Bella Notte

by Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

  “Good. Just a little trust.” He smiled at me.

  I put down my glass and watched as the room started to fill up.

  Many people were dressed like we were- all black- others were dressed in a mix of colors and fashions. No matter what they wore, they all looked over at the booth when they came in. I felt anxious. I knew what Dominic had told me, but I didn't know why we were treated like royalty and I sure as heck didn't understand why they all looked this way, but stayed a distance. I felt like my entire life had become some sort of conspiracy theory thing and that we must be hidden royalty or something, I just couldn't put my finger on it.

  “They fear you. No, that is not correct … they fear what you think of them. Let us dance.” He stood and took my hand. I finally noticed that there was music playing. It was like Irish punk. I greatly enjoyed it. It helped to calm my nerves as I walked unsteadily beside

  Dominic. He looked like he could easily rule a mass of people. I felt shy, but I knew that I fit here. These really were my people.

  The melody changed into a slow song- it felt like it was filled with sorrow. I knew it was in the language I didn't know- the one from my dream- but that I'd understood.

  Dominic turned me into his arms and we rocked back and further to the sway of the music.

  I listened to the lyrics and felt as though my heart was tearing. It was a song of loss, pain, and war. It was of the history of these people. They had been plagued by a war that had no end in sight. They were born into the struggle of life- of light and dark. The middle switched on me- it turned to hope. They dreamed of the pair that would end the wars. Peace would come when she chose.

  Dominic twirled me around the room. Faces flashed by as the people watched. No one else danced though. I felt like I was in a strange dream.

  The song continued to speak of the dreams the children were raised with- a queen that held the love of the enemy king. They were destined to be apart, but they loved each other greatly. They each went with their own kind and fell in love, but it was their love that ended the wars. They held great celebrations to honor the other kind and to rejoice at the marriage of their lost love. No, not lost, but held back. They chose their fate; they chose to save a fighting people, then to save their love.

  The song shifted once more. The time of peace would last until the death of one- caused by the rebel of their people. Then war would erupt inside their own kind. The love would fight even against the words of their partner. The other would die. But in that death a new peace would form. A peace that was created once more by their very love. It would be that love that held the peace in place for thousands of years.

  My cheeks were wet when we stopped dancing. I did not understand the full meaning of the song, but I knew that I did not want to think that this peace hadn't happened and these poor people were still stuck in a loop of chaos and death. I wiped my cheeks and stepped back from Dominic. I could see in his eyes that something important was transpiring, but I couldn't put my hand on it.

  The music picked back up into another song, this was a fast bouncy song.

  I felt the urge to lighten my mood and wanted so badly for these people with their fangs, collars, spikes, ties, and other oddities, to be happy. I started to bounce around Dominic, playfully. I messed with his perfectly manicured hair and then slipped out of his reach. He played with me and followed me into the crowd of bystanders.

  My mood became infectious and soon the room was moving with the beat. I had been accepted amongst them and they knew I had accepted them. I finally felt fully at home. I never wanted to leave.

  The night passed with my dancing with various different people of various different ages and genders. I laughed and they laughed with me. I exhausted myself. I was so tired I lied down in the booth. Dominic covered me with a light blanket as he talked with a few people.

  I listened as the words colored my sleepy thoughts. “You really believe that she doesn't know?”... “Has she been so sheltered?”... “Why would they not tell her?” I couldn't hear his responses, but I knew the feelings he would convey of the idiocy of my family. I fell asleep.

  Chapter Six

  When I woke up, I was in my room at the castle. How did I get here?

  I remembered the night before with perfect clarity, so I knew Dominic didn't lie about the liquid. I felt happy and yet sad. I could easily explain the happiness I felt, but the sadness was a mystery. I got up to check my email. There was one from Mike.

  Emma.

  I am glad that you are enjoying Italy. It sounds like a bunch of fun. I am so sorry that I do not have answers to the questions you asked. I have had only my family until I found you, and that makes it hard to completely ignore their wishes. Her name is Acacia- it means thorn and she has only been kind to me. She is your age, but she has already had her change. She doesn't really need to enroll in classes because she has tested out of home school, but because she will be here she must be enrolled for some funky reason. I think you would like her. Her family is from Ireland – like mine. She speaks fluent Gaelic though, I think it sounds awesome. I am glad that you have had some answers to the questions that I cannot answer. Yes, I know about the “change” but my family has sworn me to secrecy. I am sorry. But they say we won't wait much longer, if that helps. I miss you, if you can believe that. I know I suck right now. I hope one day this will all be clear.

  Mike.

  I sighed and shut off my computer. I didn't want to read about how great this girl was. I knew I didn't like her, but it wasn't her fault. I was still dressed in last night's clothes so I changed into some yoga pants and a huge gray sweatshirt. I washed the makeup off my face, and tied my hair back into a pony tail. Screw him today. I am not writing back.

  I glared at my computer like it was the cause of this chaos in my life. It's your own fault for putting all your eggs in one basket! I really hated my internal voice sometimes.

