by John Stone
Emily stood there listening to every word that was said to her. “Did you ever see her with anyone else or outside the library? Or was someone else speaking to her?”
“That is the oddest part, in all my working years I have never seen her talking to anyone in particular, no student in particular to be more precise.”
“No student in particular,” Emily asked?
“She never speaks to any students, but she does speak to someone else,” the custodian recalled.
Emily was almost sure whose name would be said.
“Yes, she does,” the old lady continued. “Occasionally, I have seen Mr. Mitchell speaking to her. You see, I have been here for a long time, so I know people around here, but this girl I don’t know. Which class she goes to or what she studies, I have no idea, but I have been seeing her for a long time. I have seen strange things happening, but even for me, this is strange.” The old lady huffed and puffed to catch her breath. “However, old Mr. Mitchell, he never seems to get upset whenever this girl is around.” The cleaning lady shrugged, clearly expressing that she didn’t know the reason why Mr. Mitchell acted that way.
“Have you ever tried talking to him about this?”
“He’s old, older than me,” she explained, laughing to herself. “I try not to rile him up. He flips over little things these days. I have known him for a long time and I am sure he won’t mind me asking, but then again, I don’t think he would take it very nicely either. Haven’t you heard what some kids say? They say that he talks to himself, but all my years, I have never seen him do that. Mr. Mitchell is kind, compassionate and very sensible. He would never do something as senile as talking to himself. He doesn’t do that,” she concluded with a dismissive wave of the cleaning wand.
The topic strayed away from the green-eyed girl and onto Mr. Mitchell. The cleaning lady wasn’t prone to gossip and didn’t seem too pleased about that. It wasn’t Emily’s fault. She couldn’t understand why the old lady changed the topic so drastically. Emily tried to steer the conversation back towards the girl who was seen in the library.
“So you’re telling me that she never talks to any other student and the only one she talks to is Mr. Mitchell? Do you know what they talk about?”
The cleaning lady looked at Emily carefully before answering. “That is what I am telling you,” she finally said. “She never speaks to any of the other students. The only person with whom I have seen her speak is Mr. Mitchell. He seems tense while talking to her, so I never bother him. He has so much going on in his life already, with his son and everything else. That is not my story to tell. I don’t like to gossip, but why are you so concerned about this girl?”
Emily didn’t know what to say or make of the situation. On one hand, she was confused regarding what she was told, and on the other hand, she couldn’t figure out why the girl only spoke with Mr. Mitchell. She didn’t have an answer to provide to the cleaning lady and fumbled with her thoughts.
“I want to know because … I spoke … I mean I saw her, too, she was there…” Emily left her answer midway in the statement and never completed what she was saying.
“What are you saying,” the old lady asked? “It hardly makes any sense.” The lady looked confused, as well.
“It’s nothing, ma’am, I just wanted to know out of curiosity. There are so many students around and the one you were talking about intrigued me.” Emily hoped that the answer was satisfactory.
“You might find her in the library if you go now,” the lady urged her.
However, Emily was not very confident about that. She had no intention of meeting the creepy girl again face to face. She was starting to believe that the green-eyed girl might be a ghost, too. She excused herself and walked towards her classroom.
There were students coming in now and a few of them passed her by. A couple of them greeted her; others simply went their own way. Then a realization struck Emily. She thought that if the cleaning lady was able to see the ghost of the green-eyed girl, then maybe she could see the ghost of the old librarian, as well. Emily wondered if it was appropriate to ask her about that or if she could ask without raising her suspicion. After some deliberation, she turned back and decided to ask her. Unfortunately, the time she reached the other classroom, the cleaning lady was already gone.
Emily looked everywhere for her. She even walked a few stairs down to see if the lady was still there, but she was nowhere in sight. A little disappointed, Emily walked back to her class and waited for the rest of her classmates to arrive. The class started filling in, and the familiar faces started to appear one by one. Emily didn’t concentrate on any of them. The only thing that went through her mind was confronting Mr. Mitchell.
