His blue eyes sparkled in the subdued light. I walked towards him, trying to hide my growing attraction.
“So, having fun yet?” he asked playfully, as he dipped in to another bag and started unpacking it.
“Ummm kind of,” I replied. I had never been so nervous. I could hear my own heavy breathing. Keep it cool, I thought to myself, as I focused on the bag I was unloading.
“Only kind of? Come on, you love it here.” Justin gave me a playful nudge, which sent a surge of heat rushing to my face. My cheeks gained a scarlet tint to them. Did he know how I felt? “Seriously though, do you not want to be here? I can take you home?”
Great! He thinks I’m a wimp, I remember thinking. I really didn’t want to be there though. All my senses were screaming at me to take him up on the offer, but I couldn’t. If I had left at that point, I would have gone off on the following Monday and probably never again see the only, genuinely nice guy I had ever met.
“It’s not that I don’t want to be here, it’s just…” I looked around the place and then back to Justin. “You know?”
“I see your point. It’s not exactly The Warldorf.”
“No it’s certainly not,” I replied. We were both smiling now at the little joke we had shared. I noticed a glint in his eyes when he smiled at me. I wanted to just fling myself at him, but I also didn’t want him to think I was desperate and needy either. God, did I want to be with him though. The only thing that was stopping me was my own irrational fear of rejection. What if he didn’t feel the same? I would have looked stupid.
At that moment, Justin took a step closer to me, never once taking his eyes off of mine. My heart thundered. My legs felt like jelly. He took my hands and I was acutely aware of my soaking palms, which were unlike his bone dry ones. He pulled me close.
“You’ll be safe. I’ll be with you,” he whispered.
I didn’t know what to say. This was it. My moment. It was as if he had read my mind. His head bent towards mine. I closed my eyes.
The door slammed shut with an almighty bang.
I near jumped out of my skin letting out a high pitched yelp at the same time. The wind outside was howling a gale. Justin took me by the shoulders.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he said, trying to hide his amusement.
“It’s not funny,” My whole body was shaking. I wanted out. “What the hell was that bang?” My eyes were frantically darting around, trying to find the source of the commotion.
“Look it was just the wind blowing the front door shut.” His eyes burned deep inside me, but his ever present smile was reassuring. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” I had stopped shaking. The uneasy feeling still hadn’t left. It was probably nothing. I had to calm down. I wiped my hands across my face. “I feel so stupid!”
Justin laughed. “Well it could happen to anyone. This place is weird. Even I’m a bit scared. But do you know what’s good for fear?” He turned to the table with his back to me then jumped back around. “Wine!” He held out his arm and raised his eyebrows, thrusting the wine bottle under his other arm. “Would madam like to accompany me to the parlour?”
I picked up two glasses and returned with a mock curtsey. “Why certainly, sir.”
The two of us made our way back to the living room, avoiding cobwebs as we stepped through the archway. The room had become even darker now, but it wasn’t quite night yet.
Tim and Chelsea came bouncing in to the room, Tim with a grin the width of the Hudson and Chelsea wiping the sides of her mouth with a hand.
“Hey don’t start without us,” Tim said in his deep voice, as he spotted the wine bottle under Justin’s arm.
“What was that bang we heard?” Chelsea asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice.
“I told you babe, it was the bogey man come to get you. Mwahaha!”
Tim tickled her until they both collapsed on the ancient sofa, a cloud of dust dispersing in to the air on impact.
“Okay guys, I don’t need a live porn show,” I said, grabbing Chelsea by the shoulder and pulling her up. “It was just the front door. You and I are going to go freshen up.” I gave Chelsea a stern look, which was returned with a look of disappointment in her hazel eyes. A few minutes ago I had been a shaking mess, ready to bolt out the door like a thoroughbred. Now here I was, taking charge of the group.
I wasn’t sure what had caused the change in me. I was astonished. I had always been one to sit back and let others take charge. My whole life, I had been pampered and privileged. I’d never needed to take charge of anything. I felt like an adult for the first time in my existence. I guess it was because I wanted to enjoy my last days as a kid and not be afraid anymore. I turned to Justin.
“We won’t be long. You can poor me a glass ready for when we get back if you want?” I shot him the most seductive look I could muster.
“Okay, will do,” he returned with a wink.
I took one last look at the forlorn portrait hanging above the fireplace. The young girl’s eyes stared back at me. There was something, but my mind couldn’t grasp it. I pushed it from my thoughts and followed Chelsea deeper in to the bowls of the house.
Chapter Thirteen
Chelsea led the way up the long narrow staircase with me close behind. Even though my fear of the house had abated, I still didn’t want to find myself alone anytime soon. I was walking so close, that Chelsea’s feathery red hair kept tickling my face. Not that she had noticed how close I was. She was too busy nattering away about how cool Tim was and how he was such a good kisser, at which point I switched off and began to think about my own love life.
