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“Fight?” Mr. Harvey declared. Duh! Between me having a black eye and Gigi having a split lip a principal would have figured that out by now. I’m not going to bore you with the details of this conversation. It was the usual scolding I got for fighting. Oh and the best part was I suspended for 3 days. Not that I cared. Suspension was like a vacation for me. My parents never really got mad at me for it. Plus, it gave me time to look for Louis. I had an entire neighborhood to search. I’d have to use…da dada da! The Internet. Though I wasn’t positive it would work, but luck was on my side and it did. On the first day of my 3-day suspension I looked fore recently purchased houses in my area. There were a lot. Luckily there were only three in my neighborhood. Before even asking for my parents’ consent I set out on my mission. I walked which was unfortunate because none of them were really close to each other. I should have ridden my bike or something. I pulled up to the first house. It was a boring normal house. And I could see the family inside getting ready to go to work and school. The child was a girl who looked like she was 11. So, I moved on to the next house disappointed with the first find. On the next house I saw it was no ordinary house. And in fact it was my favorite house. It looked like a mansion made of gray stone. Which it was. They built my neighborhood around it. There was a whole ghost story surrounding it. What was it with my town and ghost stories? God. There were no lights on and a car was parked in the driveway. Curtains were drawn in all the windows so there was no hope of seeing inside. I decided to remember this house. I was not letting it out my site. Not for a long while. The third house was just like the first. But inside there was a 13-year-old boy. Definitely not Louis. Hesitantly I started home. Though I did keep the second house in my mind. Upon entering my home I found I had two very angry parental units waiting for me. “Hiya?” I tried weakly. “Sit” my mother commanded in her shrill voice. I took a seat before my father voice could piece the air. “You young lady”-oh joy another lecture. Not like I haven’t had one of those- “Are suspended and therefore grounded” “When did that rule come into play?” I wondered out loud. “Now. You need to stop getting into trouble at school. If you think you’re just going to walk out whenever you fee like it you don’t know what you have coming for you.” My mother said. Her voice was higher than usual. Was that possible? Apparently so and it really hurt my ears. “Wait, I had an excuse. I have a way out of everything. “Mom, you see my friend is very sick. His teachers were going to see him today. But since I’m suspended”-again-“I decided I’d go stop by to see him” I explained. See, I may not be into acting but that didn’t mean I wasn’t good. My mother’s eyes instantly softened. But my father held strong. My father put up with my crap longer. My mother had just re-entered my life about a year ago. She didn’t really know how my mind worked. “Now, Claudia, I’m sure that’s not true but if it is, it gives you no right to leave this house” My father voiced reminded me of a train. Loud, deep, and hard to ignore. As much as I tried to tune him out I couldn’t. It was very frustrating. “Fine” I muttered crossly and stormed up to my room. I lay down on my bed and pulled my covered over my head. Soon, I had drifted off to sleep. I was in a dark room. Suddenly, it was very bright light. Blinding. Being me, I was naturally curious, so I started to explore. I found that there were absolutely no doors or windows. Just that God awful light. I couldn’t see the sun though there was no roof. Because there was no sky either. Just blackness. Suddenly someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around to see Louis. His face was just as magnificent as I remembered. The lights went off once more but Louis was still visible. He was a light on his own. “Claudia” he cooed. I took a step towards him. He looked at me peacefully. But soon he was fading. I ran at top speed to ward him but just as I was going to reach out, he vanished. And then I woke up. Louis was in my dreams no, curse him. I don’t know why but I wanted to find him that instant. I peeked out my window. Darkness. The clock on my nightstand read1:36 A.M. Perfect time to sneak out. I opened my window. The screen was already busted out from the first time I snuck out. And from that experience I learned this: Don’t jump out of a window on the second story. I grabbed a bunch of blankets I didn’t use anymore and threw them out the window. Ok, I wasn’t going to use them as a rope. No, even better I was going to use them as a cushion. Soon there was a pile. And I jumped. I landed on my side. But this time I didn’t manage to injure myself. I got up and smiled. Walking during the night was not scary for me. I couldn’t understand why people were afraid. It was just dark, that’s all. I was heading toward my neighborhood park. During the day it was full of life, but at night it was a dead as the cemetery. My footsteps echoed around me. The only other sound was the nocturnal bugs. “Excuse me?” a small voice called behind me. I spun around to find a little girl. She looked like she was six with long wavy brown hair. Her eyes were the same chocolate brown. She was the curtest little girl. “Can you help me get home?” she asked sadly with her eyes wide. “It’s really late, why are you out here?” I asked. I was very confused. I mean what would you ask if a little girl asked you to take her home at 1:36 A.M.? “I wanted to look for my doggy, but Mommy said ‘no’ I. I ran away like my doggy but now I’m lost.” She sniffled. “I don’t know where you live either,” I said. I still hoped I could help her. “I know my address” she replied. I recognized that address too. It was the mansion/house I visited on my search for Louis. “I’ll help.” I responded eagerly. The mansion/house was thankfully only a few blocks away. All through the walked the little girl kept silent. Except for when I asked for her name, which was Lucy. We came up to her extremely large home and I walked her up the driveway. I knocked on the door. Lucy turned toward me. “Thank you!” she said and hugged me. Though I didn’t normally like being touched and I didn’t like little kids I hugged her back. She was a tiny goth that may have been why. I mean the little girl was wearing a black dress with skulls on it. Soon the owner of the mansion/house answered. It was a woman dressed in black slacks and a black top. She looked at least 35 or 36. She had long black hair and black eyes. “Yes?” she asked in a serene voice. Then she noticed Lucy. Her eyes widened and she pulled her into her arms “MY Lucy!” she screamed with delight. “Claudia brought me home” Lucy smiled, hugging back the woman. I supposed this woman must have been her mother. “Claudia, please do come in. I know it’s late, but I will call your parents in the morning. It’s much too late for you to be wandering on your own.” She said with one arm still around Lucy. Hmmmm……. What would you do? I know what I did. “I’d love to. Thank you very much.” So I stepped inside.
