I got out of bed and pulled on my silk navy blue robe. I brushed out my hair. I went to the set up altar I had on the stone table. I said a prayer, lit a white candle and set out an offering to the Lady for Yule. Then went into a deep meditation asking for a grant from up above to help me get an idea of what Antonio was planning and when he was going to try an attack.

"When the clock strikes twelve, it's out with the old and in with the new." I whispered, giving the Lady something to go with. The exact phrase Antonio said to me before he got dragged out of the party. I got my stuff ready and went searching for a bathroom.
Almost all of them were occupied by my friends except for one. The door was opened and the light was on. I took a peek inside and found AJ lying asleep on the linoleum floor hugging the toilet. His hair was a mess, he still wore his tuxedo from last night which now desperately needed to be washed and ironed. I leaned against the door frame and sighed. I remembered that one time my mom had found me the exact same way as I found AJ now.

"Typical example of someone doomed with the aftershock of a damn good party. Suffering a hangover, left to pay worship to the Porcelain God." I said with a slight laugh. AJ shot awake at the sound of my voice.

"Huh?! Who's there?" He grumbled. I went to help him to his feet.
"AJ, baby, it's me. Sam. I guess you can tell now that you had a great time at the party last night. You do remember everything that happened last night, right?" I asked concerned.
"Yeah, I remember. How are your wrists?" He asked holding up my hands to examine them in the light.
"Scars are still there, ugly as hell." I said.
"Why don't you just cover them with a Band Aid?" He said.
"I will. What I'm concerned with is how you're doing. How many fingers am I holding up?" I asked, giving him the peace sign.
"Ummmm, two." He said.
"You had to think about that. Are you sure you're feeling ok?" I asked.
"I'm fine. Nothing a change of clothes, shower and coffee can't fix."
"I think you should lay off the coffee for now. Stick to orange juice, minus the vodka." I said, making a point.
"Don't worry, I don't always drink that much. I stay sober for most of the time." He said.

"Oh, really? Howie said that you always liven up a party with too much alcohol ingestion. Honey, I'm worried about you. Take a look at yourself at the mirror. That's what someone that goes on with the fun and won't think about the morning after looks like, the morning after. I hate seeing people get drunk. That's only happened to me once before and I swore off intense alcohol. Now the most I drink is to the point where I get a headache. Then I stop, I make sure a friend is with me that will make me stop. That's what you need to consider. I see a bright, spectacular future a head of you. Don't throw it away with one too many martinis. It won't be good for your career and plus you have to keep in mind that there are millions of young fans, mostly girls that look up to your every move as a role model. Don't give them something negative as an example of their views on life. There's a lot you have to keep in mind especially if you are a celebrity who's fan base are young teenagers. They're vulnerable to what the world has to offer both positive and negative. Help set them on the right track. That also goes to the sexually explicit stuff that goes on during the stage performance. Don't think that that little move you do during your solo goes unnoticed by the younger ones." I said smiling.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. And I'm working on it, but it's hard, I'm so eager to do something that the critics don't want me to." He said.

"That's what they say about Madonna, Marilyn Manson, Carman Elecktra, and Dennis Rodman. They push the limit and enjoy doing it. You can, too. Just don't loose conscience. If you do, I'll be right here ready to slap sense into you." I said, raising a hand to his cheek as if I was about to hit him. He caught my hand in mid air.

"I'll be aware." He said, smiling.
"Good. How do you feel?"
"My head's gonna explode with this migraine." He muttered.
"Well, start getting yourself freshened up. I gotta use the bathroom, so you gotta jet. Go change your clothes. We have to get that tux cleaned up and pressed."
"Why do you have to use this one? How about the other bathrooms?"
"Occupied. Now get." I said gesturing to the door. He pouted then left, stealing the chance to plant a kiss on my nose.

I quickly showered, brushed my teeth and changed into a tight black Indian Motorcycle T-shirt and tight black Calvin Klein jeans. The heat of Florida or the cold of Toronto never bothered me too much. I could wear black during a heat wave and not get sunstroke. So I was ok. I covered my scars on my wrists with bandages, I looked ok.

