Prom Queen of Disaster (8 page)

We made our way out onto the field.

Hannah pulled me aside. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“Cute,” I said. “Max, right?”

“You know him?”

I laughed. “Dylan is their captain, of course.”

“Really think it’s cute?”

“And cradle robbing.”

She smacked my arm with a pom-pom. “Don’t say that. Not funny.”

Cheer season was in full swing, and I couldn’t quite get used to the idea of being in my final year. I was a senior now, and I had to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Almost like I was supposed to know. People paid attention to what I said, interested to ask questions about my future, questions I hadn’t even discussed with my family or Dylan.

Saturday the 31
st
of October, marked the first holiday, and as such, we needed to prepare and celebrate in style. We owed Instagram at least that much.

Last year, Char had cemented herself with the
Halloween Spooktacular
party she threw. This year, we’d planned on doing it bigger and better, and her mom would help, even if she insisted on going out of town for it.

“Half the senior class has been invited,” Char said. She held up a dress against herself, wrapping it to judge the type of fit. “Let them see their future prom queen.”

“A shoe-in,” I said, glancing at my phone, it was mid-afternoon, and we still had lots to do. “So, where we going first?”

“Target?” Ava suggested. “Can’t use last year’s decorations, find something cheap.”

“Cutting it so late,” Char said. “We should’ve done this yesterday.”

“I need some Spanx,” Libby said. “I’m feeling fat.”

“Is it that time of the month?” I asked, dreading the PMS monster.

“I’m supposed to start tomorrow, but I’m bloated,” she said.

“My mom has some,” Char said. “Let’s not get caught buying Spanx, Lib. Not something we need to be seen with.” She threw the dress on her bed and spritzed herself with perfume.

“Mm.” We sniffed at the air.

“What’s that?” Hannah asked. “I need.”

“Kings & Queens,” she said. “It’s gold dust, so use sparingly.” We all wanted some. Char splashed us twice, once on the wrist and second at the neck. It had probably been a gift Char’s mom was given. “So, what’s first?”

I pulled up the notes on my phone. Everything we’d discussed was on there. “Last minute decorations, so, all decorations. Snacks, soda, solo cups, costume touches, and Halloween makeup, or
just
makeup. Also, still have to decide on the film to show in the background and a playlist.”

“Obvi a HALLOWEEN film, Michael Myers and all that,” Ava said. “As for music, I have a Spotify playlist.”

“Check those off then,” Char said.

We took Char’s mom’s Range Rover. It fit all five of us perfectly, with room for shopping. Target was our one-stop shop. We grabbed a shopping cart and strolled the aisles, throwing everything Halloween themed in. From the success of last year, this year had massed over 100 RSVPs, and we needed enough of everyone.

“Chips and dips!” Libby said. “I know I get
real
hungry.”

“On the list,” I said.

“We should have a list of people, and if they’re not on, we can turn them away,” Char said. “I might need their vote, but I can’t have them thinking we’re besties.”

“I’ll create it,” Ava said. “We should get someone to work on the door too.”

Char waved her hand at her and smiled. “Overkill.”

The cart was almost full. “Okay, let me take a picture,” I said. They gathered around, pointing into the cart and smiling.

“Hashtag, you’re not invited,” Ava said.

“Halloqueen, Queen for Halloween, crown me already,” Char added. “Any of those hashtags, because you know, I’ll be prom queen.”

“Isn’t that bad luck,” Libby asked. “Tempting fate.”

“Luck?” Char laughed. “We create our own luck, if you don’t put it out there, how the hell will it ever know what you want?”

“Well, I want a bag of Cheetos,” Hannah said.

“Ask, and you shall receive,” Char said, grabbing a bag from the shelf.

I’d purchased a black lace mask; it went perfectly with the black dress I’d bought. It fit and it squeezed my boobs in the right way. It was an all-black fantasy, from mask to heels. My mom hadn’t seen the dress yet, and the thought of her asking to see it before I left for Char’s frightened me.

