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I smirk as I lift out the costume and hold it up against my body, and when I look back down into the box, I notice another set of tissue paper, and another card. I pick it up and flip it over and I smile wide as I read it and pass it over to Shelby.
She scrunches her face up as she takes it. “For me?” I nod. She reads the words there as I open the second set of tissue paper.
Don’t worry Red, we didn't forget about you.
Inside the second set of tissue paper is a beautiful second costume for her, the red queen. I feel elation taking over my body at the fact they not only remembered my idea from last year, but that they got me the perfect costume. I was dying to dress up as Alice, and Vanessa was dying to be the red queen. She might not be here, but they remembered, they included this for my friend. I don’t know whether that’s to just be nice or ensure my attendance but either way I feel grateful.
“Alice in Wonderland?” Shelby muses aloud and I nod.
“It was a stupid bet punishment I had in mind last year,” I start, still admiring the two costumes and lost to the memory. “I’d set a bet for the guys but I wanted them to fail. I really wanted to be Alice, but didn’t want to dress up alone.” My smile is still plastered across my face as I think about the times they would tease and refuse me. “I didn’t think they would remember. Or go out of their way to have you dress up with me.”
Shelby snorts, “B, please, anyone with half a brain can see those boys are still obsessed with you.”
My head is already shaking. “I told you, it’s not like that.” The words feel empty as I say them. Especially when I know what Elias' lips feel like against mine. What it feels like to gag around Z’s cock as he stares at me with unrestrained lust in his eyes. How can I still hide behind those words when those two have already smashed through them?
“If so you say,” she mutters beneath her breath, before clearing her throat and adding louder, “But we are totally going right?” She picks up the invitation that was folded inside the original card and reads over it. I can tell she is excited and wants to go, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not after what happened last week.
My mind strays to Carson, I haven’t seen him for a week, and I’m sure he has only been okay with that because he knows I was away from everyone else. Completely isolated. That will change as soon as he realizes I am back on campus. I’m not sure returning to a Halloween party with the guys is the best idea.
ChapterThirty
Turnsout I shouldn't have worried about the Halloween party after all. My attendance is expected by multiple parties now.
I glare down at the text on my screen. Nothing more than the date, time, and location. Carson hasn’t been bothering with any frivolities in the last couple days. Affectionate and adoring in public, but colder and harder the longer I manage to avoid being trapped behind closed doors with him.
Our only interactions this week have been the breakfast date I still dutifully attend on the day we agreed to. Sunday morning was a new type of torture having to look him in the eye and smile after hiding for a week.
You could almost believe he was gentle and caring as he pressed kisses against my shoulder and temples. Constantly seeking out little flashes of my skin to press his lips against, praising me every few moments. A cacophony of bullshit to try and make me forget just how awful he is, as if I could. To lull me into a false sense of security and compliance until he has everything he wants and I can’t recognize the girl looking back at me in the mirror.
Detaching from my emotions is never any easier than it is in moments like that. When Carson plays at being the nice guy. Nice guys are always just wolves in sheep’s clothing. Waiting for the opportunity to sink their teeth into your flesh and never let you go.
His frustration with me is boiling over. The carrot doesn’t work, which means it’s only a matter of time before he falls back to his stick. I sigh, looking over at the costume hanging on the back of the closet door. I don’t have anything else to wear and it does fit perfectly. I already have the long blonde hair and big blue eyes to pull off Alice easily.
I no longer am sure that I even want to attend the party now that it’s been demanded of me, but if I want to continue to avoid that stick I know I have no choice. I’ve been dragging my feet long enough as if I really had any decision to make.
All I can do now is fortify my armor and keep my head held high.
I’m just finishing my hair and makeup when I hear the door to our dorm open and Shelby’s voice calls out to me. I smile as I push the blue headband past my forehead and into my hair, pulling my hair back out of my face while it falls in loose waves around my shoulders.
“Coming,” I answer back as I fix the sleeves on the white long sleeve shirt I plan on wearing under the costume. I won’t be putting on the costume until it’s time to leave. I walk into our room and Shelby squeals as she sees me. “Even without the dress you make a perfect Alice!”
I chuckle at her excitement, letting it wash over me, infect me. I want to enjoy this too. Want to reap my rewards and have a good night. I don’t want Carson to ruin anything else for me. A positive attitude never hurt anyone. I can’t let my fear ruin everything for me. I’ll never survive to the end of this if I do.
“Let’s get your hair and makeup done.” She follows me into the bathroom and I find it oddly therapeutic to do her makeup and hair as she watches with rapt attention. I do much darker eye makeup than she would ever do on herself but she looks like a total fox with the deep smokey eyes that brings out her eyes. I pair it with a bold red lip. It’ll match perfectly with the costume the guys had ordered for her.
We both get dressed, careful not to undo all of our hard work so far. The smile that spreads across my face is natural as I take us in. I have to give it to us, we look incredible. A contrast of light and dark just like our characters in the movie. I choose to push all my other worries away and focus on having a good night with Shelby.
She must have the same idea because she pulls a bottle of tequila out from under her bed and pours us shots. I don’t blanch at her like I have in the past, but I still grimace as the burning liquid slides down my throat. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to drink that stuff with a straight face.
I send the obligatory text to Carson that I’m leaving for the party and will see him there as Shelby hooks her arm in mine and leads me out of the dorm.
“Oh wait.” I stop and pull my arm from hers. “I forgot something.” She waits at the door for me as I rush back into the bathroom. I pour a couple of my painkillers into my hand as well as some of the vitamins we have. I walk back up to Shelby and drop a couple of the vitamins into her hand before grabbing and opening the bottle of tequila. I swallow down the painkillers before handing the bottle back to her. “Vitamins to help prevent a hangover.”
She rolls her eyes at me but swallows the vitamins down anyway.
Greek Row is already in full swing with multiple parties going on that people are freely mingling between, making even the street feel like a party all on its own. Shelby’s hand tightens around my bicep as the crowd sucks us in. We trade looks and both laugh as a man dressed as a baby pushes past us in only a diaper and a pacifier.
I pull her closer to me as her eyes dart around the chaos. Greek Row is usually pretty chaotic on any given party night, but nothing ever quite like this. Halloween is the biggest excuse for all students to party and the BSU staff make special exceptions for the holiday and look the other way.