I went downstairs to the bowling alley of a kitchen and greeted my friends while AJ used the washroom.
"That party was tha bomb!" Leah exclaimed.
"Really. When was the last time you went to a posh party like that?" Michelle asked.
"It was my cousin's wedding when I was seven. I was the bridesmaid." I said. Everyone looked up at me.
"Hey, Sam. How are you doing? Did Antonio try to contact you at any time?" Asked Tavlin.

"No, but I think he will, soon. I don't know him that well. But if he's anything like his brother. He'll seek his revenge if it's the last thing he ever does. He lives by that: An eye for an eye. All it is is a matter of time before he comes after me. I just can't believe that he decided to follow me, all the way here!" I said shaking my head.

"He's lost his mind. People get that way, he thinks he knows the truth. But he doesn't. He knows what everyone else at school knows. Don't pay any attention. We were there, we saw, we know, and we will stick by it all the way to court if it comes to that. Understand?" Dianna said, speaking directly to me, hands on my shoulders.

"I understand. Thanks for sticking by me. I just hope I can stop Antonio before he ends up doing anything regretful. It seems like he's watching me. He knows what I'm going through, he knows where I am. He could be watching me right now," At that, everyone searched outside through the window with their eyes, "Well, maybe he is. The thing is, he's got the upper hand. He can try to get me any time and I wouldn't know. I just hope something comes and helps me so I can get ahead of his thinking process. Something that a human can't give me, something like that premonition I had that made me realize Jason's idea of action. Know what I mean?" I said.

"Yeah, all we can do is hope something like that happens. For your sake, the first time around, if you hadn't had a premonition, you wouldn't be here today." Said Leah.

"And on that pleasant note, Merry Christmas everyone! Blessed Yule, Sam." Michelle said, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Blessed Yule." I replied smiling.
"Merry Christmas!" Said everyone else.
"Hey, party startin without me?" AJ said as he entered the room.
"Merry Christmas, hon." I said, reaching up to give him a kiss.
"Blessed Yule, darlin." He returned the kiss.
"Awwwww!" Said everyone else. I poured AJ a glass of orange juice and handed him two Aspirin for his headache.
"Thanks, girly." He said and swallowed the pills with juice.
"So what are we going to do today?" Asked Leah, helping herself to more pancakes that they had made.
"I'm not used to spending Yule/Christmas with the weather fit for the beach." I said, starring outside the window.
"With that in mind, how about we call up the rest of the guys, BJ, Aaron, Leslie and Angel and have a pool party?" Suggested Michelle
"That's a great idea. I've been wanting to put my new bikini to good use." Said Leah. We starred at her.
"You got a bikini?" I asked.
"Well, yeah. I mean, it's cute and sexy and everything. Perfect." She reasoned.
"Ok, then. There goes your attempt for the innocent school girl attitude." I said.
"And when did I ever try to attempt that?" She asked, hands on her hips. I looked to the rest of the girls.
"No comment!" We all said and laughed.
"What?!" She whined.
"Just no comment, Kay?" Said Tavlin. Leah pouted and sipped at her tea.
"Do you have a bikini?" AJ asked me eagerly.
"No, baby. It's black and one piece." I said, sophisticatedly.
"Damn! I wanna see you in a bikini. And do you ever wear any other color besides dark?" He asked glancing at my outfit.
"If you mean bright or pastel, no, never liked that. I do like white or silver." I said.
"Ok, so everything's set. It's time to call up everyone and tell them to come with their swimsuits." Said Tavlin.
"Yeah, when should the party be at?" Asked Dianna.
"How about 11:30?" I added.
"Makes sense. Cool." We discussed the party plans over breakfast.
Everyone came at the right time and it all worked out fine. No falters, no interruptions. Perfect pool party, everyone had fun. Almost too good to be true.

While the party was underway, a figure hidden in the shadows behind the pool house on AJ's property, watched intently at the people having fun. He paid attention to the girl wearing a black one piece bathing suit take a perfect swan dive into the pool. Her silver pentagram glinted brightly in the sun.

"That's right, Widow Spider. Act like there's absolutely nothing wrong. You're the innocent one here, just keep telling yourself that. Just make believe that you're not the cause that put my brother six feet under. I'll get you yet, Widow Spider. Just wait. When the clock strikes twelve, it's out with the old and in with the new." He said and gave a viciously wicked laugh, then continued to hide, watch and smoke his joint.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One week later ~ New Year's Eve, December 31 1999*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey! Lift your feet up. Unless you want to be sucked into the black hole filled with dust and crap." I said, hitting AJ's leg. He raised his feet onto the coffee table and I vacuumed underneath.

