We walk into Conference Hall A, the familiar hum of the convention brightening my mood, like the irresistible minx it is. Any trueVampire Fallsfan should have a masquerade costume knocking around, due to the season one finale, “Masquerade Brawl”, and Roxy and I are no exception. My tea-length dress is emerald green, with gold piping and a matching eye mask, and Roxy’s wearing a harlequin-style cat suit and eye mask. We have chosen not to drench ourselves in fake blood, but lots of others have in homage to that episode. Total bloodbath.
“Where’s Iris?” I say, looking across the rows of chairs as we walk down the aisle. “Has she messaged you?”
Roxy doesn’t stop or answer me.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I say, hurrying to her side. Her forehead is tight under her mask. My blood runs cold. “Oh shit, is it because of Charlie Chamberlain? Did she see him and leave immediately?”
“God, Eliza! Not everything is about Charlie fucking Chamberlain and not everyone hates him like you do.” She takes a breath. “Iris isn’t coming.”
“What?” I say, swallowing.
“Sorry, babe.”
“No Iris? I . . . I . . .” I drop onto a banquet chair, grateful to the person dressed as McKinley the Pessimistic Werewolf for scooching along just in time. “I thought it would be the three of us? Me, you and Iris?”
“I know,” she says, biting the inside of her cheek.
Iris has been the third leg of our tripod or, more accurately, the mediator between me and Roxy when Roxy’s had enough of my behaviour. I can be a bit of a handful, so it’s really a two-person job. Also, Iris does our cosplay make-up.
I slump against my werewolf neighbour. The fur is comforting. Suddenly, whoever’s inside clears their throat.
“Sorry,” it says.
“Don’t apologise,” I say, looking into his vacant glass eyes. “It’s not your fault she’s not here.”
“No, I mean . . .” He clears his throat. “You’re sitting on my tail.”
I roll my eyes and turn back to Roxy.
“I can’t believe she’s not here,” I say, sinking into the chair. “Everything is changing.”
“Sometimes change is good,” offers Fake McKinley, shrugging (as much as you can in a werewolf costume).
Sometimes change can be good. Whoisthis joker? I glare at him then turn back to Roxy, who is patting my hand patiently.
“Sorry, babe. Just us two this time.”
I look at her fingers over my own, her silver rings shining under the artificial lights, and I realise I’m looking at the lack of Iris all wrong. My heart flutters with best-friend-all-to-myself joy.
“Just us two!” I say, squeezing Roxy’s hand. “This could be perfect, Roxy!”
“You don’t have to sound so gleeful about it.”
“Notgleeful,” I say, shaking my head, “just . . . gleehalffull. It’s like our first time here, minus my mum, obviously. It’ll be amazing, Roxy. You know, sometimes change can be good.”
“Right,” she says, folding her arms and glancing at the werewolf I’m sitting next to.
He shrugs and Roxy opens her mouth to say something else, but the lights dim, so she shoves me into him and sits down. Red light flashes across the stage, and theVampire Fallstheme booms through the speakers. I love this part.
“Sorry . . .” says Fake McKinley.
“Shhh!” I hiss.
“But you’re still on my tail.”
“Yes!” we shout.
“I said,are you ready to celebrateVampire Falls?!”
