The Crimson Key (10 page)

“Sorry
, I had to take care of my mother’s tantrum. I had to pull out the charm.” He broke away from me and went back to his photo.

“Charm
, huh? Why was she so upset?” I asked, trying not to sound like I was prying. It wasn’t my business, but I was just being curious.

“She said it worried her that Lyn wasn’t at home. She could care less if I am around. Shit
, I leave all night and hang out with you and she never notices, but the minute Lyn isn’t around she freaks.” In the months we were together I did notice his mom’s disinterest in him, but I never said anything. He looked a little perturbed about it so I dropped it. I took out the letter Mr. Coombs gave me and slipped it into his backpack. He would read it later, I hoped.

“Well
, my brushes are clean so I better go. Are you sitting with us at lunch?” I asked eagerly.

“No
, we get treated to lunch today. Senior lunch in the gym.”

“I am totally jealous and angry!” I was kidding of course
, but now I had to sit with John and the dummies without Ephraim to tell them to shut up when they said stupid stuff. They usually joked with me, but now that I knew what I did about them I really felt uncomfortable in their presence.

I was totally right, lunch sucked. John was being a total jackass and he was bugging the crap out of me. Lynley sat with Miles today, which made me happy, except now I was alone with the freaks. I decided to take this time to find out as much as I could. Intel time!

“So
,” I started making myself sound as ‘Cali-girl’ as possible. “What do you all know about that old rumor about the Barclay sisters?” As soon as I said it John’s head popped and he spit out his hamburger.

“Ah
, well, there’s not much to it I guess. Just rumors and shit,” he lied. I could tell he was full of crap because his answer was patchy. “You don’t believe in ghost stories do you, Brylee?”

“Me? Nah. I just heard rumors of them being like witches and stuff
,” I lied right back. “I heard about them from some freshman girls. They said that their house was right across Wilson Lake.”

John gave the other boys a look and then shrugged. “Yeah
, they really lived there. But you shouldn’t go snooping there, bums hang there. I don’t want you to get hurt.” If I didn’t know better it sounded like a threat.

“So you don’t bring random girls there ever?” As soon as I asked
, I mentally kicked myself.

“What?” he asked
, squinting his eyes. “Who told you that?”

Come on
, Brylee, think! “I am just kidding, John. Relax!” I said as I punched his arm. He laughed and it seemed like he bought it, thankfully. John had crazy eyes, it wasn’t a mystery. Everyone knew he was crazy. I saw it first hand when I moved here, and even though he didn’t act like an ass anymore, he was nuts.

“Well
, don’t joke about that stuff anymore,” he said to me. Then he leaned in real close to my ear and whispered, “Or I may have to take you there myself. You know, you could be my random girl.” My insides twisted and I felt the bile rise in my throat. Eww! Even though he mentally scarred me with that thought, he also seemed to be warning me.

Ephraim pulled up to the lake instead of his house. I didn’t know we were coming here. “What are we doing?” I asked as he backed the truck in. He had a devious smile on his face
, but said nothing to answer me. Instead he got out, put the truck bed down, and laid a blanket on it. I got out and joined him in the bed and we sat there silently, saying nothing for a few minutes until he finally spoke.

“The letter from Mr. Coombs was really nice of him to do for me. So I decided since I am feeling ok
ay that I will sign up for the photography class.” A huge grin grew on my face, one that hadn’t been there for quite some time. It was the sound of hope coming from Ephraim that made me this happy. He felt better and that meant we had time to live our lives and beat this thing.

I walked into my house with Ephraim’s kiss still lingering on my lips. Our time at the lake had been perfect. There was nothing better than the privacy of the trees and the nature around you while you were with the person you loved. It was the best birthday present ever, just being in his arms. The house was quiet, my parents still at work, and I wanted some down time. They had really forgotten my birthday today. I tried not to let it bother me, but honestly it did. You want everyone to remember your birthday no matter what you really say. Even if I was a teenager and I pretended nothing bothered me, I needed to feel normal happiness. I needed my parents to take me to dinner and fawn over ‘how grown up I am getting’. I took a deep breath and decided I would instead lie in my bed and sulk. As I went up the stairs I heard the front door open.

“Dad!” I called out. He was home early and I was stoked. Maybe he remembered
, and was coming home to take me out. Instead, I received no answer. I went halfway down the steps so that I could just see the front door and yes it was ajar. Except no one was standing by it. At this point you would think I was used to this, the answer is no. I felt like I would never get used to it. I backed up the stairs keeping my eyes on the door, just as it was almost out of my sight it closed slowly. I paused when I saw them, footsteps on the hard wood floor. They looked like someone had wet feet and was tracking the water in the house. No one was there making them appear, just the imprint of the foot. I knew it wasn’t from me, because these steps were still being made. Now they were halfway through the living room and headed straight for the stairs. I backed up a little faster, feeling my breath shorten. Now the footsteps were on the landing and coming straight for me. I was on the second floor, stumbling backwards and hoping that I would make it to my room in time to shut the door and hide under my covers.

Instead of making my plan work
, the steps were coming faster, almost like the person was running at me. I fell over and hit my head on the floor. The feet appeared just beside me. I held my breath and closed my eyes, praying that they would leave me alone. Curiosity won me over as I peeked through my eye and saw the forming mist of a ghost. The feet appeared just beside me, and then the legs. I scrambled to my room just as the full figure of the pale-haired ghost with the brush materialized, her face looking straight at mine. Evangeline! I slammed my door on her face, falling onto my bed, I curled up in a ball. “Go away! Go away!” I screamed. She began pounding on my door, the loud sounds making my walls vibrate. “Get out of my house!” I yelled finally. Then the door handle turned and I sat up finding an ounce of bravery somewhere deep inside me. I stood, ready to face her and order her out of my home.

