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Chapter One
Sophie
I knew I should have taken an Uber to this thing.
Sighing, I turn the steering wheel and try to maneuver into a too-small spot in the too-full driveway.
Everyone is here tonight.
The thought causes my introverted soul to shrivel, but after being a hermit the entire last year of high school, I promised Mom I would make an effort in college.
Since school started at the end of August, things haven’t been much different from high school—except for the class schedule—but when my roommate invited me to this Halloween party tonight, I knew I had to go.
Once I park the car, I grab my little denim purse and climb out. Nervously fidgeting with my too-short cut-offs, I glance around, hoping no one sees me. These stupid things keep riding up.
I neverwear shorts this short, but it’s a costume party, and I decided to come as a farm girl. It was the best thing I could put together with stuff I already had in my dresser.
I might be willing to put myself out there and come to this party, but I wasn’t about to waste sixty dollars on some slutty pirate costume on top of it.
My blond hair is braided and in pigtails. I’m wearing a flannel top with the front tucked into my tiny denim shorts. The best part of this costume is that as I enter the sprawlingmansion, I see girls in painful-looking heels all over the place, but here I am in a comfy pair of ankle boots.
Nailed it.
I’m not overly stylish anyway. I prize comfort over beauty, and fashion tends not to. My feet wouldn’t even know how to react if I tried to squeeze them into a pair of high heels.
The loud music hurts my ears as I pass through the entryway and into the first room full of people. I want to escape the speakers, so I quickly go deeper into the house.
I search the room full of faces. Some I’ve at least seen before, but others are strangers. A random guy makes eye contact with me, making my heart beat a little faster, and my nerves start to fray.
I veer into a hallway to get away from him.
Am I really ready for this?
Maybe not, but I’m here now. Better make the best of it.
I scan the crowd in this new room for a familiar face, someone safe and comfortable I can talk to.
I should’ve come with Kendra, but I didn’t want to be stuck without a ride in the very likely event that I decide to leave early. Plus, not having my roommate to lean on would force me to socialize.
I haven’t really met many people at college yet. There are people in my classes I’ve exchanged casual smiles with, but I’ve been too shy to say much outside of the typical schoolroom niceties.
None of these people look familiar, though.
For a panicked moment, I wonder if I’m at the right house. What if I got the address wrong and came to the wrong stupid Halloween party?
Before I can work myself into too much of a panic, I spot a group of girls from my Spanish class gathered near the refreshments table. I paste on a quick smile, but they quickly look away when they catch me looking at them.
My smile drops.
I guess they don’t want to talk to me.
I take a deep breath and try to ignore the impulse to take this as a sign and flee. I could so easily turn around and go right back to my dorm…
But no, I promised Mom I would try. I have to give it a real shot.
Forcing myself to socialize makes me anxious, so I focus on the home itself.
Some rich guy on campus is throwing this party, and he lives in his family’s classy old-money Boston mansion. It’s decked out for Halloween with candles flickering inside ornately carved jack-o’-lanterns and fake cobwebs in every corner, but the home’s classical decor and history lend an air of authenticity to the spooky vibe.
