xiii.

Halloween (October)

Zelda

"Is there gonna be alcohol?"

"Yes, very likely. Definitely."

"Will there be drugs?"

"... Maybe. Just a bit of weed here and there. Nothing major."

"Do people smoke?"

"Only a few."

"Is it, you know, a cop party?"

"I'm surprised and suspicious that you know what that is. I only knew it was a thing a couple of months ago. But no, it's not. Of course not. Am I stupid?"

"Well-"

"It's pretty exclusive, and it was in a shady neighbourhood no one liked to step into."

"Doesn't sound fishy at all. Will I be pressured to do anything I don't want to? Not that it would work on me. Just checking."

"Not if you stick with the right people."

"And the right people are?"

Paris scoffed. "Us, duh. Who else? Now are you in or not?"

"The party scene isn't exactly for me," I decided to decline politely. "No matter how fun halloween is."

"It's not for me either," Jeremy piped in, wedging his ass between Paris and I on the sofa even though there was space next to us. He grinned at me when I grumbled something along the lines of are you fucking kidding me under my breath. "But I'm going anyway."

"Yeah. Go and be miserable with Jeremy," Paris said sarcastically. "Doesn't that sound fun?"

I pondered on it, even though the heat from Jeremy's thigh was making it difficult for me to think about anything else. "Can I dress in all black and just call it a costume?"

Paris snorted. "What are you going as? A corpse?"

"A modern day reaper," I corrected him. "Or the personification of the devil."

"Damn, how come I never thought of that before?" Jeremy asked himself, frowning in thought.

"Do whatever you like." Paris waved a hand dismissively. "I take that as you're in, then? To be honest, and I mean no offence, but I thought you would've been more of a nerd. That was way too easy."

I ignored his comment and looked at Jeremy. "When's the party?"

He looked something between guilty and sheepish. "Tonight."

"Tonight?"

He nodded nervously. "Tonight."

"I hope you don't need to take long getting ready," Paris quipped mischievously. "We're leaving in fifteen."

"It's good that I'm always ready to wear all black and be a badass, then," I said bitterly and stood up. "Don't make me wait for you in fifteen minutes."

"Do us a favour and try to look hot!" Paris shouted behind me when I made my way to my room upstairs. I heard a smack sound, probably Jeremy hitting his friend for the bullshit he spewed.

I didn't look back. "Shame on you, dude, I'm always hot!"

Ain't I just a good liar.

But since I did want to fit in, look like I shouldn't be messed with, and look good, I decided that my usual attaire wouldn't do, no matter how comfy it would be. Troubled, I pressed my lips together and tossed my leather jacket on my bed as a start. I managed to dig out the combat boots I bought a while back, as well as a pair of more edgy looking black skinny jeans. I also slid on some rings and a bracelet while I was at it. Now there was only the top left.

It was then that I realised I didn't have any plain black tops to go with the outfit, much to my disappointment. I left myself with only two options: 1. the flowy maroon crop top Jenna more or less forced me to get while she dragged me shopping, or 2. a lacey white crop top Jenna got me without my permission. ("Why the heck would I ask for your permission when I wanna get you something?")

Me, being me, opted for the one without lace and was of a darker colour.

To be honest, I wasn't exactly comfortable with either. Both showed more skin that I would like, especially on an October night. But hey, fuck comfort zones, right? If I was going to look good and badass, I would. I had always been somewhat of a "go big or go home" type of person.

Once I had changed and got my hair done (it was really just a French braid), I went down to meet up with the guys again, with five minutes left. They both looked up from their phones, and their eyebrows shot up. Something told me it wasn't because my outfit wasn't all black.

"Not bad, girl," Paris commented. I raised an eyebrow at him, avoiding meeting Jeremy's gaze. My crush on him made me too self-concious to do so. "Can I take a picture?"

"Nope," I downright refused. "When are we leaving?"

"Anytime now," Jeremy said, standing up and taking his car keys. "Ready?"

Paris practically jumped up from his spot on the sofa. "Let's go! Tonight is gonna be fun. I wonder how everyone will react seeing the good girl like this."

"Maybe that will teach you to stop putting labels on me."

"For someone so small, you sure do have a lot of sass."

Jeremy laughed. I punch them both in the arm, making them groan.

On our way there, they filled me in about the party. They warned me about certain things and told me to stick to at least one of them, teaching me about some unspoken rules and how to handle trouble. I knew most of these "rules" already, but I didn't try to stop them. I knew they meant well, and doing this would make them feel better.

When we arrived, I could feel the vibration of the music before I even got out of the car. To my surprise, the music wasn't even that loud. It just got a really powerful bass. There were a couple of people out at the yard, smoking leisurely when we got out of the car. They eyed us as we walked towards the door.

