The Night That Changed My Life

8/9/2019 The Night That Changed My Life

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The Night that Changed My LifeBy

Sammi Chung



Prologue:

Seven Years Ago

Niki grabbed the remaining things on the floor and ran to the car. It’s alright,

Niki. Pretend like nothing happened and everything would be alright , Niki thought trying

to calm herself. She concentrated so much to calming herself that she didn’t noticed that

her best friend, Celeste, was standing by the car waiting for her. Niki looked and tried to

hide the clothes from Celeste, but it was too late.

Celeste already saw everything. Her eyes widened like she just saw a ghost or

worst.

“Niki,” she said. “What are hiding?”“Nothing,” Niki whispered opening the door to her car, but Celeste closed it.

“Niki, what are you doing,” Celeste demanded now raising her voice. “If you

don’t tell me right now, I’m not going to let you leave.”

Niki swallowed, hard. “Please, Celeste,” she begged. “Let me leave. You’ve got

to help me.”



Celeste sighed. “Then tell me, Niki. Tell me everything.”

Niki broke down and was leaning on the car for support. “I didn’t mean to,

Celeste. I didn’t mean to kill him. It wasn’t me that killed him, it wasn’t me,” she

whispered as tears slide down her eyes.

Celeste’s widened, but this not with fear, but with concern. “Who did you kill,”

she asked.

“L—Leigh,” she answered. Her head shot up. “It wasn’t me that killed him; it was

the demon inside of me. I couldn’t... I couldn’t stop it. It took control of me. I really

didn’t mean to.”

Niki buried her head into Celeste’s arm. “It really wasn’t me.” Celeste smoothed

her hair back and took a deep breath. “Niki, get up. You’re going to stay in the car while I

go and clean up.”

“Clean up,” Niki said. “What do you mean clean up?”

“Niki, you can’t leave a corpse in there and wait for people to find it,” she

answered. “You have to trust me. Stay in the car and do not come out until I come back.

Promise me, you’ll listen to me.”

All Niki could do was nod. “Okay, now stay in the car,” Celeste said half carrying

Niki into the car.

Celeste ran back to the abandon factory and saw Leigh lying there looking

lifeless. She inched over and looked for any sign of life. But there was none, she was

truly dead. She started to drag the body to the lake outside when suddenly Leigh’s eyes

flew opened and broke away from Celeste’s grip.

“So you’re a Shadow too,” Leigh said.

“So are you,” Celeste said surprised at how calm she said it. “What are you here

for?”

“You know what I want, Celeste Benson,” Leigh said. “Give me the Seal.”

Celeste laughed throwing her head back. “What, you think you could tell me what

to do,” she said.

“I know you have it,” Leigh said. “Don’t make this do it the hard way.”

“So this was all a plan, wasn’t it,” Celeste said. “A plan to make me appear.”



“Shut up, Celeste,” Leigh said. “You kept the Seal for seventeen years already;

it’s time for you to share it.”

“What makes you thing I’ll give it to you,” Celeste said. “Do I really look that

stupid?”

Leigh’s brown eyes soften. “Please, Celeste, I need it. I really need it. I can’t

control the demon inside me. It’s haunting me and sometimes I feel like I want to die.”

“You do know that the Seal doesn’t stop the demon inside you from growing, it

only weakens it by giving you powers,” Celeste said.

Leigh nodded. “I know, but I don’t care if it only weakens it; I just need it.”

Celeste gave her smirk. “Nice story Blonde, but I’m not going to fall for it,” she

said and she launched her to Leigh. Her fist went straight to Leigh’s face, but Leigh

ducked just in time for it to land on wall instead on her face.

“You bitch, you weren’t supposed to do that,” Leigh said. “I’m making a story up

for you to give it to me, so I don’t have to do it the hard way, but if you ask for it then

fine.”

Leigh disappeared all of a saddened. Crap, I forgot she could disappear. Celeste

looked around turning in circle, when Leigh popped up from the ground and threw her

across the factory, causing Celeste to slam against the wall with a loud thump.

“I told you wouldn’t want me to it the hard way,” Leigh said walking closer to

Celeste, who was lying on the floor with a puddle of blood surrounding her, but she was

still yards away from her. “I gave you a chance, but you turned it down. It’s too late now.

Give me the Seal.”

Celeste lifted her head and stood up; holding a knife behind her back, she dashed

toward Leigh. She was so fast that all Leigh saw was a Shadow of Celeste that ran toward

her. One minute she was yards away and another she was in front of her face as she

shoved the knife into her. Leigh’s mouth dropped opened and her eyes rolled back.

“You should be the one that’s sorry for starting a fight with me,” Celeste

whispered to Leigh and let her fall flat on the ground. Taking a lighter out, she lit her

corpse on fire and watched until it burned to ashes.

When she got back in the car, Niki was calmer. “What took you so long,” Niki

asked. “And why do you smell like you just killed a Shadow?”



Celeste drove the car into the main road leading them away from the factory.

“Leigh’s a Shadow. She wanted the Seal.”

“She what,” Niki said. “I thought I killed her.”

“Unfortunately, it was all her stupid plan for me to show up,” she answered

stopping in front of the red light. Taking this minute, she turned to Niki. “It’s too

dangerous, Niki. I’m not safe and wherever I go someone would follow me for the Seal.

I’m dangerous.”

“What do you want to do,” Niki said.

“Destroy it,” Celeste said and drove into the driveway, just as her daughter came

out and greet them. “I’m going to destroy the Seal.”



Chapter One:

Seven Years Later

I blasted the music louder in my room until Arielle screamed at me and started to

bang my bedroom door.

“Goddammit, Lisabeth, can you freaking low the volume. I’m concentrate on

reading something,” Arielle shouted through the door. I opened the door. “Can you lower

it, for god sakes? Are you like deaf?”

