by Grace Yip
Chapter 9
As the bell rang for recess we walked to the shaded part of the school to sit. After a moment of silence I saw Mel giving me worried looks. “Want me to tell you now?” I ask. “Definitely now spill” she said with a slight smile sitting crossed leg. So I explained everything I knew. Once I was done I looked at her. The whole part of her face was shock and worry. “So do you think I’m crazy?” I ask. She grabbed me into a bear hug and said “Lexi were best friends and I know you aren’t the kind to lie plus who would want a bad lie. So ready to kick some evil devil butt?” She asked and we burst out laughing. “So I have a few questions” Mel said slowly. “Sure shoot” I say. “So did your entire dad’s side… die because of the curse?” she asked trying to say it carefully. “Yeah so if I beat the curse none of my other relatives will get hurt” I said.”Well I think you’re doing the absolute right thing!” she said with hope and encouragement. “Thanks” I say thankful to have such a wonderful friend. “So here is my plan, I stay at your house tonight so I’m with you for the whole tomorrow.” “Well that sounds like a plan” I say. As the bell rang we head for science.
Chapter 10
Right after school I grabbed Mel’s hand and we head out to wait for my mom. Once we spotted my mom we went in the car. “Mom is it ok if Mel stays for the night?” I ask. “Sure just check with your mom ok?” My mom said. “Sure I’ll call her at the library.” Mel said pocketing her phone. Once we got to the library, our plan was that my mom would look at the books and we would be online. Once we got there we headed upstairs and took the computers. “Ok so what should we search for?” Mel asked. “Well I’m going to search up how to deal with the curse of Friday the 13th we can just scan some webs.” I said, but I was pretty sure the things we got were just from superstitious people. After half an hour I asked her if she had got anything. “Well I have some. You want to go first?” she asked. “Sure, so this is what I got. Number one; get a sponge bath. It says here once you get a sponge bath you’re clear of curses. Number two; throw a horse shoe it says it will keep you safe. Number three; spit… It says if you think you are cursed, spit at yourself. That’s all that I got my computer got slow and weird after that.” I said. “Well here is what I got… Number one; carry a bowling ball it will keep evil spirits away from you. Number two; sing Devil with the blue dress on it says the devils hate it and won’t be near you. Number three; pet a cow, cows are sacred animals, and have magical powers. Number four; (smiling evilly before she began) Have sex, it says have sex in three different spots and your safe!” she said. Hitting her arm hard we burst out laughing. “Ok let me get this straight. Carrying a 16 pound bowling ball will keep away evil spirits. Singing Devil with a blue dress on the top of my lungs and the devil won’t be near me. Going to a zoo… wait is there a cow in a zoo? Going to a farm and petting a cow would help me because they have magical powers. Yeah and I think you know the reason why the last one is impossible to do and is gross.” I say and we burst out laughing again. “You don’t have to go to a farm.” She said suddenly. “What?” I asked confused. “You can buy a cow and raise it in your back yard!” she said winking. “Oh my gosh! Mel I’m laughing so hard I think my guts are going to come out.” I said almost forgetting all my troubles. “That’s gross want me to call the police?” Mel asked. “Sure!” I say still laughing. “Remember when you’re in the hospital tell Toronto star that I saved your life” she said and we laugh so hard tears are falling down. Then suddenly the music Up all night sounded from Mel’s pocket. “I wanna stay up all night and find a girl and tell her she’s the one” Mel mouths grinning before she picked up her phone. “Hi! Yeah. What do you mean? But she always calls at least a day before! Can I please stay at Lexi’s house for a sleep over? Come on please. Look mom Lexi and her mom really need someone since the date of her dad you know what is coming tomorrow and I want to help. Thank mom you’re the best! Bye. Yes her moms going to bring me home to get my stuff. See you.” I raise an eyebrow. “The devils working there curse.” She said. What happened? “Well my mom called to say my aunt is coming to eat dinner and stay for the night and how she came especially for me. But how I know it’s the curse is my aunt never ever goes to someone’s house without out calling them at least one day before because she’s a neat freak and probably cleans every inch of her house before visitors come. She even freaked out once because someone didn’t and she couldn’t clean her “mess”… Let’s just say it’s the world’s impossible thing that she just called one hour before dinner.” She said seriously.
