"Come to me."
"I just got off work. Not now. I need to go home and get some sleep. I haven't slept for over 24 hours. I'm tired," Rosario said.
"Come to me."
"Shut up, you handsome devil," she chuckled.
She was well aware that she was talking to herself but she kept hearing that voice call out for her. A voice she now knew belonged to Roman from last night. She yawned, swallowed back the last of her coffee, and got into her car. She needed to go home and sleep.
Luckily the drive home only took ten minutes. She pulled into her driveway and parked. She walked down the driveway to pick up her mail. Her mail box was empty and she yawned again. If she didn't get to bed soon, she would pass out on the sidewalk.
"Come to me."
"Fucking persistent, are we?" She asked. "And you're still talking to yourself, Rosario. He was not that hot. Well, he was, but still. Get a fucking grip, woman."
She moved her hand up to close it around the pendant. She closed her eyes for a moment. Happy voices and joyful music suddenly reached her. She opened her eyes and looked at the house next door. There was a party going on. Roman came walking out of the door, smiling and waving. He hurried down to her and took her hand.
"There you are," he said. "Come. This way."
He pulled her up to the house and they walked inside. She looked around to try and spot the owners. She knew who they were. She had greeted them many times but she had never been inside their house.
"Where's Carmella and Corey?" She asked.
"Don't worry about them," he said. "Come on. Let's dance."
He pulled her into the living room and started dancing with her like the night before. She looked around at all the people there.
"Aren't these the same people that were at the bar?" She asked.
"They're my friends," he said.
"Of course. It's just odd it's everyone from last night," she said. "And where are Carmella and Corey? I need to make sure they're okay with me being here."
"They don't mind," he said.
He kissed her and slowly backed her out of the room. They reached the empty hallway, and he pushed her up against the wall. She got lost in the steamy kiss. It felt so good having him kiss her. He kissed down her neck and growled lowly which only made her more wet.
"Roman!" She panted. "I live next door. We can go there."
"I'd love to be with you," he said.
He grabbed her breast and her entire body felt like it was on fire.
"Please," she whispered.
"Take off the necklace so we don't accidently break it. I can keep it safe for you," he said.
She moved her head back as much as she could for the wall. What a strange thing to say in the middle of such a heated moment.
"Why are you so obsessed with my necklace?" She asked.
"It's beautiful. It would be a shame if it broke," he said.
"I think I can manage a fucking necklace," she said.
"Let me help you," he said.
"No, I'm good," she said.
He grabbed her wrists and forced them back against the wall in a tight grip.
"Let me help you!" He growled. "Give me the fucking necklace!"
"Let me go," she said.
"Give me the necklace!" He shouted.
She did the only thing she could. She kneed him in the balls as hard as she could. He let go of her and she stormed out of the house. The moment she reached her own driveway, the music and voices disappeared. She looked back at the house but it was dark as if there hadn't just been a party going on.
"What the fuck?" She asked.
Carmella and Corey came driving down the street. They both waved at her as they turned into their driveway. She waved back and hurried inside her own house.
"This is too fucking weird," she said.
She ran to the bedroom and looked in the wall mirror at the necklace.
"What the fuck did you give me, aunt Charo? What the fuck is this thing?" She asked.
She pulled off the necklace and held it up by its gold chain.
"Is this some gateway to another world?" She asked. "Wait, what did the letter say?"
She found the letter that she had saved in a drawer and read it again.
"Remember that the kindest faces sometimes hold the darkest secrets. Behind every smile is a predator waiting to strike. Don't get swallowed up in the music just because it makes you happy. Stay grounded. Trust your guts. Follow the light out of the darkness. This world has many beings, and not everyone wants what's best for you. Sometimes the monster under the bed tries to get into it. Don't allow it."
"The music," she mumbled. "There's always music. Damn it, aunt Charo! You were into some weird out of this world shit. And you can't tell me the rules but you did, didn't you? You wrote it in code. The rules say not to actually say the rules. Why the hell did you give me this thing? I don't believe in any supernatural shit."
She held up the necklace again and looked at it.
"At least I didn't until now," she said. "No, I am done with you. I am not wearing you again."
She found the chest it had come in, placed the necklace back down in the chest, and placed the chest on her nightstand so she wouldn't forget about it once she had slept.
"I'll deal with you when I wake up," she said. "I'm gonna fucking bury you in my garden somewhere. As deep as I can. Go back to whatever hellhole you were forged in."