Stolen Sweetheart

Chapter 6

The beat of music pounded inside my head before I even took a step inside. Too fast, the abrupt rhythm banned any slow or dance to share eyes in the eyes, the discordant sound reverberated against the jailer walls of the gymnasium, tormenting students and chaperons... But the auditive torture seemed to be endured with smiles by willing prisoners. 

Teenagers laughing and jumping around became visible when I stepped out of the smoke clouding the entry. No one seemed to mind the electro-spooky song blasting form seemingly everywhere, so I resolved myself to end the night with a headache.

I wasn't against loud music, truely. I read with music at full volume in my headphones, but electro with all the sound effects and little to no melody tended to overwhelm me. Still, I shrugged the slight annoyance creeping in and took a deep breath : I had decided to have a fun night, and a shitty DJ wasn't going to get in the way of that.

"Let's go," I shouted over the music, pulling Miguel with me as I made my way through the crowd. 

I didn't know from where Sensei had got his costume, even less the make-up, but he'd been so proud of lending it to Miguel. Obviously, this skeleton outfit was 10 times better than my brother's previous option, and had made the most wholesome smile take over his face. I'd had to step in when they started applying said make up though ; their technique, or lack thereof, had been worthy of a crime scene.

Approaching the buffet, I spotted two familiar faces.

The next words from my brother told me he had too, "Hey, here's Demetri and Eli over there !"

We headed toward them, waving. Confusion painted their expressions for a moment before recognition flashed through their eyes as they looked at Miguel. By deduction, they knew the 5 foot 1 ghost was me.

"Oh, skeleton and ghost. So classic." Demetri said as a greeting.

Immediately, Classic by MKTO came to mind.

Before I could think better, I singed a bit of the chorus ; "You're over my head, I'm out of my mind. Thinking I was born in the wrong time. One of a kind, livin' in a world gone plastic, Baby, you're so Classic !"

The confused eyes void of any recollection Demetri fixated on me made my cheek burn in shame. What the hell was I doing ? Maybe the feverish mood had rubbed off on me... 

Curse those uninhibited vibes, I knew better than to ridicule myself by speaking up. 

As I was squirming, trying to come up with an excuse or just anything to change the subject, someone came to my rescue with another part of the lyrics :

"You're over my head, I'm out of my mind. Thinking I was born at the wrong time. It's love on rewind, everything is so throwback-ish," Eli hummed barely loud enough for us to hear, and paused to just speak the last line. "I kinda like it, like that."

Butterflies fluttered in my belly, my lips parting wordlessly in a surprise and thankful smile hidden behind my white sheets hanging around me. I didn't know whether to be grateful or not that Eli couldn't see the look on my face... Because if my costume covered my blush and sheepish grin, it also meant I looked like I was blankly staring at him.

We awkwardly stood face to face for an instant more, both our expressions concealed with masks and glasses before Eli broke the tensed yet unreserved eye contact.

"It's a song." He resumed, offering an explanation to a still confused Demetri. 

"Oh. Yeah figures... Anyway, nice you both." He gestured to our outfits.

"Thanks, I like your sorcerer costume."

"Sorcerer ?" He repeated, somehow offended at Miguel's compliment. "Please, I'm a necromancer. Didn't you see the amulette ?"