  I grabbed my Dracula book and went downstairs. I went to the kitchen and put together my breakfast picnic. I found a small pack and filled it with pastries, fruit, and a bottle of apple juice. I took my pack and headed to the beach.

  I got to the edge of the cliff and stared down. I knew I could do this. It was all about landing. I tried to figure out another path down to that beach, but I couldn't find one. I had taken tumbling classes and such, but jumping off cliffs wasn't covered in that.

  I thought about it for a few minutes and decided that it was about fate. If I believed I would be fine then I would be. I crouched down and took a breath. I slid to the very edge and pushed my legs over the edge and down the face. My arms held me to the wall and my feet clung to a very small ledge. I must have looked like a huge spider. I took one more deep breath and jumped.

  I didn't die- but both my feet hurt from absorbing the impact. Clearly didn't land that one correctly, Emma. Oh, shut up! I was talking to myself. I must be losing my mind.

  I walked in the opposite direction from the cave and found a little cove. It obviously wasn't disturbed often, so I decided this was a good spot. I sat down in the warm sand, dug my feet in and felt the cool damp sand underneath wrap around my toes. I slipped my pack off and began to munch on the contents. I laid back and watched the clouds drift across the sky. The sun was hiding now, and I wasn't sure if it mattered. I was enjoying the solitude of this secret place.

  I read a few pages of Dracula and then I switched to lying on my stomach. I watched the waves roll in and out. I tried not to think about everything with Mike, Dominic, and last night. It was difficult, but I managed.

  The sun moved on in the sky, as I could see the bright bulb hiding behind a cloud toward the west. I heard the footsteps before he said anything.

  “So, Emma, you have found my beach.” He smiled at me.

  “I'm sorry, but I thought it was a pleasant spot.” I looked up at him, shielding my eyes from the brightness that hung behind him.

  “Oh, no worries, mia bella. What's mine is yours. I thought you might like some lunch,
being that you only took breakfast stuff.” He nodded toward my now empty pack.

  “Well, yes, that would be nice.” I patted the sand next to me.

  He sat close to me, but did not lie down as I was. He put the bag of food between us and noshed as he stared out into the sea.

  “What's wrong, Dominic?” I sat up because his face looked concerned to me.

  “I was thinking about how I still know so much about you because your parents are always visiting and sharing news, but you know nothing of me since we were children.” He looked over at me.

  “That isn't entirely true. I know about you from what I have experienced. The good and the bad.” I winked at him.

  “Yes, but you do not know how I got to this point. I would like to share with you. If you don't mind?” He looked back out to sea.

  “Of course, I don't mind, you nut.” I laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder.

  “After we left, I was miserable. Issy was sad but she made friends quickly. I didn't want to make friends, I wanted to go back and be with you. It took me some time before I got involved in our own culture. I became deeply involved when my teenage years came to be. That was the time when I was told the truth. I wanted to experience it all. I left home and traveled. I went to see the places that we had stories about. I talked with many scholars. Then I came home. I had a much better understanding than my parents- certainly more than your parents. I heard your prophecy. I knew I had to see you. The time wasn't right though, you needed to be closer to your time of change. So, I went and experienced my change. I celebrated it. I enjoyed it. And I founded the club you went to last night. I created a safe haven for our kind. I got the tattoos on my body from my travels, and I tried to share the knowledge with those that came to my club. I never forgot you. I never forgot what I felt when I was with you. I waited until the time came and our families arranged it all. I was overjoyed. The rest you know.” He continued to stare out at the crashing sea.

  I smiled at him. I felt very important to have earned his confidence.

  “Dominic. You are a very interesting person. I am glad that you came to talk to me. Definitely more interesting than Dracula.” I smiled at him.

  The rest of the afternoon was passed sitting on the beach making small confessions about our lives and such. He showed me how to get back up the cliff- which I thought I'd surely die doing. Then we ate dinner and he told me that we had been invited to attend a celebration for the change of a close friend of both families. Of course I couldn't say no. He said that it would be different slightly because they all knew about me and wanted to include me in the affair. He also told me that I had a dress waiting for me in my room. I wanted to rush up and find it, but he said I had to wait until tomorrow. I would be wearing the dress for most of the day and he didn't want me to get sick of it. I sighed and agreed.

  I went to my bedroom and found a garment bag hanging on the back of the bathroom door. I wanted to peek, but I didn't. Instead I went to bed.

  My room was cold when I awoke. It was raining and the darkness from outside had crept into my very being. I got out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. It was nice and warm inside, so I greatly appreciated that. I took a shower and felt a little better. I am getting so tired of that stupid dream and its constant shift. What the heck happened to its stability?

  I dried off and wrapped the towel around me. That is when I remembered the dress. The garment bag hung innocently on the back of the door. I walked over and pulled the zipper down.

  I noticed that it was black. The material was a black satin, and it was long. I pulled the dress forward so that the bag slipped behind it. It was strapless, and had an A-line waist. The bottom had black stones sown into it that crept up along the bottom and then up the side. It was like a rose bush climbing up a wall- only it wasn't roses. The stones were black but gave off the aura of stars. I noticed that around the hanger hung a necklace with similar stones and a pair of diamond stud earrings. This is all too much. I don't belong here. I don't like big gatherings and such. I sighed and pushed the dress back in and zipped it up. I heard the shoes hit the door from the bottom of the bag. Way too much.