Chapter 11
On the way home I told my mom what happened to Mel. “Well the curse is obviously trying hard not to let you to stay.” My mom said. “Yeah she once told me if she was forced to say something she hates she would rather die.” Mel says quietly. I learned apparently her aunt is a bit… stubborn? “Wow your aunt is serious when she hates something.” I said. “Yeah” Mel said glancing out the window. The drive to her house and back to ours was all silent. Breaking the silence once we enter our house I said “So I guess I have to be confident and all that tomorrow and that’s the only way.” I say sighing. “I found lots of books but none of them really work out…” My mom said and Mel shared a burst of laughter with me. “What did I miss?” my mom asked looking lost. “Nothing it’s just an inside joke.” We both said it at the same time. We all took a bath and went to the sofa and started to plan tomorrow. “So I just have to be a goody two shoes and don’t be afraid.” I asked. “Yes never ever have fear, the more the fear the more it will take over you and you will be less confident and then it destroys you…” my mom explained. Mel and my mom gave me a hug and silence took over again. “Lexi I know you can do it just always have confidence, be happy, have courage, and lastly believe in yourself like what you do every day.” Mel said and my mom started to cry. Almost in tears myself I say “Thanks mom you have always helped me when I needed you the most and you raised me with your best even when dad died. Mel thanks for believing in me, helping me, and being the best friends ever. “Lexi do you realize that saying that doesn’t make us cry less” Mel asked and we all smile. Once we brushed our teeth my mom hugged me and we all went to sleep. Lying in my bed I start to chat with Mel. “I’ll bet you five dollars that there is going to be a huge storm tomorrow.” I say smugly. “But the weather forecast said it’s going to be sunny... With a chance of meatballs! Deal make it six dollars” she said and we fell asleep.
Chapter 12
This time my nightmare hurt. I was invisible in the car beside my dad trying to tell him to concentrate but he couldn’t hear or feel me. When the tree had hit the car, I had felt it the pain and I woke up to see Mel waking me up. “Lexi wake up.” she said shaking me. “What happened Ouch” I said in pain. “Well you fell from your bed and your head hit the table.” she said laughing. “Not funny” and I explained the dream. “Well you should start to be happy because it’s 6:32 am Friday December 13th 2013” she announced like a personal calendar. I took a deep breath and thought; would I be laughing at myself if I fell down the bed. I smiled “Thanks I guess the devil wants my head not working” and we both laugh.” Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and thunder following and we found out that outside it was pouring and there was ice cubes. “Wow hail.” Mel said “But not rain” she added smugly. “Hey that was so rain!” I said and we laughed. “Fine five dollars.” She said. “Hey Mel was it you or is it because I hit my head but I thought it was you that said make it six dollars.” I say. “I so didn’t mean it” she said and we laughed again. “Is it me or is the rain and hail getting a bit smaller.” Mel asked. I have a feeling that it starts with full blast and the closer it gets to the curse finishing it gets smaller.” I say like a weather forecaster and grinned. “That makes sense let’s get ready for school.” She said and we head for the bathroom. I found my mom sitting there waiting for me. “Good morning” I say smiling. The best way to face the curse it is forget it. “Morning” she said trying to sm
ile knowing it will help me. I’ll get cups. Suddenly the cups I was going to grab all crashed to the ground. Knowing the curse was going to begin sometime today I was ready for anything so I wasn’t too surprised unlike my mom who jumped up. I took a deep breath and winked at them and said “I’m so sorry mom I guess I lost my grip.” I said with a cheery voice even though goose bumps were forming on my arm. Both Mel and my mom had seen that I didn’t even touch the cups all took a deep breath and started acting. “Its ok honey as long as you’re not hurt.” And we all smile weakly. “Mel do you want toast or cereal?” I ask. “I’ll have toast with peanut butter please.” She says. “I’m in the mood for some toast and peanut butter too!” I say and we all laugh lightly because of my hard work of being so cheery. After breakfast the rain began to lightly go away. As we went outside a black cat started hissing at me. We all knew that black cats were bad luck in some religions when we were researching. But in some if you see a black cat in front of you home it’s good luck. “Hey mom look a black cat in front of our house!” I say cheerfully. But isn’t a black…” cutting Mel off I say “I found out just yesterday that if a black cat visits your at you house in some religions it’s very good luck.” I said and as soon as I said that it seemed that the cat just vanished and the rain began to turning into a heavy drizzle. We all smiled and my mom drove us to school.