"Paris, Jeremy," one of them greeted, nodding his head as we approached them. "And who's this pretty lady you've got here?"

One of my eyebrows shot up.

"Kenny, this is Zelda," Paris introduced me to the guy. "Zelda, Kenny."

Kenny offered me his hand. I took it and shook it firmly. "Pleasure to meet you."

He gave me a crooked grin, his lip piercing catching the light from a passing car. "Pleasure indeed. Whose girl are you?"

The corner of my lips curled almost sarcastically. "My own. Who else?"

He paused in surprised, then laughed. "I like you," he concluded. I noticed how his hand lingered before letting go of mine. He stepped back after that, but the interest in his gaze stayed, and his gaze swept through my body quickly. I was suddenly very aware of my exposed stomach and collar bones. "Fancy meeting you here, Zelda. I'll see you inside." And then he retreated.

"Jeez, Zelda, tone it down a bit," Paris said, shaking his head as we got let into the house by the bouncer. "We haven't even got into the house, and you already have a handful of people hooked. You've really got your game on, haven't you?"

"I was just going with the flow," I defended myself, struggling to stay close to them in the crowd. The house wasn't that packed. There just happened to be a lot of people near the door.

"Kenny is three years older than us. I hope you know what you're doing," Jeremy said, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I hope you know what you're doing, going to a party like this. I'm sure it's not the first time."

"I'll get us all a drink," Paris announced, avoiding my half-hearted accusation completely. "A Coke for Jeremy, and..."

"Water. Bottled. Thanks."

He nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

"Let's get away from the door," Jeremy suggested. "I know a good corner we can stick around. Actually, I know most of the corners in this house."

I laughed quietly, following him as he led the way. "I am not surprised. Do you usually not drink, or is it just because you're the driver this time?"

He grabbed my wrist and directed us around the corner, to a more quiet area. Without thinking, I moved closer to him, pressing my arm against his to push through the thick crowd. At least that was what I was telling myself.

Excuses.

I didn't even know why I was trying to flirt with him, or seduce him, or impress him. It wasn't like that he would like me back. Still, I couldn't help but try.

"A little bit of both," he admitted. "I don't like drinking as much as Paris does. I'm usually the driver. Besides, I still don't entirely trust him to actually not drink even if he is the supposed driver. Oh look, it's Chris."

"Does Karen know about this?" I asked Jeremy as Chris started making his way here once he noticed us.

"Oh hell nah." I could see the humour and amusement in his eyes. "She went to another party with her girl friends. The bigger one with more people from school. We'll be hitting up that one after this. It's just our tradition."

"Zelda! Why are you here?" Chris demanded when he got close enough. "What the hell, Jeremy? Did you bring her here?"

"Paris suggested it." Jeremy seemed completely at ease, despite Chris' outburst. "What's wrong?"

"Look at the people around you," Chris hissed under his breath. "Does she even know what she got herself into?"

"If by that, you mean excessive alcohol, smoking, and weed, then yes, I do."

I knew I would be a goner if I ever got caught, and a part of me was freaking out majorly because of that, but I knew what I was getting into, and I knew how to get out if I ever needed to. Peer pressure could go suck my dick. And like I always said, I was pretty good at deceiving, or even manipulating people. I didn't necessarily like doing so, but I wouldn't hesitate if I had to to get out of trouble.

How else did you think I got my ass to America? My aunt would never let me.

Not knowingly, anyway.

"What about the crystal meth?" Chris questioned, narrowing his eyes at Jeremy.

I was still not fazed. "Well shit. Let's hope this is actually not a cop party then."

Beside me, Jeremy shifted from foot to foot "Wait, there's crystal meth?"

Chris, for a moment, looked like he wanted to tear his hair out. "How the fuck could you not know? It's your third time here already!"

"It's my third time here only!" Jeremy retorted. "I just stand in the corner until we leave. How the fuck am I supposed to know?"

"Okay, guys, you need to chill," I said calmly, looking between them. "Chris, trust me when I say I'll be fine. I can't speak for the other two, but I know what I'm doing. Jeremy, you look a little bit pale. Do you wanna leave? If you don't feel good staying, we can go."

"There you are. I knew I would find you here- Oh hey Chris." Paris popped out somewhere behind me and handed me a bottle of water and Jeremy his Coke. "Did I miss anything?"

"Other than mentioning that there are people doing crystal meth here? No, not really." Trust me to be a sarcastic little shit.

His eyes widened. "Shit. For real?"

I actually facepalmed. "Boi."

I didn't think "boy" with a "y" could convey my feelings well enough.

Chris just sighed, probably done with all of us. "Let's just head to Angelina's party."

He took the lead, and we trailed behind him. Chris just threw the door open when Kenny and his friends walked in.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked, almost disappointed. "The party hasn't even started yet."

