Way Too Deep

Being asked politely at 3 o’clock in the morning to get up and face what feels to you like taking a shortcut to hell, was not on my list of enjoyable things for the ninth grade. Being nearly choked as Dani grabbed the cuff of my shirt and yanked me up out of my warm bed, and then threatened that if I didn’t sell my soul to freakin Satan himself I would be eaten alive wasn’t on my list either. But it’s what I got stuck with. Let me rewind a little and tell you what happened.


Going Down-Chapter 1

Me and Lucifer
Lucifer and me
Just like the angel that fell
Banished forever to Hell
Today have I been expelled
From high school heaven
Elevator going down
Going down

I lived in Philadelphia, the greatest city in the world. Unfortunately, I got expelled from PS 24. And that’s when my parents decided we were moving. Why’d we move you’re asking, because I’m a, quote, “problem student whose disruptions distracted the more capable students of the urban youths in the area”. Sure, call me a distraction. I was sitting quietly in the back of my classes with my music on. Tell me this, who the fuck was I distracting? Anyway so I had to switch schools. And even though there’s a million high schools in Philly, my mom thought it would be better to start over in a different town, so out of my urban, amazing life and into dip shit suburbia for the ninth grade.

My first day at Opal High in Waethek, Pennsylvania I met Dani. I had no friends in Philly. Wait, that sounded bad, but…yeah I had no friends in Philly. It’s because my high school was all cliques. And I fit under none of them. So I decided my first day at Opal I would just go up to the first person I saw and become friends with them.

There are things you should know about Dani. First I can guarantee that she was the nicest girl at Opal, just no one knew it. She was the new girl in eighth grade and tried to become friends with the first girl she saw. However, the first girl she saw was Olivia. If Dani was the nicest in the school then Olivia was the opposite; meaner than a man who steals candy from children, yet again no one knew it. Some how the girls became best friends. And the rest of the school labeled Olivia the sweet, beautiful, kind girl and Dani the jealous friend and a slut. People rumored that the only reason that Olivia hung out with her was because she felt bad for her. Give me a break.

When I met Dani we became instant friends. Two nights later I slept over her house. Olivia also came which is when I met her. Dani was, how do I put this, wealthier than Queen Elizabeth, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey combined. Her house was a mansion, about 50 times my Philly apartment. She had her own wing of the house. A suite complete with a bedroom, tv room, bathroom, kitchen and sitting room. At about 2:30, Olivia decided she was bored and picked up the phone.
“Hey, Ryan. Want to hang out?” Olivia spoke on the phone, “Of course. Yeah. There’s a new girl, too. Get someone who will go easy on her. She looks innocent.’ You innocent?” She asked me. “Umm.. .” I held it out long. “Virgin?” she replied. I nodded feverishly. “Yeah.” She said, talking to the man on the other end of the phone again, “Great, be over in 10.” Then she hung up.

Dani walked over and opened her window. I looked out and could just barely see an orange ladder going down, covered in grass, vines and leaves. Olivia went first, then Dani, then me. I had a feeling we were doing something we weren’t supposed to be doing but I didn’t mention it. We hopped into Olivia’s bright red sports car and Dani pulled out a bag that was in the passenger’s seat. She explained to me that we were going to a party and we needed cooler clothing. Dani and Olivia both pulled out of its from the bag then Olivia passed some clothes to her. We all got changed quickly and then sped off.

Once we got to the party is when I started to feel sick. I knew what was coming. I followed Dani and Olivia as they let themselves in, walked past a bunch of people and loud music, went up steps and into a room that had a handsome man sitting on a bed.

“Hey Olivia.”, the guy said with a huge smile. “Dani” he added with a nod. And as he turned to me he stated “And the new girl. You got a name?” “Lizzie” I replied with a faint smile to match his giant grin. I saw his eyes look my body up and down before he said, “nice to meet you Lizzie. I’m Ryan.” He flipped out his cell phone and walked away from the girls.

In about a minute, two more guys joined us upstairs. They were introduced to me as Zach and Kevin. Kevin put his arm around Dani and even though Ryan had checked me out, it was obvious he was Olivia’s man. That left Zach for me. He was cute, a surfer look, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to lose my virginity to a man I met about ten minutes before he fucked me. Then again, I didn’t have a choice. Everyone except Zach left and he suggested we get more comfortable. We laid down on the bed.

