American Horror Story
~Vega~
A slight breeze blew through the long, cherry red hair of the teenage girl standing on the sidewalk. She stared at the Victorian house in front of her, absorbing the situation she was thrown into. The air around her felt crisper than it did in Seattle, but it felt nothing like home. She couldn't grasp the concept that everything she had come to know and love was different. Her mind set drifted off, causing her to stare blankly at the second floor window. Catching her attention was the movement off the curtain, knowing no one was in the house.
"Vega, help me unpack these boxes you lazy ass!" called a boy from the U-Haul sitting in the driveway. Snapped out of the blank mind set she was in, Vega turned towards the truck. The boy peered around the side, revealing his wind-blown midnight black wisps of hair proceeding to dance around his face. She sighed and slowly walked over to meet with her brother.
"Sy, I really don't want to be here. Can you please explain to me again why we had to move here?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Hearing it from her brother helps her realize it isn't just her suffering. He set down the box he had picked up and pointed a finger in the direction of a man in a business suit on the porch of the house, talking avidly on a cell phone. A pretty woman came up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he hung up the phone. They giggled and kissed, making Vega upset to her stomach.
"Well my dear sweet Vega, mommy dearest decided to have an affair with Mr. Rick "Big Bucks the Accountant" Spinolli. This made us leave behind our cool, sensible director dad because his income is not enough to support us. We are stuck with the middle aged newlyweds, suffering to hear thumping and bumping against the wall that will cause us to feel vaguely itchy as we attempt to sleep at night. I also imagine that the thought of sleeping and living in the discounted famous Murder House of Los Angeles doesn't sit well with you," he explained with intense sarcasm. Vega laughed so hard she was crying, reminded of the many time she told this story with varying tones and voices back in Seattle to their friends. What caught her attention this time was the added detail of the mention of the Murder House. She looked at the house, contemplating her thoughts about whether the place could be haunted or not.
"Oooo, scary big house on the outskirts of Los Angeles! The family all died or went missing, big whoop. I'm not scared of some rumor," she scoffed back as she picked up the box that Sy had set down. She began walking to the house, followed by Sy, spilling concern from his facial expressions.
"Actually, the part about the family all dying or going missing was true. The Harmon family lived here three years ago, all dying within the year they bought the house. Violet Harmon, the daughter, overdosed on sleeping pills and passed away in her room. Vivien Harmon, the mom, died in the middle of trying to give birth in the house. She was birthing twins. One of them was still born. The other one lived and was living with Dr. Ben Harmon, the last member living at the time. He ended up hanging himself on the foyer chandelier because he missed and felt guilty about his daughter and wife. When the police went to investigate the house, they couldn't find the surviving twin. They only saw an empty carrier near the stairs were Dr. Harmon leaped from. So, that is the story of the Harmon's," he said back to her with satisfaction. Vega stared at him wide eyed, not sure whether to believe what she had just heard or not. She hid her interest in the story, not wanting to show her new found excitement of living here. She steadied herself as she headed up the steep steps, wanting to get into the house.
"Alright, enough ghost stories open the door for me," she said, eager to get everything put away. Sy opened the door, holding it open for Vega. She easily hid her eagerness to explore the house and its morbid and intriguing past. She entered through the doorway, feeling a wash of coldness brush her skin, digging deeper than the surface. Shivers and shutters went down her spine as she stared at the infamous chandelier in the eerie foyer. She walked slowly up the stairs, staring at every detail along the way. Every small carving and indentation within the original woodworking of the house spoke to her, telling her a different story. She peered into every room, eying the different organizations until she came onto the room at the very end of the hall. She identified her bed, adorned with the same purple sheets, covers, and pillows that she had slept on since she was twelve years old. She walked in and placed the box on her bed, stretching her arms out
"She slept on purple sheets too," a voice quietly said behind her. Quickly she composed herself and turned around in shock. She peered into the eyes of the stranger, looking up because of the significant height difference. She backed away a bit, realizing their noses were less than an inch from touching.
"Who the hell are you?' she asked, shaking slightly from the startling appearance of the unwelcomed gust in her new room. The blond haired boy gave her an underlying sexy grin and sat down on the bed, motioning for her to join him.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Tate Langdon. I have lived on this street for quite a while now. I'm kind of like the welcoming committee you could say. And who are you?" he asked, lying back on her bed she Vega did not join in sitting next to him. Vega merely stood, trying to anticipate the next move the boy could make.
"Vega Ross. Just what do you mean by 'she slept on purple sheets too'?" she asked back at the boy. She casually walked over to the box she had sitting on the bed. From the corner of her eye, she looked Tate up and down. Vega observed his lean physique, dressed in a light gray striped sweater and loose fitting denim jeans. His near grays eyes stared up at the ceiling as he put his eyes behind his head.
"This was the same room Violet Harmon had slept in," he said to her. Vega's eyes hot open in pure shock. She was going to be sleeping in the same room a girl had died. A girl that had died three years ago, that was her age. She brushed it off, hiding her fear of the aura the room now presented.
"Very interesting to find out. I take it you knew her personally then?" Vega asked in return, grabbing figurines out of the box from the bed. Tate followed suit before giving Vega his answer.
