The Soul Connection Chapter 1: An Odd Meeting
Chapter 1: An Odd Meeting
Daniel: I'm telling you this, I have absolutely no clue where the others are, or even Viola for that matter.
Mr Quinlan: Viola's in her bedroom. I think her boyfriend would know that.
Daniel: I'm having a hard time dealing with everything right now.
Mr Quinlan: Daniel, she's your girlfriend and you know how much the accident costed her. Look after her, okay?
Daniel: I'm there for her, Mr Quinlan. It's hard with the new school year and all.
Mr Quinlan: Well, maybe it'll help. The new students can be a new security blanket.
Daniel: I'll try it. My relationship with Viola has been on the rocks for a few weeks.
Mr Quinlan: I'm sure she loves you like she always has. You need to wait for her to recover fully, then she'll be the same old Viola.
Daniel: What if I don't want the same old Viola?
Mr Quinlan: That's for you to decide. You're her boyfriend, Daniel. You decide if the relationship is moving forward; I can't do that for you. If you need someone to talk to you, I'll be in my office every day after class, so just stop by and I won't judge or tell anyone about our conversation. I'm here to help, but I can't do anything for you.
*rustling with handles is heard*
Daniel: Is that someone at the door?
Mr Quinlan: I'm sure it's one of the new students.
Daniel: I hope they're nice.
Mr Quinlan: All of our new students are picked from a group of selective youngsters. If they're here, they're obviously one of our favourites. They have a purpose here, Daniel. Like you.
Daniel: That's comforting.
*someone opens the door*
Mr Quinlan: Welcome (pause for dramatic effect)...to Barvleia Academy for the Gifted and Fortunate.
Melanie: Let me guess, you've always wanted to do that? My name's Melanie Hale. Hey there.
*she waves*
Daniel: She stole my line.
Melanie: And you are?
Daniel: Daniel Peyton. Second year.
Melanie: You look a lot younger.
Daniel: Thanks?
Mr Quinlan: It's okay, Daniel, she's only trying to fit in. Melanie Hale is from the Hale family upstate. Known for their perfect etiquette and their designer handbags, the Hales' strive for sensibility and perfect fashion sense. Please, sit down, Miss Hale.
Melanie: I will, next to Daniel. I have a feeling we'll be close friends. Right?
Mr Quinlan: That's quite a feeling.
Melanie: My parents are strict about feelings. I keep the in as much as possible. Here I don't have to.
Melanie: Hey, Dan. I can call you Dan, right? What about Danny? Dan the Man? Danny, my love? Any one of them will be perfect.
Daniel: How about Daniel? Only my girlfriend calls me Danny.
Melanie: Where is she?
Daniel: She had a-
Mr Quinlan: Save it for later, Daniel. Another student is coming.
*the door opens*
Finn: Dammit! This door won't- *closes door* Never mind.
Daniel: Another guy. Cool. Cool.
Finn: Keep it in your pants, dude. The name's Finn Goodwin.
Melanie: Finn Goodwin as in the Goodwin Estates?
Finn: Yes, the Goodwin Estates. My house. Although I wish not. I don't really enjoy the lifestyle my parents lead.
Daniel: Cool.
Finn: Want me to bust ya windows?
Mr Quinlan: Calm down, Goodwin. Do you want me to give the other students here a history lesson on the Goodwin family?
Finn: You know what, no.
Mr Quinlan: Good. Win win.
Melanie: While I did enjoy that pun, I would love to know about the Goodwins.
Daniel: Yeah, you know, me too.
Melanie: Me too.
Mr Quinlan: Finn, go ahead and tell them.
Finn: I'd be happy to. (he pauses. There's a knock on the door) Oh look, it's another student.
Mr Quinlan: He's right.
Daniel: I wanted to know the story.
Finn: I'll tell you later, dude.
Melanie: That sounds scandalous. You two have fun.
*the door opens, and soon closes*
Finn: I'm not gay! I'll accept if he is, but I'm not.
Mr Quinlan: Why is this your conversations? Is this all teenagers discuss nowadays?
Melanie: Quite frequently, actually.
*they forget to notice the new student*
April: Hey! This is the right place, right? It's the academy.
Mr Quinlan: It's a honour to have you here, April Landon.
April: The honour is mine. Treat me like just another one of your students, Mr Quinlan.
Finn: Keep calm, Finn. It's just another student.
