Disclaimer: Beetlejuice and Co belong to Geffen. Alas that he did not choose to make further use of them.
Chapter 12: Ouija Mirror
It was dark before Lydia got home. Her room was empty, but Beth had left her a note on the kitchenette counter. It read, "This room is giving me the creeps, Lyddie. I feel like I can't breathe. Should we call the hall director to make sure the gas pipes are fine? Anyhoo, going out—ta! Don't wait up, smooches." Lydia narrowed her eyes, and turned to the mirror. It did seem a little gloomy, and she could feel him, just under the surface of reality. No wonder her roommate had been spooked.
"Beetlejuice, did you scare her off on purpose?" She grinned, but then her heart skipped a beat when the mirror fogged, and a long streak appeared in the condensation. One. She recovered quickly, although her heart was still racing. "Oh no, we need to talk. And I talk better when you aren't trying to distract me. So, you can talk using the mirror?"
The mirror paused for a moment, and then fogged over again. Maybe. Afraid of me, Lydia?
"No! No. Afraid of myself might be more accurate," she mumbled, but he must have heard her, because she felt a chill at her neck.
Can't resist me, eh?
She smiled. "Keep that up, and you might find that I can." She rinsed out the coffee pot from the night before, and took her time making up a new pot, and washing out the cups. The one he had used, she noticed, had stripes on it now. She rolled her eyes in amusement, and set it back for him. And then she reconsidered, and rinsed it out a second time and filled it with black coffee. He wasn't with her, but she found herself wishing that he was. And knowing that she had the key. She settled into the chair in front of the mirror. "I feel like I'm holding a séance," she murmured wryly. In response, a huge Ouija board materialized just inside the mirror, and a planchette, striped, of course. It spelled out I A M T H E D E V I L H A H A H A
Lydia giggled. "You wish."
The Quija board vanished, and the mirror fogged again. Not really. Too much paperwork.
Lydia held her hand up to the glass. "B… I have a proposition for you."
I thought you said you weren't gonna marry me. A jagged broken heart was sketched in below that, and she smiled.
"I'm not proposing to you. I just had an idea." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I want to get to know you better, but I am a little baffled as to how. So I thought that you might want to go to a Halloween party with me. Here. On campus. But you have to promise that you won't scare anybody to death or hurt people or… or turn into a snake, or anything." She took a deep breath, realizing that she was on the brink of babbling. Why did talking to him make her lose her composure so thoroughly?
The mirror was empty for a moment. Then it fogged, but no words came. She waited, biting her lower lip. Finally, it fogged up. You look cute when you chew your lip. Lydia brought her hand to her mouth, and then gave the mirror a dark look. Okay, okay. You want me to come to a party with you? I will. She smiled, relief flooding through her. But he wasn't done. On one condition.
"What? Are we talking terms again?"
I always talk terms, Lyds. I'll go with you, if you come somewhere with me.
Her eyes narrowed. "Where?"
It's a surprise.
"I don't always like your kind of surprise, Beetlejuice." The mirror seemed to grin, as a second streak joined the first.
You want me to come out, dontcha? You miss me. But she refused to answer, not trusting her voice. S'what I thought. So, whaddaya think? I go with you if you go with me?
Lydia pondered for a moment, but all she was really thinking of was how his fingertips had felt against her jaw. She nodded, wondering if it was her heart or her sense that was making this decision. She thought she knew. "When?"
It was the mirror's turn to ponder. When's your next day off?
"Last class on Friday is over at noon, and then I'm free till Monday morni—till Sunday night." Good lord, he had rattled her. She felt his smile trail across the tops of her shoulders, and she shivered. Was it getting warmer in her room?
Friday. That's a long time, Lyds. And his name was on the tip of her tongue, and it would be so easy. She struggled to master herself.
"Friday, Beej…B." She heard his chuckle openly now, and flushed. How her body wanted to betray her. "I have to do homework now, okay?"
There was a long pause. Sure, babe. I'll be expectin your call. And then, just below, her name in soft curling script. Lydia. She collapsed her head on her folded arms, just breathing for a moment. The only thing she knew is that she couldn't stay in the room. The temptation of him was just too strong. She rose shakily and threw her books in her bag, and left to find a quiet place to study. Without any mirrors.