Killer

Chapter 7: There's No Event Like Homecoming

I stood in my bedroom on a Friday evening as the bright sun was slowly setting.

"C'mon, sis. Tighten up." I said to myself.

Highly anxious, I dabbed some dark eyeshadow on both of my eyelids, blinking in front of my mirror. I was new to this makeup thing since I hardly wore a lick of it. I looked at my gorgeous cocktail dress, which was bright red as a rose. Mila took me shopping right after school on Tuesday to take me to this store called Lulus, where I got my dress. It was a bit out of my price range, but Mila bought it for me with no hesitation. The material felt soft underneath my fingertips, and the dress itself was making my fair skin a bit noticeable. My blonde hair was in curls around my shoulders. I tried out different poses and pickup lines to see which one matched me the most. My lips were glossy and kissable tonight, and my shapely legs showed. My appearance was prettier compared to my plain-jane days of wearing long-sleeved shirts and leggings.

Outside my bedroom window, I could hear thudding noises coming from next door. I ran my fingers through my curled hair. At first, I thought my mom and Rick were drunkenly having sex, only to come to the understanding that they weren't home this evening. I told my mom two days ago I was going to Homecoming with some friends, and she said okay. She left with Rick to go to the local bar. Every Friday at a certain hour, they gave away free drinks to the customers.

I made my way outside to notice a long, dark limousine pulling up in minutes. Tre and his friends were here to pick me up with a fancy chauffeur, taking us all to homecoming. I had no idea how this night was going to go.

I got in and saw Tre and Charles looking sexy and handsome in their tuxedos and masquerade masks. And as far as the girls, Tegan wore a long, silky white dress with a leg slit out and some glittery heels. She paired the outfit with a diamond choker, and her dark hair was pulled up into a French-looking bun. Next to her was Mila, who was clad in a gold and black dress for homecoming. It was strapless and long, with feathers at the bottom. Her thick hair was slicked back into a low ponytail, and there was a gleaming masquerade mask on top of her forehead. And lastly, Quinn was in a marvelous mauve-colored satin dress. Each of them looked wealthy and sophisticated in a way.

"Look at you," Mila smiled, hyping me up. "You look like you came straight out of a fashion magazine. That dress and color are so you."

Charles looked at me in a flirtatious way. "Yeah, you look gorgeous."

"So pretty," Quinn complimented.

"Thanks," I said as I sat next to Tegan, who handed me a shot filled with something dark. It felt a bit strange that everyone, except for Tre, was being so nice to me. Just a few days ago, they were all assholes for no reason.

"Cheers to this amazing night!" Tre raised his shot.

Everyone raised their shot glasses and said this before taking a sip. "Cheers!"

"I am fine, thank you," I told them, placing my shot glass down. I refused to suffer the same fate.

"Kodak moment!" Quinn blurted and pulled her phone out. It seemed like no one heard what I said as everyone scooted in to take a group selfie.

"C'mon, Sunny," Mila said, reaching out and pulling my arm. "You have to get into this picture."

It was the most awkward selfie ever. The six of us were all crammed into the camera as we all flashed our smiles and made silly faces before the girls went off to duck their lips and stick out their tongues next. I believed a Kodak moment in the group was when they all got together to take a bunch of pictures. I looked weird in those pictures that Quinn took.

The parking lot of Tanglewood High was filled with cars everywhere I turned. A long rectangular banner that said "Masquerade on Bourbon Street" covered the entrance near the gymnasium. There were lights lit around the school property. Guys in suits and girls in beautiful dresses with masquerade masks and beads were walking toward the gymnasium as I smiled. Tonight was the night I was going to have fun and let loose.

Three school photographers took our pictures in front of a green screen before we went into the gym. Charles and Tegan moved out of the way for the people who wanted to take pictures and into the glamorous scenery. The regular gymnasium was converted into a ballroom-like New Orleans. There were circular tables covered with gold velvet, champagne glasses on top, feathers, and ribbons that sat near the food and drink table. Gold and green Christmas lights hung above the high ceiling, giving off a feeling of partying. It felt like I was standing on Bourbon Street right now. A group of freshmen girls came out of the weight room with loud laughter.

I couldn't help but look around and admire the work for this year's homecoming.

Tre tapped my shoulder and asked. "You want to dance?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Tre and I made our way to the dance floor, which contained people dancing to whatever the DJ played underneath the lights.

Tears For Fears — Everybody Wants to Rule The World

I took both of Tre's hands and spun him around despite our height difference, and he did the same for me. We then burst into giggles as I swung my arms wildly in the air while swaying my hips at the same time. Tre did the best impression of someone playing the guitar with his fingers to Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears. It was one of those songs that got everyone moving and happy. You would think we were two drunk teenagers dancing, but really we were having a good time and enjoying each other's company at Homecoming. We both found ourselves singing the lyrics out loud, saying that we didn't care who was looking in our direction.

I gazed into Tre's eyes. "I like this side of you."

Most of freedom and of pleasure. Nothing ever lasts forever. Everybody wants to rule the world.

"Really?" Tre said this and spun me around so that my back was up against his hardened chest. At that moment, I was back to square one with flirting with Tre after I recently told him that we should take things slow and understand each other.

"It's comforting," I whispered. I could feel his sweaty fingers brushing against the side of my thigh, dangerously close underneath my dress.

I was going to pull away and stop Tre until I saw something unexpected. Jace was sitting at a table not far from the dance floor. He wore a beige-colored tuxedo that contoured his slightly muscular frame without a masquerade mask. A champagne glass rested on the table in front of him, and he was alone as usual. He had this look in his piercing eyes, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I wanted to walk over and talk to him about why he had that angry scowl on his face that I had never seen before. He then got up and stormed away into the crowd somewhere.

Feeling like I was about to pass out, a flash of blonde hair broke Tre and me apart. I was super confused—so many things were happening so fast. "Hey, lovebirds!" I turned to see that it was Quinn who had jumped in between us. "Are you guys staying for the afterparty?"

I wanted to leave this enclosed feeling I was in. Someone tugged on my arm and asked. "Sunny, do you want to go to the afterparty with us?"

"I-I can't..." I looked around wildly. "I-I g-got to go to the bathroom."

I drifted away from Quinn and Tre, nearly knocking something down on the way. The dim lights blinked my vision as I spun around the gymnasium looking for a tall guy in a beige tuxedo. My heart was racing when I couldn't see Jace. I started to walk over toward the food and drink table and then the sitting area. I realized I had lost him.

He looked pissed through his eyes. I had to see what was going on with him and if he was okay. I didn't know he was going to be here tonight. I turned to my side to see that the double doors to the hallways had flown open.