April: You don't have to be embarrassed. I'm here to learn, not to sing.
Melanie: Finn, all tough and handsome, likes the Simtube superstar April Landon. How fascinating.
Finn: My little sister always screams about her. I promised I'd help her meet her one day.
April: That's really sweet. Finn, was it? I'll ask my manager if that's okay once he's feeling better. I'm supposed to be on tour right now, but it was cancelled. So my father enrolled me here.
Mr Quinlan: Welcome to our academy, April.
April: It'll be great to get to know all of you. I mean, I'm barely keeping one friend while on tour; most of my close friends are my tour members. I just want to say one thing: in here, my fame means nothing. Approach me like you would approach anyone else.
Daniel: That's cool.
Melanie: You seem fun.
Finn: When do we get to explore this place?
Mr Quinlan: Once the last remaining students file in we can give you a tour of the facility. For this specific group of students, I think only one student remains to arrive.
*the handle is turned*
Daniel: Oh here we go again.
Justin: Hey there!
Melanie: Hello.
Finn: Why are there no actual cool guys here?
April: That's harsh. Maybe I should rethink that deal.
Finn: I'm sorry. This guy looks so amazing.
Mr Quinlan: It can't be.
Justin: Cat got your tongue, Jacob?
Melanie: So hot teacher's name is Jacob. Interesting.
Mr Quinlan: I'm sorry, I'm just surprised your mother still allowed you to come here.
Justin: She thought it'd be good for me ever since you enrolled me. So this was your idea, step-dad.
All: *gasp*
Mr Quinlan: Ex-step-father.
Justin: He and my mother were married. Long story.
Finn: We have time. I'm sure this tour can wait.
Mr Quinlan: So your mother is okay with you spending time in this academy under my care?
Justin: Do you think I'd be here if she wasn't? She did love you, Ja-sir.
Mr Quinlan: Okay, I believe this is everyone. We're only missing Viola.
Justin: You all seem nice.
April: Viola seems like she'll be a nice person, judging by her name. She isn't some gothic gypsy is she?
Daniel: No, she's my girlfriend. You'll love her.
-------
*screams of agony*
Viola: Help! Can I please have some help here? *she coughs* Please, anyone.
*she begins to cry*
Viola: (voice over) You might be wondering how I ended up in my bedroom on the floor, crying. I was in an accident that luckily didn't cause any significant damage, but did cause some minor damage to my legs. For a while, I couldn't walk. Until today, I hadn't tried but I wanted to. This is my result for trying to walk. I just collapse back down again.
*she screams for help once more. There's a shuffling noise from the corner.*
Sean: Do you think she'll see us?
Victoria: We're dead, you idiot. She can't see us. We're here to watch her, not ponder whether she'll see the dead scientist and the dead 1920s girl.
Sean: So you've been dead for a while?
Victoria: Nah, idiot, I've been living in the body of a 20 year old wearing this dress because I could. *silence* It was an overdose.
*Viola collapses*
Viola: Shit!
Sean: So we can't help her?
Victoria: We can, but it's only the small things. We can't cure cancer.
Sean: So you couldn't cure me?
Victoria: You're dead, sir. I can't cure the dead.
*Viola stands up*
Viola: What the? How did I do that?
Sean: You did help her.
Victoria: A useless host is useless. Can't do much if she can't walk.
Sean: What?
Victoria: This is our host. She's the human who controls us. Without her, we're just lost souls.
Sean: And she can't see us?
Victoria: No.
*Viola checks her phone*
Victoria: (scared) You think I'd be used to this technology by now, but this world is far from mine.
Sean: This is my world. I just wish I was alive to live in it.
*he bumps into the edge of the bed frame*
Viola: Is there someone there? Hello?
*she shakes her head*
Viola: That's odd. Maybe I can talk to Mr Quinlan about this recovery. I could hardly get out of bed just before.
Sean: She knows what you did, Victoria.
Victoria: She can't suspect us. How would a teenage girl suspect souls had any involvement in her recovery? She's as clueless as you.
Sean: Hey!
Sean: She's coming this way. Won't she...feel us when she...passes through?
Victoria: We're souls, Sean. We're nothing to the living. They don't even know we're here.
Victoria: (voice over) See? She didn't notice us.
Sean: (voice over) You're right. I can live my life in peace.
Sean: (appearing again) I don't understand much anymore. I just want to live.
Victoria: Well buckle up Whittaker, this will be a fun ride.
