Fatal Flaws

chapter 25

I give up. She's right. Sitting here self-hating won't get me anywhere. This past week has dragged by. Skylar's never home anymore. I'm always alone. I haven't seen Hayden since our fight. He hasn't been in class all week, either. I want to ask Sky, to make sure he's ok, but it would be weird for me to ask her. I mean, especially asking where he's been. She would know something was up. She finally left the whole me and Hayden situation alone. Since our road trip, she's been suspicious, asking me random questions. I think she's trying to catch me up. We do not need to go down that road again.

"Okay, damn, I'm getting up," I mumble under my breath. Using all my strength, rolling myself out of bed, and snatching up my costume. It's been hanging on the closet door since we got back. Unopened and untouched. I haven't looked at it once since I bought it.

Groaning, I rip open the packaging revealing a silky material. My fingers skim over the fabric removing it from the bag. It looks small as I hold it up to myself, examining it. Well, it'll have to work. It's too late to change now. Sighing, I remove my pajamas, attempting to pull the costume over my hips. I should have opted for a bigger size. I'm glad I only have to wear it one night. It isn't as bad as I'd been dreading. Instead of being some hideous old-fashioned dress, it turns out to be form-fitting. Hugging my large hips, the shiny black material glistens in the light. The hem of it ends mid-thigh. It's a little short for my taste, but I can make it work. The main thing is that I don't bend over too far. If I do, I'll end up flashing some people. Sensing my hesitation, she lends me a pair of black fishnets and a pair of black army-style boots. Similar to the ones she wore on the first day of school. What would I do without her?

Digging into the bag, I notice the costume has a black cape. It's trimmed in a gorgeous blood-red color. Sequins run along the top, creating a shimmer of sparkles when the light reflects off it. The underside of the cape is the same deep blood-reddish color material it's trimmed in. The cape is my favorite part of the entire costume.

After thirty minutes, my makeup is complete. She went for the usual smoky eyes only this time, adding a shadow look underneath. It creates a sunken appearance. The bright red lipstick on my plump lips looks great. But the thick globs of fake blood on both corners of my mouth were a bit much. I can taste it in my mouth, and it's unpleasant.

Since my hair looks decent today, we leave it alone. This is a rare occurrence. With a few last-minute tweaks and some hair spray it looks gorgeous.

"Don't forget, last but not least," Sky teases, holding the plastic white teeth that came with the outfit. Rolling my eyes, I grab them from her. I never liked these as a kid. They feel odd in my mouth, rubbing against the inside of my cheek.

"Damn, you look hot for a dead chick! I did well. You might even get yourself laid tonight," she teases, winking at me, and checking her phone to see if our ride is here yet.

Looking in the mirror, I agree with her. The dress is snugger than I would like. It's holding onto my somewhat curves for dear life. But on the bright side, my tits look huge. The low-cut vee of the dress combined with its tightness makes it seem like my chest could spill out at any moment.

"Come on, slowpoke, Ben and Jessica are here," she squeals, wrapping her arm around mine. She glances one last time in the mirror before pulling me out the door.

Since our mini road trip, Ben and Jessica have been inseparable. I would have hated to be a fly on the wall that night. Whatever happened made them both catch feelings for one another. I can only imagine what Sky and Hope had to hear being right next door. Even though they probably weren't much quieter. In Jessica's defense, I've always heard that the nerdy ones normally are packing. The rumor is most of them will give you a run for your money. Surprisingly, I have never put that theory to the test. Most nerds don't party or get high all the time. So I guess we never ran in the same circles.

The yard is completely crowded when we arrive. Everywhere you look, people are dressed in different costumes. This is more than I bargained for. There are at least a hundred people outside. I can imagine how many are inside. Most of the ones outside are already staggering around, drunk. In the bushes, a random guy dressed like Frankenstein hunches over, puking his guts out. Several bright yellow minions are attempting to assist him. One of them aimlessly trips over a stone, landing in the pile of freshly spewed vomit. I have to hurry and look away.

"Look at the other nurses and vampires. I told you we should have gone with different costumes," Hope whines, throwing a hissy fit. She's completely blind to the scene outside of her window. Instead, tossing herself backward into the seat. Her arms crossed, clearly annoyed that she had let Skylar talk her into these outfits.

"Yeah, but you two are the sexiest nurses here! No one even comes close to looking as good as you do," I smile, attempting to cheer her up.

"And you're the sexiest vampire ever duh," they both yell, bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Ahem, excuse you" Ben clears his throat from the driver's seat. With us parked directly under a street lamp, I can see their costumes. Hopes is almost identical to Skys. The only difference is that hers is blue, not red. And instead of a bun, her hair is pulled back in a claw clip. She resembles an actual nurse rather than a sexy one, minus her arm sleeve.

Ben opted for a prisoner's outfit. He'd chosen a bright orange jumpsuit, adorned with a large prison number scrawled across it. It came with a fake set of shackles around his midsection. Jessica is his arresting officer. I have to admit; that she looks sexy. Her outfit consists of skin-tight black shorts with a blue button-up top. Her overly, enormous chest is very prominent, sporting a gleaming silver police badge. She finishes her look with a metal pair of handcuffs hanging loosely from her side. I can't help but wonder what they will use them for later. She took it up a step, adding a fake pellet gun to her waistband. The orange tip is visible every time she lifts her arms.

"Of course, you two are the cutest sexy cop and bad prisoner combo ever. So hot!" Skylar laughs pretending to fan herself.

"Come on, let's go. I'm ready to get drunk and dirty with my Benny poo," Jessica coos. Keeping her eyes on him, she grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him out of the car. The rest of us pile out behind them.

Once again, my anxiety flares. I feel sick to my stomach. Why do I let myself get like this? Everyone else is ready to party, let loose, and have fun. Why can't I ever do that? My mind is constantly in overdrive, making me think about random things I shouldn't. I hope tonight goes well. I doubt I can handle anything like last weekend. Seeing Ashley triggered me in more than one way. If I'd had access to drugs, I would have probably relapsed. Being around her took me back home. Back to the very place I'm running away from. That I'm trying to escape from.    

My stomach churns thinking about Hayden. I hope he isn't here tonight. That's a whole different story. I bet he will. Of course, he will. What was I thinking? I need to avoid him. That's my safest bet. I refuse to ruin everyone else's night with my self-pity. Not wanting to be a burden, I hang my head in shame, staying close to Sky as we make our way through the crowded yard.