I smiled knowing that when she meant reading, she meant picking out an outfit

for tonight’s party. “No, I’m fine. It seems to me you’re the loudest thing here,” I said as

I shut off my ihome.

“Thank you,” she said and walked across the hall, slamming her door in front of

my face. I smiled, loving the way how I tortured her. I could even see her face growing

redder and redder sometime when I annoy her. I was about to the close the door when I

saw Niki standing in front of my room. Seriously, I don’t know how she moves so fast; it

freaks me out sometimes.

“Niki,” I said. “You could come in, you know.” I plopped down onto my bed.

Niki closed the door and sat on plushy sofa. “Do you have something to tell me?”



I got up from my bed and gave her a kiss on each side of her face. “Thank you

and I mean it. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” I whispered. “I believe in

you and I do believe one day you’re going to tell me.”

Niki nodded and walked down the hall.

“Lisabeth Connor,” Misty, my best friend, yelled at me. “Where the hell, are you?

I was waiting for you like forever.” She was wearing a mini short skirt and her wavy

blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail. Sometimes, I really think she belong to the poster

of Armani Exchange.

“Sorry, I kind of forgot the time,” I said locking my car.

“Right, okay, but Arielle didn’t seem to forget the time,” Misty said pointing to a

girl with black hair that was dressed in a tight shirt and shorts. “Are you sure Niki saw

her and actually let out wearing like that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I was talking to Niki, so she probably didn’t see what

she was wearing.”

Misty starred at me. “What it was just a talk and I mean a talk,” I said sliding my

arm on her shoulder. I’m not sure if I was getting taller or Misty was getting shorter

because it seems like every time I put an arm around I had to bend down more.

“Dammit, how tall are you,” Misty said. I guess she realizes too.

I shrugged. “The last time I check I was five foot seven.”

“Well, it looks like you’re at least five foot nine. I mean what you do to get

yourself so tall,” Misty said. “You should totally teach me because I don’t want to stay

short for life.”

I snickered. “C’mon, you’re not short; I mean you’re five...”

“Four,” she answered for me. “See I’m only five foot four. I hate being so short, it

disgusts me.”

“You look sexy at least,” I said and pulled her into the party.

It wasn’t long for a guy to find Misty or vice versa because she was already on the

dance floor dancing and laughing with boys around her. See god makes everything fair:

you’re short, but you look pretty, you’re tall, but you’re not sexy. Everything is fair, well



at least most of it. I got off the chair and started to walk toward the back of the room

when I bumped into a guy and spilled my whole drink on him.

“I’m so sorry,” I said looking up at him. It was Jayden Dawson, Mr. Hottie. It’s

not like I gave him that name, the whole school voted for him as Mr. Hottie. See how

stupid people are. They have nothing better to do, but vote for Mr. Hottie and Miss. Sexy.

Well, it turned out my dear guardian’s daughter, Arielle Young, was Miss Sexy. I’m not

sure if it was my problem, but I seriously don’t find Arielle sexy other than Miss Bratty.

The minute I noticed I spilled my drink on Jayden Dawson’s shirt, I didn’t feel sorry.

“Sorry,” I said again, but not really meaning it.

“It’s alright,” he said looking up at me and I instantly saw those gray eyes. It

wasn’t until Jayden tapped me on the shoulder did I realized I was starring at him.

“Uh, sorry, it was just that your... eyes,” I said looking away and blushing.

He laughed. “Yeah, everybody says that, even my parents say it.”

I nodded. “Hey, aren’t you Arielle’s friend,” he asked.

I looked up. “Excuse me.”

“Oh, I thought you were, you know you look like her,” Jayden whispered. What

did he just say? Did he say I look like Arielle’s friend?

“Uh, no, I don’t think Arielle would consider me one, but I live with her, not her

friend,” I said looking for Misty.

“I’m Jayden, you could call me Jay,” he said.

“Yeah, I know,” I whispered.

“What,” Jay asked. I’m not sure if he really didn’t hear me or was he acting as if

he didn’t hear me.

“Nothing, I’m Lisabeth,” I said.

“Jay,” I heard a bunch of guys called to him. He looked at them as they waved to

him motioning him to come.

“Well, nice to meet you, Lisabeth,” he said. “I’m going to go.”

I nodded as he walked away. Okay, why the hell am I even talking to him? I

looked around for Misty, but found Arielle glaring at me. She mouthed the words you’re

so dead. I looked around me wondering if she meant me, but I was the only one standing



in the back. Great, Arielle is going to kill me, ha not that I care. I walked to my car when

I saw Arielle standing beside it and crossing her arms across her chest.

“What are you doing here,” I asked standing in front of her.

“Lisabeth Connor, you better stay away from my boyfriend,” she said. “I’m

telling you if you dare to touch him, I’ll kill you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea what on earth or probably

what in the world are you talking about?”

Arielle straightened up and stood face-to-face with me, but she was still shorter

than I was. “Well, I’m telling you what. Don’t you even think about stealing Jayden

Dawson from me, he is mine.”

I laughed throwing my head back. “Is this some kind of joke,” I said. “I mean did

I just hear you say ‘don’t steal Jayden Dawson from you.’ I think I’m supposed to say

OMG about this. What on earth makes you think Jayden Dawson would be interested in

me and even if he is, I’m pretty sure I’m not. You might think he’s Mr. Hottie, but to me

he’s Mr. Asshole. So are you happy now?”

Arielle looked at me with her suspicion face. “You’re right. Why on earth, no

why in the world would he be interested in you and me, at least I’m Miss Sexy. We’re a

perfect couple,” she said and flipped her hair as she walked away. Some of her hair

landed on my mouth.

“What the hell,” I said tearing her hair off of my mouth.

“So does it taste good,” someone asked from behind. I turned around and realized

that it was Jay.

“No, I’m thinking she’s shedding a lot of hair, you know like a dog,” I said. He

smiled and put my hair behind my ears. I looked at him and noticed he was much closer

than I thought he was. His arm circled my waist and his other arm turned me around so I

was facing him.

