SARIAH CURLED AND sprayed my hair to perfect soft wisps, applying way too much eye makeup. Once I slipped on the skimpy costume Evelyn had picked out, I figured there was no way my parents would let me out of the house. Mom made the "my-baby’s-growing-up" face and took about a zillion pictures before telling Sariah to drive safe. I felt betrayed and cursed myself for being such a good girl. If I’d gotten in trouble once in a while, I wouldn’t have to show my face—and possibly my arse—in public. I was wearing garters, petty coats, and stockings, oh my!
The annual party at the Rec Center was kind of a big deal. It had to be one of the most redneck ideas this town had ever had to make that the official name for the YMCA-type facility, housing the town pool, a gymnasium, a baseball diamond, and a soccer field. Located on the edge of town, next door to the high school, it was built on the remaining land donated to the city long ago. A few years back the town started the Halloween party hoping to curtail the teenage hijinks that ensued every year. It was kind of school dance lame but always fun, and I enjoyed it the last two years—but I’d actually gotten to wear clothes those years. There were always costume contests, giveaways, games, dancing, food, and a somewhat cheesy haunted house. I remembered being terrified when Xander drug me in there the first time. I was beet red and denied my fear as we came out the other side laughing at the pathetic scare tactics. We went through three more times that night.
When we got out of the car, I helped Sariah put on the wings of her Tinkerbell costume. I think it was pretty damn authentic, down to the hemline that almost showed her hiney and the white puff balls on her shoes. I couldn’t help but notice how scantily clad all the teenage girls wandering into the gym were. When did Halloween become an excuse for a girl to dress like a tramp in a socially acceptable manner? Guys didn’t have to take their shirts off and show us how chiseled their abs weren’t, so why did all the girls have to be bouncy bosoms and bare backsides?
As we were walking toward the entrance, I saw Nate and Xander coming across the parking lot and had to laugh. Nate was wearing a black suit with the tie untied and a tight superman shirt—complete with six pack abs I could only wonder if he really possessed or if they were foam—showing under the unbuttoned shirt. I could only assume the person with him was Xander since all I saw were feet, but I recognized those gray Chucks sticking out of the great white shark’s mouth. The shark must have been about seven feet long and appeared to have swallowed my brother from the knees up. I would have laughed, if I could have taken my eyes off Nate. He even had his hair in the slicked back with a side part with a spit curl in his forehead and let me tell you it was H-O-T! And I’m pretty certain those abs were his, not a foam costume piece. They walked up to us, and he offered Sariah an arm, giving me a look I almost thought was longing. As she took it and they headed inside, Xander offered me a fin, and I took it with a laugh.
The big gymnasium was decorated with the typical crepe paper and cardboard cutouts, but somehow the cheesiness worked. Purple and black streamers hung from the ceiling and colored films gave the usually harsh lights a muted glow. There were different stations set up with stuff to do for the younger kids, lots of food and a huge open space for dancing. Black streamers draped the entrance to the locker room, where they would have cleared out the benches and built the haunted house. Loud music was playing as we wandered along the wall, heading for the haunted house. As we came out, Sariah wandered off, in search of a new boy-toy, no doubt. Xander danced with me a few times, before heading off and leaving me to entertain myself.
I searched around for Evelyn but didn’t see her. I wandered to the food table and made a small plate, then started mingling. I had never really cared for parties before, but tonight I felt different somehow. I don’t know where the confidence came from, but I found myself almost craving human contact. I flirted and danced and laughed, losing myself in the moment. I was having so much fun I completely forgot about my assets hanging out.
I had too much food and punch until I thought I could burst. I went through the haunted house about three more times and danced with half the town’s population, I think. The music called to me, and I found myself answering with whoever happened to be nearby or by myself if no one was willing. I was gyrating with a junior I didn’t know in a way that should have embarrassed me when a hand clamped solidly on my elbow. I was drug out of the room by the firm grip. As suddenly as it came, the strange high was gone. The room spun for a minute, and I looked up into very angry, very familiar eyes.
