Betting Against the Odds (11 page)

Ch. 11: Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Penelope’s POV)

              The rest of the week passed with us feeling the days with tours, shopping, and eating at different restaurants trying different food. It was now March 1
st
and we had four more days in New Orleans and I was determined to see a haunted house before we left like actually stay in one.

I went to Matt who was sitting down on his phone talking to his mom telling her everything was fine and we were having a great time. By the time he got off the phone I was dressed in jeans, a black shirt, and sandals but the way he looked at me made me feel like I was naked making me blush.

I thought about the other night when I woke up to hear Matt in the shower. I wasn’t eavesdropping but I did catch some interesting noises coming from him and I am not that innocent that I don’t know what those sounds were or how it tuned me on just listening to him. I blushed peering down as my thoughts drifted to how it would feel to be with him intimately.

Matt was still trying to make me talk to him about the whole palm reader thing but I couldn’t tell him not yet; I mean I knew I was being selfish but I didn’t want him to look at me different or treat me differently.

We met Anna and Luke down at the lobby to go to breakfast. I decided that today they were going to tell me what the hell has them looking all scared since going to see the palm reader. I know I shouldn’t force it out of them since I am not telling them what my fortune meant but damn it I am curious.

Matt pulled out my chair so I could sit as we waited for our foods I breached the subject, “So what the hell has you two acting all scared?”

Anna spit out her orange juice all over Matt who grimaced as he wiped up his shirt sleeve, “Eww Anna keep it in your mouth.”

“That’s what he said,” I joked as Luke laughed, “Now back to the subject why don’t you tell us what is going on.”

Anna took a breath, “When I was in high school I was kidnapped by my unknown uncle so he could keep the family fortune we didn’t know about Luke and his buddies came to save me killing my uncle. But the mean girl in school Christy got a way.”

My mouth was wide open as I processed what she said, “So why should you be scared of Christy?”

Anna swallowed slowly, “Well because Christy my high school enemy happens to be my uncle’s daughter which makes her my cousin and well she might want revenge for killing her dad, her sex buddy, and oh Lucas.”

Matt spoke up next, “Wait why Luke?”

“Well because she was obsessed with me even though I did sleep with her a couple times I didn’t want anything to do with her and she didn’t like that I wanted Annabeth over her.”

“Okay but why?”

Anna laughed, “Isn’t it obvious she is certifiably freaking crazy in her head.”

I took a bite of my waffle as I thought of this whole thing, “Damn guys anything else you want to tell me or maybe I should just add being killed by a psychotic cray cray girl on my bucket list.”

Matt playfully shoved me, “Be nice love I am sure we all have our secrets.”

I glanced at him watching me closely and automatically felt bad because he was right, “I know I am sorry guys but let’s take it one day at a time if she shows up you have two more people well three including Elaina on your side.”

Anna laughed reaching over to hug me, “God I am glad I met you. You are a great friend.”

I smile smugly at her, “I know this.”

Matt gave a pout, “I’m a great friend too right Anna?”

I laughed pushing him giving his cheeks a squeeze, “You are so adorkable.”

“Adorkable?” Matt yelled, “I am not a dork or adorable I am a man a sexy badass man tell her Anna.”

Anna shook her head patting his hand, “Of course you are Matt or course.”

I snorted, “Don’t lie to him Anna it isn’t good for him,” Matt frowned at me glaring.

“I can have anyone I want because I am so sexy and manly,” he was practically yelling as people nearby were looking over at us in curiosity.

I smiled even wider leaning towards him whisper yelling, “Loser’

“Don’t talk to me like that woman!”

“Don’t call me woman you man loser!”

“Don’t sass me little girl!” he yelled at me.

“Whatever you old man!” I yelled back.

We were face to face glaring at each other when our moods seemed to shift all together I looked down at his lips licking mine in response his eyes grew darker watching my tongue trace my lips. Before I even had a chance to take a breath he had his lips on mine prying them open with his tongue as he devoured me so passionately that my legs turned to jelly. He grabbed me more securely around the waist pulling me closer to his hard body. I was getting into it when I heard two people clearing their throats.

I pulled away seeing Anna and Luke both looking at us in amusement. I peeked around Matt to see all the people in the restaurant watching us then they started clapping like cheering. My face flamed in a deep red blush as Matt bowed thanking his audience and laughing.

I threw money down as I walked out of the restaurant as fast as I could. Well the rest of my friends followed me laughing at the whole scenario.

Matt ran to me pulling me under his shoulder, “So love I have a surprise for you tonight be ready at 7; dress sturdy and casual. Make sure you pack an overnight bag.”

What? I was about to ask him what he meant but he ran towards Luke as they set off somewhere.

Anna came towards me smiling, “So that was some kiss man I got hot and bothered just watching you both tongue each other,” she laughed as I blushed more.
 

“So do you know what they are up to?”

“Nope Lucas just told me to be ready at 7 and to pack an overnight bag,” she kicked a rock as in deep thought, “I wanted to know if you’re okay.”

I gave her a startled look, “I am fine. Why?”

“I have been thinking you know about your medicine, the headaches, and about what the palm reader told you,” she took a breath in as I held mine waiting for her next words, “I think you are sick like really sick and I won’t tell anyone not even Lucas. I just need to know so I could help you anyway I can.”

