After that, they put their own spin on a cover of “This Is Halloween” that has Bianca nearly fainting with excitement. Joel does some pretty impressive scream-singing through the chorus, and when Nick cranes his neck he sees that somehow the small circle pit has filled entirely with a group of around eight Jack Skellingtons who have all banded together, along with a pretty incredible Oogie Boogie. The Jacks have linked arms and are doing some kind of jig around Oogie, their ever-smiling faces utterly terrifying.
At the end of the song, Matt lifts his guitar in the air in triumph. “We’ll see you on the dance floor, motherfuckers!” He cheers, and then the lights all cut out at once, plunging the whole room into utter darkness.
A deep, ominous voice starts to laugh, cackling like they’re in a horror movie, and the audience is silent and breathless. The voice keeps laughing. Squinting in the pitch black, Nick can barely make out movement on stage.
And then a deep red spotlight illuminates the center of the upper balcony and everyone cranes their necks to see a DJ booth set up there, the person behind it dressed in a dark cloak and a plague-doctor mask. The laughter fades out, and quiet piano music starts. Immediately, several people scream the scream of someone who has recognized the song that’s playing and isveryhappy about it. It sounds familiar to Nick, but he doesn’t quite pin it… until an ethereal voice kicks in and the whole room holds its collective breath through the first couple of lines,and then suddenly he is in the middle of a crowd of people all headbanging along to “Bring Me to Life”by Evanescence.
Yup, this is definitely not like any Halloween party he’s ever been to before.
Chapter Eleven
[Image Description: Two women dressed as zombie cheerleaders, standing either side of a man dressed as a bloodied and battered high school jock.]
@KnifePrincess_xo: Had a BLAST at HoB Emo Night, and we even found a guy who went with our costumes! My girl is the best for surprising me with these tickets <3 #HouseOfBluesVegas #ItsNotAPhaseMom
@DangerMaxx98: Holy shit that’s Nick Tiernan
@KnifePrincess_xo: @DangerMaxx98 Who??
@DangerMaxx98: @KnifePrincess_xo A literal NHL star lmao look [LINK]
@JothLife_5: “Found a guy” OH MY GOD YOU USELESS LESBIANS HAHAHA
@PuckRocketz: What’s Tiernan doing at a party full of queers??
—Instagram, November 1st, 2022
The band doesn’t appear immediately—there’s some kind of meet-and-greet thing upstairs they have to do first. Sofia and Bianca ask if they should go up, but Marco promises they’ll get to meet the band later, and they may as well party.
So far, Nick has watched Marco and Lindsay serenade each other with a screaming rendition of “Sk8er Boi,” been caught in the middle of a small mosh pit during “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” and had at least ten different people of varying genders sidle up to dance with him. He’s having agreattime.
But when the cheering starts and the crowd shifts, his heartbeat kicks up a notch.
Sure enough, the band has arrived, slowly making their way through the crush of people trying to reach them. Spencer is more clothed now, dressed like a sexy pirate.
They have two security guards with them, and Nick can see at least three more waiting on the outskirts for any sign of trouble, but all the same, he’s quietly impressed at how respectful the fans are being—sure, they’re screaming and reaching and holding out phones in the hopes of getting a selfie, but they’re upholding the boundaries of the band for the most part. It’s a mob, but it’s a patient one.
Nick is patient, too—trying not to be obvious about the way he regularly turns his head towards the band, seeing how they’re getting along with their steadily dispersing crowd. He isn’t going to interrupt them while they’re with fans; he doesn’t want to make himself noticeable. So he and his friends stay dancing in the lower VIP section, where Nick knows the band will end up eventually.
He can play it cool. Nick isn’t going to be the pathetic loser waiting desperately for a boy to notice him.
That doesn’t stop the white-hot flash of satisfaction that floods through him when a familiar hand catches his shoulder. “So, about that dance…” Matt spins him around to face him, smirking. Nick sticks his tongue out.
“Maybe I’ve had a better offer since then,” he retorts. Matt reels back as if wounded.
“Betrayal!” he cries, mock-dismayed. “Whatever, man. I’ve got all these new friends who will dance with me if you won’t.” He gestures to the room at large, and Nick hopes the stab of jealousy in his gut doesn’t show on his face. He’s well aware of how Matt could have anybody in the room—no need to rub it in.
Instead he laughs, running a casual hand through his hair. “You’re such a baby!” he says, with a very hockey-bro punch to the arm for good measure. There are photographers dotted all around this event, and now that he’s standing with the band he has to be more careful.
“Perezes!” Casey calls, draping herself over Marco and Lindsay’s shoulders to kiss them each on the cheek. There’s a half-empty cocktail in her hand, and Nick gets the feeling it’s not her first. “You gonna introduce us?” She’s looking at Sofia and Bianca, who stare back, starstruck. Marco laughs.
“My little sister Sofia, her girlfriend Bianca,” he points to each in turn. “Both huge fans, of the band and of Case personally.”
“Gabriel!” Sofia yelps indignantly, turning red. Nick can’t help but snicker.
“We get it, she’s the prettiest,” Matt agrees, pressing close by Nick on his way to greet the two girls. “It’s awesome to meet you both. We’ve got some merch for you backstage. Don’t let us forget to grab it before you head out.”
“Oh my God,” Bianca murmurs in awe. “That’s—Thank you so much!” A quiet whimper escapes her when Casey leans in to kiss her cheek in greeting.
