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Dad finally came back to the booth, food in hand. The night was waning on and I didn’t expect many more little kids needing last-minute costumes in the form of face paint so I put the kit away and wiped my hands. “You guys are good here? Think I’m gonna go get ice cream or something. I think Aaron is here too.”
“Have fun!” Mom called. “Oh, and I think I saw Karina around her earlier. Say hi to her when you find her!”
“Right,” I said, already making a beeline for a group of girls in front of me.
They were dressed as pirates, I think. “Hey. Rosalie, right?” I asked.
Her head whipped around and nodded. “Trask, right? Where’s your costume?”
I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my white shirt to display the top part of my superman undershirt.
Rosalie rolled her eyes. “Original. It’s been a while. Everything okay?” The group she was with slowly dissipated.
“Have you seen Eliza? Is she going to be here tonight? I texted her, but she didn’t respond.”
“Yeah, she usually doesn’t,” Rosalie snorted. “We were hanging out earlier, but she went in search of a snack. I lost my boyfriend who happens to be holding onto my phone so there’s that. I think Eliza was tired of being a third wheel.”
I laughed. “I know the feeling.” I was hoping to walk away, look for Eliza but Rosalie’s quiet voice stopped me.
“You and Eliza, you’re friends?”
I nodded. “I’d like to think so, but it’s hard to tell,” I admitted.
“Huh,” Rosalie shrugged. “And Karina is okay with that?”
“You know Karina? And we aren’t together, haven’t been for a long time.”
Rosalie bit her lip, clearly wishing she hadn’t said anything. “Well yeah. I mean, Eliza and I knew her a bit when we were in high school you know, but we kind of lost touch.”
“I feel like there is something there,” I pressed.
“It’s Eliza's story to tell,” Rosalie said. “It’s okay, just not my place to explain. Go find her, I think she was planning on getting that elephant ear and walking around the art booths.”
“Thanks,” I said, walking toward the food carts.
“Good luck finding her in her costume!” Rosalie yelled over her shoulder as she disappeared into the crowd.
Eliza didn’t seem like the type of person to particularly enjoy costumes. I scanned the crowds, between the hats, wigs, face paint, and overall poor light, I struggled. Then I changed my tactic and was rewarded by the sight of Eliza's signature boots. My eyes trailed up her body and I couldn’t hide my amusement.
“Boo,” I said as I walked up to her.
She swung around. “Oh, it’s you.”
“Original costume,” I said, tugging at the sheet she wore over her body. Her arms were sticking out of the sides and she held an elephant ear on a plate.
She shrugged. “It was convenient, and the anonymity is nice.”
“Not so anonymous when I can figure out who you are based on the shoes you wear.”
“Clever,” she said, and even though I couldn’t see her face, I could tell she was smiling.
“Can you even see through that?” I asked, holding up a corner of the white bedsheet to my face.
“Better than you’d think. It’s pretty thin,” she laughed. “What are you doing here? Didn’t think this was your scene.”
“I was gonna say the same about you. I was helping my parents with their booth. I texted you.”
“I’m here for the obscenely sweet things.” She ripped off part of the sugary dough and her hand disappeared under the sheet. “So good!” She bumped into someone. “Sorry,” she said. Then pumped into another. “Sorry!”