I had never really had a proper boyfriend. I’d had boyfriends, but none of the relationships had lasted long. I thought I had loved them, but there was one fundamental problem; I couldn’t bring myself to sleep with them. It wasn’t that I was shy. I had done other stuff. I was afraid the guys would hurt me. Physically and emotionally. So many times Chelsea had come to me in floods of tears after a guy had dumped her, and each time it was the sex that had made it more complicated. The first time, I even had to help her get the morning after pill. Chelsea’s attitude towards sex had become very cavalier and I secretly envied her for that, as I’d finally met a decent guy and I didn’t want to lose him.
The upstairs of the house was the same dank and dreary as below. In places, the wallpaper had rotted away revealing termite infested walls. There was very little light coming through the dirt encrusted windows, but what little that did manage to fight its way through the stains, cast sinister shadows across the floorboards. When the last rays of light dipped behind the horizon, I realised we would need torches to see. Chelsea led me in to the first bedroom. There were three in all, two on this floor and one on the top floor, with one bathroom and what would have been a study downstairs with the living room and kitchen.
Chelsea suddenly spun around, making me jump. “Did you bring condoms?” Her face was serious.
“No I did not,” I replied, taken aback by the suddenness of the question. “And if I did, who’s to say I wouldn’t want to use them myself?” That was my way of broaching the subject.
“You?” Chelsea returned, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms.
“Why not?”
“Because you don’t do sex. You never have.”
“Well…Maybe things have changed.” They had, but I wanted to ease in to the subject.
“You’re serious aren’t you? Ooo, you have to tell me more.”
“I like Justin. A lot. I haven’t told you, but we’ve been spending time together, just the two of us. And now…I think I love him.”
“You love him?”
It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. No fire balls flew from her eyes. No rivers of blood. The apocalypse I had envisioned at my secret revelation never came.
“He’s a nice guy,” she continued. “But you barely know him, Rach. Even I don’t know him that well.”
“I know,
but there’s something about him. I know he likes me. We almost kissed downstairs, but that damn door stopped us. I felt so stupid.”
Chelsea laughed and poked me. “You dumb ass. Well, I’m not going to say don’t do it. But think about it first. You don’t want to go rushing in to something you’ll regret.”
“I haven’t rushed in to it. Tonight’s the night.”
And it would be, I thought. With all the alcohol we would be consuming, something was bound to happen. I would wait until Chelsea and Tim disappeared, and they evidently would, then I would make my move. It wasn’t the greatest place to be for my first time, but with a few candles it could’ve even turned out quite romantic.
Chelsea took me by the hands and looked me straight in the eyes. “Promise me you’ll be careful.” There was genuine concern in her voice.
“I promise. And you too,” I replied, giving her a wry smile.
“You know me, baby girl,” she said, winking back at me. “Right, I need the toilet. I’ll be right back.” And with that she left me all alone in the gloom.
It wasn’t a huge room, I realised, as I stepped further in to the darkness. From the looks of what was left of the decoration and furniture, it would once have been a child’s bedroom. In one corner sat a dolls house, all decked out with dust riddled furniture. The only inhabitants left were the spiders that seemed to infest every room of the house. Along another wall stood a small bed. At the bottom of it lay an old wooden chest which, at some point, would have held the occupant’s belongings. I remember wondering what secrets the box used to contain, as I moved around the room. On the wall next to the bed was a single shelf, displaying a collection of four china dolls. Each one had been disfigured in some way. Two had missing eyes, their blank sockets highlighted by their bright smiles. One had no hair making its smooth skull look oddly cue ball shaped. The final doll had half of its face smashed in, giving it a menacing look. This particular dolls arm was extended out, reaching in to the blackness of the room, as if it was pointing to something. Its single eye bored in to me, imploring that I take a look. The sight caused me to give an involuntary shudder. The room was giving me the creeps, but something was compelling me to follow the arm. Curiosity killed the cat, I thought, as I walked over to the grime encrusted window.
Outside it had finally gone black, as the night set in. I looked out over the countryside, unable to see anything. The woods, the road, the blank fields. All of it was out there somewhere, under the darkness. I realised how far away we were from any form of civilisation.
In space, no one can hear you scream.
The tagline popped in to my head, as I looked for signs of life. We weren’t in space, but I certainly doubted anyone would hear us if we were to scream. Chelsea seemed to be taking ages. The thought made the uneasiness I had felt earlier creep back in. To calm my nerves, I stared at my reflection in the window pane.
I had always considered myself to be a plain looking girl. Green eyes, a short, sharp nose, a few freckles and thin lips with perfect straight teeth. My hair was in a ponytail, pencil black in colour. When I was younger, the kids at school used to make fun of me, until Chelsea hit one, knocking out two teeth. They never did it again, but I still hadn’t been that popular. I guess that was the real reason why I was still a virgin.
“What the hell?” I said, more to myself than anyone in particular.
Outside, staring straight at me, was the young girl from the portrait. She was standing by the swing. Her white dress had a red circular stain in the middle. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, thinking that I was seeing things. As I looked closer the girl was half smiling and half snarling. I shot from the room.
“Guys, guys, come quick,” I hollered down the corridor.
Chelsea came out the bathroom. “What is it, hun? What’s wrong?”
