Wednesday

Beetlejuice is still in his cursed miniature state, sitting on a hard plastic pink sofa, inside the dollhouse. He leaned over to greet the barbie-like doll…but it wasn't there.

"I knew it…" breathing out a heavy sigh "she left me."

He looked over to Lydia, who's still asleep on her bed, then glanced at all four of his wrist watches.

"Six - thirty a.m."

He disappeared from the dollhouse, and re-appeared next to Lydia's alarm clock.

"Yo Lyds !"

She tossed in the pillows.

"Hey !" then whistled.

She arises from the pillows, but doesn't have her eyes open…still asleep.

"Lyds !"

In her heavily sleepy state, she slams her hand for the alarm clock snooze button, but instead hits…

"Hey damn it !"

Lydia's eyes flare open, looking over toward her ghostly friend. "Beetlejuice."

He shows a toothy grin, holding up two fingers. "C'mon…two more times."

"No."

Beetlejuice forms a look of frustration. "C'mon...I saved your Dad, gimme a chance."

Lydia remembered the news report on the local news…two men were about to rob a train, the same train her father was on, but the robbers mysteriously disappeared, and the conductor was arrested.

"You should take a chance, and trust me." He finished off.

She sighed. "I know you want something, and you won't tell me....Can't you at least give me a hint ?"

"The hint is…" Beetlejuice formed a thoughtful gaze, then returned to look at her "still the same…" forming a devilish grin "You…" pointing to her. "and me." pointing to himself.

Lydia sighed in defeat.

Beetlejuice pointed a tap to all four of his wrist watches. "You better get goin'."

She removed herself from the covers and made her bed, grabbed the school uniform out the closet, and left the room.

Miss Shannon's School for Girls.

In classroom one, Lydia sat at her desk studying a book of another troublesome subject…French. Learning french is a crucial part of a young lady's development, or says the founder of the school, Miss Shannon.

The teacher called Lydia's name to stand in front of the class to read aloud the French language script, written on the chalk board. She tried her best, but made several pronunciation errors…errors that earned a five point deduction, and the teacher would announce it each time.

"Lydia Deetz…please report to room twelve." The overhead intercom announced. She sighed in relief, then left the room.

In room twelve, sat the school therapist. "How are you feeling Ms, Deetz."

Lydia sat on the chair across form her. "Ok, I guess."

"How's the Prozac ?" talking about the anti-depressant medicine.

Lydia sighed, sulking in the chair with a frown. "Fine."

"You don't look fine to me…" then looked at a clipboard "it looks like you may need a change in meds."

'You don't know what I need.' Lydia thought, then sighed.

The therapist reached inside her briefcase, pulling out a prescription bottle. "Let's try the Zoloft…" then smiled. "eight hundred milligrams."

"Thanks." Lydia spoke in a sarcastic tone.

"Is there something you want to share ?" She clicked the pen to write.

Lydia formed a skeptical look.

"Everything we talk about is confidential."

To Lydia, she trusted the devilish grin of Beetlejuice more than the smile her therapist. "No, I don't have anything to say."

"Lydia…" the therapist leaned closer to the table. "you're getting older now, and well…" setting a white bag on the table "I think it's time you started having these." then smiled. She left for the table, heading for the door. "I wish that you would share, it's not healthy to keep things bottled up." opened the door "If you change your mind, call me." and left, closing the door behind.

Lydia stuffed the white bag her therapist gave in her skirt pocket, then left from her seat, heading toward the water cooler. She grabbed a cup of water, and swallowed the new medication…it had a strong chalky taste. "Uck." the gel caps of her previous medication were more tolerable.

Miss Shannon's school didn't have traditional school bells, she thought it was distasteful; instead the school has the chime of a grandfather clock. The clock made it's musical sound, then three chimes thought the halls…the third chime is the sound of school being dismissed…the sound of freedom.

Lydia went to the bike rack and discovered her back tire is flat….again, then a

car horn blew, gaining her attention…it's Claire Brewster.

"Like, what a total loser." smiling from the drivers seat of her cherry red convertible, then pointed her pink manicured nails over to Lydia's bike. "Aww…poor Deetz, did your fatness pop the tire ?"

She isn't fat at all; in fact, she's the same weight as Claire.

"Well Deetz, I gotta go…my small act of charity is to show my beauty, and cheer to the people of this dull little town." and drove off.

"Wait Claire !…" Bertha ran after the car with a hand full of boxes "you forgot your…." stopping to catch her breath "stuff."

"What are you doing Bertha ?" asked Lydia.

She tuned to look at her friend. "I'm selling Claire Brewster merchandise and fan club memberships." then held a proud, excited smile "She chose me as fan club president."

Lydia held a concerned look to her friend, and knew of Bertha's great desire to gain popularity. She was about to speak when Bertha's cell phone rang, and overheard Claire's loud demanding voice.

"Prudence !…where are you ?!"

"I'm at the sch -"

"Get your ass over to my mansion…Now !"

"Ok Claire, I'm coming right now." then looked to Lydia. "I gotta go, I'll talk to you later." and ran off, still carrying Claire's heavy boxes.

Back at the Deetzes home

Lydia walked in the house, she didn't bother calling for her parents, because Wednesday's were her night to be alone, except for…"Hi Lyds." Beetlejuice. His miniature state floated in front of her, then looked around. "Where's your folks ?"

"They went dinner and dancing."

Beetlejuice grinned. "Cool."

"I don't have homework."

continued grinning. "Cool."

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice."

He appeared in full normal form in front of her. "I didn't expect that."

Lydia looked away.

"Hey !" Beetlejuice called, gaining her attention. "I would like to request my reward now…" then pointed, as he walked closer to her "but no backin' out, and no sandworms."

"And no marriage." Lydia finished off.

Beetlejuice pulled Lydia toward him.

She shut her eyes, expecting him to force a kiss, but instead, felt a piece of paper being gently placed in the palm of her hand. She opened her eyes, looking directly at the paper, and unfolded it….the note is scripted in beautiful hand writing, and read the text.

"Even though I should be wavy, still I venture someplace scary, ghostly haunting I turn loose, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,…" Lydia looked to her ghostly friend, knowing this is a con, but called the name for the third time anyway "Beetlejuice."

He held a devilish grin as they became surrounded in total darkness.

Stay tuned for Chapter 2