"Will you take a chill pill, girl? The party doesn't start until seven tonight and it's only 11:30 in the morning." He said, shifting himself from side to side trying to watch a football game on TV and stuffing his mouth with chips.

"Yeah, well. I'm always hyped when I'm getting ready for a party. Hey! Use a coaster for that! Damnit, that's going to leave a stain." I said pointing to his can of Mountain Dew.

"Neat freak." He muttered, giving me a daring look. He went to the kitchen and got a coaster. I snuck a sip of his drink and took a couple of chips. It was New Year's Eve morning and I was already getting frantically ready, cleaning AJ's house for the party he was having to ring in the new Millennium. Tavlin walked into the room.
"Hey, girl. Need any help?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'll need it. Only because AJ won't move his bubble butt away from in front of the TV!" I called out, tilting my head in the direction of the kitchen so he could hear me loud and clear. He returned with a coaster, slid it under his drink and resumed watching the game.
"I may have a bubble butt, but I know you like it." He said not looking up from the game.
"Well, yeah. Although, still! Get up and help me!" I said hesitantly.
"AJ, move it or loose it." Tavlin said, hands on her hips.
"Oh, really? And what cha gonna do about it, girl?" He challenged.
"I'll have to kick your ass, sorry Sam. I've been taking Tae-Bo, so I know how." She said.
"Tai Bo? I've been wanting to take that, although never got the time." He said, finally getting up. I shoved a feather duster in his face.
"Ok, now that your up, you can go dust. And you all know, I'm a Tae Kwon Doe black belt. Third degree, did I mention that part?" I said, blowing on my nails and brushing them against my royal blue shirt.
"Oh yeah, you're like Buffy the Vampire Slayer butt kicker." He mused. Raising his arm in the kung fu praying mantis position.
"No, more like Drusilla or Mulan." I said.
"Tavlin, can you start cleaning the windows? Once the rest of them get here, I'll put them to start cleaning, as well." I said, handing Tavlin a wash cloth and Windex.
"Yeah, sure no problem." She said and went to work.
"I cannot wait for this party to start! It means so much to me to know I'll be living through the next Millennium." I said beaming.
"It doesn't mean that much." Michelle said walking in.
"Put it in perspective and it will. Here, could you go mop the tile floors." I said gesturing to a bucket, mop and Mr. Clean liquid cleaner.
"Already you're starting to clean up for the party? I bet you someone will end up dropping or spilling something between now and seven o'clock." She said but still went to get the mop.
"Oh, that won't happen. Trust me. If it does, I'll have to kick someone's ass." I said.
"AJ, did you call the caterers for the party?" Michelle asked.
"Yeah, I did. Everything's set. They'll be here on time and ready to set everything up. We don't have to raise a finger for the food." He answered.
"Decorations?" Tavlin asked.
"Called an interior decorator just for this." He replied.
"DJ?" Leah said, walking into the room.
"Done. Set. Ready." He said not looking up from the crystal vase he was dusting.
"This thing attracts dust like a magnet." He mumbled.
"Leah, could you help Tavlin with the windows?" I asked.
"You mean I gotta clean?" She whined.
"YES!" We all said to her. She sulked but obeyed.
"Honey, what room did you plan on having the party in?" I asked, still vacuuming.
"The rec room, Baby Cakes." He answered.
"Oh, that's great, it's big and right near the front door." I said.
Dianna giggled as she entered the room.
"What's so funny?" I asked her.
"You and AJ. You two talk to each other like an old married couple. With all the pet names and everything. How adorable!" She said mockingly.
"Sugar, did you hear that?" I asked AJ.
"Yeah, darling. She called us old! Let's get her!" He said dropping the duster.
"Calm down! I was only joking!" She said raising her arms to defend herself.
"I know." I said. I handed her another mop. "Could you help Michelle mop the floors?" I asked.
She agreed. With all of us working to clean up the house, it only took us an hour and a half to clean up AJ's entire massive house.
"Now doesn't that feel better knowing that we finished it all on our own?" I said after we were done. We sat on the pool deck outside in the sun with the shade of an umbrella table eating lunch.
"No! I broke a nail scrubbing the walls!" Leah complained. Showing us her hand.
"Oooh, that's gotta bite. Wear gloves tonight." I said studying her hand.
"I plan to. Hey, that rhymes." She said.
"Huh? Oh yeah." I said and stuffed a chip in my mouth.
"Turn on the radio." I said through crunches.
"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?" Asked AJ.
"When was the last time I ever listened to my mom?" I asked. Dianna flicked on the radio that AJ had brought outside with him. The first song that started playing was Angel by Sarah McLachlan. I starred at the radio, my eyes wide.
"What?" Asked AJ. "Wow! Deja vu. The morning after Howie's party, I woke up with this exact song running through my head. The weird thing was that I never heard it or known of anything remotely connected to this song for like two weeks before the party. Strange." I said.
I started singing along to the song and as I did, something even weirder happened. The more I got into the song the more this faint golden light radiated from me. It was as if it came from inside my soul. I felt incredibly light, as if I could float, but I wasn't. I sang out the verses to Angel, and eventually, I actually felt like I was becoming an Angel. The song ended, so did the golden light, the weightlessness feeling, and the Angelic nature. It just stopped.
"Am I the only one that noticed that?" I said stunned when I finished singing.
"Nope." AJ said, eyes fixed on me in awe.
"It was like you literally became an Angel when you sang it." Dianna said, sharing the awe.
"That's what it felt like." I said looking down, inspecting my hands as if somehow they would provide an answer.
"You know, the more I spend time with you, the weirder things get."
Leah said. "Very funny." We continued to talk about anything and everything.
Then just spent time inside watching TV, and relaxing. Upon request, I taught AJ the basics in WitchCraft and he helped me perform a simple ritual. Finally it was time for the party.>br> "So what are you going to wear?" I asked Leah.
"Oh, I got this like cocktail kind of dress. It's shiny green." She said.

