Chapter 17:

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”  ~ Henry Van Dyke

You know in that episode where Miley Cyrus woke up to find that she was a ghost outside of her body, that was exactly how I was just than but it was different. I looked around and heard a beep, a long  beep when I turned around I saw a red mark that was flat on a machine and beside it was my body laying but not breathing. Beside my bed my family sat crying, all my friends where crying there too which included the seven Pierce brothers. Wait why was they crying? Why was their a red line and beeping? Was I dead? I was dead wasn’t I? That’s what the red  flat line means, right? Please tell me I am wrong and I am fully alive and this is just a really bad dream! HOLY SHIZ I WAS DEAD! This is not good. I was dead… I WAS FREAKING DEAD!

“It’s been ten minutes we should just unhook the machine,” Kacey said and I noticed not a single tear had been shed from her eyes that was caked in makeup. Her words was met with glares from everyone in the room. I was even glaring at her.

“There is nothing we could have done, she was destined to die,” My dad said shaking his head tears running down his face silently. My mom right next to him also crying silently.

“Why did our daughter have to be cursed?” He asked.

“Everyone let’s file out of the room and go to my study so we can talk more privately and in  a calmer room,” Peter said. They all filed out of the room but not before my dad nodded at the doctor. The doctor walked over and unhooked the plug to the monitor, he cut my life line and turned around as a tear shed. The monitor stopped beeping and their was no longer a line.

I was slammed back into my body. No one was in the room, they all thought I was dead was what I gathered. I saw a note floating before it landed on my lap as I sat up.

Dear Brea,

    For your courage to take your sister’s place in this whole mess I give you your life back, live it to the fullest and don’t disappoint me. You didn’t beg for your life at all while you were gone, you accepted that fact that you were dead and I could tell you were happy that it was you not your sister. You must love her dearly than. I gave your life back for a reason and that reason was to live it, so if I hear you are wasting it sitting away in your room reading or something lame like that I will seriously come back for you.

Love you lots,

Witch Whitney

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. I had my life back? I I WASN’T DEAD? I WAS ALIVE! I got up, almost falling at first but soon I could walk. I folded the note and held on to it. I walked to my room noticing on my bed was a suitcase that I brought here. And then I remembered they thought I was dead. I quickly got dressed in white tank top, light Blue Lace Embroidered Kimono, Black ripped skinny jeans and toe steel work boots. I brushed my hair and used dry shampoo noticing my black roots were showing so I had to dye it again soon. I put on a black beanie and put mascara on along with pink lip balm. I grabbed a five lolipops from my under the bed stash noticing some was missing. I put the note on my dresser before exiting the room.

I closed my door silently and went to  Peter’s study.

I headed towards there noticing the door was cracked open a little bit I stopped and listened.

“How can she be dead! How can my little sister be dead?” Landon said. Oh the over dramatic story teller this kid is. But that’s what I love about him.

“Guys-” Someone started to say.

“We need to start planning for the funeral,” My mom said sniffing.

“Guy’s-” Someone started to say again.

“Everyone still thinks she’s dead how are we going to do this? Tell the press, ‘Oh yes this was our dead daughter who was actually alive all these years but now she’s dead becuase a stupid ducking curse!’”Alyssa said her voice rising with every word. Oh she’s angry, let’s just hope she doesn’t turn into a green monster and rename her as hulk.

“Guys!-” Someone started up again.

“Alyssa calm down okay, we get it that you're angry and grieving but so is everyone else in the room,” Dad said.

“Guys ser-” someone said there voice getting annoyed.
“You're kidding me right! MY SISTER IS DEAD! I WAS THE CLOSEST TO HER ALL THESE YEARS! MY TWIN IS DEAD! MY OTHER HALF IS DEAD! HOW CAN YOU THINK THAT YOU FEEL THE SAME PAIN I DO?” Alyssa shouted.

“SERIOUSLY GUYS! THE BODY’S MISSING!” Someone finally shouted.

“WHAT?” The room echoed with What’s. I put my hand over my mouth to stop a giggle from bursting out of my mouth.

“Who would do something like that?” My mother said and broke down sobbing once again.

“Who would do something as cruel as that?” My dad asked and I knew he was comforting mom. I unwrapped one of the lollipops putting the rest into my jean pocket before putting the unwrapped into my mouth. I slammed open the door, it slamming against the wall as everyone stared at me like I was a ghost.  Which for all they knew I was.

“I would, Obviously, since the body is here right in front of you walking and now talking. To a more important subject though. BY THE WAY WHO THE DUCKING STOLE MY FREAKING LOLLIPOPS THEY ARE CALLED MINE FOR A REASON!” I said shouting the ending sentence as people just stared at me in shock. I would have laughed at their expressions but an important matter was going on and I really needed to find who stole my freaking lollipops!

