Page 14 of Those Eyes, That Mouth

Alex and Kelly's room looked like a bomb had gone off. Clothes everywhere—black lace and fishnets draped over chairs, makeup scattered across both desks, shoes kicked into corners. The air was thick with Poison perfume, Nag Champa incense, and hairspray. Jesus and Mary Chain's Darklands was blasting from a small stereo.

The girls weren't quite dressed yet. Or maybe they were—it was hard to tell. A black bra, a bustier. I wasn't sure if they were going out like this or if there was more to add. Maybe just shoes and accessories.

Alex was cross-legged on her bed with a makeup mirror balanced in front of her, loading on mascara. Her hair was enormous—twice the size of Robert Smith's, teased and sprayed into a dark halo. Without breaking her focus, she glanced up and said, "You guys look amazing.”

Kelly, on the other hand, squealed—actually squealed—and clapped her hands together before throwing her arms around Nathan in a full-body hug.

I lifted my eyebrows. She was wrapped around him like she'd won something.

Nathan looked stunned, his arms awkward at his sides, not really hugging her back. Kelly was murmuring something in his ear—I couldn't hear what—and when she finally pulled away, she spotted a smudge of her own lipstick on Nathan's neck.

"Oh no!" She was touching him now, rubbing at it with her thumb and only making it worse. “Guess it'll just look like another vampire got you."

I stared at the smear of red she'd left on him. I'd spent almost an hour perfecting his makeup, getting the pale base just right, the veins delicate and precise. And this girl had just destroyed it in a matter of seconds.

There was also lipstick on the collar of the pirate shirt. My pirate shirt.

Fuck.

"You guys want a vodka cranberry?" Kelly asked, a little too bright, a little too buzzed already.

Nathan said, “Sure.”

I couldn't hide it. I was beyond annoyed. I said, "I'm going outside to have a cigarette."

"Give me five minutes!” Alex yelled after me.

I left.

There were a lot of people out. Groups in costume heading toward the square, the energy building as we got closer. The whole town had shown up for this.

We walked four abreast—me and Nathan in the center together, Alex on my left, Kelly clinging to Nathan's arm on his right. Louis and Lestat were meant to be seen side by side. That was the whole point.

Kelly was swinging a tiny purse shaped like a coffin, talking about something I wasn't listening to. She had her finger waves pinned perfectly, dark lipstick, cheap plastic fangs. She looked like a silent movie star playing a vampire.

Alex looked like herself but more—bigger hair, darker makeup, fully realized goth slut, just like she'd promised.

I was kind of annoyed that the girls hadn’t commented on our specific characters. But then, we'd already discussed our costumes at dinner. They didn't have any reason to bring it up again. Or maybe Kelly didn't even know Louis and Lestat were a couple. And maybe Alex didn't want to draw attention to it—either because it might embarrass me or Nathan, or because it might make Kelly doubt her chances.

The Stone Lion was already crowded when we got there. The bouncers never carded women, but it was a hit-or-miss with guys. If you were cool enough, or looked old enough, or got lucky with whoever was working the door, you might get in. I'd gotten in once—a fluke, probably. Every other time I'd been turned away, and I was usually with Nathan.

I had a feeling it was because of him. I hated to think that, but I did.

Kelly and Alex walked right in, of course. We were stopped.

The bouncer said, "Sorry, guys." But he didn't look sorry at all.

It was humiliating.

Alex called back over her shoulder, "We won't be long! Just wanna see if he's here!"

Kelly's face fell. She clearly regretted not being stopped outside with Nathan.

I started moving down the sidewalk. "Come on. Fuck them. Let's go smoke."

We moved toward the alley a little ways down, where other people were milling around outside, smoking and talking. I pulled out my tobacco and papers and looked around for somewhere to squat and roll them. The cold brick wall. The curb. Nothing appealing.

I said, “Turn around. Let me use your shoulder.”