I smiled. “You know I don’t think Arielle would be happy with this,” I said as he

thumbed my cheek with his thumb.

“What you actually listen to her,” he said and his breath was hot on my face.

“Because I didn’t think you will.”



Arielle was on Niki’s last nerve; I could see her eyes clouded and her hands were

clenched into a fist. She slapped her; Niki slapped Arielle across the face.

There were fingerprints on Arielle’s face along with a big red spot. “This is how

you treat your daughter,” Arielle shouted. “You treat that freak like your own daughter

while you treat me like crap, I’m your daughter not her.”

I could see how regretful Niki was: her face was shocked and her eyes widened.

“You know what mom, maybe you say she’s your daughter, not me, because I could see it

in you that you want her more than I do,” she said. Arielle turned to me. “And you. You

shouldn’t be that happy because one day she’s going to treat like she did to me, you... you

jackass.”

And like that Arielle ran upstairs slamming her bedroom door that vibrated the

whole house. I sat down next to Niki where she was covering her face with her hands.

She looked up. “Lisabeth, tell me, is it me that I’m not a good mother,” she asked. I

shook my head. “Arielle, she... she’s impossible. She is the lucky one with a mother and

sometime I think... she doesn’t deserve it,” Niki whispered and covered her face again.

“Oh god, why is this happening to me?”

I hugged her. “Niki, you’re a good mother, it’s Arielle. She just doesn’t see how

generous you’ve been with and how lucky she is to have a mother,” I said. “I wished I

had a mother like she did.”

“You do,” she whispered through her hands. “You do, you have a very caring and

generous one too.”

I shook my head. “A one that left me when I was nine, a one that never even

contacted me, not even one time.”

“She did,” Niki whispered and got up to the drawers. She pulled a bunch of letter.

“These are all the letters she sent to me. Every single of them mentioned you in it.

Celeste cared for you, she loved you.”

I blinked. “You mean she contacted you.”

She nodded. “You should read it, it’ll tell you how much your mother cared for

you. Celeste never wanted to leave you, but she had too. She didn’t have any other

option, but to do this. I know and will always know that she won’t have given up on you,

not unless she ran out of options.”



Niki kneeled on the rug and placed her hand on my shoulder. “I know you have a

lot of questions, but I can’t answer all of them, yet. Like I promise, I’ll tell you why she

left you one day, when you’ll understand.”

I watched as Niki walked up the stairs. Carefully, I picked up the letters. Some of

them were already yellowish, while other was crispy new. Looking at the date, I took the

one that was the oldest.

Niki,

I’m finally in France after the delay dueto the storm. I’m starting to think living inDenver, isn’t a good idea with all those storms,

it delays everything. How is everything? How isLisabeth? Is she still upset about me leaving?I’m really sorry, Niki, for doing this to you andLisabeth. I couldn’t do anything, but this. I’mvery sorry. I don’t know what to write for youand Lisabeth to forgive, but I don’t thinkLisabeth is ever going to forgive me. Niki,please, I beg you don’t tell Lisabeth why I left.It’s the only way to protect. I know Niki, I know,but it’s the least thing you could do for me.Please, Niki, please.

Celeste

I could see the wet spot on the letter where she cried on. Maybe I was wrong; my

mother did care for me. I opened another one that was sent recently.

Niki,

It’s Lisabeth’s 16th birthday: May, 27.Everybody says that a girl sixteenth birthday isthe most important birthday. But of all thebirthdays, I couldn’t celebrate her sixteenth



birthday at all. All I could say is HappyBirthday, Lisabeth, mentally in my head overand over again. Niki, please say Happy

Birthday for me.Scotland’s view is beautiful. You could seethe plains right outside of my house. For years,I have been disturbed, but finally now I couldget a rest: a rest from reality, a rest fromeverything. Is Arielle still that impossible child?Niki, you shouldn’t be upset with Arielle, youshould be happy. Not everyone can be withtheir own daughter, not me. Give Arielle achance and most of all give yourself a chance.I’m sure Arielle isn’t as impossible as you think.At least, I’m pretty sure, not as much asLisabeth hate me.

HAPPY SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY, LISABETHKATERINA CONNOR!!!

(My only birthday gift to Lisabeth. I’m sorry.)Celeste

I folded the letter back into the envelope. I couldn’t read it anymore. The letters

were filled with tears: mine and mom’s. I closed my eyes trying to remember mom’s

face, but I couldn’t. The most I could do was blurry pictures of her. I tried remembering

the time when she telling me bedtime stories; I remembered the time when she would yell

at me for not practicing piano. I remembered most of all, the last time I saw her before

she left me. It was her birthday, the very last birthday I could celebrate with her and the

last time I ever saw her again. I never realized that I forgot a lot of thing about her

already: what color she like, what kind of shoes she liked to wear, what she liked to eat.

I press my lips together trying to hold back my tears until I fell asleep on the

couch.



“Lisabeth,” someone called, shaking me. I opened my eyes; it was Niki. “Wake

up.”

I yawned. “Yeah,” I muttered.

“You have school,” she said and then I realized that today was Monday. I jumped

off the couch.

“Crap, I forgot,” I said. “Good morning, Niki.”

“Good morning,” she said. “Go brush your teeth.”

By the time I was downstairs, Arielle was already eating breakfast. “Good

morning,” I said to Arielle.

“Good morning, Lizzy bear,” she said calling my most disliked nickname. I went

into the kitchen.

“Niki,” I said.

“Yes,” she answered handing me my breakfast.

“You made up with Arielle,” I asked.

She nodded. “Yep, it wasn’t hard. I just gave her a hundred dollar gift card for

Hot Topic,” she said. “It was quite hard, you know.”

I laughed at her sarcasm. “Yeah, it’s hard to make for her.”

