A Taste of Hollywood

Two

That night, I didn't sleep too well. I kept thinking about Jeff for some reason.

I woke up at like 3:30 in a cold sweat. I didn't remember dreaming about anything - but I couldn't fall back asleep.

My mind flashed to Emma McHenry poisoning herself with that 'unknown chemical' last year. It kind of gave me the creeps - some lady committed suicide in this very house not too long ago.

I was just starting to drift off again when my room seemed to get lighter.

I sat up and looked around my room.

The candles... The candles I put in my windowsill.

They were being lit, one by one. Finally, the invisible match lit the purple one, the last one.

My room filled with mixed scents. I leaned over and turned on my bedside lamp. When I looked back at the candles, an invisible breath was causing them to go out, once again one-by-one. But then the invisible match lit the blue one, the one closest to me, or the one in the middle.

I got up to examine it. Just as I was inches from it, my door swinging open suddenly caused it to flutter out.

"What's wrong? Why are screaming?" a frantic-looking Jack demanded.

"I-I didn't scream," I stammered. He looked frazzled. "So n-nothing's wrong?" he clarified. "Um... I'm fine," I said. "I could've sworn I heard something coming from in here. Jeannette heard it, too... Like you were being murdered! Are you sure you weren't screaming? Or making any noise at all?" he asked. "I'm sure," I said.

He walked out, muttering to himself. I looked back at the candle. It flickered on and off three times, then went out for good.

I went back to my bed, covered up... And made sure my lamp stayed on.

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The next morning, Mom asked me about my screaming, too. I told her the same thing I told Jack - I didn't say anything.

She looked doubtful, but continued making her pancakes without another word about it.

When Jack came to the kitchen in his suit, he said, "Oh, Jeannette, Sarah can do that. You don't have to cook."

Mom shrugged. "I like to cook," she replied, and continued. "You haven't lived till you've had my buttermilk pancakes. Right, Ella?"

I nodded. When she placed a pancake on Jack's plate and he took a bite, he smiled and said, "You're right. These are amazing!"

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I was in the 'girl-hideout' under the stairs with a pad of paper and a pen. Jack had told me to write down things I wanted to decorate it. All I'd written was:

1. TV
2. four beanbag chairs
3. pink carpet

Hey, Jack offered, I was accepting.

I added a few more things to the list and was preparing to bring it to Jack when the overhead light switched off.

I screamed.

It came back on and the door flew open. "You screamed... Right?" Jack said. I nodded. "Th-the lights went out!" I cried. Jack grabbed my arm and led me out. "I think you need to get better rest," he said. He looked at my list. I handed it to him. He read it over and smiled.

"That will turn out pretty," he said. He went to the phone and began to speak into it.