“OH MY GOSH CLOSE YOUR MOUTHS BEFORE YOU CATCH FLIES! SOMETHING SERIOUS IS GOING ON! SOMEONE STOLE MY LOLLIPOPS! NOW WHO THE HECK WAS IT?” I yelled and they all got out of their shock.

“Sorry Ghost of Brea, I kind of stole them so I could remember you by but then I ended up having them because I like lollipops especially grape lollipops,” Tilly said.

“Ghost of Brea? Really? I was dead for ten minutes not a year and Kacey I did not appreciate your suggestion of cutting the cord on me because I was ten minutes dead, and I did not appreciate you nodding at the doctor to cut the cord Dad,” I said and Kacey looked shocked while Dad looked guilty.

“Oh and you're forgiven Tilly, here,” I said taking a grape lollipop and throwing it to her.

“Really?”She asked.

“Of course, you are my friend, that and I am so not good with being mad at people more than five minutes tops, so catch me up, what’s been going on since I blacked out or we'll died too,” I asked leaning against the door frame.

“You have been in a coma for a month, today is your birthday,” Shawna said biting her lip to keep from scowling. Why would she scowl? Maybe at what Kacey wanted to do… yea that’s it!

“Woah that long? Hmm. Well dying isn’t on my top to do list on my birthday but I guess it will have to do for my nineteenth birthday. Let’s just hope I don’t die on my twentieth too,” I said and they looked shocked that I just joked about what happened.  They should get used to it because their is going to be a lot of jokes.

“Oh come on lighten up, will ya? I am not dead obviously so you guys can stop crying and grieving and planning the funeral,” I said looking at mom and she looked shocked that I knew that.

“I am sorry hunny you were dead,” She said.

“No worries I understand, but hey atleast now you don’t have to worry about me dying and then coming back to life in a coffin that’s six feet under the ground,” I said.

“THAT IS SO NOT FUNNY SIS!” Alyssa yelled at me  tears streaming down her face.

“Oh everyone stop getting your knickers in a twist and have some fun. It’s my birthday and I am allowed to be peppy, bubbly and happy so suck it up buttercups because you will have to deal with it along with my awesome fantastic jokes.  So suck up your tears, stop crying and have fun dudes! The only thing bad about this is that now I am a little cold and a lot hungry not to mention tired too but I had a month to sleep apparently. Also I am going to the kitchen if anyone wants to join me in getting hot coco and seeing if Delilah has her delicious cookie out,” I told them not waiting for them to reply and just walking out the door. I heard a set of feet behind me but kept walking not waiting up for them. They caught up soon and were beside me when I looked up I noticed it was. Tatum.

“Tatum,” I said.

“Brea,” He replied.

“So how’s life?” I asked.

“Did you seriously just…” He asked and shook his head.  Hey! I told em I would joke about it so I don’t see his problem.

“It’s good, what about you?” He answered a few minutes later.

“Well I have only been alive for twentyish minutes I think and so far so good, it’s just getting more peachy as every second ticks by,” I said.

“I can’t believe you're making jokes about this,” He said shaking his head.

“Well deal with it and suck it up buttercup, it’s how I am getting through the idea of spending a whole month in a dark room called my mind than dying and coming back to life,” I said and he looked shocked.

“Than I will help you get through it, just let me help and I will do everything in my power so that you're okay,” He said and I bit my lip.

“You can’t okay? It’s something I have to deal with by myself not something that I am just going to toss on to someone else. Hey Delilah,” I said to her and she let out a scream when she saw me.

“G-G-ghost!” She stuttered and I couldn’t help but to laugh.

“Nope, I’m me, solid and all. I hope you don’t mind but I am stealing some cookies and making hot chocolate,” I said and she looked shocked.

“Go ahead, Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it’s you, it’s you, you're alive, you're safe, thank freaking heaven!” Delilah said and gave me a tight hug.

“Oh yeah help yourself Brea,” She said and let go of me pointing to a fresh plate of her awesome delicious cookies.

                    …

After I was situated on the couch in Tatum’s study with a blanket on me, hot cocoa and cookies beside me I looked at my friends and family who came in. Including Hunter and a girl I didn’t know.

“Chloe?” I mouthed to Landon and he nodded.

“So you must be the famous Chloe my brother would not stop talking about, so nice to meet you, I am Brea,” I said holding out my hand to her.
“Hey Brea, hopefully he said all good things,” She said looking at Landon.

“He said he LO-” Before I could finish the sentence Landon’s hand was on my mouth. So I did the only thing I thought of to get his hand off. I licked his hand which I knew was gross but didn’t care.

