The Black House

"Xylia!" Cassie shouted over the music. My name sounded in place for once. Maybe it was just the bass.
It's pronounced Zi-lee-uh. My mom thought it was unique, like she hoped I was. She was right in all the wrong ways.

I followed my best friend's waves of blond hair with pink highlights to a table. She was laughing with our other friend, Annie. I approached the table and they informed me of a group of guys checking us out.

Cassie waved to them, never a shy girl. Her flawless tan figure and big blue eyes would enchant anyone so she had every right to be confident. She was the tallest of the three of us, even without heels. Her 5'8 made my 5'3 and Annie's 5'5 feel like children.

Annie, however the shyest, was no ugly duckling either. Her straight dark hair hung just at her shoulders and her chocolate brown eyes were warm and kind. She was tan, but not by choice. Her Native American heritage was kind to her.

No matter how normal I told myself I appeared, I found flaws with everything. I have a petite and athletic body because I like to play sports, dance, and swim. I have fair skin, long locks of black hair and bright blue eyes that had noticeable specks of white in them. My mother said it was a beautiful birthmark. I considered it mutation.

"Xylia, that tall buff guy totally wants you." Cassie giggled. I turned bright red and looked.

The guy she spoke of was very cute but he also looked older. I wasn't allowed to date anyone over the age of eighteen since I just turned sixteen. He smiled at me and I smiled back shyly.

I guess my shyness motivated all four of their group because the next thing I knew, they were approaching us.

Cassie immediately started dancing with the one she had her eye on.

Annie made small talk with the shy guy of their group.

That left the buff guy and his friend that didn't look very nice.

"What's your name? I'm Zach." Buff guy announced. His smile was gorgeous.

"Xylia." I told him loudly, so he could hear over the heavy dubstep music.

"That's different." He grinned. His friend elbowed him and he rolled his eyes.

"This is Luke." He gestured to his angry-looking friend.

"Hi." I nodded politely to him.

"Wanna dance?" Luke asked, his eyes traveling my body.

He wasn't as built as Zach but he was still bigger than me. I didn't like when guys bigger than me looked at me like that.

"I don't dance." I shook my head.

"I bet if Zach asked, you'd have said yes." He snapped.

My honesty is usually my strongest point but this time I let attitude pair with the truth.

"Actually, yeah. Zach, you wanna dance?" I asked.

Zach smiled and nodded. He took my hand in his and led me to the dance floor. His hand made mine feel so small.

Luke had stormed over to the bar and was chugging a beer. Zach and I danced and I relaxed. Music always cooled me off. Dancing was also a little risky if I wasn't concentrating.

The strobe lights and glow sticks were hypnotic as the crowd moved with the beat. I caught a couple of people popping little white pills. It was Ecstasy tablets, no doubt. Places like these always influenced drugs like that.

"Xylia?" Zach called my name over the bass. I looked at him.

His eyes were wide. He was looking at my hands that were moving with me to the music. I saw the glow and focused immediately. The glow faded and he stood still.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Glow sticks. Gotta go!" I waved and turned to find my friends. I grabbed Cassie and Annie and rushed them towards the door.

The whole way to Annie's house, Cassie chattered about her new boy toy and how they'd exchanged numbers. Annie listened enthusiastically and I tried to.

I berated myself for losing focus. I was in such a public place this time too. Close calls always haunted me for weeks. I shook my head.

The glow usually happened when I was angry, scared, or dancing. My hands always start glowing with a blue-white light that gets hot enough to melt anything. If I'm not careful, I can set things on fire or burn someone.

No one knows, not even my parents. Cassie would freak out if she ever found out. Annie was pretty in touch with the spiritual side of her heritage so I wasn't sure about her but I refused to test it.

We got home and went straight to Annie's room. She and Cassie played with her tarot cards. At least it wasn't the Ouija board.

The last time they had messed with a Ouija board was at Lynn Black's house. Lynn wound up seeing things in the house. She claimed they were evil spirits, demons. Her parents sent her to live with a relative but not long after, Mrs. Black was seen running from the house in tears. They moved out of state and never returned.

The Black House, as it came to be known, was our town's favorite thing to gossip about. My fellow students liked to dare each other to stay inside for an allotted amount of time.

Whether it was five minutes, half an hour, an hour, or all night, no one could ever do it. They always came running out saying something was there or something touched them.

I went in once in the 7th grade to prove to a boy that I was brave enough. I went inside and waited in the doorway in the foyer that lead into the living room or den. I waited for 2 minutes before I heard footsteps thundering down the stairs, accompanied by a low growling. My ass was back across the street in ten seconds.

That was the night my hands started glowing. Cassie said she thought I had two bright flashlights. I told her I had but I'd dropped them. She didn't seem convinced but it's not like she would call me out on it and risk sounding insane.