“So,” Niki said. I looked at her.

“What,” I asked playing with my fork. “Why are you looking at me like that, it

creeps me out.”

Niki smiled and handed me a bottle of orange juice. “Did you read the letters?”

I nodded. “And?”

“And I won’t completely forgive her until you tell me her ‘reason’,” I answered

shaking my orange juice.

“But you do know that she misses you,” Niki said.

I shrugged. “Are you guys done chatting? I’m going to school,” Arielle shouted.

“Looks like Arielle is in a good mood,” I said. “I’m going to school with her.”

“How about your breakfast,” Niki shouted after me.

“I don’t have a test today, don’t need to be smart,” I said grabbing my messenger

bag. “Bye.”

She nodded.



“Okay,” Arielle said stopping in her regular parking space. “Do not mention what

happened last night. And if you do I swear I’ll make your life miserable.”

I raised my eyebrow. “Why would I do that, I have better things to do than be a

gossip girl,” I said popping a mint into my mouth. “Want?”

She shook her head. “You better.”

I stuff my earphone into my ears and walked out. “What are you doing here,”

Eugene asked looking at me as if I was contagious. Julia Marcus was standing next to her

trying to keep a straight face, but I could tell she wanted laugh at the way how Eugene

looked at me. Lucas came over and wrapped an arm around Eugene.

“Being threatened,” I answered closing the door behind me. Arielle shot me a

look. “Joking,” I muttered and walked away, so fed up with the popular group.

I went straight to the library where I promised to meet Misty there. “Hey,” I

whispered to Misty taking a seat next to her. “What’s wrong?” She looked worried.

“Watch this,” Misty said clicking on a video in Youtube.

I read the title. “Miss Sexy makes a Freak Show,” I read. “What the hell is that?”

Misty motioned for me to be quiet and I looked at the video. I nearly died. It was

the video of what happened last night: Niki slapping Arielle across the face. I

straightened.

“Wait, how did that get... posted,” I asked looking at Misty. “Nobody was there, it

was only Niki, Arielle, and... me.”

“Okay, I don’t know how this video got posted, but I mean like the whole school

saw it already,” Misty said pointing at the bottom of the video that said view; one million

people saw this video already.

“Oh crap,” I whispered. Ms. Serpass, the librarian, looked at me giving me a stern

look no-cursing-allowed. “Sorry,” I whispered to her and she looked away.

“You’re so dead,” Misty said looking behind me. I turned around and saw Arielle

walking toward me.

“Get up,” she shouted at me. Everybody turned to look at us. Someone in the back

shouted, “Look who’s the freak.” Arielle turned and glared at me. I got up and pulled her

out of the library.



“Look, I didn’t do all of this,” I whispered to her.

“Oh right, like I’m suppose to believe you, you freaking liar. You promised me

that you wouldn’t tell anyone. Oh wait, I told not to tell everyone, but I didn’t say can’t

post it,” Arielle shouted at me. A few people turned to us.

“God, can you stop yelling, like you’re not embarrassed enough,” I whispered.

“Arielle, I mean it I didn’t post it up. I don’t know who taped it and post it, but I swear to

god, it wasn’t me.”

She gave me a smirk. “Like I’m suppose to believe you,” she whispered at me.

“Watch where you’re going, freak. I swear I’ll make your life miserable from now on.”

And she left. Great, this isn’t working out.

“What did she say to you,” Misty asked when I got back to the library.

“Said she’s going to make my life miserable,” I answered watching as Arielle

walked away with Jay and Julia.

*****

“Are you sure, you didn’t post it up,” Zeta, Misty’s sister who is a senior in Seth

Low.

“Zeta,” Misty shouted at her sister.

“What, I’m just making sure,” Zeta said.

“No, I didn’t post it up,” I answered. “I love Niki, I won’t ever embarrass her or

Arielle or both.”

Zeta nodded. “Well, then I believe you.”

“You were supposed to from the start,” Misty said rolling her eyes at her sister.

“Seriously, how do your friends stand you?”

“Perhaps they do,” Zeta said with a shrug. “I’m going to eat at the other table.”

She got up and walked to the senior section.

“You know, this is all stupid, what kind school has lunch last period? I mean idiot

people make idiotic rules,” Misty complained.

“Well, at least it feels like a free period,” I said holding on the iced coffee, but it

was all ready warm.



“I mean you drink coffee and all those crap, but you still get tall. While I’m the

one that don’t drink anything with caffeine and still is this short,” she said. “I bet your

parents were really tall.”

I managed to smile. “Oh, I didn’t mean to mention them,” Misty said.

“It’s alright,” I said. “Niki gave me letters that my mom wrote to her.”

“Really,” she said. “Did you read it?”

I nodded. “So, what did it say,” Misty asked as the bell rung. I grabbed my bag

and walked out the side door.

“Nothing much, just like what Niki told me. ‘There is a reason I left you’,” I said

taking a sip at my warm iced coffee.

“So maybe there was a reason,” she said. “I mean what kind of mother would

leave their child behind, I doubt there is.”

I frowned. “Didn’t you hear on the news that mother dumped their baby in a

garbage can?”

“Yeah, but most of them are teenage mother or some loony mother,” she said. “I

doubt your mother was any of those two category.”

I shrugged. Misty grabbed me by the arm. “Isn’t that Arielle,” she asked. I looked

at the direction she was pointing at. It was Arielle, she was surrounded by Eugene and her

other brats.

“What is your problem,” I heard Arielle screamed at Eugene. Eugene flipped her

hair over her shoulder.

“Nothing, there is nothing wrong with me, but there’s something wrong with

you,” Eugene said. “You know, I hate the way how you just make us do this and that. It

really pisses me off.”

Arielle opened slightly. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Are you serious,” Eugene said looking from Lucas to Julia. People on the

basketball court were walking over to see what was happening including Jay. “I mean did

she just ask me that? Arielle you are just so... so tedious.”

