Unbelievable, page 1
Unbelievable
Hell Raisers Academy
Jane Pragor
Copyright © 2020 Jane Pragor
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Cover design by: GetCovers
Printed in the United States of America
This book goes to Kara Tickel, without you this would have never come together and Thea's sstory would just be one of many dancing in my head.
I love you and i hope you never change how beautifully weird you are
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Books In This Series
Chapter One
Thea
October 13th
It’s my birthday.
I had this weird dream last night, there was a man. No not a man, THE man, the most beautiful man.
At least that’s the feeling I got from the dream, he had the most vibrant emerald eyes, tree trunks for arms, and short hair that was as black as ravens' wings at midnight, other than those few details I don’t remember much else about him. But I could feel it—our souls—they were connected. I don’t know how I knew that, but I did. There was something about this beautiful stranger that called to me.
That wasn’t even the weirdest part about waking up today.
I had this odd feeling that today wasn’t going to go as planned. Something was definitely going to go horribly, horribly wrong.
But it’s my birthday.
Mom would be in the kitchen making chocolate gravy and fluffy southern-style biscuits, and dad was pulling the presents out of the closet under the stairs, where they believe that I hadn’t already seen them. I didn’t intentionally peek, but I couldn’t help it when they left the door open and I was walking by. We don’t wrap presents either; they just get put out before the person wakes up.
That’s my parents. Traditions are everything in our house, and they are very predictable. It might be one of the best and worst things about them: I could always tell you what they were going to do or say when I had a question, or when I wanted to go do something with Trevor and Anna, my best friends. They are the greatest though; I have the freedom that every teenager wishes they had, and I didn’t have to beg, bargain, or fight for it.
Trevor, Anna, and I were planning on going to this bar in town for my birthday. I was the last one of us to turn 18 so it wouldn’t be a problem getting in anymore, not that we had much of a problem getting in before either. I have one of the best fake IDs in town.
The weirdness that surrounded how I got it though is something even I find hard to believe.
“Honey! It’s time to get up! I made your favorite!” My mom said from the kitchen.
“Coming!”
I had picked out my outfit last night, Anna wanted to help me, so we did it over video chat. I was going for something that I could wear to both school and the ??bar tonight. We ended up picking a pair of white-washed denim jeans, a red Led Zeppelin tank-top, my black leather jacket, and my boots. It's October in Texas, so I would need a jacket until about 11 this morning and then my tank-top would be enough until it got dark again.
After pulling on my clothes, I grab my brush off the dresser by the door before shutting it behind me.
My dad was sitting at the table waiting for me as I ditch the hairbrush and cross the kitchen to the table.
“Ready to eat?” I asked sarcastically, laughing as I sat down.
“Listen, I don’t want any lip from you, your momma only makes this for your birthday and it’s one of my favorites!” Mom laughed as she set his plate down in front of him
“If you would ask Robert, maybe I would make it more often.” Mom was right, he says the same thing almost every year, but he never asks her to make it. Men. That’s all she would say about it.
“But if I asked for this every time that I wanted it you would leave me because I weighed 600 pounds”
“I would not!” She said in between laughs “I just wouldn’t say yes every time that you asked. Problem solved”
Listening to my parent’s banter made me question my relationship. I know that I’m only 18, but shouldn’t I know if I was in love with Trevor after two years? Shouldn’t I have some sort of feeling about where our relationship was going? The whole thing just didn’t sit right. Yes, I love him, which was why I was still dating him, but if my feeling about this morning’s dream was any indication, then something with our relationship isn’t headed in the right direction.
“Thea, where did you go just now?” My mom surprised me by pulling me out of my inner monologue.
“I’m sorry, I was just—” I was just what? Questioning my whole relationship? “—day-dreaming, I guess”
“Your father was asking you what your birthday plans are? Just the usual with Trevor and Anna or are y’all doing something new for the big day?” The usual with Trevor and Anna typically included copious amounts of junk food and the drive-in. They knew we went to this bar every now and then, they even knew about my fake ID, but they never questioned where I got it from.
I find that to be a blessing, even I wasn’t sure I believed how I got it. Vampires couldn’t possibly be real right? That’s not the world that we live in, is it? But that’s what I had been told, and we even paid with a pint of blood, and I won't even explain how we managed to get that.
“Thea!” Damn, I guess I did it again, “Are you feeling okay? You seem a little distracted.” My dad wasn’t wrong, my mind kept moving on to things that I shouldn’t be thinking about, my weird dream included. Who is the mystery man, and why was I dreaming of him?