I watched Cassie and Annie discuss card meanings and I dozed off. I found myself in The Black House. I was in the doorway of the den and it was lit with candles. I took a step closer and a loud demonic voice began yelling in a foreign language. I got a glimpse of a huge dark shape but I woke up before I could make it out.

"Xylia, you ok?" Cassie whispered.

I covered my glowing hands, sitting on them to dim them. I looked up at her and smiled sleepily. I was sweating and breathing heavily.

"Just a nightmare, Cass." I answered.

"The same one?" Her blue eyes widened in concern.

I nodded. I had told her this dream the first time I had it, the night I went into The Black House since it all started. I had the nightmare every 3 months since then. I kept track and told her about it everytime even though it never changed.

"I wish Annie was more specific on her analysis." Cassie frowned.

We had asked Annie about my nightmare and she had asked her grandmother. All she told us was that I was going to face off against a great evil. She said it wasn't necessarily a physical embodiment like a spirit or demon but maybe a bad guy or a big decision. I knew she wasn't sure but was just telling me that to comfort me.

Annie hated talking about my nightmare. Anytime it was brought up, she'd change the subject somehow or find an excuse to walk away.

Cassie, being my best friend, called her out on it and Annie just shook her head sadly and said it gave her a bad feeling.

The next Monday, Cassie picked us up and we picked up some McDonald's for breakfast and sat on the picnic table we always sat at, to pass the time before school started.

"So I still can't accept that you didn't get Zach's number....so I got it for you from Pete. He's expecting to hear from you." Cassie chirped, waving a slip of paper in front of my face.

"Oh, God! Cass!" I groaned as I snatched it from her. She beamed and I couldn't help but laugh at her happiness. She adored playing matchmaker.

I sighed and put his number into my cell phone when I felt someone walk up behind me.

"Hey, ladies." The confident male voice made me cringe.

I looked back and saw Sam Moore tossing a football in his hands.

"Piss off." Cassie snapped. Sam was her ex-boyfriend. She had caught him making out with a girl from another school and had not forgotten yet.

"Relax, Cassie. I'm here to talk to Annie." He smirked.

Annie looked up and he began talking.

"So, Annie, I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie this weekend and after, maybe we can--"

"No, thank you." Annie answered calmly.

"Oh come on, don't be such a--" Sam began.

"Such a what? A good friend and a classy girl? You dated Cassie for two months and then cheated on her with some random skank. Annie is our best friend. Why would you expect her to be even SLIGHTLY interested in you?" I snapped.

Sam, Annie's, and Cassie stared at me in shock. I usually minded my own business unless things got harsh. I had no idea what had happened. I just lost my cool. I could feel my fingertips warming and I sat on my hands again.

"Buh-bye." Cassie smiled. Sam walked away in confusion and embarrassment.

"Hell yeah, Xylia!" Cassie giggled happily as Annie examined me with concern.

I knew what Annie was thinking. She probably thought I was possessed or something.

Maybe I was.

We went about our normal routines and after school, at softball practice, Cassie had big news.

"Oh my gosh, guess who is having a back-to-school party?" She was jumping up and down.

We stared at her, waiting for her to tell us. She rolled her eyes.

"Wesley Shane!" She squealed.

Annie and I pretended to faint. No matter how many boys Cassie had crushes on, her heart belonged to Wesley Shane. He had been in a relationship with someone for two years now so she wasn't about to be a home-wrecker although technically they didn't have a home together so it wasn't home-wrecking, was it?

"And GUESS where he's having it!" Cassie ordered.

"Neverland?" Annie guessed.

"Justin Bieber's house?" I guessed.

Cassie ignored our smart ass answers and shook her head.

"The Black House!" She whispered excitedly.

Annie and I glanced at each other before staring at her. We knew it wasn't a good idea to throw a party there or to even attend it. By the look on Cassie's face, it didn't matter.

"I know it's The Black House but guys.....it's Wesley Shane's party. You're not gonna make me go alone are you?!" She squeaked, looking heartbroken.

Annie and I groaned loudly but we agreed to go. Cassie knew we adored her and she never let us forget it.

It's like, three weeks from now but still. We have to look amazing!" She sang as she played with her hair.

Just then, Wesley himself and his posse walked by. Wesley smiled as he always did to the athletic girls. He liked sporty girls. His girlfriend was a cheerleader though. I wasn't sure it was a sport until I saw how hard those girls practiced.

"Hi Cassie, Annie, Xylia." He nodded to each of us and Cassie beamed at him. I waved a hand and went back to stretching.

When I got home, there was a note on the kitchen counter from my mom.

"Here's money for pizza or whatever you like. Be home asap.
Love, Mom."

My father is a doctor and my mother is a lawyer. How they had time to procreate still beats me. I'm an only child lucky for them. Once I was old enough they stuck me in day care and school and any extra activities so they didn't have to take off of work to deal with me.