“EW! DID YOU JUST LICK MY HAND!” He asked shocked.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t and you're just going crazy,” I said.

“So what’s been going on while I have been gone?” I asked.

“Six people are gone,” Shawna said.

“Wait what? Who?” I asked.

“That would be me but I don’t care, wasn’t after him or the crown but I am still here because I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Tilly said.

“Awe, your so nice Tilly,” I said smiling.

“Trisha, and four other girls from the other table that Kacey sits at are gone also,” Shawna said. Tilly, Shawna, Jade, Paige, Alice and I all looked at each other, then glanced at Kacey before back to each other and started to have a giggle fit. All of our gazes to each other had one thing said, ‘Why couldn’t the brat be one of the girls out?’

“We are terrible,” Tilly said as we continued laughing.

“But very hilarious,” I said.

“Don’t forget Pretty,” Paige said.

“And Smart,” Alice contributed.

“And amazing,” Jade said in a duh tone.
“Don’t forget well dressed too,” Shawna said and we all started laughing, probably looking like weirdo’s but we didn’t care.

“So know that friends are back together again I think we should hang tomorrow, the day after tommorow is my last day and than I am off to home where I will be greeted my little brother probably still nagging me from my Scene phaze, goth phase or any other phases I used to have,” Tilly said rolling her eyes.

“Tell him well at least you're still in your princess phase and always will be,” I told her and she started to chuckle.

“You always know what to say to make a person smile, I will really miss you guys and when this competition is all over we seriously need a sleepover so we can get caught up. You never know while you're here I could be married to a charming Prince named Prince charming and he will put a glass slipper on my feet and we will live happily ever after,” Tilly said making me giggle.

“Definitely Fairy Tale Phase,” I said.

“Except this phase will never end, I can still dream though of Fairy tales and such, I mean what’s the harm in it? Right?” Tilly asked.

“Now that sound like something a five year old would say,” I said sticking out my tongue at her remembering when she made fun of me for acting like a five year old with my lollipops.

“Your face looks like a five year old,” She muttered and pouted.

“Tilly do I have to tell which Peirce brother you think is hot, he’s older than you and he’s not Prince Tatum, He’s-” I started say looking straight at Blake and I saw him blush knowing I was going to say him.

“I am so going to kill you Brea!” Tilly said groaning and taking her hand away from my mouth.

“Oh please, man up, and tell him already,” I said rolling my eyes.

“Than you say who you like,” she said.

“How bout we all say who we like at the same time?” I asked.

“One,” Shawna said.

“Two,” Jade said

“Three,” I said.

“Go!” Tilly said.

“Channing Tatum,” I said.

“Forrest,” Jade said.

“Blake,” Tilly replied.

“Tyler,” Alice said blushing as she did so.

“Seth,” Paige confessed.

We all looked at Shawna.

“Why you looking at me, I like no one,” Shawna said shrugging.

“Taylor Lautner,” She confessed.

“Well who doesn’t like Taylor especially in Twilight when he is a hot werewolf guy,” I said.
“Oh his abs are like so fine!” Shawna said.

“I wouldn’t mind Licking whip cream off of his abs,” Kacey said and we all turned and stared at her with a look that said, ‘Who the heck invited you to this conversation or this room, get the heck out.’   We looked at each other communicating by looks.

‘Well that’s weird,’ I told Shawna by a look and she nodded.

“So… Who is bored yet with this awkward silence, raise your hand,” Alice asked and raised her hand. Than our whole group did.

“So Channing Tatum huh? Really Brea?” Tilly said to me.

“Of course! Have you seen him in the movie White House Down, he is absolutely fine in the that movie,” I said and they burst out laughing at me.

“So Hunter, remember me?” I asked.

“Of course, how could I forget you Brea when you were at the Library with Alyssa constantly and always playing pranks on everyone?” He asked rolling his eyes, his arm around Alyssa’s waist and I laughed.

“Yeah well what’s a dead girl going to do when she’s bored?” I asked rolling my eyes.

“You're not dead! Your breathing!” Alyssa said rolling her eyes at me.

“Technically was dead, and technically still dead to the Kingdom's,” I said chuckling which only got me another roll of the eyes from her.

“Hey sis don’t feel left out, we are still dead too,” Landon said.

“Yeah well I have been dead for nineteen years, you guys three years so get over it,” I said rolling my eyes.

“Geez way to make us feel special,” Forrest said.

“Don’t worry you two are special… in the brain,” I said chuckling as they pouted.

“Mom! Dad! Brea is being mean again!” they chorused as I rolled my eyes.

“Mom! Daed! They are harassing me when I just woke up from the dead! Tell them to knock it off,” I yelled and they pouted making me laugh.