The first teacher, Mr. Gallagher, informed the class that the lecture hours will be doubled since they missed the class on the previous day. Emily found that her patience was running thin, but she had no other choice other than to wait. Every minute felt like hours, but that was how Emily's lack of patience was showing recently.
Scott noticed Emily's taut expression and tried to call her across the room. She was too lost in her own thoughts to even take notice. “Emily,” he hissed. “Emily!” He tried again, but Emily seemed to be in another dimension.
Valerie, who usually sat beside Emily, alerted her that someone was trying to get her attention. “Hey, can’t you hear? Scott is calling you. He’s trying to ask you something.”
Emily got back to her senses and looked in the direction where Scott sat. He mouthed some words and she tried to focus on to what he was saying, but she couldn’t. She tried to listen hard, but somehow she couldn’t make out his words. Emily was disoriented and looked at Valerie, but she was busy copying down the notes. Then, Emily looked back at her own note book, but that was blank. A jab of regret and shame filled her mind and heart. She was neglecting her lessons and she knew that would reflect on her academics.
“Emily,” Scott called again, a bit loudly this time.
They were both lucky that professor Gallagher’s voice was louder and stronger than his. Otherwise, both of them would have been expelled from the class. Mr. Gallagher was strict and the students were well aware of that, yet Scott took his chances. Emily looked directly at him and saw that he gestured for her to wait for him outside after the lecture was over. As the time lapsed past one hour, it got difficult for Emily to contain herself any longer. She wanted to excuse herself and leave, but understood that it would draw a lot of attention. So she sat there waiting for the class to get over.
Valerie saw Emily’s blank notebook and nudged her. “Hey, you are not writing down anything? You got a problem?”
Valerie knew Emily was one of the best students in the class. She never missed any of the lectures, was always on time, submitted her assignments regularly and she was always the one to go ahead and ask the extra questions of the professors. Everyone in the class knew that as well, but recently her reluctant behavior didn’t go unnoticed. There were several students in the class who talked about it and said that it was only a phase. Others couldn’t understand what prompted her to change all of a sudden. Emily didn’t answer Valerie’s question directly and pretended that it was not important enough to answer. Yet, her friend didn’t let it go. While they were given a short break of ten minutes, Valerie got hold of Emily.
“Just wait,” she quickly said. “Why are you avoiding my questions?” She seemed to seriously want to know why Emily was so distracted.
“I am not avoiding anything; and there is nothing for me to tell you.” Emily avoided looking into Valerie’s eyes fearing that’s her lies would be caught.
“I don’t think that you’re exactly telling the truth, Emily. You haven’t copied anything down and there’s so much that Professor Gallagher already said. You’re hardly present in class and you leave most lectures in the middle. Plus, you don’t even come back for the end of it. I have been sitting here for the past week, and there is obviously something wrong with you.” Valerie looked conce
rned, and as one of Emily’s earliest friends, she seemed genuine.
Emily wondered why Valerie didn’t show her concern before, and her unexpected interest regarding her problems bothered her. Valerie appeared to have known what was going through Emily's mind, so she said, “I didn’t say anything, because nowadays you hardly talk to me anymore, since you made friends with Jamie. I was still your friend despite you being so close to Grace. I was sad and hurt, so I didn’t intervene before, but if you continue with this attitude, your grades will fall. Did you listen to what the professor said?” Valerie’s voice fluctuated from being sad and hurt to concerned and angry.
Emily had no answer. She was aware of where she stood with the class. Her recent friendship with Jamie bothered a lot of people and Valerie was no exception. Still, what she failed to understand was that Valerie wasn’t jealous or curious. She was vexed by Emily’s reluctance and indiscipline.
“What did the professor say,” Emily asked in a low voice? She was clearly bypassing what Valerie said earlier.
