his hand for me to grab it. And I did. He pulled me up and held me close.

He drove into the middle of nowhere and got out. "Come on let's go for a walk."

The sun light made its way through the leaves of the trees, streaks of sunlight lighting the dark woods. We walked a pretty good ways and then came to an uprooted tree. He sat down and took my hand to sit beside him. "It's been a while. How have you been doing?"

"I miss you." I hugged him closer to me.

"I didn't think you wanted me around anymore; you seem to be happy with Landon."

"Landon!" I looked at Isaiah as to say yeah right. "We are just friends nothing more. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"It looked like more to me. I see how you look at him. You guys went out together."

"You have it all wrong Isaiah." I shook my head. "Yes he drove me to the café after the play. Yes we have been out a few other times since then but we are just friends, nothing more."

He placed his hand on my leg right above my knee and touched the tips of my fingers. "So what happened back there?"

"Mr. Foster had us doing impromptu speeches today. He wanted to know who I was before I came here. He wanted to know how I felt to be different. I started talking and I freaked out. It doesn't matter who I was, it's all about who I am now. Anyway I was rambling on and all of a sudden I saw the accident play over in my head and I saw her. She was there Isaiah. She was there and she is the one who pulled me out."

"The woman that you keep dreaming about?"

"Yes. I saw her. She was a shimmer of blue hues. She grabbed me and pulled me out. Isaiah she has come to me several times since the accident. She wants me to come home. She calls me her little Aislinn. 'Aislinn come home,' she yells out for me."

Isaiah didn't say anything at first. He held my hand tightly. "Where is home?"

"I don't know, she told me to follow the signs. The signs will show me the way home."

"Then you should listen to her, follow the signs." He looked down at his watch. "I think I better get you back home, it's getting late."

"It's only a little after four." I knew my Grandparents would be fine as long as I was back by dark.

"I know but your Grandparents will be looking for you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I shrugged.

We walked back to his car and then drove down the road a way. He turned off the road and went into a different direction. "Where are we going?" I asked. We were traveling the opposite direction than home.

"I need gas; there is a store up here in this little town." He pointed up ahead.

"I didn't know there was a small town out here."

"It's very small. There is only a gas station that has a deli inside. They have a small church. If you need anything else you have to go into the city. There are only about a hundred people that live here."

"How did you know about it?" I asked, as he went by the sign that stated, Shady Grove: Population 98, Established in 1802.

"I have relatives that live here." He pulled into the gas station. They had the old fashion pumps. He got out and pumped some gas into the tank.

While he was getting gas, I got out and went into the store for a drink. This eerie feeling came over me. I felt as if everyone was staring at me, as if I didn't belong there, or did I. There were a few people at the bar in the deli. Some were sitting at tables. The older guy behind the counter did not smile as I put the drink on the counter for him to ring up. An older lady, who looked about eighty, walked over to me and started to smell my hair and then she grabbed my hand into hers. I didn't say a word; instead I looked into her eyes. They were a mysterious shade of green. She stared back as if to look at my inner soul. She didn't say a word. She patted my hand and made a small smile just enough for the corner of her mouth to rise just a little. As she turned around to look at the others in the deli she nodded her head just a little for yes. I was about to say something when Isaiah came in. "Hey, I thought you would wait for me."

"I was thirsty." I grabbed the drink and opened it up to take a quick sip. I noticed the way he looked at the people in the deli. Yet, he as well didn't say much. He paid for the gas and as we walked out the man behind the counter said, "Ya'll come back soon." He made a small sad smile.

As I got into the car, the people in the store were now looking out the window. Chills ran down my spine, this strange feeling came over me. "I think they know me."

"What?" How would they know you?"

"Just a feeling. This place gives me the creeps let's get out of here." I didn't lie the place did give me the creeps, but what bothered me the most was the older lady. It was as if she knew who I was. Maybe she was a sign.

I got out my journal before going to sleep. I wrote about the speech. I wrote about Mr. Foster and the way he touched me and kissed me. Was it wrong? I wrote about the woman who saved me from the accident. I wrote about the old lady. There was something about her. Maybe she knew my parents. Or maybe she knew who the woman was that saved me that night. I wanted to go back to the small town. I wanted to sit and talk with her. When she grabbed my hand it was like we connected then. Is she a part of me? Am I a part of her? Is this a sign?

***

I dreamed of the accident. It was so real, all over again. My dad was arguing with me as usual. My mom was looking back to see if I was all right. I saw the cow, so big, stuck on the black ice. Glass shattering into a million pieces, flying on top of us. I had reached for Josh, holding his hand so tight. It all happened so fast. So quiet, no screams from any of them. My parents died on impact. But for Josh he was still alive. I heard him call out to me, Shay.... His eyes grew wide as he as well saw the lady in blue. She jerked the seatbelt, it snapped. She pulled me and threw me out of the car. I landed in the field. I looked up for a split second. I saw Josh. I will never forget his face. The truck. It was going faster than it should have, it as well hit the black ice and rammed right into the car. For the woman did not save Josh. Why? Why did she only want me?

I tossed and turned, sweat beaded up around my hair line. I had kicked the covers off and now pulled them back up around me, suddenly cold. I drifted back off to sleep. I was at my old house back when I was about three maybe. I was playing. I had wondered off in the back yard. I could hear my mom calling for me, Shayla, Shayla where are you? Her voice panicked because she had no idea where I was. I did not come out of the woods. I started to run. I saw the house. I went in and played around in all the rooms. It was like a castle to me and I was a little princess. I could hear my mom searching for me in the woods. I heard her walk up onto the porch, searching the rooms. She found me in the upstairs room. Shayla, this is not a place for you to be playing, now let's go home.

'But I want to play, mommy. This is my castle and I am the princess, mommy.' I argued with her.

'Don't make mommy whip you, now let's go home. You can get hurt in this old house.' She grabbed my hand and walked me out and back home. She sat me down on my bed. 'I will not tolerate you going to that house again do you understand mommy. You are not to leave the back yard. Now I will not tell Daddy this time. Now you be a good little girl and play in your room.'

I did as I was told. But I longed to play in the old house in the woods. The young woman was there. She was nice and she played with me in her castle, my castle. She called me Aislinn, because I was a day dreamer and I had vision of the future. I didn't mind because she was fun to be with regardless what mommy said.

I woke up with the alarm going off. Thank goodness it was Friday.