Mirror in the Forest: Book One

by B. Groves

  Jessica looked down and took another deep breath while trying not to shake. She raised her head, and closed her eyes.

  Suddenly, she began to sweat and not from warmth, but from cold. She could have sworn she was getting feverish for some reason.

  She swayed a little as dizziness began to hit her, and the hand that was on her shoulder steadied her so she would not fall.

  Her mind began to swirl with thoughts she never knew she could have. First, there were eyes, then there were voices whispering around her, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. Things that she had wished would happen kept creeping to the forefront of her mind after the images and sounds had dissipated. Things like love, revenge, and success. It was all so puzzling, but so exhilarating.

  She began to feel a little faint, and was going to cry out, when suddenly it was over, and she immediately got her bearings together.

  “Open your eyes Jessica,” the spirit said softly.

  Jessica did so, and the spirits white eyes began to glow brighter in the oncoming darkness.

  Jessica looked in the mirror and gasped.

  There was two of her in the reflection now.

  One side had Jessica’s reflection with her old hair, and the other side was her current reflection with her new hair.

  “What do I do?” She asked.

  “Lift your hand,” he answered.

  She did as was told, and her reflection with her new hair moved like it should in the mirror, the old one stayed in place. Her old reflection seemed so different now. It was as if the old reflection did not show any life, like a mannequin...just staring back at her in the reflection.

  “Why is it doing that?” She asked, turning around to face the spirit.

  “This is to always remind you that no matter what you change, the one on the right is who you truly are, and where you will always be. I find it keeps you humble,” the spirit explained.

  He then gestured with his hand. “Please, do you like it?”

  Jessica nodded in understanding turning towards her reflections again, and then began to touch her hair. It was so soft it was almost unbelievable what she was seeing. No more coarse, frizzy hair. It fell softly past her shoulders as she ran her fingers through it. It was blonder, but not enough to wash out her complexion.

  No matter how many hair salons her mother took her to in her life, none of them had been able to do what the spirit just did.

  Jessica could not stop smiling as she twirled and admired her new hair.

  “Do you like it?” The spirit asked.

  Jessica could feel the tears welling in her eyes, and began to sniffle.

  “Yes! Oh my God, thank you! I can’t thank you enough,” she said practically sobbing now from happiness.

  The spirit smiled and said, “It is getting dark, just remember that whenever you need anything I will be here, but you must remember there will always be something in exchange.”

  Jessica nodded enthusiastically. “I will. Thank you so much!”

  Jessica couldn’t get home fast enough, but finding her dad still fast asleep in the chair.

  She ran up to her room, and stood there for over an hour just admiring her hair in her own mirror. She took a brush to it, and laughed when the brush went right through without getting tangled like it usually did.

  She couldn’t wait to show it off to Tessa and Alex tomorrow in school.

  Now the other girls couldn’t whisper about her frizzy hair anymore.

  With a contented sigh, she got ready for bed. She usually woke up her dad, but she was too tired. Tonight, he was on his own.

  “What on earth?” Mary stood there in her nurse’s uniform shocked at her daughter the next morning.

  Jessica smiled brightly and asked, “Do you like it?”

  Mary came over to Jessica, and began to run her fingers through her hair with a wide-eyed expression.

  “How did you do this?”

  Jessica hadn’t thought of that, and looked around for a second trying to think fast.

  “Tessa called me last night after Dad fell asleep. There is this new conditioner on the market with a new flat iron, and we tried it out. You should see Tessa’s hair,” Jessica said smiling at her lie.

  “I need that. Do you remember the brand?” Mary said still touching Jessica’s hair.

  “I will find out the brand and let you know,” Jessica said, not having any intention of doing so.

  “You look beautiful,” Mary said proudly.

  For the first time in years Jessica was wearing her hair down to school, and she felt so much better. She hadn’t cut it in a while, but knew she didn’t need one. It was perfectly soft and healthy on it’s own now.

  “Did your father see it?” Mary asked.

  “Nah, I didn’t want to wake him up just about my hair,” Jessica said.

  Mary laughed a little. “Men don’t notice that stuff anyway.”

  Jessica giggled and her father came down for breakfast.

  “My two favorite girls. Jessica…..” Donald said, giving his daughter a puzzled look.

  Mary smiled widely at her husband’s reaction and said, “I guess I was just proven wrong.”

  Jessica began to laugh as her mother explained to her father what Jessica had done to her hair.

  “Your daughter went over Tessa’s last night and they did this. Doesn’t she look great?”