“The girl. The girl from the portrait is outside.”
“What portrait?”
“The one in the living room. We have to get out of here.”
“Calm down Rach and stop being ridiculous. There are no such things as ghosts. You’re just seeing things.”
The guys came bounding up the stairs, Justin in the lead. He looked at us. “What’s going on? We heard shouting.”
“Rach thinks she saw something outside. A girl, or something.”
I noticed the hint of annoyance in Chelsea’s voice.
“I saw her!”
“Saw who?” Justin asked gently, looking straight at me.
“I saw the young girl from the portrait in the living room. She was standing right by the swing. Go take a look for yourselves.”
Justin, Chelsea and Tim moved to the window. A few moments passed before Justin turned back. “There’s nothing there, Rach.”
“Told you,” added Chelsea, raising her eyebrows.
“But I saw her.”
Justin came over to me and took my hand. He led me over to the window and pointed out. “See, just the tree and the swing.”
“But…”
“For the love of God Rach, there’s nothing there. Come on Tim. Let’s get this party started.”
And with that, Chelsea led a cheering Tim out the room and back down the stairs. For the second time that day, I was left alone with Justin. Whatever I had seen was gone now. But the face of the girl was still vivid in my memory. Justin continued to hold my hand. He had such a calming influence.
“Don’t worry. Your imagination is bound to play tricks on you in a creepy old house like this.”
“I saw something Justin, I know I did.”
“It was probably kids. We’re not the only people around here. Mr and Mrs Clarke live just around the next hill. Their grandkids are always playing pranks up here.”
The explanation seemed to sound genuine. I didn’t have anything else better to explain what I’d seen out in the darkness. It was reasonable to agree with his suggestion. I could feel my pulse slowing and my mind becoming more rational.
“You must think I’m an idiot,” I said, looking at the floor.
He lifted my head and looked in to my eyes. “Not at all. In fact I think you’re cute.”
I was lost in the overwhelming sense of strength that his gaze gave me. A minute passed, then another. Or that’s what it felt like. In reality, it was seconds. But I had gone further than that. I could see a bright future with just me and him. Nothing else mattered. I’ve never wanted anything more than I wanted him in those passing moments.
“While we’re alone,” he said, reaching in to his back pocket. “I want to give you something.”
My heart had picked up speed again.
“It was my Grandmothers.”
Dangling in front of my face was a beautiful silver locket. I felt hypnotised, as it spun on its chain, every now and then winking like a star every time the faint light caught the smooth surface.
“I can’t accept this.”
“Don’t you like it?”
“Oh no, it’s beautiful,” I replied. “But it’s too much.”
Justin smiled. “Let me put it on. I want you to have it.”
He gently placed it around my neck. My senses were filled with him. It was intoxicating to the point where it was making my head spin.
“It suits you,” he said stepping back.
“Thank you so much. I’ll never take it off, I promise.”
Then I kissed him, overtaken by an impulse. I’ll never forget. It was a long sweet kiss that made my body tingle. He obviously felt the same, as he kissed me back. I noticed his lips were dry, but firm, as his tongue explored my mouth. I could tell he had done this before. Our lips parted leaving me wanting more.
He looked down, fidgeting on his feet. “That was unexpected.”
“I’m sorry if I got-”
“No, no, I liked it.” He looked up, placing a hand on my burning cheek. “It was a nice surprise.”
We just giggled together before kissing again, all inhibitions gone. The second time was even more amazing than the first, withou
t the nervousness acting like an invisible barrier between us. Playful screams pulled us apart.
“Shall we go join the others?” he asked. “We don’t want them starting without us.”
“Okay.”
Justin led me back to the rest of the group. I had almost forgotten the incident at the window.
Chapter Fourteen
“Wow, a kiss. That must’ve been a special moment for you?”
“It was my first real kiss,” Rachel replied, the sensation of his lips lingering on her mouth with the memory.
There was never a day went by where she didn't think about it, or remember how wonderful she felt at that moment. A first kiss is something a girl always remembers, she thought, trying to hide her sadness. Everything in her life seemed so simple back then. All she had to worry about was the usual teenage angst that everyone goes through. Now it felt like the world was on her shoulders. So much had changed.
“Have you and Nathan ever kissed?”
“No, why do you ask?”
“You two seem very close. It would be natural for two young people that close, to experiment, especially when they’re of the opposite sex.”
“Nathan and I are close, but not in that way. We've been friends for far too long to let something like that get in the way. If it didn't work out and I lost him as a friend, I would be devastated.”
“I see.”
The thought of Nathan made her think about Becky. They were out on the town somewhere. Rachel had never known two people who were more suited to each other than her friends. She just hoped they realised it as well.
***
The sickly yellow lights reflected off of the filth stained white tiles, making the small men’s room look brighter than it actually was. The stench of urine wafted around the room, permeating every nook and cranny. The walls that weren't covered in dirt were instead covered with posters of semi-naked women clinging to the wall. Seductive eyes stared out at the male patrons relieving themselves after filling their bladders with destructive liquids.
The House of Wood Page 10