* * *
The room surrounding me was made entirely of brick. Gothic, medieval ornaments covered the walls and floor. It was like a Barbie dream house to me. “Come Claudia, I have a son who would be around your age. His name is Louis,” she said. Her voice reminded me of Marilyn Monroe. But wait! She said Louis! Could it be my Louis? Sure enough he came down the stone staircase. His green eyes were sad. It was my turn to look worried. Suddenly he noticed me. “Claudia: h smiled. He ran towards me. And hugged me. It was strange since we just met but it was ok by me. “It wonderful to see you too!” I said and wrapped me arms around him. “I see you two have met. You must be the Claudia he was talking about all last night,” his mother said but she was gone. But I wasn’t worried about that. Louis had been talking about me. I tried to hide that I was overjoyed over that. “Where’d she go?” I asked as he released me from his embrace. “To obsess over Lucy,” he replied. I just nodded my head. “Is Lucy your sister? Because you don’t look a lot alike.” I said. Seriously there were both gorgeous but still they were opposites. “No, she was adopted, but that’s why Emma waits on her every move.” He laughed. “So why did you look sad earlier.” I asked still looking at him. “Well, I guess it’s just the fact that I can’t go to school with you to keep that Joey guy away from you.” He explained. “Why don’t you go? Plus for now I don’t have to go. I’m suspended. Again.” I grinned, but he wasn’t too happy. “You’re suspended? What for? He demanded. His eyes always made me want to tell him. “Well, a fight. Didn’t you notice my eye is a little darker?” I asked. “Yeah, but I didn’t really think about it.” He shrugged but he still looked very angry. “Who did you get in a fight with? And why?” “Remember my story? Well, it was Joey’s ex. She was a little mad at me.” I said not even caring. “I see.” He wondered. “Stay away from her. And be careful. I don’t want to see you hurt anymore than you already are.” He said sincerely. “Thanks for the concern” normally I would hate anyone babying me like that but I didn’t really mind him doing so. I mean when he furrowed his brow like that and his worry lined showed he somehow looked even more handsome. It was cute to know someone cared. Not even Joey ever told me to be careful. “What did Lucy tell toy she was out so late for?” he asked out of the blue. “She was looking for her dog.” I said. Why would he ask? “Why? “She always says that. She wants to find me a friendf. She keeps running away. It’s stressing out Emma. She can stop now though. I have you to hang out with.” He smiled. I loved that gorgeous smiled. “I haven’t seen you at school yet” I pointed out. “Well, no. I don’t go to school. I’m home schooled.” “Lucky. I wish I could” “No you don’t. You have a normal teenage life. I’m stuck in this echo-y house. Constantly.” “Oh,” I said softly and looked down. I hoped I hadn’t offended him. Then, I decided to change the subject. “so, Emma says you talk about me” “Yes, you’re the only person in this town that hasn’t looked at me funny.” He sighed. “I get those lookes too. Don’t worry.” I smiled at him. He smiled back. “And, see that’s why we’re going to get along marvelously. You always manage to make me smile.” He stated. I couldn’t help but blush. “Claudia, I need your phone number” Emma said from behind me. I quickly recited the familiar numbers. Emma smiled and disappeared once more. “I hear you get to stay here tonioght” Louis smiled again. “Yup. Emma doesn’t want me wandering on my own.” I explained “Good, You shouldn’t be” He grinned “As you know this is the best time to view the stars. Would you like to come with me” he offered.
~sweet~goth~ · Tue Sep 12, 2006 @ 02:01am · 2 Comments |
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