“Brylee?” It was my mom. She stood at my door
, looking terrified. “Is everything okay?”

“Mom!” I said breathlessly. “Everything’s fine
, I just got a little scared is all.” She didn’t hear the pounding on the door nor did she see the ghost of Evangeline standing behind her. I tried to ignore the fact that she stood there watching us as we talked. She smirked at me because she knew I could see her. I hugged my mom, and over her shoulder shot Evangeline a dirty look. She smiled at me, still looking smug.

“Brylee
, come downstairs for a bit,” my mom suggested. I followed her downstairs as Evangeline watched us. Her smug smile faltered after I flipped her the bird.

I followed closely behind my mom due to the evil look on Evangeline’s face. Once I got downstairs she was gone. Mom led us outside
, to where my dad was standing next to a robin’s egg blue Volkswagen Beetle. My instant thought was,
Oh, they got a new car
. That is, until their smiles grew large and Dad said, “Happy Birthday!” I was in a state of shock. They bought me a car! Walking around the vehicle, I declared her female because she literally had eyelashes on the headlights. It was obviously was a girl car. I opened the door, looking into the white interior of her. She was beautiful and she was …
mine?

“You bought
me a car? You can’t afford this guys …” My mom put her hand on my shoulder.

“Brylee
, you deserve this car. You have been there for us through everything we have gone through this last year. No arguments, you just did it. Whatever we asked.” She wiped a tear from her eyes. “We are so proud of the woman you have become.”

“Of course it is a 2005
, so it’s not ‘brand’ new,” my dad informed me.

“I don’t care how old she is
, she’s perfect.” I grabbed them both and pulled them into a hug. “I thought you both forgot my birthday.”

“We could never forget your birthday
, Brylee, you’re too special to forget,” my mom said. “Now, go take your driver’s test.” I stood there for a moment in shock. I had prepared for this moment, but didn’t think it would happen so soon. I studied the test, even had the driving lessons, but the moment was here and now. It would be a provisional license, but it didn’t matter, I could drive my new car!

My dad got into the driver’s seat and I into the passenger side. My mom waved from the driveway as nerves rumbled through me. I could talk back to ghosts
, but when it came to driver’s tests I was terrified.

An hour later
, I left the Motor Vehicle Agency with a license in hand. One that said I could drive my car on my own, but not after 11:00 p.m. I smiled as my dad opened the driver’s side door for me.

“Your turn now
, kiddo, just don’t kill me.” I got into the seat and started her up. She was perfect for me; not too beautiful, but pretty enough to say, ‘I am me, deal with it’. Once we pulled out onto the highway, my nerves settled and I felt confident with my driving even if I was going too slow. That’s when my dad threw me a curveball.

“How would you feel about moving back home?” I could have crashed the car at that very moment. Instead
, I pulled over on to the shoulder and put on the hazards.

“What?”

“Bry, I got a job offer and it could be a great opportunity for us to move home. We could sell the house and get back to our roots. I know you made friends here, but you’re young and you will make new ones.” He was so nonchalant at my relationship with my ‘friends’ that it was as if it didn’t matter. “I know you’re in love with Ephraim, but you’re only seventeen. You will meet other boys.” Ugh, that was so not cool.

“Dad
, I don’t want to sound rude, but I will not move back with you and Mom if you go home. I have made a life here. I have started looking at colleges and my heart is here on the East Coast now,” I replied as calmly as possible. “I don’t need to meet other boys or make new friends, I need to stay here. If you move, I will stay with Aunt Leona and Uncle Keith until I am eighteen.” He froze and blinked once, shock registering on his face. I would be damned if I was moving back to California. Did I miss the beach? Yes. Did I miss the snobby so-called friends I made there? No. Would I miss the mosquitos here that frequently ate my blood? Yes. Could I live without Ephraim? No.

“I appreciate your honesty with me
, Brylee. I can’t say that I didn’t see that answer coming.” He paused. “We bought the house in hopes to fix it up and sell it someday. It’s a house, not a home for your mother and me. As much as we try we just can’t get it to feel comfortable for us, it just doesn’t.” He meant for her. My mom wasn’t at ease in the house, my dad didn’t care. “So I will tell you that someday your mother and I will probably move back home.” I knew what he was telling me; he was telling me to prepare to live here on my own. I could do it, I knew I could. I would be at college, and Ephraim and I would live together. We had it planned out.

“I appreciate your honesty
, Dad. I am not going anywhere,” I said.

“Okay
, now get off the shoulder because you’re making me nervous.”

I pulled into the driveway and every light in the house seemed to be on. I knew right away what was going on … a party. I tried to pretend I didn’t know
, but that was hard to do. I went into the house first to be greeted by everyone shouting, “Happy Birthday!” I smiled and felt the embarrassment of being center of attention grow on my face. I looked around at the attendees. Ephraim with Lyn and their mother, who didn’t look too thrilled to be there. My mom and her reading group friends, as well as my aunt and uncle. It wasn’t a hugely impressive group of people, but I didn’t care. It was the right people at least. I saw a flash of blue hair and knew Kayla was there in the mix as well. Her face came through a group of my mom’s friends and she rolled her eyes at their discussion on cross stitch. I laughed and smiled at her. Nobody noticed.

Ephraim pulled me into a hug. “Love your new car!”

“Me, too! She’s perfect,” I said, beaming. Lynley stuck by her mom’s side like a leech and she waved. I had to pull her away from her mom, it was like the umbilical cord was still attached with those two. My mom had made a cake and dinner. We all sat around, talked, and ate our homemade pizza, one of my favorites. I couldn’t imagine leaving this group of people, heck even my mom’s friends were cool. They were old and silly, but they were funny.