Lydia Deetz stood in the middle of her new dorm room. It was small, and the walls were thin, but it was hers. She sighed. Having finally been accepted into college to get a degree in photography, she'd decided to move out of her parent's house (the Maitlands had been crushed) and onto school grounds.
The woman smiled. Here in the city she was free of Delia's horrid sculptures, her father's absent-mindedness, and the Maitlands' constant worry. But most of all, she was free of memories.
The guilt had seeped in a week after 'the incident'. She felt bad for not marrying Betelgeuse, after he'd kept up his end of the bargain. Lydia knew it was stupid, he'd tried to kill her father and almost Otho, so what did she owe him? Not a damn thing.
But the guilt said otherwise.
The gothic lady had always been a woman of virtue, good on her word and dependable. But that night, with an undead pervert standing beside her in a god-awful crimson tux, she had backed out, afraid. And after he'd kept his end of the bargain, she let him get eaten by a sandworm.
Lydia shook her head. She really needed to stop thinking about him, but it had filled her mind for almost five years as she finished high school and gone through a number of temporary jobs as she'd scrounged for the money to go to college. For half a decade, she'd felt bad for refusing him. After five years of thoughts about him, it was hard not to think of the ghost with the most!
She felt unconsciously for the ring on her left hand. She'd begun wearing it three days after Betelgeuse was eaten by a sandworm. It was really a pretty ring. A black marble band with a small square ruby, rimmed with white gold. It was completely to Lydia's tastes, which had changed very little as she matured. In fact, she was even a little more morbid than when she had been sixteen, eating Cantonese as the first family dinner in the new house.
The opalescent woman turned to look at the boxes that contained her belongings. With a long sigh, she dragged the closest box towards her, sat down, and began to unpack.
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSE
As Lydia Deetz's mind wandered to him, Betelgeuse himself sat in a waiting room. He'd been there for five years, during which he'd not only paid a hefty sum to resize his head, but had also made a list of horrible, horrible deaths for each member of the Deetz family. Each list had been over two hundred grim punishments long, but he'd taken the time to organize them into alphabetical, most painful to least painful, most fun to least fun, easiest to hardest, wettest to driest, hottest to coldest, and was midway through Delia Deetz's 'Most stapler-induced to least stapler-induced when his number was called. In all honesty, his number wasn't called as much as Juno-burst-through-the-door-in-a-fit-of-rage-and-screamed-at-him-to-go-with-her. He followed her casually, still in the crimson tux, into her office and sat down without invitation.
"So what's up, Junebug?"
"This is NOT a time for laughter, Betelgeuse!"
Betelgeuse realised she must really have been angry to allow herself to spit his name. Anyone could realise that Juno was in the foulest of moods, and should NOT be crossed. Betelgeuse was NOT just anyone. He grinned.
"Pardon me? Didn't catch that last part…"
"I swear, one more word out of you and I'll stick you behind a desk before you can say 'I do'!!"
Now he understood what was bugging her. The kid, Linda or something. Lyda? Lydia? That was it! Lydia!
"Listen, Juno…if this is about Lydia an' me getting' hitched-"
"It bloody well is about you and that poor girl getting 'hitched'!" The older ghost hissed, smoke puffing from her slit throat. "You tried to force her into marrying you! And then you were eaten by a sandworm and NO ONE can figure out how you've survived, do you know how much paperwork there is when you do something no ghost has ever done before?? " The scruffy man lifted himself proudly at her last remark.
Juno scowled. "Don't take that as a compliment."
B Shrugged. "Closest thing to a compliment I've got in over a century."
Slipping into her chair, the caseworker produced another cigarette to replace the quickly disappearing one she currently nursed, and sighed. "They wanted to exorcise you, you know."
Betelgeuse sat up frigidly. "What?!"
"They're fed up with your antics, B. They want you out of their hair! It's a miracle they didn't send you to the lost souls room, and that was only because I told them you'd behave!"
"You stood up for me?" He snickered. "That's stupid."
Juno huffed. "I know, but I believe in your ability to change, B! You have to calm down that silly streak of yours or you'll be gone in less than a week!"
BJ rolled his eyes, but the concern in Juno's eyes touched him a little bit. Just enough to soften his resolve to be wicked.
"I'll try. No promis-"
"B!"
"Fine okay, okay!! I p- I prom…I prrrrooommmmmiiiiisssssssse…" He growled, spitting out the last syllable.
