It all started that day

My name is Lourdes I'm in High School, I'm a typical sophomore student. I'm not smart nor pretty, I'm not good at fashion, no talent on dancing, singing nor drawing, no special skills of any kind. So I'm the kind of person that won't catch the attention of the many people around me. And that's so boring. I'm so sick of being me, I'm so desperate to be noticed. I want to belong but how will I do it. I'm running out of time I don't wanna waste my high school days being invisible. So I decided to do something about it.

One day on our field trip, we visit some public establishments closeby. You know the usual tour in the Philippines a third world country, provincial area and with low budget. Almost free, we just pay for the fare and brought our own lunch and snack. We visit the local museum and the municipality building, those two are close to each other so we managed to visit them in just one go. We are close as well to a municipality hospital and municipal jail, but we didn't go there coz technically we are still way too young to visit those places for a tour. After the tour, we need to pass an essay about what we see in those places, either architecture, arts on the wall or about the people or just whatever we want to write. We need to write five pages. Kind of long but it's ok, I can just write whatever anyway.

In fairness, these places are well maintained probably the best building already in our place. I saw some artworks of local artist and old paintings and sculpture way back from the war era, during the Spanish period. Maybe I can write something about it. About how much I can't relate about it or about how lame our tour is. That's funny thinking about it but I can't write about those. Maybe about the people, they kind of nice to us and accomodating and helpful with regards to the direction and history of every item inside the museum. As we go along the tour I'm getting irritated of the noise the popular students are making. How come they always get attention even from the people of the museum. Maybe because of their appearance but I think it is more because they strive for it, they make themselves impressive, they make a scene, they giggle and laugh so much I just wanna pull their hair right now.

Then lunchtime arrives. I ate among my classmates besides a random one. I don't belong to a group I don't even have a best friend but the good thing is I don't have enemies either. During the lunch break, I need to go to the restroom which is behind the cafeteria. The break is almost over and we are about to go on the next phase of the tour, unfortunately only now did I feel the need to go to the restroom. The place is kinda scary, but I really need to go, I don't want to pee on myself, that would be so embarrassing. So I went anyway, I was alone. Alas, I made it. As I went out, a dog is in front of the door. Our eyes meet and it made an angry sound. We are estimating the next action of each other, I'm not sure if I need to run at this moment or stay still. So I move my legs one step at a time, as slowly as possible so not to worsen the situation I'm in. But the dog walks slowly towards me as well while growling, it's about to charge. I'm so scared. So before the dog charge even closer to me, I chose to run really fast. The dog hunts me until the small gate that separates the cafeteria to the toilet area. I closed the gate which saved me to that angry dog. When I went among my classmates they asked me why I'm so pale and gasping of air. My mind is running blank, I don't seem to know what to tell them. I don't want to humiliate myself and be a laughingstock.

After catching my breath, I think fast what to tell them. So I told them I saw a ghost. they all laugh! Yeap, they all laugh really loud and they all have their viewpoints about it. Some said it's not real, the other ones said it can't be true and don't believe the existence of ghosts. And most of them think I'm crazy. So there is a privileged group in our class which members are among the richest, smartest, prettiest and talented among our class. This group has a unified opinion of my crazy story. They all believe it's not true and it's ridiculously crazy. But there are few that emphasize on me.

I'm just amazed that on my simple lie I caught their attention. I used to be invisible now they are talking about me and how weird of a person I am. And the best part is there are some of them that speculate on me. They are not plenty but it's a big achievement already. That's Ana the girl with the lowest grade in our class. Manuel, an emo guy in our class. Celeste the gossip girl, Pancho the war freak and Vedad the fat gay guy. Hmm... not on good classification but I will take them. So they are kept on asking about the details of this ghost I saw on the toilet. How it looks likes a female or a male, a young or old one. So I told them what they want. This is what I told them;

Me_Lourdes: You know what, my third eye is open so I don't really know if what I'm seeing is a ghost or a real person. You know they walk among us like regular people, maybe they don't know that they are dead or something.

Celeste: So how did you know that this one that you saw is a ghost?