“What the hell, Nate?” I asked, trying to yank my arm away. He held tight and all I succeeded in doing was almost popping out of my top—which is a feat since there isn’t much to pop. His eyes studied me intensely for a long moment, but he didn’t say anything. It was almost like he was looking for something, and I wondered if he was finding it. I felt dizzy and swayed against him. “I… I think I should sit down.” I leaned into his chest, unable to stand on my own, almost too ill to notice those abs were indeed his.
He got me to a chair and things got a little fuzzy for a short time. I put my head between my knees and tried to breathe through my mouth rather than hurl right there. I wasn’t quite sure what was wrong, but I was starting to suspect the punch. I tried to sit up but just kind of flopped around, my arms and neck feeling boneless. I wanted to tell him I thought the punch was spiked but couldn’t make my tongue work. I felt myself being lifted and swept into someone’s arms. I knew it was Nate because I could hear the rumble of his voice nearby, but the world was kind of vague. I felt hot, like I was wearing too much clothing, and knew there was something wrong with that idea. I buried my nose in the crook in Nate’s chest and inhaled his masculine scent. Despite the fog in my brain, I noticed the earthiness of his scent. I wondered if that was something specific to Gaia or if that was all Nate. Maybe that was what made him appeal to me? That was at least what I was going to tell myself.
I heard him tell somebody to get a ride with someone else then I heard him open the doors. My head cleared a little once we were outside in the cool night. I looked up and tried to get him to put me down, but he held firm. By the time we got to Nate’s Pontiac G8, I was back in complete control of myself. He opened the door and went to set me in the seat, but I stopped him and made him let me go. I ran into the grass in front of his car and proceeded to empty my stomach.
I’d never been so embarrassed in my life. He was the only guy I’d ever had the hots for now here he was smoothing my hair as I heaved what felt like everything I’d ever eaten. He whispered soothing things as I prayed to die on the spot. I finally stopped heaving, and he fetched me a bottle of water from the vending machine in front of the building. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and took a long drink before I could bring myself to look him in the eye.
He looked so worried my heart skipped a beat. I felt that strange connection between us, so strong now it took my breath away. Without thinking, I reached out to touch his cheek with my hand. A second before I made contact he pulled back. I couldn’t keep the hurt from showing on my face, despite the reluctance I saw in his eyes. I dropped my hand and we looked at each other for a long moment.
He cleared his throat and started moving towards the car, calling over his shoulder that he should take me home. I was once again heading down Wyatt in awkward silence. I didn’t know what I’d done wrong, or why his rejection hurt so damn much. If anyone had the right to be leery, it was me! I could still remember the poignant fear as I lay in the dirt outside the gym at school. Though I wasn’t as afraid now that I understood what had happened, I was still afraid of him losing control again. I tried to say something, but my voice faltered and before I knew it we were pulling into my driveway. Instead of getting out of the car, I turned to him.
“The first day of school, Nate…”
He held up a hand and gave me a hard look that told me he wasn’t ready to have this discussion with me. I started to argue, to try to get some sort of emotional response from him, but he got out, walk
ed around the car, and opened my door for me. “Goodnight, Amelia,” he said in a very tight voice.
I felt tears, and I tried to blink them back. I avoided his eyes as I climbed out of the car. Watching him drive away as I stood on my porch, my mind was a tangled knot of hurt and confusion. Unable to process what happened, I sighed and opened the door. The walk to my room seemed endless, but I made it without anyone spotting me or the tears still threatening to spill. I couldn’t stand the offensive costume a second longer. Tearing it off my body, I threw it across my room in an untidy pile of ruffles and bows. Climbing into my familiar pajamas had never felt so heavenly. Miserably, I collapsed on my bed and grabbed my latest book, the first in a trilogy called Secrets. I tried to losemyself in Olivia and Juliet’s problems, so I didn’t have to worry about my own.