“You were not even listening, were you? We have to submit the assignments by tomorrow and we will be marked on them. You didn’t even bother to copy down the topics.” There was a clear amount of displeasure in Valerie’s voice.
”I can always ask him again,” Emily said humbly.
“You know that you can’t do that. He will get furious. Here take this; I have noted them down for you.”
She handed her own note book to Emily. Emily took the notebook from her, and then flipped through the pages to take a look at the assignment that was given to her. For some time, she didn’t say anything, but just stared blankly at the paper with words and sentences scribbled on them. Valerie nudged her from the side again, and whispered that it was time for Professor Gallagher to resume the lectures. So, Emily picked up her pace and started to scribble down her assignment as fast as she could. The professor was back and continued with his lectures without noticing anything different. Emily tried to focus harder this time so as not to disappoint her friends. Valerie even glanced at her every now and then to make sure she was taking down everything that was being said.
Professor Gallagher stopped in the middle of his lecture, checked his watch and announced that the class was over for the day. While most of Emily’s classmates got busy preparing for the next teacher, Emily carefully took her leave. She made sure that no one was looking at her, not even Scott. Valerie was predictably upset and her face didn’t betray those emotions.
“You won’t be attending the next class,’’ she questioned, but it was more of a confirmation.
Emily nodded, “I will be back, but for now I have to go.” She refused to offer any other excuses, and quickly left her seat to meet Jamie.
On her way out, Valerie’s sad expression bugged her. She felt like a fool, and she felt sorry for neglecting her friend. She increased her pace to reach the library, but no was there.
Jamie must have come and already left, Emily surmised. Was she here waiting for me? Or didn’t she come at all? Then, Emily murmured and looked around frantically, but Jamie was nowhere in sight. She dialed her number on her phone. It rang, but Jamie didn’t answer. She might be in class, but she was supposed to be here, why didn’t she tell me? Emily decided to check out her classroom, when someone pulled at her shirt from behind.
“Emily, you are late! What were you doing? I was waiting for you here all along, and now you just arrived? I saw him. Mr. Mitchell is here today.” Jamie dragged Emily towards the library entrance.
“Professor Gallagher made the classes too long. I couldn’t manage to sneak out,” Emily said.
“You couldn’t or you didn’t? Emily, this is not the time to give excuses. I saw the assistant librarian going out and this might be our only chance. We have to take it. He might be back at any time and we have to make sure that Mr. Mitchell answers our questions. Now, let’s go!”
Jamie finished her argument, still dragging Emily along. Emily didn’t say anything and followed Jamie inside the library. As usual, Mr. Mitchell was at his desk, looking down at a newspaper. The seat beside him was empty, indicating that his assistant was out. Emily and Jamie looked at each other and then approached Mr. Mitchell.
“Mr. Mitchell,” one of the students called out before either of the girls could call him, “please sign this for me.” He signed the paper and handed it back to the student. Jamie and Emily waited along the side for him to finish his work. Once Mr. Mitchell was finished, he called out to the girls.
“Emily, good to see you’re back! How are you feeling now,” he asked?
Emily knew what he was referring to. “I am doing fine, Mr. Mitchell,” she said.
“What happened that day? I heard that you were stressed out. Are you rested well,” he wanted to know? Mr. Mitchell lowered his glasses at both of them. He sensed that they were in a talkative mood so he asked both of them to come forward and sit with him.
“Yes, I was stressed out,” Emily began, “but I was given proper medication and I did rest well.”
“You say it as if it happened days ago,” Mr. Mitchell observed. “But it was just yesterday.”
Neither Emily nor Jamie expected him to say that. Therefore, Emily had nothing to say and her facial expression changed. She looked over to Jamie for some assistance.
Jamie spotted Emily’s discomfort at Mr. Mitchell’s statement. “Mr. Mitchell, we are here to ask you something,” Jamie spoke first.
“Go ahead, you want to borrow books? Is that what you want to ask about?” He asked both the girls, but nobody answered right away.
