Caspian finally woke up two days later, on Friday, the day of the Hollow Ball, and I was sick with worry about him the whole time he was asleep. Cacey had eventually called me back, but I hadn’t answered the phone, and she didn’t leave a message. He couldn’t remember how much time he’d lost, and that scared me. We didn’t really talk about it, though. What else was there to say?
On the way to school that morning, I took a quick side detour through the cemetery, and Caspian went with me. Kristen’s grave was only a foot away, but I felt apprehension fill me as I drew closer. Tonight was a big night. Slowly I stepped up to the tomb-stone.
“Hey, Kris.” I brushed away some dead leaves scattered on top. “Tonight’s the Hollow Ball.” It was chilly outside and I stuffed my hands into my pockets. “I’m going with Ben. I hope that … I hope that’s okay.”
A weird, prickly feeling ran down the back of my scalp, and I glanced over. Standing across from me, on the far side of the cemetery, was an older man in a white suit, staring at me.
I squinted, and stared back, positive that I’d seen him somewhere before. He looked so familiar.
But the memory wouldn’t come to me.
“I have to get to school,” I whispered to Kristen. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be thinking about you. I miss you. And I love you.”
I laid my hand on the top of the stone, but when I looked up again, the man was gone.
Chapter Twenty. THE HOLLOW BALL
It was toward evening that Ichabod arrived at the castle of Heer Van Tassel, which he found thronged with the pride and flower of the adjacent country.
– “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
I made last-minute plans with Beth and Ben for the Hollow Ball right after the bell rang for last period. “Are we doing the limo at seven or seven thirty tonight?” Ben asked. “I have to let the driver know.”
“Seven thirty,” I answered. Beth nodded her agreement.
“Your dress is red, right?” Ben said.
“How did you-”
“I told him,” Beth said. “Yeah, it’s red,” she confirmed.
“I’ll stick with a red bow tie, then, and I’ll be there around seven thirty to pick you up. I’ll be wearing my sexay suit.” Ben wiggled his eyebrows at us before turning to walk away.
Beth laughed, and I rolled my eyes at him. But I couldn’t help a small smile either.
“Are you going to the salon with me?” Beth asked as soon as he was gone. “My aunt works there and she does hair and makeup. I can totally get her to squeeze you in.”
“Yeah, sure, I guess.” Hair, makeup, the dress … it all seemed like such a process to go through.
Beth squealed. “Awesome! Drop your books off, then, and let’s go, girl! Time is wasting, and we have to get beautiful.”
Caspian was nowhere to be found as I made my way to my locker, so I sent him a quick Gng 2 do hair w/ Beth text.
A few seconds later his text came through. Ok, have a great time.
I turned to Beth with a forced smile. This is fun, I told myself as we headed outdoors. Just go and have fun with your friend.
I tried to keep my thoughts, and my expression, happy as we drove to the salon. But even with nonstop laughter from all the other senior girls around us getting ready too, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that this was it. This was the last chance I was going to have to spend time with Beth and Ben. The Revs wouldn’t have been sticking around all this time if it wasn’t going to be soon. If the day I was supposed to die wasn’t almost here.
As false eyelashes were applied to my eyelids, and my nails were buffed, trimmed, and painted, it became harder and harder to keep the smile on my face.
“Hair up, or down?” Beth’s aunt, Lucinda, asked.
I didn’t answer quickly enough, and Beth poked my arm.
“What do you think?” I asked her.
“If you want sexy, I’d suggest up.” Her smile turned mischievous. “And if the date goes really well, you can always let it down later.”
“What about half up, half down?” I said. I didn’t really want sexy for Ben. That just felt … weird. “Could we pull the one side back and maybe put a flower in?”
“Oooh, a red rose. Yes, that’s it,” Lucinda said. “With your coloring it will be beautiful.”
Beth was in the next chair over, getting her dark hair piled high and talking to Lucinda’s right-hand man about Grant. “Nice,” she said, pausing to eye me up as Lucinda got to work. “Good choice.”
“Thanks.” I smiled back at her.
When we were finally finished, Beth dropped me off at home. Caspian was upstairs, sitting in my desk chair. He was reading a book, so I entered my room quietly so I wouldn’t disturb him.
“Hey, Astrid,” he said.
My special name made my heart trip, and I went over to him. Even after all this time, my first instinct when I saw him was to try to put my arms around him. “Hi,” I said back shyly.
He gazed up at me. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” My cheeks were on fire.
“Tonight’s the big night, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Will you be careful?”
“I will. Cacey said she and Uri will be there, so don’t worry about Vincent. Besides, I don’t think he’d try anything. Too public. He seems to prefer alone time when he’s terrorizing me.”
He stood up and moved close. “Be careful about Ben, too.” His tone was half joking, but the serious half was still there. “I know I was the one who pushed you into this, but you’re still my girl.”
I stood there for a while, just looking up at him, trying to convey what I was feeling without words. Eventually he cleared his throat and took a step away. “I don’t want to interrupt you. You should probably be getting ready.”
“Okay,” I said, mourning the loss of his closeness.
“Do you mind if I stay up here?” he asked softly, not meeting my eyes. “I don’t think I can see you. All … dressed up and stuff. For him.”
“No, no, that’s fine. I don’t want it to be awkward. In fact, I’m going to get dressed downstairs. More … room down there. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
He nodded. “Of course. I like Ben. He’s a nice guy.”
I went over to the closet and put the white Victorian dress behind the red dress in its garment bag. I wanted to surprise Caspian with it, and this way I could put it on downstairs when I got home. A tight ball of nerves sprung up in my stomach. Tonight, at midnight, will officially be November first. Caspian’s death day.
I was ready, and yet so not ready. What if he didn’t like the white dress? What if he thought it was too old fashioned, or hated the way it looked on me? What if …
No more what-ifs. One thing at a time. Hollow Ball now. Caspian tonight. Just get through the Hollow Ball with Ben first.
Hanging the dress over my arm, I nudged the closet door open and grabbed some black strappy shoes. “I guess I’ll see you when I get back, then?” I said to Caspian as I made my way out.
He nodded.
“Mom and Dad are leaving for the weekend tonight. They’ll be gone until Monday afternoon, so …” My throat felt tight, and I didn’t want to start crying and ruin all of Lucinda’s hard work. “I wish I was going with you,” I said softly. “I’ll miss you.”
Caspian nodded again, and with a final glance behind me, I walked out the door. Leaving my dead boyfriend behind so that I could go to the dance with someone else. All because he wanted me to.