I glanced down at the cement as I nodded my head meeting her eyes, “Okay let’s go sit down and I will tell you everything.”

We made our way to a bench in this garden area it was beautiful but chaotic at the same time just like life itself.

“I have a brain tumor I have had it for three years,” I took a breath continuing, “I have did chemo and radiation it slowed it down but my last appointment with my doctor revealed that my treatments did not succeed and are not working anymore.”

Anna grabbed my hand squeezing it as she whispered, “Go on”

“In the beginning of December the day I met Matt and you guys I found out my only option to live is a surgery that has a 5% chance of survival. I have three six months to decide if I am going to take the surgery or not. That is why I made my bucket list.”

Anna stayed quiet, “Who knows? How long do you have if you don’t take the surgery?”

“Umm my parents, Mrs. Rose, and Elaina knows no one else I couldn’t handle the pity looks. If I don’t take the surgery I will have 6 more months to live after these six months is over. So either way I have a choice to try to live with the consequences of dying or to live the rest of my life and die like I am supposed to.”

I felt her trembling as I held on to her as she cried, “It’s so sad you are so young and you are so alive. You can’t be dying.”

I gave her a laugh pulling her away so I could look into her eyes, “Don’t you see Anna I am alive I don’t want to spend my day wallowing in pity I want to live I want to laugh to love. You guys have helped me so much and I am thankful for that,” Anna smiled a little wiping her tears, “But I need help.”

“Anything what do you need,” she practically yelled.
 

“I need help getting Matt to ask me out like for reals.”

She smiled deviously this time “Oh we can do that.”

              We spent the rest of the day laughing and plotting we decided that I needed to make Matt jealous so he can see how miserable he is without me. I wasn’t sure but Anna said that it worked with Luke.

By the time 7 o’clock rolled around we were ready for whatever the boys had planned. They came into the hotel room grabbing our bags waving for us to follow. We got into a car waiting for them to speak when they didn’t I started poking Matt in the back.

“Where are we going Matty?” he gave me look telling me to stop poking him. I crossed my arms glaring at them both as they whispered to each other.

Twenty minutes later we made our way into a dirt driveway lined with a bunch of those Spanish moss trees. It was stunning. Absolutely beautiful but the big mansion that stood in front of us was even more stunning than anything else. I gasped as we pulled to a stop the boys getting out grabbing our bags.

“What is this place?” I whispered.

Matt smiled, “We are staying here tonight at the White Mansion it is supposedly haunted by a very lonely lady who was killed by her mother in law because she didn’t want her son married to a commoner.”

“Oh my skittles really?”

“Yup the worst part is she was pregnant when she was killed and now she haunts this place crying for her lost life and her baby,” he took my hand walking towards the door as I looked on in awe, “but what about her husband what happened to him?”

Matt smiled a sad smile, “Well he came home to find his wife killed so he decided to joining her a week later hanging himself in the very same place in the front by the river where they met.”

“How sad,” he agreed as we met an older woman in the foyer, “Hello, welcome to the White Mansion I have set up rooms for your stay tonight I leave at 9 p.m and I will be back at 8 a.m please be safe and don’t disturb those who need to rest.”

Okay she was kind of spooky like really. We were led to our room and to put it lightly I was freaking the fuck out I mean all of our rooms were separated by hallways. My room was beautiful in a vintage way I sat down on the bed looking around as a chill wrapped around me I am not sure how long I could stay here by myself without freaking the hell out.  I made my way to the window that faced the lake Matt was telling me about I tried to make it out in the dark squinting to see more clearly when I saw a woman in white dress weeping. My mouth went slack as I gasped for air staring at the figure I was sure I wasn’t seeing things when the figure looked at me screaming a silent scream. She disappeared as two arms went around my waist. I screamed out loud well Matt shushed me telling me it was just him.

I told him about the woman as he held me we made our way to Luke’s room where we sat eating and talking when we decided to do some exploring. We grabbed our cameras and our EMF readers and all those other ghostly things making our way to the entrance room. We decided to split up they were going to explore the lower rooms and Matt and I were going to explore the upper rooms.

Matt was walking close by me making sure we were always touching I felt his touch heat my skin my body tightening in response. I laughed nervously as I tried to shake my feelings because this was so not the right place to be having these dirty thoughts. Matt gave me a curious look but didn’t respond to my laugh. We were on our way to the room where the girl was killed the room grew colder as we reached for the door to push it open. The door swung open an icy blast of wind hitting us I cried out at the sudden onslaught of coldness as Matt held me closer.

We went into the room everything looked like a room except for a blood stain in the wood that has been there for a very long time. I met Matt’s eyes as we both thought the same thing but we were quickly pulled out of our thoughts when the door slammed shut. We both ran to the door pulling it open running down the stairs to meet Luke and Anna who l looked equally spooked.

“Okay I will be the first one to admit I want to go back to the hotel I don’t think I can do this,” the group all gave a nod of agreement as we ran to get our stuff. I was putting  my clothes back in my bag when I felt a chill behind me I turned slowly facing the girl in the white dress she was staring at me not doing anything else.

She was sad and so young maybe my age, “I am sorry about what happened to you. I can’t imagine.”