"She was a pretty good friend of mine. We even dated for a while. I was over at this house all of the time. Unfortunately, I was the one who found her after she overdosed," he said to her, appearing to have a very slight amount of shock or sadness in his voice. She set down the last figurine in her hands and stared Tate directly in the eyes. She was captivated by them, lost in his gaze. Finally she broke free and began speaking once again.
"I am so sorry to hear that. So, do you go to school around here?" she asked, attempting to change the subject. Tate didn't answer right away, peering left and right.
"I'm actually homeschooled. My mother doesn't want me around the whole public high school environment. I had some bad interaction in the public schools. And about Violet, don't worry about it. All of that is in the past and I have gotten over it, trust me," he said, brushing his fingers lightly down his arm. She blushed pink, contemplating the answer he had given her. She brushed off the oddness of the answer, remembering that people in California are much different than those in Seattle.
"Wow, that's very interesting. Thank you for helping me organize my stuff a little bit. Will I be seeing you around quite often then?" she asked him, smiling like a young school girl with a crush. He smiled back at her and stepped closer, removing any extra space between them. He put his fingers under her chin, bringing her eyes up to his. Vega felt butterflies flutter in her chest as she stared up at him, waiting for his response.
"Only as much as you want me around," he whispered to her, blushing himself. She felt herself blush even more at his answer. She processed his answer and began formulating a response in her mind.
"See you Monday after school?" she asked with a glimmer of hope in her voice. Before she noticed, Tate placed a soft kiss on her lips. She gasped slightly at the surprise. Seconds later, she melted into the softness of his lips and gentleness of the kiss. He pulled Vega slightly deeper into the kiss with his hand softly on her cheek. He slowly pulled away from her, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Her white cheeks were plastered with a red tint.
"Sounds like a plan to me," he said as he took he hand away from her cheek. He started walking out of her room. Vega pulled herself from her sudden daze just before he got to the doorway.
"Bye Tate," she quickly said back to him. He turned around, returning her with a boyish smile and waving at her.
"See ya later Vega," he excitedly said back to her. As soon as she was sure Tate had left her room, Vega whipped out her phone. She dialed her phone and bounced on her feet, waiting for her best friend to answer.
"Terrie, you are never going to believe what just happened!" she excitedly screeched into the phone.
~Tate~
The young boy walked outside the room he was all too familiar with. He looked each way assuring he was alone. He closed his eyes, now hiding himself from the view of the living world. After a few moments, Tate made his way back into the bedroom, watching and listening to the conversation Vega was having. An added detail from his prior adventure in the room was Violet, placed silently in the old style director's chair in the corner near the window. Tate's expression turned from overjoyed to annoyed and perturbed in the instant he saw her. He took place on the bare dresser top and crossed his arms, waiting for a statement out of Violet.
"Looking back, I could never handle girls who talked on the phone like her. No one should explain a story with that much emotion," she simply stated to Tate. He scoffed at her, pulling his legs to his chest and sitting Indian style.
"And if I recall looking back, you couldn't handle a lot of girls or boys when you were alive," he snapped back at her. Violent glared at him, pursing her lips and sending daggers in his direction. Tate shrugged and hopped off the dresser, lying casually on his back beside Vega on the bed.
"In my honest, blunt, and probably bitchy opinion, she strikes me as just another gothic tramp. I mean seriously Tate, take a second and closely observe," she said with a wave of her hand. Tate sat up and did just so, eying her from head to toe. Her strapless, red and black corset was paired with a plain black ruffle skirt, matched with fishnets and untied combat boots. Her many ear piercings and lip ring glittered in the natural light seeping through the large window above the bed. The deep black and sparkly make up adorning her eyes harshly contrasted against her ghostly pale complexion. Tate watched as her bright red lips moved as she talked and laughed on the phone.
"I personally think she is the most beautiful girl I have seen. She was standing on the sidewalk with a breeze. It blew her hair and she looked like a movie star or girl in a band I thought you would have listened to," he said in return, eying Vega's movements the entire time he spoke. Violet's face fell with shock and anger at the answer she received. She crossed her legs and arms, not attempting to hide her anger.
"Falling for a living girl again I see?" she asked sarcastically with a hint of jealousy pooling in her voice. Tate smirked, knowing he could take advantage of this moment.
"A bit of jealousy I see? Do you have a nasty little green monster sitting on your shoulder? Envy is one of the seven deadly sins my dear Violet," he teased, standing and circling over to Violet. Her face was concrete, scowling right at Tate. He crossed his arms, unable to hide his masterminded smirk of success.
"Incorrect dear Tate, I feel an immense amount of sympathy for the poor girl. She has no idea what she is in for. I mean come on, we all know what happened last time you were attracted to a living girl," she said in reference to their relationship. Tate looked away from her unfazed and back at Vega who just hung up her phone. He smiled lightly and innocently and turned his attention halfway back to Violet.
"Some people change the assumed outcomes," was all Tate said as he walked out of the room. Violet huffed aloud and looked back over at the smiling girl. She left her seat, walking around the bed looking at the girl. Violet noticed her doodles, being the letters TL on the front cover of a new crisp notebook. Violet's eyes shot an attacking look at Vega, glaring at her for the overtake of what she considered her territory.