“Today, we’re not here to borrow books, Mr. Mitchell. There is something else we want to know,” Emily went on to say. “So it would be helpful if you could just answer our questions.”
In return, Mr. Mitchell looked at them with a confused expression and a touch of awkwardness, as if he was caught in the middle of something. “I am busy now,” he said and tried to dismiss what was asked of him. He waved his hand to make the girls go away.
Emily and Jamie both knew that it would be difficult to convince Mr. Mitchell to answer their questions, but his awkward denial even before they asked a single question, at least confirmed that they were on the right track. It inspired them not to give up. Their only concern was that the assistant could be back any time, and then the opportunity would be lost.
“Mr. Mitchell, you weren’t busy a moment ago and we haven’t even asked you a question yet. You are refusing and you want us to leave, but please just give us a chance,” Jamie said.
“I have no answers to give you, so please go,” he ordered.
The girls were determined. “We will not leave until you answer our question. We will sit here asking you, so please just tell us what we want to know,” Emily firmly said. She was getting tired of going round and round in the maze and she couldn’t take it any longer.
Mr. Mitchell must have sensed it, because after that he didn’t ask them to leave. “Tell me what you want to know? And if I can, I will answer them, but don’t expect anything, because I cannot promise,” he said.
Something was better than nothing, Emily thought, and then said the first thing that came to her mind. “Mr. Mitchell, I saw you talking to the curly-haired girl with deep green eyes. Who is she?”
Both Jamie and Mr. Mitchell were taken aback by the question. He didn’t expect it, and neither did Jamie. Jamie was also unaware of the conversation that took place between Emily and the cleaning lady previously in the morning, so she looked at her with wide eyes and asked, “What are you saying? Why are you asking him this?”
“I know what I am asking, so please trust me on this,” Emily whispered back to Jamie.
“If you ask the wrong questions,” Natalie muttered to her, “then we will never get to ask him the questions we intended to. So can you ask him what we discussed last night?”
“Jamie, trust me, this is the right thing.” Emily was confident in what she was doing, so Jamie decided to go with th
e flow.
Mr. Mitchell silently looked at the exchange that took place between Jamie and Emily. Although the girls were talking in a muffled tone, he could hear them clearly. The girls realized it and stopped to hear what he had to say about the matter.
“What are you two getting at here? And what makes you think that I will answer your questions?”
“I know you will,” Emily said, turning on him, “because we need to know. Besides, I have a feeling that you won’t turn us down. This is really important,” Emily pleaded hard.
“Not now,” was all Mr. Mitchell said.
“Not now? Mr. Mitchell we skipped our classes just to be here, to talk to you, and you’re saying not now? Then when is the right time?” Jamie predictably lost her temper, and her words came out harshly.
Mr. Mitchell wasn’t pleased at all. “I never asked you girls to skip your classes, and why are you even here? I know nothing and there is also nothing I have to say. So, go now,” Mr. Mitchell said angrily! Then, he turned his face away from them.
Jamie didn’t get up from the chair right away. Emily’s expression said that she was not pleased with the way the incident went. “It won’t work this way,” she mouthed when she was sure that Mr. Mitchell wasn’t looking at them.
“And you know what will make him answer?” Jamie asked back.
“At least let’s try something different. You are only ruining our chance,” Emily replied back.
“He is senile,” Jamie angrily muttered and slouched back in the chair.
“Jamie, don’t say that. He might hear you. Now, just leave this to me, all right?” Emily wanted Jamie to follow what she said.
“All right, just go ahead.” Jamie waved her hand.
“Mr. Mitchell, I apologize on behalf of Jamie. She didn’t mean any of it, and you know us. Please, I am in such distress and there is no one else I could go to. We didn’t mean to be rude; it’s our stress that is showing. We even skipped our classes to come and meet you, so please don’t turn us down,” Emily requested with pleading eyes.
