Blizzard Girl ©

Chapter Thirteen:

“I’m home!” I called as I entered Mr. Bunter’s house. With my purchase tucked safely into a plastic dress bag, I noticed how quiet the house was and that’s what alarmed me. The house was never this quiet even when my mom and dad were away. I started to hear my ears ringing from the lack of sound.

            Slowly, I stepped into the house and I didn’t feel warm like I would from the presence of Percival. No, I felt cold. I dropped my dress bag on the floor, slammed the front door, and stood still. I walked towards the kitchen and held my breath.

            When I started to breathe again, that was because I saw the note that my mom left on the refrigerator. The note that read:

Venti, Charlie told us where you are so we all decided to go out and eat. See you later.

-Mom

            Even though I was relieved that they weren’t in harm’s way or that Percival decided that the deal was off and killed them, the silence still got to me. I don’t know why I thought that Percival would kill them? Not when he just asked me out...there would be no purpose in murder!

My first order of business was to pick up my dress bag that I left on the floor and put it somewhere off of the ground. Then I entered the living room and turned on the television. The remote was kept on the bookshelf and was dusty from not being touched for a long time. Mr. Bunter wasn’t a fan of the television. The only reason that he got it was because of Charlie’s mom Maggie. She loved her soap operas.

            I turned on the television and decided to watch the news. I was only half listening as I spread my whole body on the couch and smiled at the realization that no Jason was around to tell me to make some room for him.

            My relief turned into even—if it was possible—more relief as the reporter said in her clear British tone, “For two months the blood leech that terrorized the streets of London not long ago hasn’t appeared since his last attack in December,” and that was all that she said. She made it sound like it was a little story just passing through, but I couldn’t help but smile about it.

            “Hello, Ventisca,” said Percival in Mr. Bunter’s living room.

I shot up from the couch and asked him, “Didn’t you ever hear of knocking, Percival?”

He laughed and replied, “No, but you were alone and I felt like I could accompany you while your parents are gone.” He glanced at my dress bag that I left slung over the reclining chair. “Am I allowed to look?” he asked me.

“What’s the point,” I said as I looked up at him. “You’ve already seen it when I was trying it on.”

Percival looked shocked for a moment and that got me smiling even more. “I guess I trained you too well.” He sat on the edge of the reclining chair, careful not to rumple the bag as he said, “So, want to train?”

“You know, that’s the first time that you asked me whether I felt like training Percival. What’s going on?” I asked him as I put the television on mute.

“What’s going on Ventisca, is that the news story that you saw today is a sign of a good will gesture from me,” he said.

“Sign of a good will gesture huh?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. How is this for a sign of a good will gesture…I’m going to the dance with you because I don’t want to be a villain and I want you to use your powers for good.” I came up with that on the spot, but I knew that that’s what I wanted.