The Beetle Bride (ON HOLD)

Chapter Six; Rebel Without A Pulse

**Authors Note**  I kind of incorporated a couple of themes from the animated series into this chapter, such as Lydia taking Beetlejuice's photograph, and the use of Claire Brewster as a supporting character. She's the only one I'll be featuring from the animated series. As much as I loved it, there won't be any tap dancing spiders or athletic skeletons in  this fic (sorry guys) but I wanted to keep it predominantly movie-themed. Considering the content that'll be coming up, I didn't want to cross the streams. Otherwise it's kind of like, goodbye childhood.
Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy. As usual a huge shout out to Starnyler15 and JennyFrancis985 for the comments/faves, as well as a big thank you to those of you who've been reading (and are continuing to read) this story. You're all awesome! xD

The following day seemed to pass by in a blur for Lydia.
Simply going through the motions, she'd sat listlessly through classes, resting her chin on her hand, staring out of the window. The teachers' voices were nothing more than background noise. Usually she would have paid more attention but she was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Only when her art teacher reminded her that her project was due to be handed in, did she realise just how preoccupied she'd been of late. Under normal circumstances she would've had it completed by now, being as art was one of her most favourite subjects. But she had completely forgotten about it. Her head was full of him, and there didn't seem to be space for anything else anymore. He'd never been all that far from her thoughts before, but since his return, his presence in her mind had rapidly increased and evidently was spiralling out of control.
She had almost released him. She'd been so close, had it not been for Delia having burst in when she had, then who knows what fresh hell she might've unleashed.

There was no doubt that she hadn't been thinking clearly. Confusion and upset had clouded her judgement. Struggling with feelings of guilt due to keeping such dark secrets from Barbara and Adam, was starting to take its toll. His insensitive remarks, and the mentioning of her ex boyfriend had tipped her over the edge. She still felt foolish for acting like a silly self-absorbed, melodramatic, hormone imbalanced little girl. Especially in front of him, of all people. But he'd made her smile, and all the loneliness and hurt no longer seemed to matter when he was around. But that was the problem. She shouldn't enjoy his company, the more she had the more she wanted, and that frightened her. This wasn't her dreams, this was reality. She'd given herself a good hard talking to en route to school that morning, attracting a number of curious glances along the way from passers by. Sealing her reputation for being the 'weird kid fom up on the hill' as she muttered to herself absentmindedly.
However, her mind drifted once more into disturbing territory as she drew comparisons between the levitating, mischievous prankster of her dreams and the pidgin speaking, depraved miscreant she had to tolerate in real life. He wasn't a harmless lovable rogue, he was wild and dangerous. And despite her having seen glimmers of his less manic, more coherent side, the sense of the untamed lay just barely suppressed below the surface. He was an oddity, and it was this, his glorious complexity that she was attracted to.

When at last the school bell sounded at Miss Shannon's school for girls, she grabbed her books and satchel and raced for the door without so much as a backwards glance. An action which surprised her classmates, rarely did she show such eagerness to be away, and her uncharacteristic actions attracted the attention of the class prima donna, and her one-time love rival, Claire Brewster. The exceptionally pretty blonde, with sun kissed skin, always seemed to go out of her way to give Lydia a hard time, and today was no exception. Making a point of catching up with Lydia outside, and ensuring her clique were in tow in order to appreciate her put-downs, Claire wasted no time in trying to provoke her as usual.
"Lydia, you're in a hurry today. Anyone would think you like, actually had a life or something."

Absorbed in unchaining her bike, Lydia didn't even bother looking up from the task in hand.
"Well I do. Maybe you should try getting one too Claire. And a personality wouldn't go amiss either."