'Til Death Do Us Part

Thirty Nine

"Why are you asking me?" she replied rudely. But after seeing their expressions, she laughed. "I'm just joking. Of course it's alright! I'll get it. Would you like anything Maggie?"

Maggie declined politely and Ariana found her way to where she knew my family kept our glasses and filled it with ice water.

"So," Vivian said as she took a sip from her glass. "Should we go up to your room?"

Ariana shrugged. "Sure."

They followed behind as we went back upstairs and into my bedroom. Clothes were thrown around the floor, stacks of photos were spread out on my bed, and things were out of place. Anyone who knew me would be surprised to see my room this way, especially when I had been expecting guests. This had to be a tell-tale sign that I hadn't done this, I thought. Although they both glanced around my room, neither of them commented, and I was disappointed, but not discouraged.

Maggie shoved a pile of clothes over and took a seat on my floor. Vivian followed and Ariana shrugged again and sat down.

"So, what's up?" Ariana asked. "Why are you here?"

They exchanged looks. "You mentioned a necklace?" Maggie said quietly.

Vivian was staring at my neck. "Is that it?" she asked as she inched closer. She reached out to touch it.

"Ouch!" she hollered and pulled her hand away. "I got a shock."

Ariana giggled. "Sorry."

I could see that Vivian was clearly irritated at my reaction.

"Do you have the other half?" Vivian asked.

"The other half of this necklace? Yeah, it's over there." She pointed, not wanting to get up.

Vivian rolled her eyes and went to get it. Maggie had opened her bag and was slowly taking things out and setting them on the carpet in front of her. She looked up briefly to watch Vivian before concentrating on her bag again.

"Do you have the other necklaces we gave you?" Maggie asked.

Ariana stared at her blankly. "The necklaces you gave me? Oh, right. I do, but I'm just going to wear this one for now."

"Oh, okay," Maggie replied. "You don't have to wear them, but can you get them anyway?"

"Sure!" Ariana tried to sound cheery, but I knew she was nervous. She started looking through my drawers, unsure as to which necklaces were the right ones. "They're not here. My mom must had borrowed them."

Ariana avoided eye contact as she sat back down.

"Your mom borrowed them?" Vivian asked.

Ariana nodded and smiled. "Probably. My parents are out of town, so I can't ask her. But I will when they get back."

Maggie was staring at me intensely now. She had to know something about me was off. Ariana shifted uncomfortably on the floor.

"I'll be right back," she said. "I'm just going to the restroom."

Neither of them responded, so Ari just smiled and walked out of my room and down the hall. She didn't say a word until she was in the hall bathroom with the door securely shut. Looking into the mirror, she glared.

"Everly! Hey! You need to help me out here, okay? I don't know what necklaces they're talking about. You need to tell me where to find these things they want, okay?"

Okay, Ariana. I'm not sure where the necklaces are either. My mom probably did borrow them or something, I lied.

"Don't play games with me, Everly! I'm warning you. I'm playing it nice with your little friends, but make no mistake. I can end them if I want to. You wouldn't want them to get hurt now, would you?" she asked my reflection.

Of course not, Ari! No problem, I'll help you, okay?

I was extremely nervous about her returning to my room. She opened my bedroom door with a phony smile plastered across my face and sat back down. Maggie had unloaded her bag; lit candles were sitting on my dresser illuminating the walls behind them. Vivian was holding a small handful of gemstones and pouring them from one hand to the other, back and forth. Her eyes locked on me and I wanted to scream out to her, but I knew she wouldn't hear me.

Maggie placed her Ouija board down and I felt Ariana jolt upright with excitement. Although it was slightly different than the one she had used when she was younger, she knew what it was instantly. She stared it with interest, eyeing its differences from the one she'd had, while Vivian stared quietly.

"It's beautiful," Ariana whispered more to herself than to Maggie, and ran a finger across the board.

"You saw it the other day, remember?" Vivian said.

Ariana shot her a look. "Of course I remember."

Vivian raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else. Maggie grabbed a few photos of Ariana and me and placed them around the Ouija board. As she did so, Ariana couldn't help but stare at them, admiring herself.

Ariana! Remember that photo? It was when your family took us camping! You burned the whole bag of marshmallows in the campfire when we tried to make s'mores! I laughed.

"I did not!" Ariana snapped.

"You did not what, Everly?" Maggie asked.

Ariana looked up quickly. "What? Oh, sorry, it's nothing. I was just remembering this photo. We went camping and I burned all the marshmallows! It was so funny."

Hey, don't blame me! I laughed again.

I felt Ariana smile and look at the rest of the photos. She took one into my hand.

That was from your birthday. When I gave you the Best Friends necklace. That was a great day, wasn't it?

She nodded and touched the necklace that hung around my neck.

Vivian held a small notebook with a black leather cover. It's pages were worn and frayed.

"Okay," Maggie said. "Let's get started."