“I’m sorry, I keep letting my mind wander—” It almost started to happen again. “Anyway. We are planning on going to The Lounge, downtown. Now that we are all 18, we can actually get in!” I gave my parents a side-eye as I dug into my food.
Mom just laughed. She knew better, but dad made a weird face. I wasn’t going to ask, no need to question whether or not he had a problem with my plans. They have literally never stopped me before, and I don’t want to give them a reason to now.
I had that feeling again, where I felt like something was going to happen that I wouldn’t be happy about. This had happened a few times before, both good and bad. I would get a feeling I couldn’t quite explain and by the end of the day something would happen that upset me or ruined my plans, or something amazing would happen that would have me smiling for the rest of the day. It had never been quite like it was today, which made me more than a little leery.
“Are you sure? Y’all have been there before. Why don’t y’all try somewhere new tonight? It is your 18th after all. Make it special.”
That was the first time in my entire life that my dad had ever had a problem with my plans, now that I was legal to get in, I don’t understand. Is this what the feeling is for? Are they going to tell me that I couldn’t go?
“Yes, but now I don’t have to lie to get in. It makes it special.” I figured that he wouldn’t have a problem with it, I won’t be breaking the law this time around. Not that he had the issue with me breaking it before.
“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Where did you get that ID? I had one as I teenager so I’m not mad, but how did you manage to get one?” This was the weirdest my father had ever been, and that’s saying a lot because he’s a pretty weird guy.
“Just from the same guy that everyone else did, over there on 5th street by that all-night gas station.” Please, stop asking questions.
He and mom shared a weird look.
“I’ve got to get going, don’t want to be late for school and I still have to feed!” I downed the rest of my milk and grabbed my keys and jacket off the couch. I was halfway to the door when my mom stopped me. I was sure that she was going to say something about the fact that I had barely touched my breakfast.
“Please be home by 11” Boy, was I wrong.
“What?!” There is no way.
“You heard what I said, Thea. I want you in this house no later than 11.”
“You can’t be serious; I wasn’t even born until 11:30, you want me home before I’m even actually 18! You can’t do that to me!” I knew what was coming next. We didn’t fight much, but when we did it was pretty bad.
“I am your mother and 18 or not you still live under my roof and will do as I say. I expect you home before 11, you can bet your rear end that if you aren’t home there will be a reckoning tomorrow missy!”
“MOM! My curfew has always been 12 and now that I’m an adult you are cutting me back? Why are you being like this?” I could almost feel the steam coming out of my ears.
“I have my reasons and that’s all I’m telling you. You will be in this house before 11 and that’s final!” Her eyes were watering like she was holding something back, but I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn’t going to budge so I might as well just give in.
“Fine!” I said with a little bit more attitude than I should have but I was mad, and I am still a teenager. This is how teenagers argue with their parents.
I heard dad’s voice in the background, “What about your presents?” Too late, I was already leaving and didn’t have the time, or even the desire, to see them now.
I knew good and well that I was going to break that curfew, and probably the midnight one too, but I’m not telling her that. I have never broken my parents’ rules and tonight felt like as good a night as ever to start. I know I will pay for it tomorrow, probably every day until graduation, but that’s a problem for another day.
The look on my father’s face as I walked out the door was more than a little concerning, but I didn’t want to get into it with him too, so I just left.
I walk across the way to the barn. We have quite a few animals, but the horses are the only ones I’m responsible for feeding in the morning, and that’s mostly because I want to.
“Good morning guys!” I called to the horses as I opened the door to the feed room.
I heard them rummaging around in their stalls, and when I came out with their full buckets their heads were sticking out. I fed Star first because she was always a little temperamental, then Midnight, he was one of the calmer ones, but his stall is next in line. Crossing to the other side of the barn I gave Missy and Hank their food.
Star made the noise that she always made when she could feel something was wrong with me. I swear this horse could hear my thoughts. She was always there for me when I needed someone to lean on, with no judgment.
Thea, she is a horse, you wouldn’t know if she was judging you anyway.
I stood there and scratched between her ears while she ate. After a few moments longer, I caught the time on my watch and decided that I had better get going. Otherwise, I would be late for school.
Still fuming, I got into my car, but Linda always makes me feel better. Who wouldn’t feel better behind the wheel of a 1967 Mustang? This car was the epitome of perfection, it’s my haven, well other than when I was riding the horses. My father bought me this car on my 15th birthday, it was junk then—basically a pile of scrap—and then we fixed it up together. It was my dream car. So here I am, three deep breaths later calmed down and headed to school.
Fifteen minutes later, I was waiting for Anna at the gym door. As soon as she walks up, she started talking about something, but I honestly couldn’t focus on it. I spent the whole day in this kind of haze, with a slight headache and stomach that wouldn’t stop turning.