Lourdes: Well, I saw this person is in bad condition, it's actually a she, and she has a cut on her neck and her clothes are full of blood. She's walking like a zombie. Some of them are on regular appearance so even though I've seen them they don't scare me. And she caught me by surprise as I opened the door she suddenly appeared. But on most occasions, they don't scare me. Just like now, we have ghosts among us but they don't scare me coz they look regular. They look peaceful they are just seated looking on the window.

My classmates went crazy as I said that. They said they don't believe me but I can feel the air changed and goosebumps attacked each and every one of them. They are asking where the ghosts are seated and how did I know they are a ghost. So I told them there are only 2 known adults among us the class adviser and the driver so the other ones inside the bus who are adults are definitely ghosts.

Vedad: So where are they seated?

Lourdes: One is seated on the space between Carlos and Mildred, the other one is leaning to sleeping Riley, while the other one is standing in the middle of the bus.

They went even crazier Mildred went closer to Fate farther to Carlos. Carlos gave me a smirk showing his disbelief on my story. Poor Riley is sleeping peacefully while I used him on my story without him knowing.

Carlos: I bet Lourdes will be writing a lot of paģes about the ghost she saw on our assignment. I will give you W for that. W as in Weirdo!!!

Tristan: Maybe she should visit the hospital instead when I say hospital I mean mental hospital.

Ana: Shut up you two.

Manuel: Do they talk to you? What do they want? How come you can see them?

Lourdes: I was born like this but before I don't really realize that they are dead I just thought they are like us, I only realized that they were ghost when I saw someone I know whom I definitely remember already died. Like when I'm 8 or 9. I can't recall exactly when.

Pancho: Ow you should warn us when we are besides some ghost so we know.

Lourdes: I don't really give too much attention to them. If our classmates didn't ask me about it earlier when I was so pale from the toilet I won't even tell anybody about it coz I know it's weird.

Carlos: Whatever Lourdes. What a story.

Mildred: Don't scare us, please!

Lourdes: I don't mean to scare anybody.

Vedad: Forget about them fun poopers tell us more about it.

Lourdes: I will tell you more at school some other time. I'm thinking of what to write in my essay.

Celeste: That's for tomorrow you still have ample time to think about it later when you get home. Please tell us more about your friend ghosts.

Lourdes: They are not my friends. I'm not connected to them.

I received even more questions about the ghost on the whole tour. While we are on the bus my classmates didn't stop asking about it. I'm so amazed and thrilled that they like stories about it. So that's when I thought the idea of owning this identity of a girl who can see a ghost. I know they think I'm a weirdo but I'm owning it. I would rather be a weirdo than invisible. I'm kind of enjoying this newfound fame I'm receiving.

I received some hate as well but I don't really care I'm no longer invisible. Even the privileged group noticed me and start talking to me, they call me weirdo and freak. They are making fun of me all the time but it's fine. This group of popular students are harmless anyway they just bully inferior kids by words they don't really make any physical harm to anybody, so I can manage their hate and ridicule over me.

Chapter II - New Days

So new days came, my classmates, see me more often, they include me more on their discussions and join me on the table during mealtime. They seek to be my partner on projects and reports lately. And they found me cool and fun. I'm so happy about it. But I want more, I want to impress the elite group and maybe be part of them or perhaps get myself a boyfriend. My eyes always pass on their location, I'm eyeing on the things they do, how they do it and what are they up to next. Though I can never be like them. Probably this is the highest I can reach.

Monika: Hey weirdo, do we have a ghost among us today?

Lourdes: There is one staring at you Monika, maybe she's your grandma chasing you coz you are wearing her clothes.

I laughed so much inside with this joke especially my classmates get it and laugh too hard as well. They laughed at Monika she was burned so hard. She exited wearing the face of a loser this time. She did a walk of shame towards her friends. I was like this before being on the other end, always the loser, being bullied, the laughingstock, the fool. I didn't know being a bully felt this good. I'm loving it. I'm getting a lot of benefits. Sometimes, when I don't know the answer on the quiz my seatmates share their answers to me. I get the free paper, snacks sometimes and it's easier to borrow school items now. Before it's so hard to borrow even a pen you know.

Chris: Ms Third eye do you know the answer to question number 47?

Lourdes: I don't.

