Veronica feels in her bones that something is coming. It's strange, but since that situation in the woods the curse has been dormant, as if it were about to come suddenly and attack her once, but cruelly.
The teenager spends the holidays with her family, forcing a smile and pretending that everything is fine. Only her brother sees that this happy face is a mask that hides her true feelings. She doesn't enjoy the gifts or the jokes her dad directs at her mother-in-law.
— I feel bad. I'll go back to my room — Veronica says unexpectedly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
— What's going on? — Her mother sits down next to her and caringly puts her hand on her shoulder. — Is something hurting you?
— I feel sick — she replies.
She sees her father's brow crinkle.
— Do you want to reveal to us that you are pregnant? Remember that there is a rod by the Christmas tree.
— Joseph, your baby feels bad. Stop talking nonsense. She is innocent behind her mother. — Hannah strokes her cheek, at which Joseph snorts under his breath.
— I don't recall you being innocent. Until you were shaking behind the boys. — No doubt referring to her teenage adoration of Jin.
Hannah's mother rolls her eyes.
— Are you really going to talk about this during the holidays? Your child is feeling bad. Let her rest.
— I just overeat — mutters Veronica, glancing at her brother out of the corner of her eye.
— Yes, I confirm — interjects Erick. — I was the one who loaded her full of food on her plate. I wanted to take care of my sister during the holidays.
The brunette gets up from the couch and heads for the stairs. She feels the stares of her family on her, so she is only relieved when she is on the second floor. She grips the banister with her hands and presses her lips together to keep from crying.
What if the day comes when she won't see them again?
— I want to protect them while wanting to live with them — she whispers.
She enters the bathroom and, leaning with her hands on the sink, looks at her reflection in the mirror. Her pale face and the bruises under her eyes are a sign that she is not sleeping well, as she worries about what awaits her the next day.
— If I die, this curse will end with me.
She opens her eyes wider in fear as the sound of rippling water reaches her ears. She looks in the reflection of the mirror at the bathtub from which the water is pouring. Her breathing becomes heavier as first a black hand appears, followed immediately by an entire silhouette that looks ghostly.
The phantom walks toward her, and she sticks her back to the sink, unable to move. If it weren't for her brother, who had a premonition and rushes in, making the wraith disappear, there's no telling what might have happened.
Seeing the state his sister is in, he runs up to her and takes her in his arms. She snuggles into him and starts crying, not controlling her emotions.
— I will take care of you at all times. I promise, Veronica — he says in a worried voice.
*
The parents of siblings Scott and Lucas go out to a New Year's Eve party with their old friend Jimmy, who again has another woman. This man is a Casanova that can't settle down despite his age.
The siblings invite their friends from Horace Mann, wanting to welcome the New Year with them. Erick lets the guests into the house, while Veronica sits in the living room looking at a single spot on the wall. She doesn't even see when Lucas sits down next to her, who watches her with a caring eye.
— What's going on? — he asks, bringing her back to reality. Confused, she glances at him and shrugs her shoulders.
— Just nothing. This is strange. I've taken on the whole curse, and all that's happening is seeing ghostly apparitions. It seems to me that this is just a warm-up. I heard the demon's words spoken in the forest. I am afraid that when the final day comes, it will be the day of my death.
— Please don't talk about it — Lucas says in a whisper, closing his eyelids.
— I'm not going to. I want to get drunk and have a good time. That's all I have left — she claims, forcing a smile.
Lucas looks into her eyes for a moment, then shifts his gaze to Henry, who enters the living room, putting his arm around Nicki's shoulder.
— I swear I'll nail you if you don't let me go — the blonde warns him.
Veronica smiles at the sight of her friends.
— In three hours, you will embrace him yourself. Your true feelings toward him will see the light of day.
Nicki looks at the brunette with offended eyes.
— This could be the last guy on earth, and he would be invisible to me.
— If you had the need, you would have found me right away — claims Henry, for which he slaps her across the face.
Everyone present bursts out laughing, but their great humor dims as they look at Veronica.
— I feel like a monkey at the zoo. Give me a break. I'm fine — declares the brunette, forcing a smile. — If it were otherwise, I wouldn't feel like participating in this New Year's Eve, so let's have fun until dawn.
They are only doing this because of her request. They want to let her have fun that night and forget about the horror she has to endure because of the curse.
It seems to be the 17-year-old that Lucas does not leave her side. He follows her like a shadow, even into the kitchen.
— Will you stop? I repeat to you that I'm fine. I feel good.
— Nevertheless, I'm worried about you.
She smiles at him and pulls back the bangs that overlap his eyes.
— Let's go to the rest. It seems to me that most of them are already drunk, and this is just the beginning of the party.
— You can get drunk to the point of unconsciousness, but tonight I'll only make a toast to keep you on your toes — Lucas announces to her, to which she nods.
So be it.
*
It's getting to midnight, and everyone is drenched in a dead body. Lucas gets the impression that he is in a circus. He's the only man in the group who is sober, so from his perspective their behavior looks funny.
— Let's go outside because fireworks are about to go off. — Veronica rises from the couch and, wobbling on all sides, pulls her friend close. — Luuucas. — She makes a face like a child.
— Come on, come on.
The 16-year-old is led by her to the door, although it should be the other way around. He informs everyone that it will be midnight shortly, but it seems to him that everyone is living their lives now.
