Corazana Prieto wasn't a summer person. The only thing she liked about summer break was having the young Lydia Deetz by her side. Corazana was just supposed to babysit her for two weeks. She thought it'd be horror movies nights with popcorns all alo...
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Chapter 7 Wind of Change
The Deetz finally came back from their trip. The summer was slowly coming to its end. Corazana started packing her stuff, ready to go back to college. Lydia was sad, and the three ghosts in her house noticed it.
"Babes! Cheer up a little, y'know she'll be back soon!" "I do know that Beej', it's just... She's my only living friend out here." "It's just a little more than a month, sweetie," started Barbara in a very maternal ton, "and thanks to you, she'll have her exhibition here! In the house!" "Yeah, that was a nice move Lyds," added the demon.
The morning following the terrible night Cora had encountered, Beetlejuice, Lydia and her were in the kitchen. After telling the gothic teen everything that had happened, Lydia stayed silent. The city wasn't a big one, finding a gallery in less than a month would be hard, probably expensive. Suddenly, the solution appeared clearly to her:
"Let's do it here!" "What?" asked BJ and Cora at the same time. "Yes! I mean, look at this house! It's enormous and already looking like a contemporary museum. Let me give a call to Delia and dad, I'm sure we can go somewhere with that!" As she was leaving the kitchen, Beetlejuice elbowed the babysitter, "told ya she was a smart kid." She giggled, "I wouldn't have think of asking for her help without you, thanks."
Even though he didn't show it, being thanked make him feel very proud of himself. Which was quite rare, actually.
"No probs."
From the other room, they could hear Lydia talking to Charles and Delia on the phone, "Yes, a young and talented underground artist! I swear! I'm sure people from all over the state will come, it's so rare we have that kind of exhibit here! ... Of course, you could make benefits out of it Delia. ... Yes ... No... REALLY? Oh my God, thank you! I love you! Cora will be so happy to hear that!"
Her parents barely get the time to say, "wait, Corazana, the neighbor?" before she hung up the phone.
"They said yes!" "I have the feeling you kinda trapped them," giggled Cora.
Lydia answered with an evil laugh, quickly followed by BJ who couldn't resist doing one when he had the opportunity. That was when Lydia was still smiling, because now, knowing that Corazana was leaving for a whole month, she was inconsolable.
"The end of summer doesn't mean it's the end of the world, sweetie..." Barbara tried everything to cheer the girl up, "I'm sure she's as sad as you are to leave, but a month is nothing to wait..." "It's nothing because you're ghosts! Time goes fast for you... You know I don't have any friends. When she's gone, if I put a foot outside, I don't even have you by my side. I'm alone." "Babes, can I talk to you for a sec? Don't ya try to listen, nerds," cautioned Beetlejuice, "so, I kinda noticed some things, Lyds." "What do you mean you've noticed things?"
She was being defensive. Obviously, something was on, and Beej' knew perfectly one thing: it would be hard to make her tell what was on. On the other hand, though, the reason of Lydia's behavior was crystal clear to him.
"You have a crush on her, dontcha?"
Red. Maybe crimson? No, definitely red. That was the color on Lydia's cheeks.
"I-I don't! And before you try anything to drag me out: I don't anymore." "Hu-oh wasn't expecting honesty." She sighed, "I couldn't keep it to myself ... The truth is, I liked her the moment I saw her. She's just always so luminous, you know? Kind to people, ready to listen, calm, shiny... Clearly my opposite." "Mine too," added the demon. "Of course. She's more than a crush now, Cora is my best friend. Alive, best friend," rectified the gothic, "it's more important to me but ... I guess I still have feelings for her. Maybe romantic, maybe not. She has nothing to do with a teenage girl, she's an adult. I got it, that's okay." "To be fair, babes, I've guessed your feelings ever since you kept her away from me."
Lydia could just let a little "oh ..." out of her mouth.
"So... I'm not that good at hiding my emotions, right?" "Hm, last time I checked you were ready to jump off the roof and run in hell because of your emotions, Lyds." "No, hell was because you wanted to marry me." "Fair enough."
A silence followed their discussion. Lydia's seemed much more serious suddenly, remembering the events from the year before.
"Now that you bring the subject on..." started Lydia, her eyes getting darker, "I just realised that without you, I would have probably jumped and died, because the Maitlands would have been a minute too late. Thank you, man." "I wasn't planning on saving anyone that day, babes, but y'know I'll always be by your side." "I'm sure you will, you're dead, it's not like you had something better to do."
He grinned and ruffled her hair.
"You're right, Scarecrow."
They went back to the Maitlands who were patiently waiting where they left them. They were surprised to see that Lydia looked actually better. The love birds didn't trust Beetlejuice when it came to help people. Especially with words.
The green-ghost was thinking. Cora, then Lydia, everyone was thanking him those days! What a strange feeling...
"Why are you looking at me like that, nerds?" he barked to the Maitlands. Adam couldn't help but smile a little bit, "nothing, you just look different." "You mean sexier? Impossible, I'm already the best man I could ever be." "Let it go, Adam, he's always equal to himself. Our good old Beej'." "Oh Barbara, I love when you give me pet names." "Here goes all the sympathy I had for you," sighed Adam. "So he really is always like that."
Corazana had appeared at the kitchen's door, arms crossed on her chest and smiling a little.
"I wanted to say goodbye before leaving for a month so-" before she could finish her sentence, both Lydia and BJ jumped in her arms. "Cora!" "Doll!" "Let her breath!" begged Barbara. "Since when Beetlejuice and her are that close?" "It doesn't matter Adam, they're about to kill her." "I'm okay!"
The babysitter finally managed to get away from the hug.
"Ew, why does it smells like moisture?" "That's me," answered BJ. "He smells terrible," added Lydia. "That's not a terrible smell just ... a weird one." "Oh, so you do like my fragrance." "That's not what I said." He ignored her, "She likes it, guys!"
The Maitlands and Cora shared a desperate look, secretly amused by his attitude. He always acted like a child, which could be quite unexpected coming from a centenary demon. Especially since he was able to literally possess, torture, manipulate and scare people to death. Which was the equivalent of a very sadistic child having fun with bugs. In Corazana's opinion, he was probably torturing bugs too anyway.
She decided to change the subject, "I'm glad your parents are really okay for the exhibition. Even though you kind of trapped them."
"I didn't trap them, I played with words. Enormous difference." "Sure," smiled the babysitter, "I gotta go, my dad's waiting for me in the car. I'll miss you guys." "We'll see you soon, honey."
Barbara hugged her. It felt like her mother's embrace and make her smile. It was a shame that Barbara didn't get the chance to have a child while she was still alive, her and Adam would have been such wonderful parents... Cora looked at Lydia.
They kind of get one in the afterlife though, she thought, and she's unique.
The honk of her dad's car echoed from the street. She waved at the four people in the kitchen. They seemed sad, especially Lydia, but just waved back. Corazana was approaching the door when she heard a gravelly voice behind her.
"Take care." "I will, Beej'." "Life's short." "I know."
He stared at her, silently.
"It's cool to have you around, doll. See ya soon."
Before she could answer, the demon had disappeared.
