Cursed Prince

Chapter|02

She had watched enough cliche movies to understand that when someone died, it was supposed to rain. It always rained. But as the ambulance came, and wheeled the bodies to the hospital, it was still as sunny as ever.

Three years later

Viana stared at the box, curiously. It was professionally wrapped, she could tell.  The glittery wrapping paper neatly folded at the corners and a fat blue ribbon at the top.

"Open it!" Jamie cried impatiently.  Delicately, Viana tore at the tape, then carefully removed the ribbon.   

"You've got to be kidding me." Jamie stared in disbelief. "You still unwrap presents like that? I thought it was a phase!" Grabbing the present, she ripped the rest off and handed back a now unwrapped, wooden box. 

Viana examined its smooth, dark surface and unlatched the clasp. Inside was a bracelet; silver with golden leaves sprouting from the sides, and the date, September 3rd, was engraved on the inside.

" Custom made!" Jamie beamed with pride.

"Oh my goodness. It's beautiful." Viana murmured gratefully.   She tried slipping it on her wrist, but Jamie frowned and snatched it back.

"Viana, it's an ankle bracelet." She then got down and clasped it onto Viana's right leg.

Dereck joined them a few moments later, and pulled out a card, casually throwing it onto the table.   Behind him, Devin appeared.  "We all signed it." He grinned. "Happy Birthday, by the way."

Viana opened it up, and inside everyone's scrawled signatures filled the empty space. Of course, Jamie's was huge; her loopy 'Jamie Aden'  signature took up most of the page.

"That's so sweet." She thanked Dereck, then Devin, and after getting kicked by Jamie, twice, quickly thanked her too.

Courtney and Kayla came moments afterward.

"Viana, you coming tomorrow?"  Courtney asked, wedging herself between the two guys. Devin elbowed her hard and she winced. "Sorry, I meant to say Happy Birthday!" There was a short pause before she asked.  "So are you?"

Tomorrow was Friday, and Friday meant one of Jamie's crazy parties. Viana had only been to one, and that was already enough for her

Jamie turned to her hopefully.  "Please?" She pleaded.

"Guys, my answer is the same as it was last week, and the week before that, and the week before that.  It isn't going to change!" Viana firmly concluded.

"You hurt me. Is it because my parties aren't good enough for you?" Jamie dramatically placed her hands over her heart. Viana opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, another group had called Jamie over and she was already hurrying towards them. 

☽☽☽

"Viana!" Devin ran down the hall after her.  "Since you're not going to Jamie's party-"

"Like I always do." She added in, spinning the combination to her lock. He nodded and looked nervous. "Why don't you and I maybe watch a movie at my place? You know, instead of going?"

"Don't you always go to her parties?" She questioned, opening her locker and grabbing her History book.

"Well, yes, but I can afford to miss out here and there." He shrugged.