Chapter 13
At school my mom hugged me hard and told me to take care. “I’ll be ok I have Mel.” And we go in the school. Once we’re in the class I seemed to have tripped and almost hit my head on pins weirdly on the ground but Mel grabbed me on time. “Oups seemed to have tripped on thin air.” I say making it clear that I didn’t trip on anything. As I look back the only thing on the ground was gems. “It’s ok” she said with a forced smile. On our way to French I walked past the ladder it “fell” and almost hit me but Mel again my hero pushed me and again I was safe. “You’re my hero” I say to Mel using a fake high pitched voice and fluttered my eyelashes and we grinned heading to French. French is when I really almost died. Our French teacher told us to make some props for our play and a boy named Jonus was holding scissors it looked like me this morning he tripped on nothing and lost grip of the scissors and it went flying directly to my forehead. Mel had been going to grab a glue stick and was on the other side of the room when she saw what happened she screamed my name. I only had a second to realize what was happening and closed my eyes almost sure I was going to die I froze and my hands became cold. But at the time something should have hit me something from the side hit me and I fell. When I open my eyes…… Alex was on top of me. He had saved my life. Luckily no one was behind me and the scissors hit the wall. No one spoke then everyone stared at us. He pulled me up and asked “Are you ok” Taking a deep breath I smiled shakily and said “I’m great” and thanked him. Justin went to the office to explain and when I was about to walk to Mel, Alex whispered “Can we talk at recess” I didn’t know what he was going to tell me so I nodded and walked to Mel. “OH MY GOD are you ok I swear I will never leave your side ever again.” She said whispering. “I’m fine but Alex wants to talk to me at recess.” I said. She turned to stare at him and said “I’ll make him let me listen too I’m not letting you out of my site.” At recess Alex seemed to already know that Mel was going with us and he lead us to the same spot I told Mel about the curse.”Do you mind if you explain to me?” he asked.”Explain what?” Mel asked back. “From this morning Lexi you tripped and almost hit pins, you almost got squished flat by a ladder, and killed with scissors. Either it’s the Friday 13th bad luck or….. You’re having a really bad day.” He said with his hand in his pocket. “Alex can I talk to Lexi for a minute” He nodded and she led me a bit farther. “Look Lexi he saved your life when I couldn’t I say we tell him the truth.” She said half asking me for permission. “Sure” I say slowly. As we went back Mel explained everything we knew. He actually was a lot calmer then me and Mel. “Well that makes more sense” he said awkwardly. And he did what I never thought he would do. He hugged me. “Thanks” I said surprised. That was my first word after what happened. “Do you mind if I help you too?” he asked making me surprised. “Um… Sure and thanks.” I said. The rain had turned into a drizzle by then. When school was almost over, Mel, me, and Alex were sitting beside a plug. As I unplugged it I saw a spark then suddenly a flame appeared and grew bigger eating the carpet. Mel garbed my hand and Alex pulled the alarm. We had to sit in the rain for about an hour. When we were waiting I said “Weird I wonder how the fire started.” Mel and Alex both said “I don’t know” at the same time and we laughed. At the end of the day my mom had said she would pick us up but she phoned us the curse had changed her bosses mind and made him say if she didn’t go to work today she would be fired. I thought that was the most stupidest thing I ever heard. She was always at work in time and was one of the best and hardest workers if I do say so myself. I told her right away she had to and I told her about Alex. “Well I feel better that you have two other people” she said and then we said bye to each other.