"Good. Now don't let me hear of you causing any more trouble! Now get out of my office. I've got all YOUR paperwork to do."
She pushed him out the door and slammed it behind him. BJ put his hands in his pockets. "Cripes. What's her problem?" And with that he floated off towards his grave.
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSE
Lydia heaved a sigh and plopped down on her second-hand navy loveseat. She'd finished unpacking after four gruelling hours of indecision, and looked around the room.
She was supposed to have shared the room with a girl named Lily, but Lily had been in a terrible accident four days before she was to arrive. Unable to fill her dorm room slot, the administration had simply given Lydia the entire room. It was a fair-sized room, with it's own bathroom/shower facility, and after she had removed the bed that was supposed to be Lily's (She'd been allowed to store it in a large janitorial shed on the grounds) with the help of a few guys (who'd charged ten bucks each, the jerks) she was able to put in a loveseat, her own bed, her dresser, a small desk/table, and a computer. Although she wasn't exactly fanatical about the color scheme of the walls (dull cream), she felt that with her spider web bedspread, skull lampshade and black-stained furniture, the place was liveable.
She looked at the hanging bat-clock on her wall, which read ten-thirty five. With a yawn, she pulled herself into a pair of red pyjamas speckled with black cats and pulled herself into bed. Tomorrow she started classes, and she wanted to be ready. She set her alarm for 7:30.
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSE
BJ pouted. The ghost was on a leash, and he knew it. Exorcism was too serious to shrug off, and he didn't want to end up in the lost souls room, surrounded by shrivelled ghastly remains of people who were desperate for freedom. Not to mention the lack of babes! He shuddered. No, being exorcised was out of the question. The only way he was getting released was if someone said his name three times on purpose. The real curse of his name was the fact that the person chanting it had to know they were summoning him. Either that or the person they were talking to had to make the mental connection to him. Therefore, even if the listener did know of him, they would have to consciously make the connection to him! Aargh!! How was he supposed to do that!? Everyone he'd 'worked' with hated him! There was no getting out of this one. He would probably have to be good for the next couple of centuries at least!
Betelgeuse pouted.
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSE
Lydia's alarm rang on time, rousing her from her dreamless sleep. Groggily she rose from her bed to head to the shower, then to her wardrobe for the first day of classes' garments. She chose a knee-length plaid red skirt, a tight fitting black t-shirt which read: 'No heart warming stories' and a choker with a red heart set in iron, which dangled from a loop with held the plaid band together. Her hair was thrown into a messy ponytail atop her head and her striped-stockinged feet were shoved into black army boots. Her backpack stood waiting by the door, where she'd packed it last night. Breakfast was the large coffee she purchased from the student-run coffee shop on the grounds to the side of the center courtyard, before she made her way to a history of photography 207.
Lydia was the second to arrive at 8:15, after a small Asian girl. She took a seat near the back of the class, and watched as her peers filtered in. There was a chirpy looking brunette girl with a short, freckled boy who looked slightly abashed at her attention. There was a tall blonde boy with striking features, followed by a ditzy-looking blonde and a redheaded guy in a hoodie listening to headphones. Two more average couples, and a shy-looking raven-haired girl with large glasses entered before the professor (a distinguished man with a full head of chestnut-brown hair, going slightly grey at the temples) came in and introduced himself as Professor Derkin. He also wrote it on the board in large, green letters.
"Okay, class. This is our first day, and we need to set some boundarie-" He was cut off as a boy entered the room. He was a tall, brunette boy with eyes so blue that even from her seat high above the class, Lydia could clearly see them glint. He wore a green t-shirt with a denim jacket and faded jeans. He had a statuesque chin and a dimple on a great complexion, accompanied by a thin, perfect nose. He was gorgeous.
"you're late." Prof. Derkin told the boy. "Do you have an excuse?"
The boy grinned. Lydia's heart skipped a beat. "Yessir. I was on my way over here when this car pulls over, and this guy grabs me! They haul me in and drive off, then they begin to talk about the CIA, terrorists and extraterrestrials, then they give me this box of smarties-" he produced a box of smarties from his pocket-"and they tell me not to eat them and to give them all to the girl in black! Well, I try to ask them questions but they wouldn't hear of it! They just turned the car around, dropped me off here and drove off!" He finished with a spectacular show of dumfoundedness with a huge shrug and a befuddled facial expression that didn't quite hide the mischievous grin. Professor Derkin frowned, but turned back to the board. "Don't let it happen again. Please take a seat, Mr….?"
