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THE HALLOWEEN SHOP BETH and I were in Monday night, after we’d worked was the size of a warehouse. If she hadn’t dragged me here, I wouldn’t have gotten a costume because I’d wanted to drink a glass of ice coffee and read more of my latest romance novel. There were accessories, costumes, masks, props, make-up, and novelty items I hadn’t seen here before. The sound of a witch echoed inside. Kids were running around and some were touching the mannequins, when the sales associates had asked not to a handful of times. This place made the main clothing store in Franklin Parks look like a small closet filled with some merchandise. There were so many pretty corsets and cat suits that I’d had a tough choice deciding which outfit I’d wanted, until I looked at my checkbook while Beth walked down the aisle and selected the most affordable one.
Beth returned with a white baby doll dress and a blonde wig that had waves and curls in the ends; a Marilyn Monroe dress that actually resembled that famous dress she’d worn decades ago that had caused a frenzy.
“Should I get it, or go for the royal blue and red fifties outfit I showed you when we came in?”
“This is the one,” I insisted.
Beth pursed her lips and the corners of her mouth quirked up. Naturally, she was a beautifully curvy girl.
She hadn’t tried diets or complained about her body. I believed that she wouldn’t change one thing about how she looked—flaws and all. She didn’t fuss over some of the stretch marks or cellulite she had. I used to wish that I’d have curves like her, but puberty proved to be fail me in that area. I was rail thin, unlike women from either side of my family. I had my mother’s dark eyes, dark hair, and some of her facial features, but I stood out like a sore thumb in Franklin Parks.
She flicked her eyes over to my cat suit and I gave it to her so she could inspect it. Fanning herself, she said, “Now this is what I was talkin’ about! I don’t think you’ve worn pants since we were in the playground in kindergarten. And this is exactly how you should step your of your dress habit for the party Wednesday night. Scott will regret playing with your heart.”
Beth handed the suit back to me and I looked at it again. I couldn’t wait to wear it and make believe I was another person for a night: adventurous, carefree, and bold. “He didn’t play with my heart. We wanted different things.”
“Maybe so.” She turned her head around and scanned the room. “We have to get shoes and some funky make-up. What costume should I get Brianna? She wouldn’t want anything tight, like your cat suit.”
“I didn’t know Bri was coming. She does have school the next day, Beth.”
“I am aware.” She shook her head. “Gavin will pick her up after the party. She needs to unload just like you do, okay?”
I nodded and we went to the other aisles of the costume store to find that outfit that would make Bri comfortable with being silly, but also good about how she looked at the same time.
***
WHEN BETH AND I returned to our dorm room, Jake was putting a cover on his mattress and he was in his t-shirt and pajama pants. We put down our shopping bags and inhaled the scent of seasoned food. We’d thought we smelled food being cooked when we were in the hallway. I assumed that someone may have been cooking or microwaving a TV dinner in the community kitchen. But we looked at our table and saw grilled chicken and tostones. Jake had even made Beth’s favorite drink, a morir soñado, and an ice coffee for me, which was next to my plate. Beth kissed him on his cheek and he wiped the side of his face on his shoulder like Pete did.
“This is why I love you,” Beth said, knowing how much he hated to hear it.
“That isn’t the only reason,” he said with a smirk and gestured for us to start eating. We took our plates and went to our beds.
“And we were going to pick something up from the drive-thru, but Mariska said she’d make ramen noodles,” Beth said.
“You won’t have to suffer through Mariska’s mushy ramen noodles until Friday or Saturday.”
I punched him on the arm. “It’s either my mushy noodles or Beth’s crunchy noodles. Which one do you think is more edible?”
Jake lifted a side of his face and gesticulated his arms toward our plates. “Clearly, what you’re eating is more edible. Looks like you bought up the whole store, Beth.”
“I had to get some extra stuff. The football team did win, so Chase and I are going to celebrate this weekend.” Jake put his fingers in his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. With a small grin, she reached for her drink and changed the subject. “Is Jut using the room again?”
He nodded. “All of them let Michelle and me have the room this weekend, so she was able to run down here when she was on duty and was paged by one of the girls here, or another R.A.”
Beth sent me the “I-told-you-so” look. I’d assumed that Michelle wouldn’t give in to Jake, but most girls that Beth and I knew couldn’t resist our brother. She walked toward me to take my plate, but Jake reached for them.
“Go get comfy and I’ll wash these plates in the kitchen sink,” he said and Beth glided the plates into his hands. “You staying here tonight, or are you going to Chase’s?”
“I’ll be staying in with you guys.”
He nodded. “You two have any room for dessert?”
Beth and I looked at him as if he had to ask that question. I’d make room for whatever he made, just like I did for Bri’s desserts. I was with my best friends like old times and about to eat dessert. There wasn’t anything else I wanted in this moment.
Chapter 15
Mariska
“ARE YOU HIDING FROM Hunter?” Jill asked me, after I’d gotten my giftwrapped box out of my tote in the employee room of La Caridad late Wednesday afternoon. The day seemed to be dragging on, and tonight couldn’t arrive soon enough. We were short today. Four of the other waiters called in sick today and this was the only moment I’d had to myself, before Jill came into the employee locker room.
