the vampire prince and I

chapter 5

Jessica hadn't realized it was Halloween. Every year, it seemed to creep up on her, just like Christmas.

"No, I don't have anything amazing planned," Jessica said, "but I might watch a horror movie or something..." she trailed off.

Hearing herself say it out loud made Jessica feel like a complete loser. Jessica slid into her chair, trying to concentrate on the book in front of her. Hopefully, they'd forget why she was here and carry on with their conversation.

"So, Jess, do you have a boyfriend?" Another person inquired.

Sarah burst out laughing. "No, thanks very much. Jessica has never been spotted with a guy."

It was becoming progressively worse. Jessica cheeks were flushing now, and she began quietly praying for the dreadful gray carpet to open up and swallow her whole.

Jessica said, "Err- No, I don't have a boyfriend right now."

Barbie gave Jessica a wistful grin and told her, "It's a real pity. You know, I suppose you'd look pretty great with a little make-up and hair product."

Was that meant to be a compliment or a dig? Jessica thought.

Sarah jumped into the conversation with the tact of a bull in a china shop before she had a chance to respond. "Jessica, that's the one thing I've never understood about you. You've always preferred the feel of a book to the weight of a guy on you."

"All right," Jessica responded as she took a photocopy of Durkheim's Suicide study from her backpack. "Rather than my non-existent love life, we should concentrate on the seminar reading."

Sarah snatched the study from Jessica grip and stated, "No, we should concentrate on repairing your non-existent romantic life. Amelia Hayden, I believe you need to be tainted."

"I don't want to be tainted," Jessica stated gently.

"I believe you do, and I can show you how. We're going to a frat house Halloween party tonight, and you'll be joining us " Sarah stated

Jessica didn't want to say no. She wanted to tell Sarah she had other plans, but Jessica couldn't for some inexplicable reason. Instead, Jessica agreed to join Sarah and her pals at the party. Looking back, Jessica realizes that she may have lived if she had said no... but it was not her fate. That night, Jessica fate was death.

Jessica arrived at Sarah hostel in a basic blue dress on the night of her death. Sarah was dressed like a seductive demon when she opened the door. "Where the heck is your clothing, Hayden?" was Sarah first query.

Jessica answered, "I don't have an outfit."

"Jessica, it's Halloween! You'll need something to wear, " Sarah became enraged. "I suppose we'll have to make do."

Sarah dragged Jessica into her dorm room and started going through her belongings. "I have a few stretchy outfits that could work for you." Sara closet was literally bursting at the seams with expensive dresses, coats, and handbags. She flipped through her rack of clothes impatiently before coming to a halt in front of a long white maxi dress.

"Here," she remarked as she drew a white maxi from her bag. "Put this on, and we'll couple it with a wedding veil and lace gloves to transform you into one sultry bride."

She inquired, "Wait, do you have a wedding veil?"

"Yes, I still had one from last year. It was during an eighties party year, and I dressed myself as Madonna "she said.

Jessica snatched Sarah's dress and entered the restroom. Jessica appeared two minutes later, dressed as a bride. The bridal veil lay awkwardly on her head, and the designer maxi dress left no room for interpretation. Jessica felt exposed and vulnerable as it clung to every curve.

Sarah gave Jessica a good look and nodded. "Jessica, you are stunning. In fact, you appear to be rather attractive. Those frat boys will have no idea what's hit them."

.

Jessica wasn't sure, but she felt forced to remain silent once more.

They went to the fraternity house party after leaving Sarah's dorm. They ran met Sarah's pals along the road, who were all blown away by Jessica's transformation. When one of the females spotted Jessica, she really yelled with joy. She'd dashed up to them and said, "Oh my goodness, Sarah! Sebastian is going to panic! I can't believe you got her into that outfit!"

"Carrie, be quiet!" Sarah had become strange and defensive as a result of her outburst. "Er, who is Sebastian?" says the Jessica inquired, her tone skeptical.

"No one—absolutely no one," Sarah shrugged.

Sarah grabbed Jessica's arm and began talking about their terrible seminar tutor before Jessica could ask any more questions. Jessica sensed Sarah was trying to change the subject, but she couldn't figure out why. Jessica didn't listen to a tiny voice screaming at her from the back of her skull, warning her that something was seriously wrong. Jessica instead allowed Sarah to drive her to the fraternity home.

When they arrived at the party, it was pretty much as Jessica had anticipated. That was a lot of toilet paper, shaving foam, and drinking while under the age of 21. The house was filled with heavy dance music, and Jessica could see people dancing inside. She recognized a few people from the football squad, but everyone else was unfamiliar.