“Oh, you probably won’t know what that means. You don’t even study,” she

continued. “You make me sick. I mean you have everything, your mother is generous and

sweet, and all you do is complained. You make me so sick.”



“I make you sick,” Arielle said. “You make sick too. You taped the argument that

I have with my mom and post it on Youtube. You’re such a backstabber.”

“So,” Eugene said. “I mean all day long you say how you’re going to date Jay

Dawson. I mean shut up already, I give no crap.”

I looked at Jay; he didn’t look embarrass he looked—no, he was smiling now.

“You’re such a bitch,” Arielle shouted at her and turned around spotting Misty and me.

“Lisabeth,” Eugene called motioning for me to come to her. I walked over

ignoring Misty’s hand tightened around me telling me not to go. “Lizzy, I mean how

could you even stand her, she’s a real bitch.”

I took the cover and the straw off of my coffee. “See even Lizzy hates you,”

Eugene said. “Go ahead, Lizzy, pour it on her face—,” she urged, but she finally shut up

because I poured my remaining coffee onto her face.

“First of all, my name is Lisabeth, not Lizzy, so if you can’t say my name then

don’t. Second of all, I think you look better like that,” I said indicating coffee all over

her. I grabbed Arielle’s arm and dragged her away.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Misty said. “I think I’m starting to fall in love with

you.”

I grimaced. “Ew.”

Arielle stepped in front of me. “Thank you for what you did, but that doesn’t

mean I’ll start to be nice to you as a matter of fact it doesn’t mean anything to me. You

probably did that for attention. You got what you want, so stay away from my life and

stay away from Jay,” she said and went in the house.

“Did I just hear that,” Misty said. “She really is an asshole.”

I shrugged. “Not that I care. I never really cared what she thought about me,” I

said putting my arm around Misty’s shoulder. “I care about what you think about me.”

“Ew, we sound like a couple,” she said pretending to shiver and walked away

from me.



Chapter Four



It’s been a week since Arielle argued with Niki and Niki seems to be proud of

this. I could hear them talking from my bedroom. I smiled as I imagined myself talking to

my own mother like that.It’s April now and there seems to be a lot of storms lately. There has been a lot of

flooding in Bay Anne and other parts of North Carolina. And this week meteorologists

said there was going to be hurricane, so school would be cancel for as long as the

hurricane last.

I looked at the window. It was pouring outside and lightening was flashing along

with thunders. My phone rang; it was Niki.

“Lisabeth,” she said.

“Hey, Niki,” I answered.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to come home tonight. They raised the hurricane to

category two and they’re warning us not to come out unless there is an emergency, so

don’t go out,” Niki warned.

“Sure,” I said. The doorbell rang. “God,” I whispered. “Arielle, can you get the

door?”

I heard her groaned, but she still got the door. “What’s wrong?” Niki asked.

“I don’t know, someone is at the door,” I told her.

“Who is it?” she asked.

“Who is it,” I asked Arielle.

“Jay,” I heard her say. “It’s Jay and Don,” she shouted at me.

“It’s Jay and Don,” I repeated to Niki.

“Oh my,” she whispered. “Don’t let them out the house, okay.”

“Yeah, I think Arielle is doing that already,” I answered.

“Great, at least she’s doing something right now,” Niki said. “I’ll leave as soon as

I can and tell the boys to stay here until it’s safe to leave.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Bye.” I hung up.

I looked out the window again when suddenly Julia screamed from downstairs. I

walked down the stairs and saw Jay and Don carrying Julia to the couch.

“Great, you murdered someone now,” I said.



“Seriously, shut up,” Arielle said. “Julia cut her finger and fainted when she saw

blood.”

“Maybe we should call the ambulance,” Don suggested.

“They’re not going to make it. It’s like pouring outside, we barely made it too,”

Jay pointed.

“Is she like alive,” Arielle asked while I check for her pulse.

I smiled at her. “We don’t need another person here to brighten this house up,” I

answered.

“Someone died here before,” Don asked his eyes widened.

“Yeah, my grandpa,” Arielle answered. “But it was like ten years ago.”

“Oh yeah, why are you two here,” I asked taking the first aid box out.

“We couldn’t drive in the weather out there, and thought maybe Arielle can let us

stay here for awhile,” Don answered. I took a piece of cotton out and pressed it against

her cut until it started to stop bleeding.

“Get a warm towel,” I told Arielle. I put some antibiotic cream on her cut, then

wrapped her pointer and middle finger with a large piece of cotton and wrapped it around

with tape.

“Here,” Arielle said handing me a warm towel that I placed on Julia’s head. I took

a bottle of alcohol and put it right under her nose.

“Dammit,” Julia muttered gaining back conscious. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Well, she looks fine to me,” I said putting everything back. She lay down on the

couch for a few more minutes before sitting up.

“My finger burns,” she said quietly.

“Don’t worry you didn’t chop your finger off,” I said. “Just wait until Niki comes

back.”

“Thank you,” Julia whispered.

“Are you sure? She looks really pale,” Arielle said her eyes glistening with

concern.

“Let me knock you out and see if you turn pale when you wake up,” I joked

closing the cabinet door.



“Screw you, Lizzy bear,” Arielle snapped. I laughed just as the electricity went

out. “Look at that your damn laugh is so freaking evil, the electricity went out.”

“That’s cool, perhaps I could make your hair frizz up,” I said as I went in the

kitchen and got candles out. “Would like to light it? I wouldn’t want to put the house on

fire with my evil fingers.”

She rolled her eyes and took the matches from me. “Uh, guys,” Julia whispered.

“Do you hear that?”

“Hear what,” Don asked.

“That,” Julia said. I listened carefully. There were scratching noises.

“Uh, I think I hear that,” Arielle said moving closer to Jay; actually she was on

top of him. “I think it’s coming from the basement.”