He manages to grab jackets for them before Veronica drags him outside. He puts one of them on his friend's shoulders and watches as she, having less and less strength, leans with her back against the wall of the building.
— Are you sure you're feeling well, Vera?
— And do I look like I'm feeling bad? — She asks, pressing a finger to her chest.
— Yes.
The girl bursts out laughing and waves her hand at this.
— This may be my last New Year's Eve, so I have to party full out.
His face saddens as she starts this topic again.
— Don't talk about it, please.
— Lucas, don't cry if I disappear forever. This is the sequence of life — she says, putting her hand around his face. — It won't change how much I love you. I will love and torment you even after death.
Tears gather in his eyes as she starts giggling like crazy. He wants to take her hands off his face, but she doesn't let him. She climbs on her toes and kisses him on the lips, which is totally shocking to him.
— I've always wanted to try this, my friend — she whispers as she pushes her face away and looks into his eyes. Fireworks flash in the sky, someone in the house shrieks with excitement, and Lucas can't stand it, and this time it's he who attaches his lips to her mouth, doing it greedily.
He has loved her for many years. He loves her beyond life and will never let her leave him. Not even this stupid curse will take her away.
*
Miranda bursts out laughing madly as Erick tries to reach a snack from the table and slides to the ground. It looks so funny in her eyes that she wipes tears from her cheeks. Her stomach hurts from laughing, yet she can't stop.
— You made me drunk to make a jester of me — she says, sticking her finger out in front of her. — Admit that you want to discredit me.
— You deserved it after all you've done to me over the past months.
The brunet crinkles his eyebrows. He rises from the ground and, going on all fours, stops in front of her, resting his hands on her knees. She does not react to this in any way, just watches him.
— Are you still harboring a grudge against me, Miranda? — His puppy dog gaze causes a smile to creep onto her face.
— No, because last time you proved that you can be a valuable guy after all.
The girl hopes they will elaborate more on this topic to finally come to an agreement, and he is only asking her for a favor.
— Help me get up because I don't have the strength. My head is spinning.
The pretty girl sighs loudly and rises from her seat. She grabs his hands and tries to help him get up, but the alcohol makes her lack strength.
— Man, what have you been eating? You weigh as much as a horse.
A squeal escapes from her throat as she falls with him onto the chair. The boy crushes her with his body, and she has no way to move. With wide-open eyes, she looks at him, swallowing her saliva harder out of nerves.
— Will you get off me?
— I don't have the strength — he replies, smiling cocky. — Again, you have to help me.
The sight of Erick being interested in a girl would be a giant surprise to his sister and friend if they saw him in this situation.
— I can't breathe.
— It's at the sight of me.
Could it be that a flirt has awakened in him? It's inconceivable.
— I thought you were abnormal when sober, but it's the alcohol that makes you psycho — Miranda announces, trying to get rid of him at all costs.
He looks closely into her eyes, looking amused.
— Little sweet Mirinda. I love this drink — he says, then puts his head on her shoulder and falls asleep. The 16-year-old can't get off. She feels that her whole body is suffering.
— Hello? Is there anyone in the house? I need help!
*
Lucas is confused when, after he kissed Veronica, she cries the whole time. He doesn't understand what she means because he can't get through to her.
— Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, Vera. I got carried away. I swear that I will continue to hide my true feelings so that it doesn't spoil our friendship.
She cowered against the wall, hiding her head in her arms.
— It's not that you feel anything more than friendship for me, Lucas. I forfeited a long time ago. I've been in love with you for many years, I even tried to forcefully become interested in someone else, eventually, we promised each other that we would not fall in love with each other. It's just ... I can't enjoy the fact that you reciprocate my feelings. Before, I was afraid to confess the truth to you, and now.... since taking on this whole curse, I feel more and more fear every day. I get the impression that I am getting depression. Nothing can make me happy, I'm depressed and I crave solitude. I'm afraid, Lucas. I'm afraid — she says in a sad voice. She lifts her face and looks at him with weeping eyes. — I'm afraid that I will eventually lose to this dark feeling.
The 16-year-old crouches next to his friend and puts his arm around her, letting her cry into the sleeve of his jacket.
— That's why I'm not going to leave you for one step, Veronica. Neither I nor your brother. We have to keep an eye on you at all times.
— Do you think I am able to win against this curse?
— I don't know anyone stronger than you, Vera. You will overcome it.
— So you will just get to know. — The gate door opens with a bang, and a middle-aged woman dressed in a coat and stiletto boots enters the garden. — Because she is weak, like her mother. Without my help.... she will simply die.
The teens measure the woman with their eyes, eventually stopping their gaze at her face. They look shocked when they notice that she looks exactly like Veronica's mother, except that she likes stronger makeup.
— Aunt Danielle? — The 17-year-old is thinking this is a hallucination caused by drinking too much alcohol. She knows her only from stories, having never seen her before because after she was hit by a car, she left the country with her love to start life anew in an entirely different environment.
— No, the Holy Spirit — replies her niece mischievously, walking closer to the teenagers. — You better explain to me why you burned my protective talisman. Because of you, I can no longer feel safe. — She crosses her arms on her chest, looking at the seventeen-year-old with a stern gaze. — Explain yourself because currently I am your only salvation.