"Since when do you care when we leave?" Chris shot back, even snappier than before.

"I don't," Kenny said simply, staring me in the eye. "I'm just asking her. Zelda, right?"

"It got boring," I said with a shrug.

"But I'm here now."

"I noticed. Have fun."

He frowned at my answer. "Can't you stay for a little longer? It's still so early."

"Kenny, leave it," Paris said in a warning tone. "She's with us. Go find someone your age. She's not interested."

Kenny looked unconvinced. "Is she not, now?"

"She is not," I reassured him. "Still, it was nice meeting you. But we really have to go now. We have somewhere else to be. See ya, Kenny."

I waved him goodbye and pushed everyone out of the door before he couldn't say a word. I gave Chris a warning look when he was about to speak and made them all pile into the car. Soon enough, Jeremy started driving.

"What the-"

"Wait," I interrupted Chris again when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I gave him an apologetic look before answering the call from Tyler, the pub owner Tony's nephew. "Tyler? What's up?"

"Zelda, hey, where are you now?" he asked, a little breathless. Music was pouring through my phone from his side. A not-so-good hunch clawed my insides.

"Not home," I told him. "What's up?"

"I know this may sound weird, but are you at a party?"

"I happened to be on my way to one," I chose my words carefully. "Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing really. I'm at a party. I just thought I saw you there. I tried to get you, but you- or whoever that was- left. Do you happened to be wearing a leather jacket? Red top?"

I almost ran into him. Considering Chris' reaction at me just being at a party like that, I was really lucky Tyler didn't manage to catch up to us. If he somehow mentioned what I did for him and his uncle as well as when and where I did it...

That couldn't be pretty.

"Oh yeah. That could be me. I just left a party. I was stopping by with some friends to pick someone up," I told him smoothly. "Are you having fun, though?"

"Not really," he said honestly. "Everything is just mediocore. There are way too many teens trying too hard to act like they're the shit. It's getting annoying. Did I used to be like that? Gosh, I feel so old."

"You're only twenty-two. Calm the fuck down and live a little," I said, rolling my eyes, even though I thought the same about myself and I was only sixteen. "Go grab a non-alcoholic drink and have some fun."

I felt Chris nudging me. He gave me a questioning look when I looked at him. Friend, I mouthed.

He didn't look reassured. Twenty-two-year-old friend?

I motioned at him to wait.

Tyler sighed loudly. "I'll try, I guess. Would've preferred it if you were here, but whatever. I'll survive. Someone's calling for me. Gotta go. Have fun, Zelda, and stay safe."

"Don't I always? Same goes to you, though. Bye."

"Bye."

"It's a long story," I finally said, putting away my phone.

"Have you always been like this?" Paris asked me curiously, looking at me in the rear view mirror. "I never realised how much of a rebel you actually are."

"I'm not a rebel. I'm just a bit more different than others."

"It was her oversized t-shirts and sweaters," Jeremy said, amused. "They are pretty misleading."

I playfully glared at him. "Eyes on the road please."

Thankfully, they didn't ask too much about the phone call, since Chris was quick to remember how idiotic Jeremy and Paris had been. It resulted in a guilt tripping lecture about ruining my futute, so I tuned it out until we arrived at the scene.

This party here was, admittedly, a lot more energetic, yet still not quite appealing. Red cups were littered all over the front yard, people kept going in and out of the house, shouts and shrieks could be heard at most ten second intervals, and the house was as bright as a Christmas tree in the secluded area.

"Looks fun," I commented, stepping out of the car. I shivered when a cool breeze brushed through me.

"Times like this, I can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic," Jeremy said, staying beside me while his friends led the way to the mansion.

"Right now, sarcasm."

"Noted."

At this party, even more people stared while we made our grand entrance. I couldn't help but noticed how much of the attention was on me. As if reading my thoughts, Jeremy elbowed me in the arm and teased, "You're quite the show, aren't you?"

"She looks like she's here to break hearts or break faces. But you'd never know until it's already happened," Chris said with a sadistic grin.

"I don't know how she did it, but she looks like an actual badass," Paris supplied helpfully. "And the fact that she usually looks so sweet and innocent only makes it more interesting."

"Gee, thanks?"

"It's the way she walks," Jeremy concluded on his own. "She's walks like she owns the place."

"But I've always walked like this."

"Yeah, but this outfit brings out the worst in you, in the best way," Paris said humourously. "Props to you, Zelda. Didn't know you have it in you."

"You're everyone's favourite worst nightmare," Jeremy added, patting my head unecessarily.

It was useless to argue with them, so I just gave up and gave them a flat look. We pushed past people in all sorts of outfits to the kitchen, where Paris handed each of us a cup of fruit punch. With his whole face lit up with this crazed excitement, he raised his cup.

"Let the night begin!"

And so it did.