*Viola opens the door and disappears into the hallway*
------
Justin: Jaco-Mr Quinlan, you can look at me you know.
Mr Quinlan: Oh sorry. I'm a little shaken up, is all.
Justin: You knew I'd be coming here.
Justin: You enrolled me here and you didn't cancel it, so I assumed everything was great and dandy with you. The breakup between the two of you wasn't messy, so I assumed-
Mr Quinlan: You don't have to assume.
Justin: I thought we were close.
Mr Quinlan: Justin, we don't have to argue about this. The divorce between your mother and I may have looked simple and easy but they never are. I've been divorced twice. Trust me on that.
Justin: Oh, I'm sorry.
Justin: You could at least look at me.
Mr Quinlan: It's hard when you remind me of your mother. It's hard to look at you right now without thinking about her.
Justin: You've looked at me before just fine.
Mr Quinlan: I am sorry, Justin. We can talk later if you want to speak to me.
Justin: I don't see why now isn't good enough. Is it okay if I call you Jacob when we talk in private?
Mr Quinlan: You know I'm your teacher. You can call me Mr Quinlan.
Justin: I know, but we're friends, aren't we? Can't I call my ex-step-father by his first name. I always did.
Mr Quinlan: Back then things were different between us. I was your step-father, and it would have been cruel to consider forcing you to call me Mr Quinlan.
Justin: Let me call you Jacob. Please.
Mr Quinlan: I don't know if I feel comfortable with that right now.
Justin: I get it. You still think about my mother when you see me and maybe if I called you Jacob you'd want to love me like you did my mother. I understand.
Mr Quinlan: That's not funny, Justin.
Justin: I'm sorry. Just trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.
Mr Quinlan: The mood didn't lighten up.
Justin: Well, no more jokes then.
Mr Quinlan: I guess not.
Justin: I suppose I just thought that maybe you'd be a tad bit more open when I came in here to talk to you. All those days at home when we'd just talk together or watch sports or just relax; I suppose I thought we'd be back in the habit. If you don't want that then I won't bother you.
Mr Quinlan: It does bother me! You being here bothers me!
Justin: Well I'll be on my way then, if I'm not appreciated.
Mr Quinlan: I didn't mean it like that.
Justin: So you meant that it bothers you that, what? That I'm alive.
Mr Quinlan: You know I took a liking to you the first day I met you.
Justin: Are we supposed to ignore that now?
Mr Quinlan: Don't force me to call your mother and tell her to cancel your enrollment. That's what I mean.
Justin: You'd do that, wouldn't you? You'd just force me to leave this school because I just want to be close to you. All I want is to be able to talk to you without feeling like you hate me. Tell me you don't hate me.
Mr Quinlan: I don't hate you, but I can't choose sides. There's a policy that states I can't have favoritism, and right now that's what you're asking for.
Justin: I'm not-
Mr Quinlan: I'll cut you a deal. When the school break comes, I'll make sure to spend at least one day with you. We can at least have that to look forward to.
Justin: One day. All I can have is one day. I understand that you can't favour me over the other students, and I understand that completely because I'm a normal human student. I just want to be close to a family friend. My mother consistently praises how great you were for her and how you helped her and you helped me. She wants us to be close, which is probably another reason she wanted me here. All you care about is how it makes you feel and I don't like that. Learn to move on.
Mr Quinlan: Justin-
Justin: Yes, Mr Quinlan.
Mr Quinlan: Can we talk tomorrow about this?
Justin: I thought you didn't want to talk about this. I thought you didn't want to speak to me like this.
Mr Quinlan: This isn't you.
Justin: And you know who I am because, what? Because you're close to me or because you watch me like a hawk watches its meal.
Mr Quinlan: You can go, Justin.
*he opens the door and exits, leaving Mr Quinlan alone*
Mr Quinlan: (voice over) I'll talk to him tomorrow, and if he isn't any happier, I'll call his mother. I know what I did was right, but it's also wrong. To tell him that we couldn't be closer did hurt me, but I know the board wouldn't be happy even if it was only just us hanging out. The higher ups aren't inclined to liking teacher-student friendships or relationships. Not that Justin and I would be involved in anything romantic.
Next time on The Soul Connection: Viola's increasing condition startles the other students, and she sets out to speak with her boyfriend, Daniel. The school tour takes place, and one of the students finds something intriguing.
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