Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

scolding murmur came from the other students.
    “That’s enough,” he barked, dark eyes piercing over the top of his glasses.
    The room grew quiet, but people still gawked at me. I glanced at Sam and she shrugged. So, I slid my books across my desk into my arm and tried to exit quietly. One of the books toppled off the stack and hit the floor with a loud thud. My cheeks flushed again. Some of the students giggled, but Mr. Marshall paid no attention and continued with his lecture. I graciously escaped.
    My heart surged faster as I walked to the principal’s office. What did he want and why did he want to see me? No one knew about Phil yet, or did they? I rounded the corner and took a deep breath before approaching a frosty glass door with the name Principal Lyle Brewster in gold block lettering. I turned the door handle to let myself in.
    Inside, Candy Stewart, the principal’s raven-haired, bombshell secretary sat at her desk in the lobby. It had been quite a while since I’d been called to this room and noticed he’d remodeled, again. She smiled when she saw me arrive.
    “Hello, Julia,” she said sweetly through ruby red lips. “They’re waiting for you.”
    They?
    Candy stood up and moved around her desk, dressed in a tight, low-cut blouse and matching mini skirt. I found it ironic I was the one being called to the principal’s office for some sort of infraction when Candy’s outfit clearly violated the school’s dress code. I rolled my eyes and followed behind as her red high heels clicked against the tiled lobby floor.
    My uneasiness rose the further we walked down the hall as I sensed an increasing ocean of worry and despair. I no longer felt intimidated by her beauty, only concerned for what lay on the other side of the door. Part of me wanted to run in the other direction as I watched Candy reach for the door knob and turn.
    I was surprised to find my Dad staring back at me, along with two other adults I didn’t know in the room. I turned in confusion towards Mr. Brewster sitting behind his large mahogany desk.
    “Come in Julia,” Mr. Brewster said, motioning for me to sit in an empty seat next to my Father.
    “Dad?” I murmured, scared I was in huge trouble.
    “It’s okay Julia. Jim and Beverly D’Elia just have some questions for you,” he said and patted my knee after I sat down, but he radiated an air of confusion and worry as well.
    I hadn’t met the D’Elia’s before. They looked like Hollywood celebrities, dressed impeccably and strikingly attractive with white blonde hair and blue eyes. Their features were strangely familiar, but they both looked haggard, like they hadn’t slept in a week.
    I smiled weakly, hoping it would help the situation but their stony expressions didn’t change.
    Mr. Brewster sat back in his chair, his face grim. He put his finger tips together to form the shape of a diamond.
    “Julia, as you may or may not know, Phil didn’t come home last night. The D’Elia’s received a call from Mercy General telling them that you brought Phil to the emergency room. When they arrived at the hospital, Phil was no longer there. The staff reported that they saw the two of you leaving the hospital together. Do you have any idea where he is?”
    My eyes darted from Mr. Brewster to Phil’s parents now realizing why they’d looked so familiar. Phil bore a striking resemblance. But, then I saw the precarious situation I was in. They’d assumed I was somehow responsible for his disappearance.
    “Actually, we didn’t leave together at all. He got upset and took off. I tried following after him, but by the time I got outside the hospital, he was gone. I don’t know where he went,” I said meekly.
    “What happened?” Mrs. D’Elia asked with concern in her voice and tears in her eyes.
    Mr. Brewster cleared his throat, possibly because he wanted to control the conversation. I couldn’t believe he’d be so insensitive to her feelings, so I ignored him and told her the story.
    After I finished, Mrs. D’Elia welled up and turned to be comforted by her husband. He draped his arm around her shoulders. I felt his overwhelming blame.
    “Did anything else strange happen, maybe before you found Phil. Possibly during the bonfire?” Mr. Brewster asked.
    I wondered if I should mention what happened at the beach. I didn’t trust Mr. Brewster. He seemed to have an air of concern for his students, but I knew differently. He was more concerned about how his school was going