“Doesn’t this feel like a scene in a horror movie,” Julia said hugging herself.

“Shut up, Julia,” Arielle shouted at her. “I mean it’s the basement and we’re

upstairs.”

I rolled my eyes. “Right, the last time I check I don’t remember being in a horror

movie,” I snickered. “I’ll go check it out.”

“Be careful,” Arielle said.

“That’s the nicest thing you ever said to me,” I said smiling at her and she

narrowed her eyes.

“I’ll come with you,” Jay offered, but Arielle caught his sleeve. “I’ll be right

back.”

I brought two flashlight, handing Jay one. “Dead bodies in the basement,” I

muttered to myself. Jay laughed. “I didn’t find that funny.”

I looked straight into his gray eyes. “I think everything about you is funny,” he

said. I looked away and went to the door that leads outside. I pushed it open and walked

out.

“It looks like there’s nothing,” I said, turning around. I was about to walk back

inside when Jay stepped in front of me. “Yes?”

He didn’t say anything; just put his hand on my neck. I could feel the adrenaline

kicking inside of me as he leaned down and kissed me. He pressed his lips slowly against

mine, teasing me. I smiled with his mouth on mine when he pressed harder against him. It



Chapter Five

“Mommy,” I called, running to her. She got out of the car and hugged me.



looked at Arielle. She doesn’t seem surprise; she looked like she was expecting

everything.

“Niki, please help me,” mommy begged. “You have to, for everybody’s sake. You

know, that I have to destroy the seal. I have to or else—you know what’s going to

happen.”

“But the seal is in her,” Niki said her eyes looking as if they were going to pop

out. “Isn’t there another way? I mean can’t we take the Seal out of her and destroy it

without killing her.”

Mommy shook her head. “You know, we can’t. Once the Seal is engraved into

you, there’s no taken back unless you burn that person. The Seal doesn’t get burn in fire,

it’s because it’s that powerful.”

“Great, we have to kill her and then put her on fire. Oh god, it’s like rape a girl

and then murders her. See how bad this is, Celeste,” Niki said. “Are you that cold-

blooded, she’s your freaking daughter.”

The last sentence froze me. Mommy is going to kill me. I’m the little girl that

they’ve been talking all along. Someone was poking me on the shoulder; I flinched, but

realized that it was Arielle.

“They’re talking about you,” she asked with fear in her blue eyes. I couldn’t

speak; I was mute. “Run, Lisabeth, go.”

I looked at her. “Run, Lisabeth, don’t let them find you,” she said and got up.

Arielle dragged me onto my foot. “Follow me,” she ordered and led me to the stairs to

the basement.

“But,” I started.

“I’m sorry,” Arielle whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“You what,” I shouted my eyes widened. “You... you betrayer,” I said leaning the

word betrayer just yesterday. “I hate you.”

She pushed me down the stairs. “Good bye, Lisabeth,” Arielle said and gave me

a smirk as I rolled down the stairs, screaming.

I screamed; I screamed as loud as I can until I realized that it was a bad dream. I

sat up hugging myself. The door slammed opened and Niki came running in.



“Are you alright,” Niki asked pushing my hair away from my face.

“God, what the hell,” Arielle shouted from across the hall. Jay was standing by

the door as Arielle came out of her room. “You sound like a grim reaper is going behead

you.”

Julia jammed her elbow into Arielle’s ribs. “I’m just joking. If there’s nothing

else, I’m so going back to sleep.”

“Yeah, just go back to sleep everyone, everything’s fine,” Niki said and looked at

Jay, who was still standing against the door. Niki whispered something into his ears and

he gave me one last glance before leaving. Niki closed the door.

“Is everything alright,” she asked.

I nodded. “They’re still here,” I asked her.

“Yeah, Jay and Don already called their mother that they’re going to stay here

tonight, since those meteorologists just raised the hurricane to category three,” she

answered.

I looked out the window; it seemed so peaceful and quiet, even though I knew it

wasn’t. “We’re at the eye of the hurricane,” Niki said wiping my sweat away with a

towel.

“Why did my mom want to kill me,” I said so quietly that I wonder if she even

heard me.

“What,” she said. I think she heard me because her eyes clouded and widened like

it did when she had an argument with Arielle.

I shook my head. “Nothing,” I whispered.

“Lisabeth Katerina Connor, repeat what you said before,” Niki declared.

“Fine,” I said. I opened my mouth when Jay burst through the door.

“Mrs. Young,” Jay said his gray eyes glowed in the dark. “My mom called and

would like to speak to you.”

Niki’s eyes softened and nodded. “Yes, I’ll go right now,” she said and took his

cell phone from his hand.

“How are you feeling,” Jay asked sitting my bed.

“Fine,” I said looking out the window. He placed his hand on my forehead; I

flinched.



He looked away and he was blushing. “Sorry, you had a fever before or probably

you still have it.”

“No wonder I feel so warm,” I said.

He smiled. “What,” I said. “I swear every time I see you, you smile. Is there really

something that funny?”

Jay shook his head. “You just made me smile,” he said. “You should sleep now.”

“I’m exhausted,” I said and I lay down as Jay helped me pulled my blanket over

me. I closed my eyes trying to sleep, but I couldn’t until I realized that Jay was still in my

room and I could feel his eyes on me. I wasn’t sure if Jay ever left my room until I heard

him talking.

“You weren’t supposed to forget me,” he said quietly and kissed my forehead

before leaving. I hugged the blanket tighter around me not knowing what he meant when

he said I wasn’t supposed to forget him.

*****

“Hide,” Arielle said as she pointed to the closet in mommy’s bedroom. “Don’t

come out, Lisabeth, don’t.”

I took her words and hid in there for so long that I don’t even remember. I

exhausted and the air surrounding me was starting to get thicker. My heart was racing

like it was going to jump out any minute any hour or probably any second.

