I let the music wash over me, stirring up memories of warm summer evenings spent sneaking a peek through the living room door, watching as she danced with her love—my stepfather and Isaac’s father. I remember how happy she was and how well he treated her… treated us. It was the day I vowed to rip out my heart and any feelings I had for Isaac Vargas. The day I drew the line and forced Isaac into the role of a brother.
Tears burn my eyes as I continue to dance and stuff my face, lost in the bittersweet nostalgia. A ring echoes through my small apartment, and my heart flips in excitement—it must be Rayna. Tossing the half-eaten eggroll back into its white and red carton, I glide over to the front door, nearly knocking over a pile of lawbooks Max had left on his last visit. My fingers fumble over the locks, opening the door.
There she is, my manic pixie dream girl.
Pink wolf cut, freckles across her face, and deep brown chocolate eyes that twinkle with mischief under the dim light of my studio. A toothy grin spreads across her face, her mouth opening wide to reveal a row of perfectly straight, pearly white teeth that contrast against her olive skin. I smirk as I take in her “witchy bitchy“ costume, as she calls it—a black corset over a black dress with bell-bottom sleeves. Her hair is pinned with black bat hair clips, her makeup heavy and dark.
“You ready? It’s 10,” she says. I nod and step to the side so she can come in.
“I just need to grab my phone, and we can head out.” Rayna nods.
The great thing about living near campus is that we are within walking distance of everything, which means we can have fun, turn up, and let loose. And that is exactly what I plan to do. Walking over to where I left my phone, I notice an unread message glowing on the screen. Ignoring it for now, I hastily slip it into my pocket, but not before catching a glimpse of the sender’s name—Isaac.
A shiver runs through me as if he’d touched me, but I quickly push it away. No more Isaac tonight. Tonight is about having fun. Not even Max could bring me out of the vibe.
“I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Rayna, already by the door, opens it and steps out. I follow her and lock the door behind me. The walk is less than ten minutes. The outside is decorated as a haunted carnival. Spider webs spread across the bushes, and blue and red strobe lights illuminate the outside. Rayna grabs my hand as we walk inside. Fog and bubble machines fill the air. The house is dark except for the purple lights that flash. It is packed, and we bump into so many people as we make our way toward the kitchen. Our options for drinks are plenty: beer, jello shots, hard liquor, tequila, and jungle juice.
I opt for the syringe jello shot and press it into my mouth, the fickleness of its taste mingling with the burning sensation sliding down my throat. Rayna’s eyes light up, her lips curling into an approving grin. She selects a shot of tequila for herself, throwing it back with practiced ease.
Laughter and loud music echo throughout the house.
“Let’s go dance,” Rayna shouts over the music, but not before taking another shot to let loose. I do the same, and off to the dance floor we go. We dance and dance, our movements in sync. The effect of the shots is definitely rolling in like waves. After dancing to a few songs, we’re sweaty, breathless, and in need of a drink. This time, we opt for a jello shot and jungle juice.
Rayna’s attention focuses on a pretty redhead, dressed as a Disney princess. I shimmy my way back to the dance floor, losing myself in the music. Grinding bodies with some girls, I suddenly feel the presence of a warm wall behind me as the song slows down, shifting to Depeche Mode’s song, “Enjoy the Silence.”
I don’t know what in the world possesses me to lean my head into the stranger’s body. But I do. My backside is grinding against him. He smells so familiar, and if I didn’t know any better, I would say that without a doubt, I’m dancing on Iz. There’s no way this stranger is who I think they are. Iz is miles away in Woodstock.
Still, I lean into the feeling.
We sway, his hand slowly snakes up my neck, the movements taking an overly sexual turn. His fingers graze the bare skin of my nape, sending a shiver down my spine. The scent is intoxicating, amplifying the heady sensation brought on by the alcohol. His other hand grips my hip firmly, and a feeling of recognition hits me like a tidal wave, snapping me out of the trance.
“I don’t like how you dance with strangers,” Iz whispers as he tightens his grip around my neck, causing me to whimper or moan.Fuck. My mind suddenly snaps back as a rubber band stretched too far as I stutter out, “Shit, Iz.”
I break away from his grip and whip around to see Iz, who removes the Scream mask that covers his gorgeous face. His dark hair is still wild and unkempt. He hasn’t changed a bit. Except for a new septum piercing and a scar above his lip,right on his cupid’s bow. It only adds to his already irresistible appearance. With the alcohol coursing through me, he looks even more desirable. I can feel my throat tighten as I gulp nervously, but he just smirks in response, noticing me squirm in his gaze.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I texted you.”
My eyebrows furrow as I fix to respond, but I see pink nails slide up his chest. Behind him is Alexa, who clings to him with pride. Isaac tenses but doesn’t remove her hand; instead, he wraps his arm around her. And then it hits me like a fucking wrecking ball.
“Ronnie, surprise,” she says with a beaming smile, but she doesn’t break away from him to hug or greet her best friend.
“It’s great to see you, Alexa. I didn’t know he was coming with you,” I finally manage to say, forcing down the bile threatening to spill over.
“Duh, that’s the surprise. We are kind of a thing now,” she answers with pride. I look at Iz, who grimaces as the words leave her lips. I fake a smile as my heart breaks piece by piece.
“That’s great, Lex,” I respond. “I need to go find Rayna. I’ll be right back, dance. I’ll be right back,” I say, my voice breaking in the end. The urge to flee is at an all-time high, but I’m a flightless bird stranded on lonely ground.
Alexa doesn’t seem to notice as she turns to Iz and wraps her arms around his neck. But I know he did. I always notice everything, and that’s why I know his eyes are burning behind my back. I force myself to keep walking, because if I look back, if I see those honey eyes… I might break.
Pushing my way through the crowd, I feel my eyes burn with unshed tears. The thumping bass of the music pounds in my chest exactly where it hurts the most. I find Rayna by the beer pong table, sipping on sickly sweet jungle juice and laughing at some joke a random guy is telling her. She sees me, and I guess she can see the distress in my eyes as she rushes to me.
“Hey, hey… What happened?” she asks. I try my best to give her a reassuring smile.
“I’m okay. Alexa is here and… my stepbrother. I guess they’re a thing,” I ramble. Rayna gives me a small smile as she grabs my hand. “I just need space, maybe air.”
She strokes my cheek apologetically as the only person who knows the truth about my feelings for Isaac after a drunken night. She dared me to share a secret, and I couldn’t lie to her.