Chapter 14
We missed the bus when I was talking to my mom. So we had to walk home. We started to chat. “So Alex where did you come from I kind of missed it cause of all the things that was happening.” I say. “Well I came from Edmonton” he said. “Oh that cool” Mel said and we smiled. “You want to sing the devil in the blue dress Alex?” Mel asked.”What in what?” he said sounding completely lost and we both burst out laughing. “We did some researching yesterday of how to deal with the curse and one way is to sing the devil in the blue dress.” I explain and he burst out laughing too. “Well sure” he said. Why on earth did Mel have to suggest that?! “I printed the lyrics at French so follow me my children” Mel said and we burst out laughing again. “So it goes like this Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress. Devil with the blue dress on. Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress. Devil with the blue dress on.” We all laugh as we repeat it stupidly. “Fe, fe, fi, fi, fo, fo, fum. Look at Molly now, here she come wearin' a wig, hat, shades to match high healed sneakers and an alligator hat. Wearin' her diamonds, wearin' a big ring. She got razors on her fingers and everything. Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress. Devil with the blue dress on. Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress. Devil with the blue dress on. Wearin' her perfume, Chanelle number five got to be the finest looking woman girl alive. She looks so pretty every time she walks by. The boys are too nervous, even to say hi not too skinny, not too fat. She's a real humdinger and I love her like that Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress Devil with the blue dress on Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress Devil with the blue dress on. By the time we finished the drizzle was even lighter but we were all soaking wet. “We sound like kindergarteners.” I said. When we turned around the corner suddenly a car was coming straight at me. This time I was ready and confident and jumped back but water splashed on my shoes. The driver a middle aged woman ran out of her car to find me. “Are you ok? I am so sorry my car just went all chaotic and when I stepped on the brake it just went faster!” she said almost yelling with tears streaming down her face. She was probably thinking we were going to call the police. “It’s ok I said smiling at her.” She looked at me like I was crazy. She opened her mouth and closed it. “I’m ok and its Friday the 13th say la vie this is life.” I say. She nodded. “Thank you” and she went to her car and drove away. “Lexi you sounded crazy like some peace maker and how they go like it’s ok all is peace say la vie!” and we burst out laughing. When we went back I asked Alex and Mel if he wanted to stay for dinner. They took turns calling and both said ok. My mom opened the door and sighed and hugged me. “Mom is it ok if Mel and Alex stay for dinner?” I ask. Sure so how was your day? Well other than almost falling in pins, almost being squished by a ladder, almost stabbed by scissors in the forehead, almost being burned to death by a fire, and almost being hit by a car my day was pretty good. We all laughed weakly a
nd my mom looking pale. Well let’s get some pizza.
Chapter 15
We were eating pizza and I offered to get bowls for ice cream and guess what happened yep without touching it all fell to the ground. “Look devil if you break any more cups or bowls I am so going to put you in a blue dress!” I say angrily and all of us burst out laughing again. There was a loud burst of thunder and we all froze. “LEXI THE RAINS GONE” Mel yelled. We all rushed to the door. A big rainbow spread across the sky and the sky was pink and yellow. It took a moment for me to realize that I was curse free. “OMG IM CURSE FREE” I say pumping my fists. I never ever thought I could me so happy. I blushed realizing I was sounding all childish and as Alex smiled at me. “Well I’ll call your aunt!” My mom said. Once we finished our Ice cream Mel stayed home with my mom to tell her what happened today and me and Alex went to the park. Guess what we found little Miss Courtney. We were chatting when she barged into us and glared at me. “Hey Courtney what’s up?” I say smiling. “I came here to ask if Alex wanted to hang out on Sunday. “She asked with her sugar sweet voice. “Actually I was wondering if Lexi wanted to come to my house on Monday?” he turned to face me. Her mouth dropped open and walked away. “So want to?” he asked. “I would love too” and we laughed and I wondered how awkward it would be…. Oh well… When I entered the house my mom told me that she had phoned my aunt and they wanted to come here to visit us at March break. “Lexi I got the best idea ever what if we all plant a tree when they come? Plus it’s spring at that time.” Mel asked. “That would be great since our front yard looks the barest this year.” I said. “Are you coming Alex?” I ask. “Sure” He said. “Let’s plant it at the 13th as a stupid inside joke.” Mel exclaimed and we all laughed.