“Well it doesn’t matter now. It’s happening. There’s nothing I can do about it,” I sighed and put my head in my hands. “He’s gone. The limo pulled up when we were fighting outside and they just grabbed him and threw him in the backseat! He didn’t even get his backpack with all the stuff he was taking.”
“His roommates will find a way to get it to him. Or Natasha,” Willow attempted to soothe me.
“I just can’t believe Ian didn’t tell me,” Phoebe’s anger turned sullen; her eyes growing pained.
“Don’t blame Ian, Phoebs. This isn’t his fault.”
“Why don’t we try to find out how it works, see if there’s a way we can reverse it? Or maybe you can convince Persephone when you go to the Underworld!” Her face lit up with hope.
I shook my head vehemently, “It was his decision not to tell me. If he really wanted to be with me, he would have talked to me before now. We could have figured it out together.” I rubbed my trace, “But he didn’t. I’m not going to go chasing after somebody who wouldn’t do the same for me.”
“I’m sorry Stasia,” Phoebe embraced me in a hug. I could feel the tears begin to burn in my eyes and the sobs collecting in my throat.
“So now you guys know.” I picked up the hair Carmen had dropped and handed it back to her, “But the one thing that would make me feel better is to have the best Halloween ever with my best friends.”
“Hmm…first we’ll have to find you some best friends…” Carmen tapped her chin, and smirked at me.
“All I know is that you’re going to look amazing as a decaying, rotten corpse bride,” Willow grinned.
“Especially after I get done smearing blood all over you…” Phoebe added wickedly.
“Bwahahaha…”
“That’s the worst evil laugh I’ve ever heard,” Carmen put her hands on her hips and stared at Phoebe.
“I’d like to see you do better!” Phoebe threw back at her. Willow and I grinned at each other as they took turns serenading us with evil laughter. I couldn’t help smiling.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you guys,” I told them adoringly.
“You’d probably be better off,” Phoebe shook her head and whispered loudly, “Carmen can drive a person crazy.”
“If anyone could pull the crazy out of somebody, it’s you, Phoebs,” Carmen quipped.
“I’m going to go crazy if you don’t hurry up and finish my Rapunzel hair,” Willow frowned at Carmen. After Willow’s Rapunzel hair had been attached and Phoebe had tried to jump rope with it, she set to putting gold glitter all over her face. It brought on a flashback of Nadia’s shimmery skin, so I excused myself so that I could put on my own costume.
My corpse bride costume was the only thing that brought something resembling a true grin to my face. Something about its ripped fabric and morose style fit what I was feeling inside and soothed me. The sheer lining of the dress felt wonderful against my skin, and wearing a dress made me feel elegant and regal, although I was supposed to be dead. I pulled my hair up into a loose bun and picked out some random pieces, giving it an I’m-getting-married look with a hint of just-got-murdered. I pulled on the lacy thigh highs, secured the veil, and snickered at my reflection in the mirror. The dark circles under my eyes actually went a long way to making me look dead. Who knew?
I swept across the room to my dresser and secured my triskellion necklace around my neck and slid my aquamarine ring on my finger. They didn’t go with my costume, but I felt naked and vulnerable without them. My heart began to crack as my hand paused over the black onyx anklet Finn had given me. I rubbed a finger over its smooth beads, and sighed as warmth crept up my arm. I stood in front of my mirror and inspected my outfit. I needed a little something more… I grabbed some white ribbon and wrapped it around my wrist and hand; allowing it to hang halfhazardly as if I was once mummified and had broken from my binds. Perfect.
The irony of my costume did not fail to elude me, but I was going to do my best not to think about it. Besides, I was an expert at compartmentalization. I tucked Finn, my journey, and Nadia into their own chambers far back in the recesses of my mind. I slammed the doors and locked them, tucking the keys away. I knew I could only hide from my problems for a short time, but it was Halloween and I was determined to have a good time tonight. Tomorrow I would open Pandora’s box and begin the task of sorting out the cluster that had become my life. My heart clenched as I pictured Finn; isolated and alone. No. I was not going to think about him. The only place that would get me was under my covers, crying my eyes out. Although it sounded pretty tempting, I steeled myself and looked in the mirror.
“Be strong. You can do this,” I told myself sternly. Unfortunately the person looking back was on the brink of falling apart. I took a deep breath. “Or at least pretend.”
Chapter 27
“Blood.”
“Huh?” I turned to see Phoebe watching me from the doorway, a sly smile on her face.
“You need blood,” she repeated and came to stand beside me. “Thankfully, I have some to spare. But don’t think you’re drinking any. Dead brides don’t drink blood.”
“And here I’d spent my whole life thinking they did,” I said dryly, making her chuckle. Her sexy vampire costume looked incredible. It was a black leather mini dress with tall black boots and a long red silk lined cloak. She had a tiny vial of blood hanging from a necklace, and two fake fangs that popped onto her incisors. She looked deadly and seductive all at once.
“You look great Phoebs!” I looked her up and down, “Ian might even let you drink his blood,” I smiled darkly and raised an eyebrow at her.
“A girl can dream,” she snickered. “Now sit down so I can spray you.”
“Blood comes in a spray bottle?”
“If you want I could stab you and let it spray out naturally?” she asked in all seriousness.
“I think I’ll go with the spray bottle,” I frowned at her.
“I had a feeling you might.” She grinned at me and began to spray blood in specific places on my dress. I had to admit, it looked pretty real.
“What’s Ian going to be for Halloween?” I asked her as she worked.
“He and Ricker are going as something together, but Ian wouldn’t tell me what.” She smiled adoringly and a pang of jealousy hit me. I pushed it away. “Okay, close your eyes so I can do your face.”
She pulled out a tube of blood this time and went to work. When she was done, I looked in the mirror and laughed.
“That looks amazing, Phoebs!” I had blood dripping out of my mouth and from the corners of my eyes.
“We aren’t done,” she instructed. “Come with me.” I followed her out into the living room where Carmen waited with something in her hand.
“My god, Phoebe. She looks like she took a blood bath!” Carmen exclaimed, and Phoebe and Willow died laughing.
“You’ve been waiting to say that all night haven’t you?” I accused her.
“It’s possible,” she grinned, “Now come here so I can really make you look dead.” She proceeded to cover my entire body with thick white powder. Next, she attacked my lips with a light blue lipstick and then two shades of blue eye shadow to enhance the circles under my eyes. Once half the compact was empty, she was happy with her work of art. Fearful that I would resemble a dead Smurf, I was pleasantly surprised when I looked in the mirror and simply saw a dead bride; Carmen standing behind me grinning from ear to ear. It was hard for me to look at her without laughing; her sexy nun outfit the definition of contradiction. She had also lacquered her lips with bright red lipstick. Willow looked like she was born to be Rapunzel. I had a feeling she was secretly wishing she could dress like that every day. She looked like she belonged in a different century.