I went to my room and texted Zach, apologizing for bailing. He replied almost instantly.

"No problem. Can I see you again?"

I smiled to myself and texted back quickly befire I'd regret it.

"How bout tonight?" I asked.

"Perfect. :) Time and place?" He asked.

I told him to meet me at a nearby Chili's at 8:00. It was only 5:45 so I had plenty of time to shower and get ready.

I was ready by 7:30 so I killed the last bit of time by tidying up the house. It didn't need much work since it was usually just me and I'm a super clean person.

While I was finishing my dusting, I heard a distant slam. I paused. I heard it again. It was coming from the basement. I went to the basement door but did not open it.

The house was suddenly too quiet. I leaned closer to the door. I waited for the distant slam so I could determine what it was.

Suddenly, something that sounded like a hand, smacked against the other side of the basement door and I ran for the front door.

"Not today, sir. Not today." I laughed as I seized my bag and left.

I arrived at Chili's and found Zach waiting outside for me. He looked hot. He was wearing jeans and a black pinstriped button-down shirt that fit tight to his chest. His black hair was sticking up in every direction and his hazel eyes were happy.

His smile faded and he frowned as he saw my face. I guess I wasn't hiding my fear too well.

"Are you alright, Xylia?" He asked.

"Yeah, um, it's nothing." I lied.

"You sure?" Zach asked, looking worried.

I nodded and we went inside. We were seated and we both ordered water to drink while we looked at our menu.

"So, how was the rest of your weekend?" Zach asked.

"Boring. Mostly hung out with Cassie and Annie and listened to Cassie go on about Pete." I laughed.

"Haha, yeah, he was pretty taken with her. He won't shut up about her. I've never seen him like that." Zach shook his head, chuckling.

"Well, that's good. She needs a nice guy so she can shut up about meeting a new one. We love her but damn, she can get annoying." I joked.

Zach turned out to be twenty years old. I didn't care. My parents would never know anyway. They paid no attention to me. He was attending college and he was majoring in psychology although he looked way too punk rock for college.

He lived alone and had a job as manager at Best Buy. He liked it because of the discount on electronics and he knew quite a bit about them.

Zach had to be the most fun and attractive guy I had met in a very long time. I enjoyed listening to him talk.

"So how old are you, Xylia?" He asked, putting a whole French fry into his mouth.

"I'm sixteen. Junior year of high school." I answered honestly.

Zach choked on his fry and started coughing violently, his face turning blue. I held his arms up and smacked his back a few good times and he coughed out the French fry.

"Sixteen? Wow...I, uh...wouldn't have guessed that." He gasped, his breath returning.

"Yeah...sorry." I shifted uncomfortably and he shook his head, eyes wide.

"No, I mean....it is a bit weird but you act like you're my age so I just assumed...I shouldn't have assumed. I apologize. So...you're allowed to date college guys, right?"

"What my parents don't know, won't hurt them. Besides, Dad's a doctor and Mom is a lawyer. They're never home. I guess that explains my ability to mature quicker. I've taken care of myself. Is it that big of a deal to date a high school girl?" I asked, eyebrows raised, prepared for the worst.

Zach shook his head and smiled. I smiled back but he didn't know it was in relief.

He followed me home around eleven o'clock and walked me to the door. I stared at the knob, dreading the moment I would have to go inside.

I used to only fear The Black House. Now I was terrified of home. I guess Zach saw my face because he used his index finger to turn my face up.

"Hey, what's really wrong? Everytime we talked about your house, you went super white and looked scared....talk to me." He murmured.

His kind, concerned eyes caused the incident to pour out like a knocked over water glass.

"You think someone broke in? You want me to check?" He asked.

"No, no. I'm almost certain it was my imagination. We've been talking about The Black House at school alot and I've been having nightmares. I'm just paranoid." I laughed nervously, hoping I was right.

Zach didn't seem sure but he nodded and sighed. He and I stood there awkwardly for a few moments before he finally spoke up.

"So...do you have any plans this Saturday?" He murmured.

"Nope." I smiled.

"Well, if you wanted....we could go to the beach? I mean I know summer is kinda over but technically we still have it's weather for another few weeks so we might as well enjoy--"

"I'd love that." I laughed.

"Awesome....so...I'll pick you up at around 10 AM?" He asked, smiling.

"Perfect." I beamed.

"Okay...well...text me whenever you have free time before then. Good night, Xylia." He hesitated and then kissed my cheek.

"G'night." I murmured, blushing furiously.

He drove off in his Camaro and I went inside, still smiling about the kiss on the cheek. I made Annie and Cassie get on their web cam so I could tell them all about it.

Cassie was super excited for me but Annie simply looked tired. We got offline and I flopped onto my bed, falling into a horrific sleep.