We took a pit stop at my house before going back to Char’s. My mom invited everyone in for lemonade, grilling my friends about the party and making sure there was a curfew in place, which there wasn’t, but thankfully Char was an expert in lying to parents and teachers.

I phoned Dylan from my room.

“Hey babe,” he answered. “Are you prepared for tonight?”

“Yeah, just home before heading to Char’s,” I said. “Her mom’s bought alcohol, but, I’m not sure I’ll be drinking.”

“Really? Why?”

“Homecoming has got me all weird,” I said as a healthy reminder.

“That was pure ethanol,” he said. “And weeks ago now. Plus, there’s no science lab at Char’s for that to happen.”

“Well, I mainly called to ask what you were wearing tonight,” I said. “I have this real cute dress, think I showed it you, but anyway, it’s the black one, with the boobs, I’m sure you know. Well, I’m wearing that.”

He chuckled as I prattled on. “I know the one,” he said. “I told you, Edward Cullen, I have the sparkles and shit.”

“You were being serious?”

“I lost a bet, and missed a three pointer, so I have to,” he laughed. “But I’ll have the hottest girl at the party, so I still win.”

He melted my body to a warm sticky mess. “Love you,” I said. “I have to go.”

“Love you,” he said. “See ya later.”

I had all my things in a bag, and thankfully my mom didn’t ask to see what I was wearing. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and asked her to give one to dad.

“Is it okay if Kaleb comes?” Ava asked once we were all in the car.

Char took a moment to respond. “What do you mean? Of course he’s coming, he’s the mascot, it wouldn’t be the
team
without him,” she said. She paused before starting the ignition to look at her in the back seat. “Why are you asking?”

“Oh,” she blushed. “We’ve been hooking up, and he doesn’t hang around with us.”

“He’s a senior, so, of course he’s invited,” I said. “I definitely sent him an invite.” I definitely did
not
send him an invite, he was the one who spiked the punch, and now I wasn’t drinking at this party at all. I could’ve probably had one if I wanted, but with him there it wasn’t safe to think about having a drink.

Ava grinned. “Good! He said he’ll bring a bottle too, probably something top shelf.” And there it was, the reason he probably spiked the punch, his brothers run a bar, but he isn’t a mixologist, no matter how much he tried at homecoming.

Char’s house had been cleaned from top to bottom by the time we got back. Her mom had a part-time housekeeper, on discounted rates because she was a realtor and the company cleaned her houses before a showing. Char bragged about it as we hauled bags through the front door.

“Spread the Halloween shit far and wide,” Char said. “I’ll get the lights set up.”

We had Halloween confetti and ceiling streamers. We posted every inch of the Halloween fantasy to our social media sites. Red, black, and white pieces of sugar paper cut out into fangs, spiders, webs, and bolts of lightning.

Hannah walked in on me pulling myself into the black dress. I’d noticed her in the mirror, she stood in a long t-shirt, her hair blown out, twiddling her hands together. “Zo?”

“Yea?” I turned to her.

“Do you think Char will be mad if I invite Max?” she asked.

My brows knitted together in response. They’d locked lips in the locker room. “He’s not a senior.” I shrugged. “If you’re dating, it’s not like she’ll say no.”

“Will you ask for me?”

Twisting my arms in an odd position, I zipped the back of the dress up. “Just ask, or invite him anyway.”

“Who?” Char said, walking into the room. “Who are you inviting?”

I stayed quiet as Hannah blushed. “I’m seeing a sophomore,” she said.

“Sure,” Char said, “as long as he’s not messy. Oh, and ask him to bring his own alcohol, in fact, scratch that, don’t let him drink, I don’t want a confused teen in my house showing up the seniors.”

“He’s on the basketball team,” Hannah added.

“Benchwarmer,” Char said. “How cute, we all need to do our bit for charity.”

We were all used to Char and her quick wit. Hannah squealed in excitement, thanking Char before rushing off to get dressed.

Char added finishing touches to her outfit. A crown from her mom’s closet. She pulled us all into her mom’s room to watch. “It’s Swarovski,” she said, weaving it inside her hair. “It’s insured, don’t worry.”

