Chapter 2: The Cards Don't Lie

"Oh please, was that necessary?" muttered Shelby when she heard the new girl scream.

"Well you startled me when you slammed that door."

"I didn't expect anyone to be in here." Shelby said, glancing over Ashlyn. "You must be the newbie."

"Newbie?" Ashlyn asked.

"You know, the new kid on the block, or as some of us prefer, fresh meat..." Shelby said in a sinister tone.

"Yeah, I guess that would be me." Ashlyn turned her back to Shelby, now flopped on her bed, and continued to hang up clothes. She could feel Shelby's eyes burning a hole in her back.

"So you got a name, or do I just call ya newbie?"

"Ashlyn," she replied, turning to face one of new roommates. Pretty, thought Ashlyn, but her eyes are ice cold.

"Hmm. Uncommon. I'm Shelby." she said flatly.

"Also uncommon..." Ashlyn paused, then let out an almost inaudible laugh.

"What?" questioned Shelby.

"Well, Shelby was the name of my dog when I was eight."

Shelby sat silent, wondering how she meant that remark. Brushing it off, she sat up in her bed. "I had a dog when I was young too." The harshness usually present in Shelby's voice vanished for a moment, a hint of emotion cracking through.

"You look much better than when you walked in." observed Ashlyn.

"Yeah, it's just Freakin." Shelby rolled her eyes. "I mean Ezra. He has this annoying little crush, no, obsession with me at the moment."

"That's sweet."

"Not really. You'll see when you meet him later." Shelby watched Ashlyn continue to unpack and tried to think of something else to say to her. She's never been one to take to kindly to newbies, but for some reason she didn't feel threatened. So what if she's drop-dead gorgeous? I could take her down easily, mused Shelby. A few moments of silence passed. "So, how was Peter's speech this time around? Still the same old 'No sex, no drugs '"

"No rock and roll?" added Ashlyn.

"Yeah, something like that. So…..you done yet? Wanna get down there, meet the group and have some fun?" Shelby said in her best Juliette impression.

"Might as well, if I'm gonna be your roommate and all for God knows how long."

"Tell me about it," Shelby said through her teeth as Ashlyn shoved her bags under her bed and followed her out the door.

"Gin!" said Juliette with a grin.

"Come on Jules! That was 6 in a row!" complained Auggie.

"Correction-7!" Her grin got even bigger.

"I give up!" Auggie threw his cards playfully on the table.

"How can you find any sort of entertainment in cards like that?" Daisy groaned.

"Oh, and your witch cards are any better?" Auggie demanded.

"If you're referring to my tarot cards, then yes, they are much better."

"Nah, it's all a bunch of carnival crap. Cards can't really tell you about someone."

"But they can! I've already got a glimpse into the life of our yet to be seen newbie."

"Please Dais,"

"The cards don't lie Auggie."

Knowing it was useless to protest any further, Auggie shut his mouth.

The doors to the lodge opened and in walked Shelby and Ashlyn.

Spotting the three of them by the fireplace, Shelby led Ashlyn towards them. "This," smiled Shelby, "Is where they actually allow us to have some fun."

Ashlyn glanced around the room. Some sofas, chairs, a quaint fireplace. She was getting stares from everyone in the room, particularly two girls and a guy in the corner. The brunette with long hair waved her arm in the air smiling.

"Come on," Shelby said, "Queenie is summoning us."

They walked over and Shelby introduced Ashlyn. "Guys, meet Ashlyn. This is Daisy, Auggie, and Juliette." They all smiled and Auggie jumped right up.

"So, has Shelby poisoned you against us yet?" he asked curiously.

"Um, no. She's been really nice," Juliette scoffed at the notion of Shelby actually being nice to a newbie while Ashlyn continued. " She's been telling me all about you Cliffhangers." She leaned closer to Auggie. " You know, all your dirty little secrets."

"Well, you must have some of your own, hmm..." Auggie replied without hesitation.

"I'd say," interrupted the silent Daisy.

"Excuse me?" Ashlyn asked.

"I've just been reading your tarot cards, that's all. It's very interesting."

"Tarot cards? I've never really believed in them." Ashlyn said.

"But Daisy's are different. She's done all of us and they've been true." admitted Juliette.

"What?" Auggie snorted.

"We did it for fun Aug, it's ok." Juliette replied, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, I'd like to know what they say about our newbie." Shelby said curiously and sat down beside Daisy.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go play some b-ball, leave you girls to your hocus pocus witch cards." Auggie said waving his hands in the air. He headed towards the doors.

The girls moved in around Daisy, who had the same glimmer of excitement in her eyes whenever she read tarot.

"I did a simple 4 card reading. Shaped like a square, you read counterclockwise. The top and bottom left read the past, bottom right the present, and top right the future." she paused. "The top left card, the moon, isn't normally bad, but only here, it's reversed, or upside down. This tells me that things in the past weren't as they seemed on the surface. There were lies and deceit and many changes were being experienced."

Juliette, who was always fascinated with Daisy's ability to read, urged her to continue.

"The next card is the Hanged Man. This doesn't signify death, but may involve it. It does however, suggest a time of emotional struggle and confusion. A life being in 'limbo' so to speak. No directions."

Ashlyn's heart started to pound inside her chest.

"The next card is looking better. The Strength card tells me things hit rock bottom, an emotional breakdown of some sort. But it also tells me that it was overcome and that success is, well, over the horizon."

Juliette giggled but stopped when she saw the look on Ashlyn's face. Pain.

"Well, I'd say that you've got the best future card out of all of us. The Emperor." Daisy said with a smirk. "That simply means that a member of the opposite sex will grace your life with his presence and opportunities will arise."

Daisy looked over to Ashlyn, whose green eyes were glazed over. "So, whad'ya think?"

"Um, excuse me for a minute." Ashlyn spitted out and went to the exit of the rec centre.

Shelby stood up. "Wow, you've managed to scare off a newbie before me..."

Daisy put an arm on her shoulder. "Let her go, Shel." They watched Ashlyn walk out. "Maybe the cards were a little too true for her to handle."