  I walked downstairs with a cloud hanging over me. I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd woken up with. The dress was lovely, but I didn't feel like I was part of this world. I had grown up in a small town and we did not have big events or live in a freaking castle. This castle was too much and all the functions that they attended. My life back home was easier for me. I was a wallflower by choice and an outcast by action. Mike understood that. Well, he did before he found out that he was betrothed. Stupid Acacia … what kind of name is that? It means thorn … well; she is one in my arse! I sighed and walked into the kitchen. Come to think of it, the kitchen was the only room that was normal. It didn't have any special décor, it was a kitchen. I enjoyed that. I loved how beautiful the house was, but it was over the top and called attention to itself.

  I sighed and put my head into my hands. I sat on a stool with my elbows on the cold quartz. I sat there until my head felt less fuzzy. I ate quickly for fear of it coming back up. I didn't want to go tonight, but I knew it was something I wanted to see.

  I found Dominic in the library and thanked him for the dress. He told me it was a gift from his mother. I asked him to thank her for me. I asked when we would be leaving and he said noon, it took two hours to get to the estate we were going to. I thanked him once more and walked away.

  It was ten when I got back into my room. I lay down in my bed once more and stared up at the ceiling. What is wrong with me today? I know, it's Mike and Dominic. It seems like I don't get a choice any more. Mike has his betrothed and he isn't sure who he wants. I am scared he'll choose her. Dominic is here now, he cares, and he isn't at all what I thought he was. There so much that we have in common … but I can’t make myself stop believes in Mike. Maybe, when I get home, this will be easier?

  I laid there thinking and hoping that an answer would come. It didn't. Instead ten forty-five rolled around and I couldn't sit around any longer. I went into the bathroom to get ready. I took another shower to re-wet my hair, and then put my hair into pinned curls once I got out. I slipped the dress on. It felt like velvet and it fit wonderfully. I placed the jewelry on, and I noticed that it all shone like stars. I applied a gentle shimmer to my exposed skin and saw the effect was like the glittering of stars. I slid my eyeshadow across my lids and left behind the faintest tint of pink. One must have some color. My eyeliner was a simple gray that brought out the different colors in my green eyes. For my lips, I slicked on a clear gloss.

  By the time I had finished everything else, my hair was dry. I unpinned the curls and let them fall. I gathered them together into a standard bun, but allowed a few to escape. I can't be absolutely perfect, there has to be some sort of originality.

  I found the shoes in the bottom of the bag and slipped them on they were black, satin covered, peek-a-boo pumps. I loved them. I knew I didn't bring a shawl, and it was raining, but I didn't care. I wanted to feel something normal on my skin.

  I met everyone downstairs at exactly noon. I clearly wasn't overdressed because everyone was attired in similar themed, yet different styles. The grandparents of the group were by far the most modest of us. Their clothes were of a different period. It was beautiful to see. We were all adorned in black. I'd have to ask Dom about that. My father wore a basic tux, and my mother wore a simple black slip dress. Dominic's parents wore similar things. But Dominic, he was dressed to kill. He was in all black again, except for a blood red tie. I could see the older members of our party eyeing it cautiously. His suit fit him perfectly, and the black shirt under was a perfect match. I was impressed at how easily he glided through the different roles he held, something that I had never had to do and wasn't sure it was something I even wanted to have to do. He offered me his arm, and I took it.

  The front door was opened and there was now an awning covering the walk out to the car- which was a limo. How is tha
t going to get across the sea? I inched closer to Dominic and felt better than I had most of the day.

  “Why are we wearing black?” I asked as we walked out to the limo.

  “It is the color of life. It is often worn at weddings, births, and these kinds of celebrations. It is common in our culture. It is only in death that we wear all white,” he said as he helped me into the car.

  “Oh,” was my brilliant comment.

  The ride was long and I felt cramped even in the large space everyone was taking up as much space as would allow with so many inside the vehicle.

  I stared out the window and watched the world go by. Time ticked by, but I did not notice. My mind was filled with questions and self-searching.

  When we arrived, I wasn't surprised to find it to be another huge estate. It wasn't shaped like a castle, but it implied the wealth of such. It was a large tan villa with Terracotta tiles. I enjoyed getting out of the car and stretching my legs. I was completely intimidated by the vastness of the home in front of me and the show of their wealth. The rain still poured out of the sky like a running faucet, but they too had a covering.

  Dominic escorted me up the stairs and into the main hall. We were directed as soon as we reached this room, I assumed it was to keep the flow of traffic going.

  The next room had three people that we were supposed to talk to before advancing. Dominic quickly told me that it was Amelie on the end, and her mother and father. Amelie was the girl celebrating her change. I watched and waited as the rest of the entourage walked gracefully up to them, shook each hand and said something. Dominic led me up after.