  Donald shook his head in disbelief. “Yes, she does, but she is always beautiful to me, anyway.”

  Jessica blushed, and hugged both of her parents.

  Jessica felt great that morning, and for the first time she felt light and happy in a long time.

  Mary fretted over Jessica’s hair as she dropped her off at school that morning, but Jessica actually didn’t mind it this time.

  Jessica knew she was turning heads, and was complimented more than she had ever been in her life. She almost sunk into a corner with the attention, because she wasn’t used to having eyes on her, unless someone had something mean to say.

  “How did you do that?” Tessa asked in astonishment when they finally met up.

  “Oh, just a wish came true for me,” Jessica answered as she got her books out of her locker. She didn’t do her homework, but knew she could easily make it up.

  Tessa smiled. “You look great, but I am sure it takes longer to get that way.”

  Jessica shook her head, and said, “No, I just dried it, added a new conditioner, and flat ironed it.”

  “Nice.”

  “I think I will go into hairdressing, if I can make miracles like that,” Alex said jokingly walking up to them.

  Jessica punched him in the shoulder, but knew that was his way of complimenting her.

  Jessica got some more compliments and thanked those that walked by.

  Then she turned and saw Danny Davenport walking with the other baseball players.

  Jessica suddenly felt nervous and tried not to shake as Tessa continued to talk to her.

  She wanted to face him finally, and see his reaction.

  He walked by with the other boys laughing, and turned to her.

  Like a slow motion movie a slow smile spread across his face, and he nodded to her.

  “Nice,” he said and then walked away.

  Jessica could only stand there with her mouth gaping as he continued down the hallway.

  “Oh my God,” Tessa kept whispering to her over and over again as Jessica just stood there.

  “About time,” Alex said with a grimace.

  Jessica could not think of the words to say, and the bell ringing finally brought her out of her hypnotic state.

  Jessica said goodbye to Alex and Tessa and went to her first class.

  She sat down and talked to some classmates that hardly spoke to her in her four years in high school.

  She noticed Mandy come into class with two of her entourage.

  Mandy kind of jerked when she spotted Jessica, and sat down with a grin on her face.

  Class starte
d and Jessica was barely paying attention to the lesson, because of the attention she was receiving.

  “Psss,” a voice next to her whispered.

  Jessica jumped a little and was glad the teacher hadn’t noticed her reaction.

  She turned to the boy next to her, and he quickly passed her a note.

  Jessica looked at him confused, but took the note and hid it under her books. She waited for the teacher to turn back to the chalkboard when she unfolded it.

  I love your hair, Mandy

  Jessica smiled, and turned to Mandy and her friends. Mandy looked at her and gave her thumbs up before turning back to the teacher.

  Jessica could barely pay attention the rest of the day, she was so happy.

  Jessica went to leave that day, and spotted Danny again as he made his way out to the parking lot. Jessica stood on the corner waiting for her mother.

  She froze because she knew Danny had to walk by her with his baseball friends.

  Her palms began to sweat, and she felt weak in the knees. Her heart fluttered, but she noticed that it wasn’t the strong reactions she used to have. Suddenly, the young Sheriff flashed through her mind, but she disregarded it.

  She knew she had to turn and say something, but what?

  “Hey,” a male voice said to her right.

  She turned sharply, and blushed at her reaction.

  She was looking into the deep blue eyes of the guy she had been in love with for years. She was looking at a square jaw line, and whiskers covering it.

  She thought she heard his buddies snicker in the background. He turned to them with a glare, and thankfully, they stopped.

  “Hi,” she said. She blushed even more as her voice came out in a high pitch.

  “Are you going to Mandy’s party Saturday?” He asked, smiling at her reaction.

  Jessica could only stare for a moment, and finally she found her voice as the boys started to laugh again.

  She shook her head finally gathering her thoughts.

  “Yes….yes I am,” she said, her throat suddenly became very dry.

  Danny smiled at her making Jessica almost melt into the pavement.

  “Right on. I’ll see you Saturday,” he said.

  “Cool, see ya then,” she answered, trying to be calm.

  The other baseball players said bye to her, and Jessica could only stand there looking stupid.

  As her mother pulled up she barely remembered getting into the car and driving off, with the thoughts of Sheriff McKenzie still coming back to the forefront of her mind.

  Chapter 9

  “I like that,” Mary said to Jessica as she came down the stairs Saturday night. Tessa had just called and said she was on her way.

  Jessica had her hair curled a little for the party, and was dressed in light blue jeans, and a simple white blouse, and beige sandals. Mary wanted to put makeup on her, but Jessica wasn’t ready for that yet, but finally agreed on some lipstick and foundation.