School flew by, it’s my senior year and I had taken extra classes throughout the years so I could graduate early. The ones that I had left aren’t that important so the fact that I zone out all day wasn’t a big deal.
Anna wasn’t very happy that I was in such a hurry to get out of here, but I’ve never felt like this was where I’m supposed to be. I’ve had this voice telling me there is something more that I should be doing. I don’t know what, but this isn’t it. As much as I love Texas, this isn’t where I am meant to be.
✽✽✽
When I shop for clothes, I am always very particular about how they fit me, all of my clothes must be picked very carefully. I’m short, but I have thick thighs and a good-sized booty, so all my jeans are too long and hug me everywhere else perfectly. I’ve been a size 6 since I was a freshman, and I’ve always had to buy large shirts because my boobs don’t fit in anything else. The struggles of being curvy, I guess. It never bothered me, or the guys in my class. But I did constantly get in trouble for showing too much cleavage or being too much of a distraction.
Yes, because I could control when someone else was distracted by how I look. Should I confine myself to a moo-moo for the rest of my life? I think I’ll go with no.
“Are you ready?” Anna asked—again—as I pulled my jacket off and left it in the passenger seat of Linda. She had changed into a short black skirt and a red tank top. Her short blonde bob was teased as big as it would go and her blue eyes had so much eyeliner on them, I’m surprised she didn’t look like a raccoon.
“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like we haven’t been to this club before.” Her question seemed dumb to me.
“Yeah, but this is the only time that you have gone in intending to break your parents’ rules and not be home on time. Doesn’t that make you at least a little bit nervous?” I knew that she wasn’t happy that I was going to get myself in trouble, but I didn’t care at this point and I wish she wouldn’t either. It’s my birthday and I was going to have a good time regardless of anyone else.
“You know she’s right; you shouldn’t make your parents mad. They are always so understanding, why would you risk getting into trouble with them? They could ground you until you graduate, and then what?” He stood off to the side, his brown hair stood in all different directions—purposely messy. No matter what he wore he couldn’t hide the fact that he was a bean pole. Trevor was just trying to reason with me. But honestly, they were only pissing me off. We had been over this already, and it’s not like they never broke their parents’ rules. Why was it such a problem when I did it?
“Guys! I made my decision, you can either be a part of it or not, that’s up to you, but I am going into this bar and I’m going to dance until I can’t feel my feet. You can choose to join me, or you can be a bunch of babies and stay outside. Either way, I am done with this conversation.” I didn’t know if they followed as I turned and walked into the club, this is the one day of the year that was supposed to be about me, yet everyone wanted to argue with me. I needed to dance off the irritation that has been building since this morning.
I recognized the bouncer from a few of the other times that we’ve been here. He has even taken my ID a few times.
Crap.
He’s tall, 6’4 or 6’5 at least, arms the size of my head. Inside the dark club, I couldn’t tell for sure what color his hair was, but it looked black. He wore it pulled back in a tight ponytail that hung to about the middle of his back. His eyes almost shine red in the club lights. I had wondered what color they are for a while now, but I’ve never had the guts to talk to him. He was beautiful; in a Calvin Klein model, ‘I want to lick your abs and make you beg for it’ kind of way.
“Good evening Miss—” he took the card from my hand and checked my name and birthday, “Morgen” his voice was like a Waterfall as it flowed over me. I could almost feel myself melting with every deep raspy word that he said, it made me wish I had spoken to him sooner. No one should live their life without hearing this man say their name.
“You can call me Thea.” The words were out of my mouth before I even thought about them. I could feel the blood rushing to my face and my ears getting hot under my hair. Why did giving this guy my first name make me blush? It’s not as if my name isn’t on my license.
I’m surprised that I was able to say it at all without stuttering.
“You have been here before haven’t you, Thea?” My heart picked up at the sound of my name on his tongue. Still, majorly regret never talking to him before.
Thea, get it together, you have never reacted to a guy like this before, and your boyfriend is behind you! Somewhere...
“I have, yes.” This was the only thing I was worried about coming here. I was hoping that the bouncer would be someone that wouldn’t recognize me and realize that I had a fake. I know I could get into this bar now, but I would still like to keep it. For future possibilities.
“Let me have it,” he said as he held his hand out flat between us.
I decided to play dumb in hopes that I could flirt just enough to keep it. I haven’t tried to flirt before, but it’s not like I’m an unattractive person. It’s just that I’ve been dating Trevor since I was 16, and we had been friends for years before that. So why not give it a shot.