"Cool, you know my outfit." I replied and headed for the washroom to change. I wore the navy blue dress that I had been saving to wear and the Heart of the Ocean necklace from Brian. It looked good together. I wore pearl drop earrings and let my hair flow out. The scars on my wrist were covered with bandages so I didn't bother with gloves. I wore my pentagram choker to cover up the stitched scar on my neck. The stitches started to hurt. It happened at times. I closed my eyes and willed the pain away. I went back to my room and applied makeup. Around fifteen minutes later everyone was ready. Leah wore her cocktail dress, shined up in green. Michelle wore a black lace dress that looked like Kate Winslet's dress worn at the Golden Globe Awards. Tavlin went for a conservative look and sported a professional looking baby blue dress that had a slit down the right side. Dianna wore a dress that looked like something straight off the First Class Section of the Titanic. It was lavender and tight around the waist due to a corset. I asked her about it but she wouldn't reveal. We went down to greet AJ. He wore a shiny navy blue suit, his hair was slicked back, still black like before and he smelled like after shave.
"You two look so cute together! I want a picture!" Leah exclaimed and went for her camera. We smiled brightly and she snapped a picture.

The guests finally arrived, almost the same guest list as the last party. The music was great, the place looked really good. Decorators did a great job. The room had a fifties feel to it. I ended up dancing with each of the Boys. I shared the dance floor with AJ during Kiss From a Rose by Seal. I danced with Howie during Right Here Waiting by Monica featuring 112. During the dance we talked about nothing in particular. Just talked because we never really got the chance to. I danced with Kevin during Written in the Stars by Elton John and LeAnn Rimes. We talked about the music industry and how success would come for me. Nick and I danced to When You Believe by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. I ended dancing with Brian during to My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. By that time it was around 11:50 at night. Ten more minutes until the next Millennium. I excused myself to go to the washroom. While I walked to the washroom I passed a grandfather clock set in the room when New Year's arrived.

The clock made me stop. It became a moment of an epiphany for me. An epiphany of my life. The clock, New Year's, the Millennium, Antonio's words: When the clock strikes twelve it's out with the old and in with the new. I let out a cry and kept myself from breaking down.