"Howle. I'm Axel Howle." Axel surveyed the room, his eyes resting on each student in turn before reaching Lydia. A smile graced his features before he made his way up the aisle to sit next to her. The Goth played it cool. "Can I have your smarties?"
"Are you the woman in black?"
"My whole world."
"Good enough!" He produced the smarties and she held her hand out. He tapped the box so that a good few poured out, and she thanked him.
"What's your name?" He asked, watching Prof. Derkin.
"Lydia. And you're…?" She knew the answer, but felt it was better to drag it out of him herself, mimicking his avid attention to the professor.
"Axel howle."
She smiled, and ate a blue smarty. This was definitely going to be her favourite class.
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSE
Betelgeuse was done pouting, and was now fuming. He hated her! Lydia Deetz! Where did she get off getting him in trouble after he held up his end of the bargain? Why wasn't SHE under threat of exorcism?? How come The Powers That Be were after his blood and not hers?? It was unforgivable! It was ridiculous! It was outrageous!! He grabbed a bottle of whiskey off the table to his side, which was littered with candles of all shapes and sized, which was his only source of light. He chugged the bottle until it was empty, then threw it against the opposite wall. It shattered, and littered the floor with broken glass. Fuck the Powers That Be. Fuck Lydia Deetz, and Fuck the World. He grabbed another bottle of booze, and pulled a cockroach out of his inside pocket. He bit off the thing's head, and it writhed in his hands. Fuck Lydia Deetz. Fuck Lydia Deetz. Fuck Lydia Deetz. He ate the rest of the insect in his hands. If only the wedding had gone on for one more minute! If only he'd been able to kiss her! The ring was on her hand, the 'priest' had pronounced them man and…well, he hadn't said it, but he'd had the intent! If only he'd kissed her!
He took another swig of whiskey.
And another.
And another.
In fact, it was only after he had finished that bottle and was halfway through the next when he started to think. What if he kissed her now? What if he was summoned, and he kissed her? Would that make them married? Did it count if she wasn't wearing the ring?
He thought about it for a long, long time.
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSELydia's next two classes passed in a blur of first-day blather, Teacher names, course guidelines and equipment requirements. She made three other friends that day. Patrick was a tall, muscular guy with dull features but a likeable disposition. Anya was a pale blonde-girl with a sort of held-back psychotic nature. Quiet when around strangers, and quirky-insane around friends. Finally, Nadia was a raver candy-kid with half her head shaved, and the other half dyed orangey-blonde. She was high when Lydia met her, and they hit it off instantly, when Nadia told a boy who was hitting on her that he was a pussy tard. She then kicked him in the shin.
The four of them spent their lunch break together, talking about how lame certain courses/professors were. Nadia was in full swing telling them a story about a party she'd gone to on the weekend when Axel approached them.
"Lydia! Hey!" He'd said, flashing his award-winning grin.
"Axel! Care to sit down?" She asked, issuing to a spot beside her. He stuck his hands in his pockets and shook his head. "Nah. Just wanted to see if you were free this weekend?"
Anya and Patrick looked away, embarrassed. Nadia grinned and gave Lydia a knowing smile. Lydia raised her eyebrows and cocked her head playfully. "Why?"
"I might know a guy who knows a guy who's throwing a 'The-beginning-of-the-first-crappy-semester-party."
"Oh you might, might you?
"Yup." He smiled at her, and she lost herself momentarily in his eyes, before regaining herself. "I might like that."
"Great! Can I meet you here on Saturday at, oh, say eight?" He asked, his blue eyes sparkling.
"Nope."
"I see…"
"Eight fifteen."
He brightened. "Great!" Then he turned on his heel, shot her a grin before sauntering away.
Lydia watched him walk off until Nadia shoved her shoulder. "I didn't know you knew such a hot guy! When you dumps you can I have him?" Lydia frowned at her but then laughed. "Yeah, sure."
BETELGEUSEBETELGEUSEBETELGEUSE
A/N: There's Chapter one of my first Betelgeuse Fanfic. As you may have noticed this is completely movie-verse, because the cartoon isn't serious enough for this fic. I know some of you may be waiting for me to update my other stories, but You've gotta understand! The only stories that aren't one shots are Sakura's summoning Experience and Next Generation! Kakashi's secondstring! Of the two of those, I've got a writer's block for Kakashi's secondstring, and I hate Sakura's summoning experience and may never update it!
See you next chap! (This one I promise to update!)