“So how was that?” Olivia asked me, “It’s true, Zach’s not the best fucker but if you had someone like Ryan for the first time then it would hurt. Nothing I can’t handle but virgins? Uh-uh.”

I hate to say it but there was a lot more nights like that first one I experienced. There was even a couple with Ryan who, Olivia true to her word, was the best.
Although I knew that Dani was the nicer of my best friends I still loved hanging out with both of them. Until the scandal. It was another sneak out night, this time at Olivia’s house. We went to the school, broke in and started playing make out games with three guys, one of them Kevin, Dani’s man from the first party. Then we broke into groups and had sex right next to each other. It was weird. It got weirder after two policemen and the principal walked in. Apparently we set off a silent alarm.
The next day the six of us were in the principal’s office. Olivia, intentionally avoiding eye contact with Dani and I, stated that we had forced her to come with us and pressured her into having sex for the first time. And the worst part was he believed her. She got off with a three-day suspension, the guys, being on the football team, got two-week suspension, and Dani and I expelled.

After you’ve been expelled from two schools, even if you did nothing to get expelled, other schools don’t really want you anymore. My mom contacted a boarding school in Virginia about my case. After my mom sending down every bit of knowledge she possessed about me they finally said that they would accept me. I convinced Dani to join me there, so on December 14, Dani and I moved into Virginia Major Academy, grades 6-12. Next door there was Virginia Minor Academy and on the other side Virginia Academy. It was all a little dorkish but I was still excited! It was the first school where I would have a real friend with me, one I could trust. It would be fun right? Ha, boy was I wrong.


Virginia Major Academy-Chapter 2

O hallowed halls and vine-draped walls
The proudliest sight there is
When grey and sere our hair hath turned
We shall still revere the lessons learned

Who knew Virginia Major Academy was not just another prep boarding school? Sure as hell not me. As Dani and I placed our belongings in their proper spots and got situated, a boy from the room next door came over. He was extremely attractive with soft dirty blonde hair down to his chin, and charming eyes that could make any girl melt. He was tall and obviously very strong, but not the overly buff type. As he began to speak both Dani and I had sudden head rushes and felt the need to faint at his feet. He informed the two of us that his name was Ethan Cord and he was to be our mentor for our sophomore year at the Academy. All new students were given a mentor upon arrival at the prestigious school. He also warned the two of us that if we got into trouble, he would be getting him into a trouble too, so if either of us ever needed help all the we had to do was ask. I believed he could help me in many ways but my thoughts were not concerning the school or my education so I kept quiet.

He then passed each of us a black notebook. I stared down at it and saw it said on it in bold, harsh letters ‘Lizzabeth’. Looking over at Dani’s I saw that hers said Danil. “Excuse me, Ethan. My name isn’t Lizzabeth. It’s Elizabeth, with an E. And my nickname is-“ Ethan cut me off with a single stare and my voice faltered. “This notebook will be everything you need at Virginia Major. Everything you need to know is inside, but you must be alone when you go over it, so do not look it over now.” He cringed as Dani flung her book onto her bed and I jammed in under a box of pens.

Ethan glanced at Dani and then at me. Our eyes met and I swear there was magic. I could feel fireworks going off in my heart and singing in my brain. Pure joy filled my soul and without warning I knew it. I knew it right there and then. I was in love with Ethan Cord.

Unexpectedly, he stormed out the room and slammed the door. “I think we just pissed off our hot mentor Lizzie!” Dani exclaimed. As I opened my mouth to reply, to mention the chemistry I felt, a loud ringing noise filled the dorm. Dani and I looked around for the cause of the ringing and I finally saw a phone, the exact color and texture of the wall behind it, built into a secretive out cove in the wall.

“Hello?” I questioned, for who could already have our phone number before we even knew we had a phone? “Virginia Major is an extraordinary school,” replied a Allen’s deep voice. “Only the best of the East Coast comes here. The best as in the smartest, the richest, the most popular and yes, the most attractive. I do not know why you are here Ms. Lizzabeth, but I know why I am. You can tell your friend Danil as well as yourself to get used to seeing the exceptional and your education time here will be better spent. Goodbye Lizzabeth. Or you probably prefer Lizzie, don’t you?”