“Beautiful,” Libby said. “You’re going to slay prom.”

“Bitches be cray,” Ava said.

I smiled. “Is Benny coming as your king then?”

“Zo, you know a queen doesn’t make a king, they make a duke. A king can make a queen, but not the other way around,” Char said. Thoroughly researched for a history paper on the British monarchy.

“Does that mean if Dylan becomes prom king, I’ll automatically be queen?”

“This is prom we’re talking about,” Char said. “Don’t be silly.”

Dylan, Benny, and some of the other seniors on the basketball team were the first to arrive. The party wasn’t due to start until 8 PM. Char had handed out pre-shots to prepare us, it was fruity. I drank mine, but that was my limit.

“We’ve got a keg!” Two guys called out, lugging it behind Dylan.

“Put a towel down,” Char shouted at them. “You don’t know how much it takes to get scratches out, and neither do I, but I don’t want to find out.”

Halloween
, the 1978 film, played muted on the large flat screen. Strobe lights flashed around to the sound of Ava’s Spotify playlist on the surround sound.

I made my entrance from the top of the stairs. I walked down to see Dylan, standing in his glorious sparkling mess. He stood at the foot of the stairs and took my hand.

“You’re gorgeous Zoey Jensen,” he said.

“And I would kiss you, but I’m scared you’d ruin my make-up with your glitter.”

“Damn,” he bit his lip.

“Looks like you lost a fight with the glitter. Did they steal your money too?”

“If keeping this on means I won’t get to kiss you, I’ll be scrubbing my face very soon,” he said. “Maybe after everyone has had selfies with the
mess
I’ve become.”

I let go of his hand and grabbed my phone from the side of my dress. “Good thinking.”

He looked bewildered. “How’d you squeeze that in?”

“A tight fit.”

We took a selfie, the kind you’d see and scroll past. The one where they’re kissing. I let him kiss me, even with all the glitter on his face, he smushed his lips up against me as I took pictures.

“I love you,” he said, and kissed me again.

“Love you,” I said, “but I don’t love that you lost a bet where glitter was involved.” With my mom working with kindergarten classes all day, I knew glitter was the devil, a living creature, and it would travel with you everywhere. “You’re going to need to be decontaminated.”

He smushed his lips against me again. “You too.” I could feel the thick gloopy glitter on my face, but I wasn’t out to impress anyone, only him, and he loved me either way.

More people came and music pumped progressively louder. Char had plugged a microphone into a speaker, she tapped the top of it before speaking. “I just want to thank you all for coming out tonight,” she said. “Hashtag Char’s Halloween!”

Dylan handed me a solo cup of beer. “Don’t worry, I pumped it myself, it’s nothing else,” he said.

I took a sip. “Mmh, it’s an—
acquired
taste,” I laughed.

“If you drink more of it, you’ll forget how nasty it is.”

He was right. I drank more and my taste buds adjusted. I had a second before I felt my face warming and my body inhibiting the rhythm of the music.

I pulled Dylan to the living room where all the messy bodies intertwined and danced together. He kissed me again, catching the texture of glitter in my mouth this time. “Are you going to wash that off?” I asked, pulling him by his collar.

“Yeah,” he said. “Where’s the bathroom?”

I pointed to the stairs. “Use the one in the guest room,” I said. “It’s empty.”

He squinted to watch my lips. “Where?”

“Upstairs, I’ll come in a minute,” I said.

He walked off and I walked through the kitchen. The rooms were packed with people. I grabbed at Char’s hand but she was with Benny. She shooed me. I moved to Ava, busy with Kaleb. Char finally took my hand. “What’s up, Zo?”

“I need a towel,” I said. “Dylan is washing all the glittery shit off his body.”

“You shoulda said. Back of the hall upstairs, there’s the linen closest. But try not to get too much glitter on it, you know that shits the devil.”

I laughed. “Gotcha.” I rushed back through the crowd.

Kaleb bumped into me, spilling something down my top. “Move,” he said. My entire body was now wet. I pushed him back. My face flushed with anger as he stared smugly. He shrugged.