They entered the fraternity house as a group and were met by one of the fraternity's initiates. When he spotted Jessica, he burst out laughing and told Sarah, "Sebastian has everything ready."

Jessica thought Sebastian yet again.

"Look, Jessica," Sarah replied, "whatever happens, I want you to know that it was never personal."

"What?" Jessica responded with a puzzled expression.

Jessica felt hands on her, yanking her out of the home backwards. Jessica had been ambushed from behind by several frat boys, who were now dragging her out of the fraternity house and onto the lawn.

A huge gathering of students had gathered outside on the lawn, holding their red cups of booze.

"Behold!" A loud voice rang out. "To the Dark Prince, our virgin offering."

"What?!" Jessica was in tears.

Students, including Sarah Turner and her friends, were clapping and cheering.

Jessica couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd been duped. Jessica was aware of the fraternity's custom. Every year, the frat boys carried out a silly urban legend to please the fictitious 'Prince of Darkness.' Every year, one of the males would fool some nerdy girl into dressing up as a bride and standing in front of the town graveyard's aman's tree. The girl was never harmed. She then walked home after standing beneath the tree till midnight.

The frat boys had sent Sarah Turner as a Trojan horse to mislead some poor girl into being the next bride, and that poor girl was Jessica.

"We'll offer Jessica Madison as a virgin bride tonight," the frat dude explained.

"Wait a minute!" Jessica screamed.

The room fell silent.

"Look, this is a ridiculous urban legend, and if getting out of here necessitates standing under that ridiculous tree at midnight, I'll do it. But I insist that you release me immediately, or I vow to God, if you drag me to the cemetery without my will, I will scream the entire way "Jessica remarked.

For a few moments, the frat brothers considered what Jessica had said before one of them, whom she assumed was Sebastian, stated, "Okay, Jessica Madison, we agree to your terms. Only if you allow two members of our fraternity to accompany you to the cemetery and then guard the cemetery gates to guarantee you do not flee. You are free to leave once the church bells have struck midnight... as long as the Dark Prince does not want you for himself."

Jessica said, "Fine."

Jessica then proceeded to the grave yard to die. The cemetery was deathly quiet and I was really starting to regret ever agreeing to this stupid dare. Standing alone in the freezing cold, I secretly hoped a couple of kids might be hanging out amongst the tombstones for Halloween kicks. But since entering the cemetery I hadn't spotted a single soul...

Jessica was standing beneath the branches of the legendary Aman's Tree at nearly midnight, waiting for an urban legend to leap out and grab her. Jessica would be panicking out right now if she wasn't distracted by the cold. Jessica's dress was not made to keep her warm on a cool October night. Jessica concentrated on pulling Sarah's lace gloves that additional centimetre up her extremely cold arms, attempting to distract herself from the fact that she was alone in a frightening graveyard.

Jessica shuddered violently - it's not long now.

For the six millionth time, Jessica glanced down at her phone and noticed the time: 11:55 p.m. Jessica also saw that all of her signal bars were at zero. Jessica stomach churned with unease. "Come on, Jess," she said quietly to herself, "it's only five minutes until you can go home."

Jessica didn't want to admit it, but this place was starting to wear on her nerves.

Jessica studied the rows of tombstones nervously. Jessica had a strange expectation that a ghost would appear out of nowhere and terrify the living daylights out of her. It had happened earlier this evening, but instead of a ghost, it had been a really enormous owl. It had swooped down low over her head and landed on a nearby tree branch. Of course, Jessica screamed and felt terribly dumb when she realized it was just an owl - but for a little moment, she believed it was him, the infamous Dark Prince.

Jessica looked at her phone impatiently once more. Jessica would give the Dark Prince another two minutes to come and take her before leaving. Jessica stared at her phone as the digital seconds ticked away, gently urging, "Come on midnight."

Her clock displayed 11:59pm as the minute changed.

"One minute to 12:00 is good enough for me," Jessica remarked.

Jessica moved a few steps closer to the cemetery gates before coming to a halt as a loud, hefty chime broke the deathly calm. The witching hour had arrived, as the church bells tolled. Jessica looked around the graveyard again, hoping to see if any ghosts, witches, or demons had decided to join her, but there were none. It was only she who was there.

The church bells continued to clang, counting down the hours, and Jessica was halfway across the graveyard, sprinting for the exit when the final bell rang. It was only now that she realized how foolish it was for a young woman to be alone in such a remote place.