Cursed

--> Ch. 4 <--

Chapter 4

My first impression of Dia was that she was controlling and needed a reality check sooner or later. I couldn't see how my Mom made friends with her. If it were me, I would of ignored her entirely. But I was definitely not her, so of course, she did befriend her. And I ended up having a date with this seemingly selfish lady's son. Oh, and plus the fact that there's probably ghosts crawling around every bend in the place we're going, wherever that place may be.

Splendid.

Eating alone in my kitchen felt awkward and uncomfortable, like something was going to happen at any second. It made me feel edgy.  Other than my thoughts, the only thing making a sound was my clinking silverware.  I stopped when I realized how abandoned the kitchen really was.  I looked around at everything and tensed, trying to brace myself for something unexpected to happen.  It didn't work.

"Never in my life would I have thought that you'd be going on a date with a rich woman's son."

I twitched and gripped gripped the table; it was all I could do to stop myself from leaping out of my seat and running out the door. Twisting in my seat, after glaring at him for a second, I replied truthfully saying, "You know, I just agreed to reassure my mom. She obviously worked hard to hook me up with a random boy who I've never met in my life before.”

"You're supposed to do what you want, Reese. Not what Dia or your Mom wants." He chided me for the millionth time.

I smirked.  “I'm not that selfish.”

He sighed, and I saw his eyes slightly roll at my small stubbornness. "Okay, fine. But since you accepted the invitation, I have to inform you of something.”

He waited for my response, for whatever reason, and when I nodded he continued.

“So, you're going on a date and it's not like it isn't obvious that ghosts are going to show up and distract you. This so called 'Sam' is going to think you're nuts the first time he sees you. Do we want that? NO! That's why I've decided to go with you two." He grinned, showing his teeth and all. He still couldn't hide his nerves from me, though, the way his eyebrows pulled up.

I stared blankly at him, thinking up ridiculous reasons for me not to go.

I could mysteriously be sick Friday. The only thing rotten with this was that my Mom would see straight through me. She had this sixth sense, sort of, that lets her know if I was really sick. I could find some reason to stay after school late, and then when I got home I'd still have a ton of homework to do. The idea of that almost made me laugh. Seriously, my Mom would just rationalize and say I had the whole weekend to do work. I could cancel it all together, but my Mom would be overly depressed if I did. To the extreme. She would literally mope around the house for a month, dragging her feet and only getting up off her recliner when she had to. She'd watch crappy soap operas, practically wearing a sign on her forehead saying, 'woe is me.' That would just be scary.

Andy was looking at me. He looked remorseful, for whatever he thought did, as well as having this small innocence to him, making him look like a lost puppy. It made me realize that there really was no way out of this, unless I wanted to mean and forceful, but I didn't want that. I had to do this so that my Mom would know that I'm okay. That she doesn't have to worry about me.

"I knew I shouldn't of invited myself like that. Why do I have to be so demanding?" Andy sighed and babbled on, chastising himself. He took my blank stare the wrong way. I was just thinking. Can't a girl think?

I silently laughed and shook my head. "I'm not mad at you! I was just thinking about something else. It's absolutely fine if you come with us. Just...don't distract me or anything. And keep others away." If Andy would come, that would lessen the chances of my true self being revealed.