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“He won’t kill me,” I say with confidence, making Edie laugh. We’ve just spent the last two hours together getting ready for this party and while I don’t know exactly what she did to me makeup-wise, when I looked in the mirror after she was done, it was like I was staring back at a different person. My face was completely transformed. I somehow still looked like me, but an enhanced version. It’s wild.
I hope Arch likes it.
“No, he definitely won’t kill you. More like he’ll take one look at you and want to drag you away so you two can be alone. You look cute, Daisy,” Edie says for about the thousandth time.
“You really think so? You don’t think my costume idea is dumb?” I’m second-guessing myself constantly tonight and I’m starting to annoy even myself.
“Not at all. Once he figures it out, he’s going to love it,” Edie assures me.
I hope she’s right.
When the ruins come into view, I go instantly into search mode, looking for Arch. There are so many people here, and while there are some I recognize, a lot of them are wearing masks, or a wig, or a lot of makeup, which makes it hard to figure out who they are. And all of the costumes are so clever that I doubt my choice yet again, especially when I glance over at Edie and see how great she looks in her red 1920s flapper costume. She’s got so much fringe on her dress that shakes when she walks, ropes of long pearls around her neck and a feather in her hair. She looks amazing.
While I just look like myself with a bunch of makeup on my face. Big deal.
“Your nerves are showing,” Edie says, bumping her shoulder into mine.
“What do you mean?” I turn to her, my steps slowing, dread coating my insides. I’m tempted to bolt. I feel like a fraud. Like I don’t belong here.
And then I remember that I’ve made friends and I’ve got Arch and I need to get over my old anxiety once and for all.
“You look scared to death.” Edie wraps her arm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze. “We need to find Arch before you run away and never come back.”
How can someone I’ve only known for a little while already have me so easily figured out? Maybe I’m just that obvious.
“I’m not going to run away,” I say firmly. “Maybe I should drink something. It might calm my nerves.”
“Liquid courage?”
“Yeah.” I laugh. “I think I need it.”
Putting on a brave smile, I let Edie take my hand and lead me up the rickety old stairs of the building. All sorts of people greet her and I realize she’s the star of tonight. A Lancaster in her element.
I’m sure that means Arch is a star too. He always is. Everyone wants to be around him. With him. I get it. I’m drawn to his magnetism and when he flashes that secret smile that seems to be only for me? I want to melt.
Idomelt.
God, where is he? I need to see him.
Once we’ve gone through the house and there’s no Arch in sight, we go get something to drink at the temporary bar that’s been set up by the side of the house. I take a cup of beer and when I sip it, I get nothing but foam, which is gross. I toss the cup in a nearby trashcan.
Pretty sure beer isn’t for me.
There are so many people here and they all enthusiastically greet Edie, and some of them even greet me, saying my name and everything.
“I figured they didn’t know who I was,” I say after about the tenth person said hi to me.
Edie rolls her eyes. “You’ve gone here the entirety of high school. They definitely know who you are.”
I take a step back when a huge group of people head in our direction, all of them pushing past us to get to the bar. I lose sight of Edie at one point, there are so many people between us, and my heart drops when I hear a familiar voice.
“Edie! Fucking finally. Where’s Daisy?”
Edie’s laughter is coy. “She’s around.”
The crowd dissipates slowly, revealing Arch standing between us, his back to me. He’s wearing a charcoal gray suit that fits him to perfection and I wonder what he’s supposed to be when he turns and faces me. The tamed hair, the fake glasses and his slightly undone shirt, revealing the hint of an S on the shirt beneath gives it away.
My Superman.
