I awoke to another sunny day. Not only didn't the sun burn my skin on contact, but its warmth actually felt good against my flesh. Not only didn't mirrors shatter like they did for Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula, but my reflection looked like it did every day--a pale girl in all black. And the only thing I was thirsty for was a chocolate soda from Shirley's Bakery.
Still, my heart raced when my mother served linguini with garlic for dinner that night. Everyone stared at me as I played with my food, smelling and taking deep breaths.
"What's with you?" Billy Boy asked. "You're acting strange, even for you."
I twirled some pasta on my fork and raised it slowly to my mouth. "Here goes," I said. My patents looked at me like I was an alien. The noodles touched my tongue and I chewed and chewed and took a huge swallow.
"Here goes what?" my mother asked.
I took a breath. I expected my throat to burn and my skin to crawl. I expected to choke and gasp at the first taste of garlic. And then it happened. Nothing. Nothing is what happened.
"Here's to what?" my mother repeated.
"Here's to...here's to another Sarah Madison gourmet dinner!"
Though I wasn't melting in the sun, shattering mirrors, or cringing from the sent of garlic, I was feeling Alexander's power in different ways. I was walking on air, as if I could fly like a bat. I couldn't possibly sleep at night, my mind was racing, dreaming of him, replaying his kisses over and over. I doodled our names surrounded by hearts in all my notebooks during class. I wanted to be with him every moment, because whatever he was, he was my Alexander. My funny, intelligent, caring, lonely, gorgeous, dreamy Alexander. He was more incredible and exceptional than I had ever imagined.
And I was glad I was changing, and not in the way I had fantasized about for so long. I was happy to see my mirrors didn't shatter, because now I saw a reflection of a girl in love, glowing with happiness. Why should I want to live in a cemetery for eternity, when it might be possible to live in Alexander's attic room? I didn't want to cringe from the sunlight but watch Hawaiian sunsets with him. I didn't want to drink blood but sip pop from Alexander's neon-green glasses. I wanted to enjoy the things I had always enjoyed--ice cream, horror movies, swings after dark--but now I wanted to share them with him. "I heard you're hanging with the vampire," Trevor said the day before the Snow Ball as Becky and I walked through the hall after lunch. Signs for the dance hung from the ceiling and were plastered on the walls. "Isn't it enough that you're a freak and Becky is a troll? Now you have to date a lunatic? Don't you know that the Mansion is haunted?"
"You don't know anything! You've never even met Alexander."
"Oh, Alexander. The monster has a name. I thought you just called him Frankenstein. If I do ever meet him, I'll kick his ass and run him out of town. We need to know that we can walk the streets safely at night!"
"I'll kick your ass if you ever even come near him. If you ever even look at him."
"If he looks anything like you, I'll need sunglasses to guard against the blinding ugliness."
Principal Smith walked by. "I hope everything is okay with you two. We haven't received a budget for new lockers." Then he put his arm around the jerk and said, "I heard you kicked the winning goal in yesterday's game, Trevor."
They turned away, Principal Smith engaging the reluctant Trevor in jock conversation.
"How did he know I'm seeing Alexander?" I asked Becky, puzzled.
"Uh, I guess people...you know how people talk in this town."
"Well, people in this town are stupid."
"Listen, Raven, I have something to tell you," she began in a nervous voice that was even more nervous than her normal nervous voice. But I was distracted by the signs for the dance, TICKETS ON SALE NOW. SAVE FIVE DOLLARS IF YOU PRE-PURCHASE.
"Tickets? Frig! I didn't know I needed tickets! Do I get them at TicketMaster? Charge by phone?" I laughed. "That's what happens when you're on the outside, you know?"
"I totally know. The outside gets worse and worse each day."
"Maybe they'll be sold out and we'll have to dance on the school lawn," I joked.
But Becky wasn't laughing.
"Maybe it's best you and Alexander have a private dance at the Mansion."
"And miss seeing Trevor's face when I walk in with Alexander?"
"Trevor knows a lot, Raven," she said oddly.
"Fine, so he'll get into a good college. What do I care?"
"I'm afraid of Trevor. His father owns half our farm."
"The corn or the sugar?"
"I have a confession--"
"Save it for Sunday. Forget about Trevor. He's just a bully."
"I'm not strong like you. I never was. You're my best friend, but Trevor has a way of making people say things they don't want to. But please-- don't go to the dance," she said, grabbing my arm.
Suddenly the bell rang. "I've gotta go. I can't get another detention or I'll be banned from the dance."
"But Raven--" "Don't be afraid, girlie, I'll protect you from the monsters."
Chapter 19 The Snow Ball
I couldn't sit still through the rest of my classes. Not through algebra, history, geography, or English, which I spent underneath the football bleachers composing love poems to Alexander. I raced home and danced around my bedroom. I tried on every piece of clothing I owned in a million combinations until I had the perfect ensemble. "Are you okay?" Billy Boy asked, peeking his head into my room.
"Just jumping around and dancing, my most precious little brother," I glowed, giving him a big squeeze and a kiss on the head.
"Are you insane?"
I sighed deeply. "You'll understand someday. You'll meet someone who is connected with you in your soul. And then everything will be exciting and peaceful at the same time."
"You mean like Pamela Anderson?"
"No, like a computer-math girl."
Billy Boy gazed off into the distance. "I guess that won't be so bad, as long as she looks like Pamela!"
"She'll look even better!" I said, messing up his hair. "Now get out. I have a ball to attend."
"You're going to a dance?"
"Yes." "Well..." I could see he was revving up for a big sister major put-down. "Well...you'll be the prettiest one there."
"Are you sure you're not on drugs?"
"You'll be the prettiest one there...with black lipstick."
"Now that sounds more like your style."