Stunned I hung the phone back on the wall as Dani asked who it was. “Our mentor, I replied”


Name-Chapter 3

Have you seen
My sixteen year old tattooed woman
Heard a story
She got busted for her beauty oh oh oh
Oh oh!
Once upon a looking-for-Donna-time
There was a sixteen year old virgin
Oh Donna oh oh Donna oh oh oh
Looking for my Donna

Dani and I began classes the next day. My mom had bought me the essentials before we had got to the campus, you know, a couple binders, a few notebooks, a box of pens and pencils. Dani was carrying about the same with her too their first class; Mrs. Smith’s history class, where we would receive the rest of our schedules. As we walked into the large room I realized that everyone else only had a one notebook, the black one with their names on it. So I took mine out from my pile of books and put it on top of my designated desk. That’s when Ethan walked in, grimacing as he sat down next to me in what I assumed had been his assigned desk for the entire year.

Mrs. Smith began to teach, without even mentioning the addition of two new students to her class. I realized with in the first five minutes the tradition of how this class worked. Mrs. Smith would talk, students would take notes in their black notebooks and that was it. I flipped open my book and realized for the first time that it was split into many, many sections, labeled by their subject. I quickly scanned for history without reading any other labels, I had already missed five minutes of notes on the Vietnam war. A war that we wouldn’t get to for another year and a half in public school.

I wrote almost everything Mrs. Smith said in her sophisticated drawl until my hand felt like falling off! The older woman stopped ten minutes before the end of class to allow us to discuss what we had taken notes on, I suppose. Instead, I turned to Ethan and said “Why do you hate me? You don’t even know me.”

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them slowly. “No. I know exactly who you are.” he whispered. He then pulled out two pieces of paper from his pocket and handed them to me. “Your schedule and Danil’s.” “Danielle” I corrected him. “Yes, that’s what I said, wasn’t it? Anyway, your friend has math next period, you have an off period. You will follow me to my dorm. Ok?” Honestly, I felt a bit angry. For some reason this man (whether he was hot or not) was being unbelievably moody, pretending to know me when he didn’t, and treating me like a child. “Fine”

I passed Dani’s schedule back to her and then the bell rang. I said goodbye and then followed Ethan out of the room, back to his dorm. Ethan had a single room so when he shut the door we were alone. It was silent for an instant and then he began to ask the questions. “Why are you here Lizab- Lizzie?” I indulged him in the stories of my expulsions. “My question. Why do you keep call me Lizabeth and Dani Danil?” “Because those are your mage names. Yours at least. ‘Dani’’s real name is Danil not Danielle. And of course, she is no mage.” “I don’t understand.” I replied. Ethan went on to explain the different schools of thought Virginia Major taught. As he had told me before there was a Smart school, Rich school, Looks school, Athletics school and then a Mage school. Freshmen were required to have potential in one of the schools or they would not be accepted. After your sophomore year you were assigned to your proper school and then when you go on to Virginia Academy you stay in that school.

“And by mage you mean…magician? Wizard? Sorcerer and I am one?” I questioned, severely confused by this point. “Exactly and yes. Now my turn to ask questions.” He asked me whether I’d ever had a boyfriend before. “What does that have to do with anything?” I pushed at him. “Nothing, I’m just a curious person.” “Well…I’ve slept with people but no, I’ve never had a real boyfriend. My turn. Why do you on and off hate me?”

Ethan got up off his bed where he had been relaxing and jumped over to the door. I was worried I had somehow offended him yet again so I got up too but he put his finger to his lips and then pointed at me to sit back down. He slowly opened the door a crack and peered out. Momentarily he just stared out and then finally he closed the door and sat back down next to her on the bed.

“I have a brother. His name is Jake and he is three years older than I am. When I was a freshman, last year, he was a senior. Jake is in the Mage school and they were at the time learning how to make predictions. Jake one day pulled me aside after dinner and whispered in my ear that he had a prediction about me. Since Jake was still not very good at making predictions it came out a bit fuzzy butt the main points were that I would fall in love with a girl in school who did not go yet and I would love her. I remember the words he used ‘I would love her make love to her ‘til the sky turns brown’. She would be my heart, my soul, my brain; she would have full control. But then I’d be forced to make a decision with unclear options and I would lose her for good. Mages are not allowed to meddle in the future and if the school knew he told me, he’d be expelled from Virginia High. You mustn’t ever tell anyone but do you see why I can’t trust myself to like you? You are her, I know it. I just met you and I love you. But we cannot ever, ever be together.”

“Wow.” I exclaimed. “Yes” Ethan said, “Wow.”

Separations-Chapter 4

I hope you're happy!
I hope you're happy now
I hope you're happy how you
Hurt your cause forever
I hope you think you're clever!

