The Sixth Sense

Chapter 1

Ugh… I hate being the new girl at school.

The stares always come first.

Those curious, judging eyes that follow me as I step into the cafeteria.

They’re assessing me, silently speculating about who I am and where I might fit into their pre-established social hierarchy.

Stop staring!!!

I push through the cafeteria doors, forcing my stride to seem confident, even though my stomach churns. I can almost hear their unspoken questions: Who is she? Is she cool enough to sit with us?

How trivial.

If only they knew there were far bigger concerns in life than their silly little cliques.

“Hey, Louisa!”

The voice snaps me from my thoughts. I suppress a sigh and turn toward the source.

Here we go...

Bam.!

Three girls—textbook examples of high school royalty—stand before me.

Perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect posture. It’s like they walked straight out of a teen drama.

Oh, great. So, the TV shows were right.

“Hi, I’m Catherine,” says the girl in the middle, her curly hair bouncing as she speaks. Her smile is welcoming, but her eyes are studying me like I’m a new accessory she’s considering adding to her collection.

“I’m Briana,” chimes in the blonde one on her left, her enthusiasm almost unnerving.

“And I’m Mellanie,” adds the third, a curvy girl with a confidence that fills the room.

They introduce themselves with a practiced ease that screams, We own this place.

I force a polite smile. “Hi, girls.”

Catherine takes the lead again. “We wanted to invite you to sit with us today. You know, so we can get to know you better.” She says it like she’s offering me a golden ticket, while Briana and Mellanie nod in sync.

This is the moment they’ll decide if I’m worthy of joining their circle.

Not that I care all that much. But still, avoiding bullies is better than being a target.

“Sure,” I reply, keeping my smile intact.

They lead me to their table, which is already occupied by a group of boys. As soon as we approach, the boys’ attention shifts to me. Their eyes linger a little too long, sizing me up.

“Who’s this?” one of them asks, his tone bordering on cocky. Before I can respond, Mellanie cuts in.

“This is Louisa, the new girl,” she announces like she’s my spokesperson.

“Louisa,” Catherine says, leaning closer to me. “Let me introduce you to our friends. That’s Chris—watch out for him; he’s trouble.” She gives Chris a playful shove, and he smirks.

She continues, “And this is Kurt, Lucas, Eric, and Paul.” I nod and offer a small wave to the group.

Suddenly, the air shifts.

What the.....

A dark, heavy aura washes over me, and I stiffen.

I turn sharply toward the cafeteria door, where a boy with an ominous presence is walking in.

What…?

“That’s Titus,” Briana whispers, noticing my reaction.

She wraps her arms around Paul, her boyfriend, and lowers her voice. “He’s bad news. Stay away from him.”

“A maniac,” adds Kurt, glancing at Titus before looking back at me.

I don’t respond. I’m too focused on Titus. His presence is suffocating, like a storm cloud that’s about to unleash chaos.

What’s up with him?

The conversation at the table shifts back to me, with the girls peppering me with questions about my old school, my hobbies, and my plans. I answer as politely as I can, but the whole interaction feels like a performance.

By the time the bell rings, I’m exhausted.

“What do you have next?” Catherine asks as we leave the cafeteria, the three of them trailing behind me like an entourage.

I pull out my schedule. “Math in room 311,” I say, unsure of where it is.

“Oh, perfect!” Briana exclaims, linking her arm through mine. “I have that class too. Come on, I’ll show you!”

She leads me down the hall, waving goodbye to Catherine and Mellanie as we go. Once we’re out of earshot, Briana lets out a sigh.

“Sorry about the ambush,” she says, offering me an apologetic smile.

I glance at her, surprised. “Ambush?”

She laughs. “Yeah, Cat and Mel can be… intense. I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

I can’t help but laugh with her. “Don’t let them hear you say that,” I tease.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control,” she says with a wink. “But seriously, I’m glad we’re in the same class. I think we could be real friends.”

Her words catch me off guard. Genuine friendships aren’t something I’ve had much of lately, but there’s something about Briana that feels sincere.

I glance at my phone as it buzzes. It’s a text from my dad: How’s school?

I type back quickly, It’s good. I’ve already made a friend.

For a brief moment, I feel hopeful.

Maybe this school will be different.

Maybe..?

But that hope shatters during gym class.

It starts as a faint pressure at the back of my head, like an invisible weight pressing down.

Then it grows stronger, sharper, until it feels like my skull is being split open.

Before I can process what’s happening, everything goes black.

I wake up in the nurse’s office, disoriented but physically fine. The nurse assures me I just overexerted myself and leaves me to rest.

As soon as she’s gone, the air grows colder.

Oh, no.

I sit up quickly, scanning the room. A shadow flickers in the corner, and I know what’s coming.

Before I can react, the door swings open, and Titus steps inside.

My breath catches.

It’s him—the boy from the cafeteria.

But he’s not alone.

There’s someone—or something—with him.

A spirit...

“You can see her, can’t you?” Titus asks, his voice low and sharp.

I freeze, every muscle in my body screaming at me to run, but I can’t.

Crap.

Busted on day one?

“What are you talking about?” I ask, feigning ignorance.

Titus smirks, but it’s not a friendly expression. “Don’t bother lying. I can see it on your face. You know she’s here.”

I glance past him at the spirit lingering in the doorway. It’s a woman, her face twisted with grief and anger. She locks eyes with me, and I feel her pain like a physical blow.

“Who… who is she?” I manage to whisper.

Titus raises an eyebrow. “You don’t know?” He takes a step closer, his presence as oppressive as the spirit’s.

“You’re like me,” he says, his tone laced with something I can’t quite place—curiosity? Amusement? “You see them. Hear them.”

I shake my head, trying to deny it, but he doesn’t believe me.

“Don’t bother pretending,” he says. “I’ve been watching you. You’re not normal.”

I swallow hard, my mind racing.

Who is this guy?

And how does he know about me?

The spirit takes a step closer, her sorrow turning to rage.

Titus doesn’t flinch.

“You’re going to want to deal with her,” he says, his voice calm despite the chaos in the room. “Before she deals with you.”

And just like that, my so-called fresh start at this school turns into a nightmare.

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