Beetlejuice and Lydia

Halloween. Definetly my most favorite holiday. But of course this year Dad would have to ruin it by making me host a sleepover for all of his business associates' daughters. Then to make it worse Deelia had told me No Weird Things.

Really Deelia?

Weird things were my specialty, and these air-headed girls could do with a little bit of weirdness in their dull cheer leading lives. Especially for Halloween since their idea of fun consisted of candy corn and popcorn in my room watching artificial horror movies while talking about boys.

"Lydia, I absolutely mean it when I say NO. Your father could loose his promotion." Deelia told me as she cooked dinner yesterday night.

Doomed to have a dull Halloween.

"I'm bored." Amanda Spooler, a petite red headed girl said from the floor. Theresa Malleck who was sitting behind her braiding her hair nodded in agreement.

"I know what we can do," Cathy Handerly, the blond who had pretty much been the spokesperson for tonights festivities said from her spot on my bed, spoke up. "Lydia is into creepy stuff. I'm sure she has an Oujia board somewhere around here. Don't you Lydia?"

I was sitting at my desk, writing a poem and listening to their discussion with amusement. I did still have a Oujia board, even if I haven't used it in forever. Why did I need to when I had two amazing ghosts living upstairs in the attic? Even still, I had wondered before what would happen if I did use the Oujia board now. Would Adam and Barbara want to answer it or what? Was it like a telephone to the spirit world?

"I have one. It's in my closest, right next to the Yahtzee box." I said, turning around in my desk seat. Cathy was the one to get up to go retrieve it, with the other two girls standing up as well. Please, nothing was living in my closet that would come out and eat you....I don't think.

Cathy brought the ancient looking board out like it was a sacred relic, and gently sat it down in the middle of my floor. She reached across the floor to her purse and pulled out a red lighter, looking around the room at my candles.

"Bring me the candles so we can set them around here properly." She ordered Amanda and Theresa. They both nodded obediently before bringing the candles back to Cathy.

"Turn off the lights." She directed once she had every candle burning around the Oujia board. Theresa cut the lights and I slipped out of my chair and crawled over to where they were sitting on the floor. Cathy's face was full of mischief as she placed her fingers down on the small tab, the other girls joining her. She looked up at me.

"It only works if everyone has their fingertips on it, you know." She told me. I glared at her and placed my fingers carefully on the tab.

"Oh great Oujia board, please let us make contact with the other side tonight!" I had to stifle giggles back at Cathy's speech. "Please let us talk to someone who has crossed over into the light!" The candle closest to Theresa flickered down, and then sparked up higher, causing Theresa to yelp.

"Is there someone with us already?" Cathy asked. The Oujia board started to move over to the 'Yes'. Cathy was probably pushing it to make her seance more authentic.

"And tell us, spirit, what is the name you go by?" Cathy asked, her voice over dramatic and mysterious. I rolled my eyes again. If she says Buddy Holly, I swear...

'B'. 'E'. 'T'. 'E'. 'L'

My eyes started to go wide. It couldn't be.

'G. 'E'. 'U'. 'S'. 'E'.

Oh yes, it definitely could be.

"Beetlejuice? What kind of a name is that?" Amanda asked incredulously. I glanced up at her but didn't say anything. I was too interested on what Beetlejuice was going to say next.

"'Hello Lydia'." He spelled. Amanda gasped and covered her mouth, staring at me in wide eyed terror.

"Hello Beetlejuice." I mumbled, feeling my cheeks flame. He wasn't going to do this right now, was he?

"How do you know Lydia Deetz?" Cathy asked, looking somewhat annoyed that the attention was no longer on her.

"'We're old friends'." He spelled out. Yes, old friends. He wasn’t exactly what I would call a friend, especially since he has put my life on the line more than once for his own personal gain, not to mention trying to marry me. I shivered at the thought of being married to that man. The three girls were staring at me as if they’ve never seen me until then.

"'Say my name 3 times.'" He asked.

"No!" I practically yelled. Cathy narrowed her eyes at me.

"Why can't we say 'Beetlejuice'?" She looked over at Amanda, a sly smirk on her face. That was once. Amanda started to grin now, catching onto the little game Cathy had suddenly invented.

"Beetlejuice!" She whispered harshly. Twice; one more and Beetlejuice would be freed. I was shaking my head now. No, no, no!

"Beetlejuice!" Theresa said, and all three of them started to giggle. I wasn't giggling. The ceiling started to shake overhead, causing the three of them to screech. Dust was falling from the ceiling with who knows what else. I slapped my forehead.

"Oh no." The ceiling moaned and creaked uncontrollably like a floor in an old abandoned house.

"What is that?" Theresa asked, scared. The ceiling gave out a couple of feet in front of us, and something fell to the floor, causing all three of the girls to scream. I was just staring at the pinstriped suit that I knew all too well as he stood up to his full height.

"Did somebody call my name?" He asked the group. His eyes fell on me. "Babe, why is it you hate people saying my name? Seriously? I mean, come on now. You and I were just talking in the cemetery upstairs last Tuesday, and you obviously have no problem with me being pint size."

"You have a cemetary upstairs?" Amanda squeaked. I shook my head at her.

"Yeah she does. Can you believe it? Some dead guy made it. It's very lively if you want to go check it out." Beetlejuice said, and snapped his fingers, causing Amanda to disappear and Cathy and Theresa to shriek. I stood up on my feet.

"Get her back right now! I'm not kidding!" I yelled at him.

"But we're just starting to have fun." Beetlejuice said and pouted.

"Get her back! Wherever she is get her back!" Cathy screeched. Beetlejuice turned to her now.

"You know, you've been acting like a little bitch tonight. Stop talking and start barking!" He said, a grin spread across his face. Cathy let out a scream which started to turn into a hoarse bark as she shifted downwards, transforming into a miniature Cerberus as she did so. She went after Beetlejuice, but with a holler Beetlejuice flung himself up in the air and out of Cerberus Cathy's reach. His eyes were looking at Theresa.

"Stop it! Stop it right now! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! B-"

"Okay! Okay!" Beetlejuice said, trying to drown out the third chant. Cathy began to grow again, shaping back into a human as she did so. She passed out as soon as she was human again. Amanda crashed through the floor suddenly, next to the pile of rubble that was from Beetlejuice's grand entry. Theresa looked at the two lying on the floor already and fainted as well. Now that all three of them were unconcious, Beetlejuice floated back to the ground. I had my arms folded across my chest.

"Babe, did you miss me?" He asked, his arms outstretched.

"Like the plague." I said, moving out of his reach. He placed his hands over his heart as if I had just broke it. "Thanks for destroying my bedroom roof by the way. I'm sure my parents will be thrilled when I tell them."

"What? Don't you want to be closer to Barb and Adam? But I think they're on vacation right now in the spirit world, so I don't know how that'll work out for you." He said, looking up at the two gaping holes in the ceiling. "I'll call the spirit repair group and they'll come and fix it."

"You're so helpful." I sarcastically said.

"Hey! That's no way to talk to someone who went out and got you a Halloween present!" Beetlejuice said, looking offended. He reached into his inner suit pocket and pulled out a black and orange box with a bow on it and handed it to me.

"You shouldn't have."

"Yeah, but I did. And I think I deserve something in return. Remember that question I asked you a while ago?" He asked, causing me to practically laugh.

"I'm not marrying you." I said. He shrugged.

"Well then, suit yourself." He said, before shooting up through the hole and disappearing out of sight. I stared up after him, not surprised that I could see the attic roof from my bedroom now. He'd be back.