High School in Hell

Chapter 4

Later that night Melody and I are getting ready for the party when Jeremy knocks on the door downstairs. Melody runs to let him in, while I finish fixing my dress. I smile at him as he walks in holding flowers.

I walk over and hug him. His arms slide around me and keep me close. "You look so beautiful Lexi." I blush and look at him. "Well look at you handsome." I kiss his cheek and giggle. Melody comes in and cheers. "Yay! now you guys can get married some day!" Jeremy and I laugh and he scoops her up onto shoulders.

I smile and put the flowers in a vase of water by my bed and I grab my purse. "Ready? Everyone's waiting." They nod and he puts Melody down and chases her downstairs. I follow them and head outside. At the edge of the driveway waiting for us is an all black carriage driven by four black horses and no driver.

I look around for a driver but there's no one. We get in and the carriage and the horses take us to my aunts home. It's dark and ancient looking. Like a haunted house almost but it has a beautiful charm to it. It feels like home every time i'm here, which has only been a few times.

We climb out of the carriage and I smile at the black rose garden and laugh. "I don't understand how its possible for roses to grow black, but they do here." The front door opens and aunt Margaret steps outside smiling. Her dress is gorgeous and goes all the way to the floor and is low cut in the neck. I walk up and hug her. "hello aunt Margaret." Melody runs up and hugs her too. "Hi aunty Maggy."

Margaret smiles and hugs us close. "oh my beautiful nieces, its good to see you both. You look thin, are you eating right Lexi?" She examines how frail I always seem. I smile, "yes, I eat more than an athlete trying to bulk up." She laughs softly, then looks at Jeremy. "And this strapping young man must be Jeremy, I haven't seen you since you were small."

He smiles and kisses her hand lightly. Margaret is kind of old school. Her hair is long, laying in black waves, her eyes are hazel and her lips are full and always smiling. Most of the time its a mischievous smile, but it's still a smile.

She guides us inside and I look up to see my uncle Jack. "Uncle Jack!" I hug him and laugh. He chuckles softly and Melody plays with his dog. "You are getting taller Lexi." "Not as tall as you Uncle Jack." We laugh again and I take Jeremy's hand in mine. "You remember my uncle right? Jack this is Jeremy, Jeremy, this is my uncle Jack." They shake hands and Jack stands tall. "You're the young man thats going to protect our niece, correct?" Jeremy wraps an arm around my waist and I smile, blushing softly. "Of course I will, she is my whole world."

I blush and lay my head on his shoulder to hear his heart racing. We enter a big ball room packed with people in dark clothes and strange old timey hair styles. Distant family is my best guess as to their mysterious identities.

We are seated at a table with a mountain of food. The aromas fill the air and my mouth waters. Margaret smiles and tells everyone to dig in. I get Melody a plate first and then myself. All of my favorites on one table. It makes me wonder how she knew what my favorites are.

I glance over at her and she winks at me and motions for me to follow her to speak in private for a moment. I nod and kiss Jeremy on the cheek. "I'll be right back, don't let Melody eat too many sweets." He laughs and nods and we kiss softly before I rise from my chair and follow Margaret.

She leads me upstairs to a big room. "Alright Lexi, you're probably wondering what I could possibly need to talk to you about in private." I nod and sit on one of the couches at the edge of the room. She sits across from me and holds up a necklace with what looks like a little bottle filled with a purple liquid inside of it.

She smiles. "This was your mothers... she wanted you to have it when you reached a certain age, said it would help you when things start to happen, when you start to change." I look at her confused and I tilt my head. "What do you mean when I start to change? change into what?" She pauses for a moment and grabs a book off a nearby shelf and sets it in front of me.