Through the rest of the day I attended some normal classes (Science, Math, P. E) and a few abnormal ones (Makeup Essentials, Stocks, Interesting Facts). What I was truly looking forward to was mage class, not that I wanted to get involved in it at all. But to see if I could really do it or if It was just some horrible mistake or even worse, some horrible practical joke. Eventually Friday came and third period was mage class. Dani was in my class so we sat next to each other.

By the way, some junior had explained the names and the school system to Dani. They were bow going out. His name is Max and he is in the Popular school, Dani’s second choice. She told me she wanted to be in the Mage school, she wanted it bad. But even as she spoke these words to me, I couldn’t help but remember what Ethan had said about Dani not being a mage. But, I didn’t say anything on the subject. It wasn’t my place to crush Dani’s dreams. That was for Mr. Vivadelli, our mage teacher. It was Dani’s first mage class and already he was yelling at her for doing it wrong. I instantly made my rock disappear, unlike Dani, proving this was neither sick joke nor an awful mistake. Within two weeks Mr. Vivadelli began to just ignore Dani, and to my dismay, take his anger out on me. I got easily bored in his class. I seemed to learn much quicker than the other students and then I would do homework from other classes, read, draw and if all those failed my mind would stray far away from me. Then I would get in trouble for not paying attention. It seemed that every five seconds I was getting in trouble from stupid Mr. Vivadelli just for being gifted. Mage class went quickly from my favorite class to my most hated.

Other than that everything seemed to be going well for the first couple months of my new school. I made some new friends and Dani and I stayed close. My only real problem was Ethan. I was in love, hell, I still am! But Ethan refused to say more than a few words to me a day. I could tell he wouldn’t allow himself to get close to me. I was glad that he was concerned for my well being but I had to see him, other than In classes and a casual wave in the hall. One night I snuck over to his dorm room late at night wearing a short skirt and a skimpy tank top. He opened the door and looked at me. He began to groan and shut the door but I forced my way in. “I know you don’t want to hurt me later on” I said “but by not being with me now, you are still hurting me.” He hugged me and it felt good to rest my head on his stomach. He stroked the back of my head to make me relax and then he told me he loved me. I told him I loved him.

Soon we had both forgotten almost entirely about the prophecy. One day we were making out in my dorm room when Dani walked in and then instantly stormed out. I was confused, she didn’t like Ethan did she. I mean, yes we both thought he was cute the first day but they never even talked to each other. How should I have known?

I tried over the next couple weeks to explain things to Dani and talk it through with her but she ignored me. I saw less and less of her as she began to spend all of her time with Max and his other Mage friends. I even saw her laughing with Mr. Vivadelli after mage class one-day. Life continued like this until a certain week in April Dani, Max, and Mr. Vivadelli all went missing. If you haven’t realized yet, that wasn’t really good news for me.

The Choices-Chapter 5

Is anybody there?
Does anybody care?
Does anybody see what I see?

Being asked politely at 3 o’clock in the morning to get up and face what feels to you like taking a shortcut to hell, was not on my list of enjoyable things for the ninth grade. Being nearly choked as Dani grabbed the cuff of my shirt and yanked me up out of my warm bed, and then threatened that if I didn’t sell my soul to freakin Satan himself I would be eaten alive wasn’t on my list either. But it’s what I got stuck with. Dani had come back and was taking me somewhere just to ruin me. She had the leverage of knowing the only thing that could hurt me now. If I went I would break my heart and Ethan’s. If I refused….Mr. Vivadelli was a horrible teacher but a hell of a mage. I would die (but the being eaten alive part, that’s just what I think he would have done…he really did hate me.)

I went with her and I was knocked unconscious. When I woke I was in a white smoky area. I could here Dani and Ethan speaking but I had no sense of direction in the fog. I would wander endlessly so I just stayed still and listened. As far as I could tell Ethan had two options. He could rescue me but have to be with Dani forever or let me die.

“JUST LET ME DIE!” I screamed as loud as I could. “I’M ALREADY IN HELL!” I suddenly felt a giant volt through my body as Max and Mr. Vivadelli shocked me at exactly the same time. “OW!” I yelped, annoyed. I just wanted to die, so hmm…why wasn’t I dead? Finally, the smoke turned into light clouds surrounding me and I knew what Ethan had chosen. I thanked him graciously in my head as I slowly elevated up and up.