“Where is she,” I heard mommy said to Niki. “She’s not here, dammit.”

“Don’t rush yourself, we’re going to find her,” Niki said. “Arielle.”

I could hear Arielle’s footstep as she walked in. “Yes, mom,” she said. “What do

you want?”

Through the cracks I could see Niki leaning down and was smoothing her hair.

“Arielle, now tell me the truth. Do you know where Lisabeth is? Because if we don’t

know where she is, she might be in danger. We don’t know if someone bad captured

her,” Niki said.

“Yes, Arielle, Lisabeth could be in danger,” mommy added.

Arielle shook her head. “Lizzy bear is fine, nobody captured her,” she answered.

Mommy and Niki switched glanced with each other. “Then tell us where she is,” Niki

said. “Now Arielle you can’t lie, if you lie you lose your teeth.”



I could see Arielle looking from Niki to mommy. “You’re trying to kill her,” she

blurted out. “I won’t let you do that.”

“Why would we ever do that,” Niki said. “We won’t kill her, we promise you.”

Arielle looked so nervous, so anxious to get out of them. She covered her ears. I

hate to see them do that to her. I took a deep breath and went out of the closet.

“Mommy,” I said and I ran into her.

“Lisabeth, don’t hide ever again,” mommy whispered in my ears. “I promise I

won’t do anything that would hurt you. I promise.”

“She heard everything,” Niki said sounding unfortunate. I could feel myself

shiver when I heard her say that.

Mommy nodded. “Lisabeth, I’m going to bring you to Aunty Liana’s house. Don’t

worry, mommy will be there.”

I swallowed and looked at Arielle. “Arielle’s going to be okay,” mommy assured.

Like usual, Aunty Liana’s house is so neat, so pretty. Mommy banged on the door

and Liana opened the door.

“Oh my,” she said like she knew about everything. “Come in.”

“Lisabeth, stayed here Aunty Liana and I are going to talk,” mommy said. “Stay

in your seat please.”

I tried to nod, but instead I said, “Uh huh.”

I waited for mommy to finish and I kept waiting until a boy about my age came

over and sat next to me. “Hey, what are you doing,” he asked.

I shrugged. “You can’t speak,” he said.

I swallowed. “Yes, I can,” I whispered.

“Well, why are you here,” he asked again.

“My mother tried to kill me,” I said. I looked in his gray eyes expecting him to be

surprised, but he wasn’t.

“My father tried to kill me too,” he said. “He said I’m a creep, not that I know

what that means, but I guess it’s not so good because why else would he kill me.”

“How did he try to kill you,” I asked.



“I can’t swim, so he dumped me into the ocean where there are a lot a lot of

sharks,” he answered. “He even cut my wrist, so the sharks can smell my blood.”

“He actually did that,” I said surprised. He nodded and showed me his wrist

where there was a scar across the skin. “Did it hurt?”

He shrugged. “No as bad as what my dad did to me.”

I nodded. “I’m sorry.”

I knew him. I knew that boy with gray eyes; it was Jay. I looked at the time it was

only five. I brushed my teeth and tried to fix my hair since it went out in all different

angles. I walked down the hall and stopped in front of the guess bedroom. Taking a deep

breath, I knocked on it, but there was no answer. I opened the door and peeked inside;

there was nobody in there.

“Lisabeth,” someone called from behind. I jumped. “Did I scare you,” Jay asked

standing beside me.

I tried to swallow. “Dammit, Lisabeth, breath,” Jay said soothing my back.

“I’m fine,” I croaked. “Get in, I don’t want to wake anyone one up five in the

morning, especially not her.” I pointed to the door down the hall.

“Yeah, I know,” he laughed. “She gets pretty grouchy.”

I wasn’t sure if I wasn’t paying attention or was I just really paying attention,

because I thought I just saw the door opened by itself. I closed the door behind me.

“So what you want,” he asked sitting on the bed. I took a seat on the couch.

“When are you leaving,” I asked.

“Soon,” Jay said.

“What are you doing up so early,” I asked.

He gave me his smirk. “I could just ask you the same,” he said pulling his t-shirt

down. Seriously, he looked really hot in t-shirt and boxers, with his muscles showing off.

“Perhaps you just miss me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Can you stop acting like a jerk,” I whispered.

“I thought you said I was Mr. Asshole if you had to vote me,” Jay said taking a

sip of water or at least that’s what I think it is.



“Oh you heard that part,” I said feeling my cheeks on fire. The door opened and

Arielle came in.

“Uh, why are you in here,” she asked me.

“Nothing,” I said. “I didn’t know that you wake up that early.”

“I don’t,” she said. “I just wanted to show Jay something.”

I looked at Jay, but he only shrugged. “Well, then I’m not going to bother you

guys,” I said. I turned to Jay. “Good luck with that showing something trip.”

I slammed the door. I could feel the nausea coming back again and my head was

starting to throb again. Seriously, this flu is getting worse and worse. I closed the door to

my bedroom when I remembered that I was supposed to ask Jay about the dream.

Dammit, I’m forgetting everything now. I felt the urge to slap myself across the face.

I looked out the window and saw the sun coming out, finally seeing some light.

My stomach was already better, but my head was still throbbing. Grabbing a Tylenol

bottle from the bottom drawer, I popped two into my mouth, hoping the headache could

just go away.

“Lisabeth,” Niki asked through the door. “Are you awake yet?”

I wiped my sweat away. “Yeah, come in,” I said. She peaked in at first, like she

was afraid I was still sleeping. “What’s up?”

“Are you feeling better,” she asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, my stomach is all better; it’s just that my head still throbs.”

Niki sat at the edge of my bed. “I have something to tell you,” she whispered, so

quietly like she didn’t want me to hear. “It’s about time.”

I tilted my head. “What?”

“It’s about last night,” Niki said looking at me. “You’re—.”

