I can't deny what he's saying, I don't just mean the creepy things Cassy told me about her "friends". This so called fallen angel sure looks the part with his silken silver strands. It doesn't seem to be bleached, his hair appears to have a healthy sheen, and then there's his skin, I mean you have flawless, but then you have flawless. But the whole divine appearance is spoiled with his homeless-looking getup.
"Why couldn't you choose some other haunted house?" I ask, "I'm sure there are plenty more in this country."
"True, but yours is somewhat of an oddity," he curls his lips, "this house was built on a graveyard."
"Are you saying my life is going to turn into some kind of horror scenario from The Poltergeist?"
"I'm not aware of what that is, but if you're worried about the spirits in this house then you've nothing to fear. They're all benign, so they won't cause any harm, and even if they wanted to, it isn't possible since the house is on hallowed ground."
"Does this mean the demon can't hurt us?" I ask.
"Well—"
He evaporates into shrouds of black mist. Before I can even question myself as to why, Mom opens the door and walks in.
"Evie? What in god's name are you doing?" She scowls, "and why are you in your underwear?"
I blush at the realization, he saw me naked! Well, partially, but still.
"I could hear your voice from my room —don't tell me it's a boy!"
"What? No, I'm just... praying."
"And the yelling?"
"I... got really enthusiastic."
"Why?"
"Why?" I repeat stupidly, "well, because of the ghosts."
"The ghosts?"
"Cassy told me she has many friends that live here, and I can't see them so..."
"You think they're ghosts?" Mom asks.
"Yeah..."
"You're a terrible liar you know that?"
"I tried," I say in defeat.
"If it is a boy, you're grounded for life, well that's if I catch you," she grins.
"It's not a boy Mom," I insist.
"Sure, I was a teenager once too—"
"Mom!"
"Don't raise your voice with me," she warns, "now put your pyjamas on and go sleep would you."
She leaves my room and walks off down the hall, I return my attention to my bed where the angel was sitting.
"Um... you can come back now."
He doesn't return, so I sigh in disappointment. That's probably the only time I'll ever talk to a guy that gorgeous.
I take my bra off and slip into my pyjamas, a mini mouse top and shorts that brings back memories from our trip to Disneyland last year. Those were good times.
I decide to keep the light on as I get back into bed, easing myself back under the blankets, I gradually drift off to sleep.
*
Mom slows the car to a stop outside our new school; Thomson Creek High, it looks more like a prison with the barbed wire fences and cameras. Teenagers are arriving in every direction, the sight gives me a feeling of intimidation that eats at me, I hate being the new girl.
"Quite the high school," Sam says in the back.
"The barbed wires and surveillance cameras are for burglars, this school has a history of break-ins," Mom says.
"It might look better inside," Sam suggests.
"Don't know until you go in, so get on out of here you two."
Sam and I say our goodbyes to Mom. We grab our bags and leave the car, watching our second hand jeep roll down the road. With a sigh, I turn around to get a better look at our new school. Exposed brick exteriors and rather small, yup, definitely a prison.
"What do you have first?" Sam asks.
"Drama," I say dejectedly. "You?"
"At least it's not English."
"I actually like that."
"You might, but I don't," she exasperates, "let's go."
We walk past the opened barred gates onto the school grounds and enter the building. We're faced with a flight of stairs and two hallways.
"Guess this is where we part," Sam says as she turns to me. "Why do you look so pale? If you're anxious, don't sweat it, you'll do just fine, I mean you are a socialite."
"Easy for you to say, even if the girls don't give a shit about you, the boys sure will."
"Don't say that, I'm—"
Sam's cut off by the ringing of the bell that echoes throughout the halls, she continues speaking when it stops.
"I'm sure things will work out, not everything is like the movies you know – anyway I'll see you later," she says.
"See you."
After she leaves, I go and find my locker down one of the halls. When I do, I dump my bag inside and pull out my map of the school. I close the door and analyze the page for a few seconds, after which I follow the directions to the theatre.
Within five minutes of searching, I end up near the back of the building. I peek through one of the double doors to find a P.E class practicing basketball layups, definitely not the theatre.
"Move it."
I'm shoved aside by a tall girl, African American with curves in all the right places, but I don't care who she is or what she looks like, I'm not one for taking shit from anyone.
My nerves dominated by my pride, I say, "you bitch."
"Excuse me?" She asks, turning to face me.
"You bitch, you didn't have to just push me aside like that."
"The fuck does it matter to you? Bitch?"
"An apology would be nice."
She nods and closes the space between us, looking down on me with a threatening glare that awakens a deep-seated fear throughout my body. But I still want an apology.
"Girl, get your skinny white ass out of here. You're not getting no fucking apology from me."
"I'm not leaving until you apologise."
