“I like a good mustache,” I offered with a chuckle. “But yeah, that constant sneezing?” I gave Jane a wicked but intended gaze. “We need to Lysol the fuck out of Arson Aisle.”
“Try the whole damn house.” Khalice nodded. “He did the same thing in every area.”
“Dude's a menace to society.” Chase concluded, shaking his head in a silent bless-his-heart sentiment.
Jane laughed along, with Ripp thinking the topic was the funniest thing he'd ever heard as he bounced up and down in his chair with guffaws. “I’ll get it germ free by the time you guys come in tomorrow.”
“I just want tomorrow to be a puke free day.” Abigail offered, sighing as she laid her head in her open palms, leaning on the table. “I’ve never seen half-processed chicken in someone's bile before.”
“And that's my appetite gone.” Chase feigned throwing up, setting down the menu he had been mulling over and sliding it toward Arze.
“She's right though.” He chimed in. “It was...disturbing to witness.” He fussed with the white collar of his green polo, smoothing it out perfectly from its previously ruffled state.
“I’m sorry you guys had to deal with that, but thank you for cleaning it up.”
Abigail gave Jane a positive tilt of her head, her eyes squinted to show how serious she was. “No one should have to see that if they weren't forced to already.”
Laughter played around us as Chase asked us what we wanted from the bar. We each put in an order for a cocktail or a beverage of our choosing and watched as he retreated from the table to put in our orders.
Jane cleared her throat, and her eyes focused on me intently. “So how are you liking it so far, Krueger? As our latest hire, I'm curious what you think.”
They all turned to look at me, the roars of a good time reverberating from a few tables across from us. A group of work buddies were blowing off steam with a round of beers. They were a mixture of Orbs and humans, just like us. It made me smile to think that we could all come together for the common goal of a paycheck.
“I hope you've had a fun time,” Ripp said with his too-excited tone. “We haven't gotten to work together much, though.” His frown only latest a few seconds before he let the air have his chuckles again.
“I am having a fun time.” I admitted, meaning every word. Working with everyone was awesome, and the environment was equally interesting and creatively fulfilling for me. I had zero reason to complain. “It's so cool that the haunts operate year-round. Having a constant flow of Halloween related things to do should be mandatory in every town.”
“Hear, hear.” Jane laughed. “Phoebe is the only place I've ever heard of that embraces all things spooky to the fullest extent.”
“It's a safe haven for Orbs as well.” Khalice said evenly. “The townspeople's affliction for the grotesque helps those of us who appear more...abrasive…to be a little more accepted.”
I'd never thought about that aspect of it. Phoebe was a haven for people like me who were obsessed with Halloween and horror, but it was also a safer place for Orbs to just truly be themselves. Especially those like Khalice, Ripp, andArze, that could look less human than some of their other Orb counterparts.
Our drinks arrived, with Chase helping to heave them across the bar with the waiter. The bar started to get a little crowded, more and more people piling in as the music progressively got louder and louder. It wasn't until we were all finished with our current round of drinks and had fresh ones in our hands that Khalice stood up from her chair.
“Alright, enough sitting and talking.” I was really appreciating that she was being so open and social with everyone. Maybe she really would join us at the park the next time they had a bonfire. “Let's hit the dance floor.”
And hit the dance floor we did. The bar was sizable enough to cater to those who wanted to drink in their booths or at their respective tables while also accommodating a dance floor in the center of the establishment.
“Okay, Krueger!” Chase guffawed as I started to dance, making my eyes dart toward him in alertness. “You've got some moves!”
My cheeks flooded with redness, embarrassed at simply being perceived as a good dancer. I wasn't horrible, I guess, but I wasn't skilled or even good by any means.
Khalice cheered on her agreement with Chase, as Ripp lifted her hand delicately in the air to spin her, making me smile. Khalice had such a soft spot for Ripp. Even though he was the excited chihuahua of the group, he was also a really decent guy that cared deeply for everyone. And it was nice to see Khalice regard him as such.
“He's right.” Arze mentioned, sliding next to me as a lazy smirk embedded itself among his lips, causing mine to curl in reaction. Khalice and Ripp were completing obvious choreography while Chase and Abigail mimicked each other in a mockery of uncoordinated gyrating, Jane laughing at them asshe swayed to and fro to the obnoxious brassy bass that ebbed around us. Which left his attention squarely on me. “You're a decent dancer.”
If my cheeks weren't beet red before, they sure as fuck were now. Being the sole person to hold his heed was invigorating, fueled by my crush on him, but it was also causing me massive waves of anxiety. Without the buffer of other people, I had to work extra hard to not seem like a total dork that was obsessed with him. Even though I was desperately infatuated.
Playing it off, I shrugged and thanked him with my lips in a tight line. But I could still feel his eyes roaming over me, assessing my body in a way that was really making my jeans tighter than they needed to be.
When I lifted my eyes, Arze was still staring, meeting my heavy lidded gaze and making me dizzy with desire. We were dancing with less space between us now, somehow subconsciously drifting closer and closer to one another. I could feel the heat rolling in waves off his body as his state continued to warm me up from the inside out, matching the deep inferno building within me.
Our eyes locked, our bodies slowly inching toward each other, my heart about the completely leap out of my chest, I tried to contain myself. There was an edge to the flint in Arze's eyes, one I was overly familiar with.
He looked like he wanted to kiss me.
Needing to quench my yearning’s thirst within me, I inched forward, knowing that only seconds separated me from being able to feel his lips on mine.