Antonio did not want me to live through the next Millennium. He wouldn't allow it.

He planned to kill me at the exact same time the Y2K virus would go in affect. I entered the washroom sat down on top of the toilet and panicked. What was I going to do? I didn't have protection with me. I didn't realize I'd find another reason to use the gun again. There were too many people here as well. He was probably armed and dangerous with a weapon. No, Tae Kwon Doe was no match to someone that had a mechanical weapon. The weapon, which I figured to be a gun, worked with gears and physics. Tae Kwon Doe required skills, reaction and instinct. And no one knew this would happen except me. There's no way out. I thought back to the fortune teller. As odd as it may seem, half her prediction was unfolding before my eyes. She said I wouldn't fear death. I pondered the concept for a moment and came to he decision that death was just another thing to go through. Life works in stages, the physical is just one of them. When that one was done with, you move on to the next. So I didn't fear death. Did I welcome it. Well, yeah. I knew that when I died, I'd still be able to stay around AJ and all my loved ones, they just wouldn't know about it. So everything was going to happen the way it was meant to happen. I wondered why Antonio chose New Year's Eve. Then I remembered. I met Jason at a friend's New Year's Eve Party two years ago and that's when we started dating. I had to make sure no one else got hurt. This I would deal with when the time came. I checked my watch. 11:58. Oh my Goddess! Two minutes!

I went outside and joined AJ and everyone else who waited eagerly in front of the grandfather clock. I smiled at him but looked around the perimeter anxiously. Antonio, I know you're there, but where? I thought. 11:59 and counting. The closer it came the more worried I got. I said a quiet prayer for the Goddess. I asked Her to protect me in the after life and to protect the innocence in the room. I was glad that I managed to get in a meaningful talk with my friends and spent time to dance with and get to know each Boy better. This was all I ever wanted, all I ever asked for. I remembered back to my Sweet 16 birthday party. I blew out the candles on my birthday cake and wished for the love, peacefulness and serenity of all those that I loved to guide me throughout the rest of my life. My wish came true.
"Ten.......nine.......eight.........seven........" Called everyone as the last few seconds remained. I looked to AJ, he looked at me and grinned. I forced a return smile. I'll be seeing you soon, my love. I thought.
"Four......three......two....." Continued the crowd. I started searching the room with my eyes. Woah! Over there, in the corner leading to the hallway. A shadow moved there, a human shadow. The pathway from the shadow to me was clear.
"ONE!!! HAPPY NEW MILLENNIUM!!!!!" Everyone yelled and cheered.

"Happy New Year, baby." AJ said and pulled me in for a kiss, he ended up having his back facing the dark shadow in the corner. No. Not good, not good at all. As AJ kissed me, I kept my eyes opened, focusing on the shadow. Something shiny glinted in the light and caught my eye. Oh, no! I knew it! I heard a distinct click. Here it came.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed and roughly pushed AJ aside In the moment of instinctive reaction which lasted a mere split second, I ended up forcing myself in front of him right in time.
The bang was deafening.
The pain blinded me.

I saw my life flash before my eyes momentarily. Sixteen years of triumphs, failures, hits, misses, and mostly learning brought together in only a few seconds of footage. I fell against AJ, he caught me and lowered me to the floor. Security guards saw Antonio and ran after him full force. A rushing sound roared in my ears, my vision blurred. Pain radiated from my stomach and throughout the rest of my body, my life slipping away. My legs became numb, then my torso, my arms. I saw glimpses of everything that happened, as if it moved in slow motion.
I saw AJ crying his eyes out. He kept telling me that paramedics were on their way, everything would be fine. He begged my not to go.
Darkness.
I saw little Aaron crying from shock and fear hanging on to his mother for dear life, as if his might slip away at any moment.
Darkness.
I saw my friends trying desperately to make my bleeding stop, each of their attempts failing.
Darkness.
I saw the rest of the Boys working in action trying to keep order, trying to give me air, trying to keep me alive.
Darkness.
I had to say something to AJ, I insisted to. With the last remaining bit of strength I had left in me. I choked out my words in a whisper.
"Alex...........I love you." Was all I managed.
My head slumped. My eyes rolled back in their sockets. All I saw was black. I became limp.

At that moment I died.