Ethan bends his head down for a second, and when he looks back down at me, he gives me a heart-stopping smile. "Well, if you must know, I only talk to the pretty girls."
I give him back a stupid grin. I can see that the spikes of his hair are a darker brown than the rest of the strands. Near his roots, it’s almost a sandy blonde. "How’s that going for you?”
He scratches his forehead. "It's complicated."
I nod my head. "Ah. So, you're a man of great mystery?"
Ethan smiles and places his hands on his chest. "So, you think I'm a great man? I'm truly flattered."
I laugh, rolling my eyes toward the big bright blue sky. "Don't hold your breath. Great was used in front of the word mystery, not man."
He makes a face at me. "Hater. I am wounded."
That makes me laugh even harder at the way he says, hater. His English accent is to die for. "Would you like some cheese with that wine?"
We talk for several minutes until he has to go. Watching him as he walked away, may be my new favorite thing.
Chapter 1
Savannah, Georgia
Sweet Dreams are Made of These
My story is not at all simple, and it begins as most of the great ones do, with a dream…
-Arabella?
A Dream
Opening a familiar set of double doors, I walk into a room that is pitch black dark. Putting my hand directly in front of my face and I still can't see it. Blood-curdling shrieks sound in my ear, and every few seconds a flash of light resonates throughout the large room. There is utter chaos. People are terrified, as they run in no certain direction. The wind catches my face as they hurriedly rush past me. A shiver works its way up my spine. I'm scared, because evil is coming.
Panic rises, and my feet feel heavy as I attempt to put one foot in front of the other to run. It's no use, I can barely move. Surprisingly, no one bumps into me as they rush by.
Finally, my eyes adjust to the darkness. A full-length mirror falls at my feet, blocking my path, startling me. Shards of glass tumble from the ceiling, cutting my face which begins bleeding profusely. Frozen with fear, the reflection looking back is not my own.
Slowly, taking a step back, I study the images staring back at me. There are two men that appear to be twins. They look angelic but my mind senses the sinister nature they're trying to hide. They’re identical in every way except the style of their hair. Both are blonde, but one has shoulder-length locks, while the other has a short spiky cut. My temper flares, because they are both smirking, and I can’t understand why. Finding my nerve, I yell at them to get out of my way. Frustration takes over because they know something that I don't. Their hazel eyes are mocking me, causing an uneasy feeling to creep into my gut. If this were a movie, they would be the bad guys, the villains.
I know this is a dream, but it's all too real. Wake up!! You can't stay here! They'll kill you! Wake up now! But slumber won't release its icy grip.?
I try to get away, but heavy chains lock down my ankles and wrists rendering me unable to move. I let out an anguished cry, making the brothers cover their ears. The angry squeal breaks the chains holding me captive.
Quickly turning around, another full-length mirror hinders my getaway. I'm getting sick and tired of not seeing my own damn reflection. A different set of men stare at me now, visibly upset that my chains are gone. I give the assholes a smirk. The first man is wearing a kilt, he is ruggedly handsome with a scar that runs diagonally from one side of his forehead down to his ear. To the right of him is a giant—a bald, toothless giant who is grinning at me. Okay, dude, that's creepy.
A light flashes wildly in the mirror. I can see a woman is hiding in the shadows behind tweedle dee and tweedle dumb. She is wearing a wide-brimmed hat. She’s shielding her face away from me for some reason, so I can only make out her profile. Terrible thoughts keep popping up in my mind. Vivid scenes play throughout my head of people being tortured to death, and my uncle laying in a puddle of blood crying out in despair. The woman says I owe her. The hate she has towards me is palpable and all consuming.
The villains are coming for me. When hope is almost lost, out of nowhere, another mirror opens up beside me. Hesitating only for a second, I put my arm over my eyes, and jump.
No glass shatters as it transports me to the far side of the room. Evil is still lurking in the shadows. I hear my best friend Merrie-Beth calling my name, it starts as just a whisper, then crescendos until she is shouting. "Arabella. Arabella. Arabella! ARABELLA!" She sounds almost frantic. Terrified even.
I have to find her, but I don't know where she is. "Merrie-Beth! Where are you? I can't find you. Merrie-Beth?"
Without warning, she comes to stand beside me. She's frightened and starts shaking her head from side to side. "Arabella, you have to listen to me. Don't be stubborn. Don't run! Stay and fight! Don't run, Arabella. If you do, we'll die!! Please, listen to me!!! Stay and fight! Stay and fight!" She shouts over and over again.
"Stay and fight!" I scream like a weirdo, sitting up in my bed. Rubbing my eyes, I give my alarm clock the side eye, because there was thirty more minutes worth of glorious sleep to be had. It's 5 flippin' thirty!Remembering my dream, I shiver with a groan, that was one of the creepiest dreams I’ve ever had.Not to mention, the most realistic. That's the last time I eat pizza at midnight!
My people, the Lux, believe that dreams are often predictions of the future. Hopefully the hell not, or it's going to be a bad day… for them. I've been working on becoming more confident, and less socially awkward, but at least I can fight with the best of them.
Heading for the shower I stop long enough to do my happy dance It's the last day of senior year and nothing can ruin this day. Not even psychos trapped in a mirror.
