. : HELLACIOUS : .

The Party

I'm a fool.

The biggest fool that ever was.

Kash paced around their bedroom, sorting through all six whopping articles of second hand clothing they owned.

The D'Jinn had experienced a century of intense mental, physical, and emotional abuse but somehow all of that paled in comparison to their first real social interaction with someone who wasn't an evil bastard or being brainwashed into loving said evil bastard.

Malcolm's friends are probably all really hip. Cool cats. Swell people.

That's what people say today, right?

Thankfully Billy hadn't been in too bad a mood so Kash was free for the weekend. They briefly considered not showing up. Maybe avoiding the university completely. Or never leaving 587 Redwater Lane again.

Why does it even matter? Nothing worthwhile can come from this.

As soon as I get comfortable he'll find something wrong with Roz and then we'll move again and then-

No, Kash thought. That's exactly what Billy wants. He wants me alone and afraid.

It's my job- no, it's my mission - to prove him wrong about D'Jinns. About me.

I'm going to this party even if it kills me.

Kash sighed at the pitiful options folded on their twin bed.

I just wish I didn't have to go looking like a bum.

I didn't have a problem wearing these last week. What changed from then to now?

You want to make a good impression, a quiet voice explained. You want to be liked. That's normal. It's okay.

Kash appreciated the quiet voice.

Who didn't want to be liked?

A knock sounded at Kash's door.

"Hey Kash! It's Roz. May I come in?"

The D'Jinn allowed the wife inside, her ginger perfume trailing behind her like train smoke.

"How you liking the room?"

"It's better than the cellar."

"Goodness, a landfill is better than the cellar, darling. The Bear argued a bit but in the end Roz always gets her way. Oh, I have a little something for you." The waitress pulled a large parcel in from the hallway. "Since you're going out into town now I figured you'd want nicer threads than those rags Billy got you."

Kash stared at the box in disbelief.

"For me?"

"Yes, for you. Who else could it be for?" Roz's tinkling laughter was like the chime of a cuckoo clock. "Go on, open it."

Kash stripped the cardboard and pulled out the fabric within.

Skirts. Dresses. Fitted slacks. Denim jeans. A blazer. A sportcoat. Button ups. A pair of Mary Janes and polished men's oxfords waited at the bottom like an old married couple.

And the best part? A leather jacket with red threading.

But the best best part? The black pillbox clip-on and the straw pork-pie hat Roz pulled from behind her back like a damn magician.

All the clothes followed the same maroon color scheme, so Kash could mix and match the pieces from either gender and still look presentable.

"Do you like?" Roz eagerly asked.