  “Do you like it?” Jessica asked, twirling a little.

  “I love it,” Mary replied, barely able to contain her excitement.

  Mary approached her daughter and said, “Alright time for me to parent again. If things get out of hand, I do want you to call us and we will come get you.”

  Jessica knew she had to reassure her mother. “I will Mom, I promise.”

  Mary smiled and remarked, “It’s not you I’m worried about.”

  “I know.”

  Mary hugged and kissed her daughter, and said, “I am so proud of you.”

  Tessa pulled up and beeped the horn. Jessica grabbed her purse and said goodbye to her parents for the night.

  “Look at you, you sexy thing,” Jessica joked, getting into the car.

  Tessa scoffed. Her hair was teased, and she was wearing a tank top with makeup and jeans with boots.

  “You look hot girl,” Tessa said laughing.

  Jessica turned, glancing into the backseat. “Where’s Alex?”

  “He decided to go with his team. You know he has to keep up the façade,” Tessa said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

  Jessica nodded in understanding as Tessa pulled away from the house.

  “Do you have enough insulin?” Jessica asked.

  “Plenty. Just stab me if I need it,” Tessa said smiling.

  Tessa had taught Jessica how to administer insulin if they ever got into that situation. Jessica only had to do it once, and never wanted to go through that again.

  The girls talked excitedly as Tessa drove them to Mandy’s house.

  “Do you think you will kiss Danny tonight?” Tessa asked giggling.

  “Yeah, right. He could have any girl he wants. Why would he want me?” Jessica asked doubtfully.

  “Did you practice on the pillow like Cosmo says to do? Just in case?” Tessa asked, ignoring Jessica’s doubts about herself, and then breaking out in a fit of laughter over her question.

  Jessica laughed at the absurd advice that magazine gives, but had to admit she tried it.

  “No,” she lied.

  Tessa laughed again and said, “Liar, but practice makes perfect.”

  Both girls gasped as they turned onto Mandy Cooper’s street and could not believe how huge the houses were. Jessica knew she had never been down this street before, because she never had a reason to come to this part of town.

  There were cars parked everywhere, so the party was long underway.

  The girls spotted the lit up house at the end of the street, and Tessa had to end up turning around to find a parking space, because so many people were here.

  Jessica could hear the music coming from the house when they were close to it, and people were walking towards it talking to each other excitedly.

  “So thrilling,” Tessa said smiling.

  Tessa finally found a parking space, and both girls exited the car.

  Jessica tried to calm her nerves, and tried to talk to herself to just relax and have a good time. She tried to convince herself that she was worrying needlessly, and that it was all in her head.

  She grabbed her purse, and the girls started to walk towards the huge house.

  Jessica noticed the home was older. Maybe, a Victorian style, though Jessica didn’t know much about those things.

  All the lights in the home were on, and she could hear the beat of the music and laughter coming from the house as they walked closer to it.

  Tessa smiled at her as they passed some classmates and said hello.

  Some were genuinely shocked to see them, but said hi.

  It did not get past Jessica that some were already drunk as they downed their beers, and other cocktails.

  They came up to the door and Tessa asked, “Do we knock?”

  “I don’t know,” Jessica said shrugging her shoulders.

  Tessa was about to knock when the door swung open and Mandy stood there with a drink in her hand and a cigarette in between her fingers.

  “Welcome ladies!” She said loudly over the music.

  “Thanks!” Tessa answered, yelling.

  Tessa went in and Jessica was hit with loud music, smoke, and the smell of bodies and booze. She crinkled her nose. She wasn’t used to these kinds of crowds. Her family always had parties, but they didn’t come close to this. It was huge, rowdy, loud, and there were smells that Jessica did not want to identify.

  “What a great house!” Tessa said sincerely looking around.

  “Thanks!” Mandy said, shutting the door behind the two girls.

  She took a drag of her cigarette. “You guys know everyone, and I invited rival schools so feel free to drink and mingle.”

  “Thanks Mandy,” Tessa said.

  Jessica could see kids dancing everywhere, and some hanging out and some making out on the furniture.

  She was shocked at how blatant they were and turned her head to try not to stare.

  “Let’s get a drink,” Tessa yelled over the music.

  Michael Jackson’s Thriller was playing on the bigge
st stereo system Jessica had ever laid eyes on. There were stage lights set up around what was probably the living area. The lights flashed all kinds of colors, and moved in sync with the music. Jessica had never seen anything like it. It looked like an expensive setup.