Chris: Why don't you ask your ghost friend to look at the paper of Trisha during the exam so you will get a perfect score next time.

Lourdes: That's a good idea. I will surely do that on our next exam.

Chris is planning to humiliate me but he didn't succeed coz I didn't get mad I even ride on his stupid joke. I'm getting cooler on the eyes of my classmates. Even the bullies who like to make fun of me before now think I'm fun, weird-fun. I became a topic of jokes but I prepared a good rebuttal all the time, I have a good answer that the whole class end up laughing.

Mildred: Don't be mad Lourdes we are just making fun of you.

Lourdes: I know.

Mildred: We're cool right.

Lourdes: Sure.

I appreciate the girl's attention but I hope for more male attention too, especially the good looking classmates we have if not the senior ones. But they are even harder to impress coz I have no interaction with them, almost zero interaction actually. Chris is fun, he dresses nicely as well it would be nice to be his girlfriend. Tommy is a snub, he won't bully me but won't talk to me either. He is famous to the whole campus for being athletic and tall. Tristan is good looking too and from a rich family but he is with Mellisa already. They are young but some of them already have a partner and known couple. Benjie, not my type. Carlos is smart and a bit of almost everything but he will definitely not like me, he is so vocal of his disbelief on my stories. Among my list of boyfriend to be, he is number 1 but since I'm definitely not on his list, I'm considering the other ones. Probably Marco the guy with a farm or David the son of a restaurant owner. Perhaps Mike the writer, or Rex the guy who always hold a camera. There are plenty on my list that means I have more chances of winning a boyfriend before high school ended.

Chapter III- Fame and Shame

I'm scared my fame will be over and I will be back to the old Lourdes I hate. I don't wanna go back to my boring self. So I owning this new persona and I read a lot now about other kids with this thing I claim I have. I read about the third eye. Get more terms connected to it so I look more credible. I need to strengthen my chakra and all. I read about how to open third eyes and word to utter (mantra) to do so and things like that. I'm not all the time talking about the ghost but still, this name ghost girl is already connected in me and many make fun of me through it. Even so, my days are not weird at all, it's alright I'm getting along with it.

One lucky morning as I was walking towards school, everybody's crush Carlos is also there at the same time he smiled at me so I smiled back. He walked even faster to catch up on me.

Carlos: Lourdes, are you done with our Math assignment? I don't seem to get question number 2.

Lourdes: Celeste and I did it while talking on the phone, but I don't get it you are definitely smarter than us so I'm not confident on my answer now.

Carlos: I'm just curious what is your ghost friends teach you. Do they even help you make your assignments?

Lourdes: Hahaha. I didn't know you're a funny guy Carlos.

Carlos: I want to study this aura around you and maybe you can help me open my third eye too. Probably, I can use it to beat Mildred and Trisha on the ranking.

Lourdes: Sorry I can't help you with that. It's beyond my power to do that.

Carlos: So you are claiming now that this thing is a power of some sort? hahaha... That'ss is even cooler. Lourdes has power.

Lourdes: I used the word power as a metaphor. so will you please stop being sarcastic. It's too early in the day. Do you really wanna start like this?

Carlos: I think I do. Maybe this will be the only chance I will get to talk to you, you know. You are so famous and always busy the whole day.

Lourdes: Really? Is this how you see me?

Carlos: Are you not always busy?

Lourdes: I think you are more busy Mr Popular. I didn't realize you are not willing to share the spotlight with a weirdo like me. Sorry, I can't be like you, Carlos.

Tommy: Don't be like that, I'm just joking with you.

Lourdes: Whatever Carlos.

I walked away after uttering my last line to Carlos I don't know what to say anymore it's kind of awkward to walk beside him.

While Carlos felt the same probably. At first, he just wanna walk beside me maybe to make fun of me but he ends up crossing the line. Looks like he realized that he went overboard. It went that way unknowingly for him, he is a little guilty but that's the only words came out of his mouth. It would be even weirder if he would apologize, besides what to apologize if he is just joking. Perhaps he presumes I should know that automatically. That is what a guy like him do all the time. I'm just thinking too much perhaps. He means no offense on what he said he is just kidding but the conversation went that way.

In usual days I will be crazy happy if Carlos happened to walk beside me.

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