“Sick,” a lady said appearing in front of my room. “She looks very sick to me.” I

looked at Niki, trying to seek help from her wondering why this random is in front of my

room. But something about her made me tingle inside.

Niki sighed. “Lisabeth, this is Mrs. Dawson.”

“Hello, Lisabeth, I have heard a lot about you lately,” she said shaking my hands.

I was still confused. “Oh, sorry, I should introduce myself. I’m Liana Dawson, Jay’s

mother.”



My dream, I saw Liana. She looked older now, but she was still had her glazing

gray eyes like Jay’s. I managed to smile. “Nice to meet you, Mrs.—Dawson.”

She smiled and looked at Niki. “Arielle opened the door for me. I didn’t know

your family wakes up this early in the morning.”

“They usually don’t. It’s probably because of the storm,” Niki said looking

annoyed. “Jay should be in the living with Arielle. You could pick him up now.”

“Niki, can I please speak to you,” she asked. “Alone.”

I looked from Niki to Mrs. Dawson. “Is everything okay,” I asked Niki. She

nodded, but I wasn’t sure if she was answering my question or Mrs. Dawson’s. I watched

as Niki followed Mrs. Dawson like she lived here instead of Niki. Why every time Niki

does tells me something someone has to interrupt us. My head was still aching from the

flu and everything. Dragging myself downstairs, I grabbed my cell phone the island

where I left and check my miss calls; there were twelve and half of them were from

Misty. I called her.

“If this is some advertising call, I swear I’ll shoot you for waking me up,” Misty

shouted into the phone. “Now talk.”

“That’s how you treat you sick friends,” I said smiling. “That’s nice of you for

greeting me with a bunch of crap.”

“Oh my god Lisabeth, I didn’t know it was you,” she said. “How are you feeling?

I called like a thousand times and when I called your house, Niki said you sick.”

“I survived. I still have a headache, but other than that, I’m fine,” I said taking a

box of cereal out from the cabinet. “Is everything okay?”

“No,” she said. “I was almost grounded. Mom kind of saw Kevin and me, um,

hanging out. So I told her that Kevin is your—boyfriend. Please Lisabeth, I’m sorry.”

I closed my eyes. “You said Kevin is my boyfriend,” I shouted at her. “What are

you thinking, seriously? Okay, did you tell her anything else?”

Misty paused. “Um, what I if I said you were going to drive me to the Critter

Café, so you could make an excuse to hang out with him.”

I nearly fainted, again. “Misty Russo, I swear I’m going to kill you. Imagine your

mom and Niki found out, we’re both dead. We all know that Kevin is a no-no boyfriend,



why in the world would you hook up with him and then say I’m the one that likes him? I

mean everyone knows that he went to juvenile and was let out only a month ago. ”

“Look, Lisabeth, it isn’t that bad,” Misty said. “I was going to ask you to drive me

there, so my mom doesn’t get suspicious. But now that you’re sick, you don’t have to

bother, I’ll just lie to mom, that I don’t want to go.”

“Don’t,” I whispered. “Don’t Misty, I’ll drive you. I’ll survive, just get ready. I’ll

be at your house at eleven.”

“Thanks,” Misty said. I hung up; I didn’t want to hear more. I took a deep breath

before opening my eyes. I nearly fell, bumping my funny bone against the counter when

Jay was suddenly in front of me.

“Dammit, Jay,” I shouted at him.

“I’m sorry,” he said grabbing the box of cereal from me. “Are you okay?”

“NO, if you stop scaring me,” I said. “I thought you left already.”

“No, mom’s still talking,” he said taking a seat next to me. “I really don’t know

what they’re their talking about for that’s taking so long.”

“I’m going back to sleep,” I told him getting up.

“What, so you could ready for your date with Kevin Sanchez,” Jay said giving me

a smirk.

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not going on a date with Kevin Sanchez,” I said.

“I know,” he said looking at me. “But Misty is.”

I walked closer to him. “Don’t tell anyone. I promise I’ll do anything, if you don’t

tell anyone.”

“Kiss me,” he said.

“What,” I said stopping myself from what I was going to say,

“Kiss me,” he said again, so casually.

I opened my mouth, and then closed it. “Okay, I don’t know what kind of game,

you’re playing, but—,” I said, but I shut when he kissed me.

He kissed me so gently, teasing me, and he pulled away, studying me. “I don’t

think that’s a very good idea,” I said. “I mean I am sick. I don’t think you want to catch

the flu.”



Jay smiled like I just said a joke. He was about to say something, when Arielle cut

in. “Jay, do you,” she started, but stopped when he saw his arm around my waist. “Uh,

what are you guys doing?”

I pulled his arm away and grabbed a bottle of water. “Nothing,” I said and walked

upstairs.

“Seriously, nothing,” I heard Arielle asked. I ignored Arielle and Jay’s

conversation, but when I was in front of Niki’s bedroom I heard shouting.

“I know you’re trying to protect her, but we’re have to say someday,” Niki

shouted.

“But we promise her that we’re going to her when there are no other choices,” an

unfamiliar voice said and realized that it was Mrs. Dawson.

Everything was quiet. At first, I thought they heard me, but then Mrs. Dawson

sighed.

“Charles back,” she whispered. “He’s back.”

Silence.

“What,” Niki said. “Charles back. How? You saw him.”

I think Mrs. Dawson nodded because I couldn’t hear anybody saying anything.

“What are we suppose to do,” Niki asked. “I hate doing all this. Why did I ever promise

her do this?”

“Niki, we’ve been hiding this from her for years already,” Mrs. Dawson said.

“We’re just going to hide it from her for another year until we get rid of Charles. We own

her that much. You wouldn’t want her to face such danger.”

I heard someone walking up the stairs and hid behind the palm tree. But I could

see who it was through the gaps of the leaves; it was Jay.

He knocked on it twice and then stepped in, closing the door behind him.

The Night That Changed My Life

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