“If I were you, I’d be a little overwhelmed,” Clare said to Taylor. There was a look of understanding in her blue eyes. “Promise not to introduce you to every single one of my friends tonight.”
Lexa and Khloe added their agreement.
Taylor and I went up the stairs, following my friends inside. Tay slowed as his eyes wandered around the giant room.
“Wow,” he said. “This is a party.”
Fog curled out of the machine Khloe had borrowed from the theater department, and mist covered the floor and added a spooky feel. Tables of all shapes and sizes were positioned around the room, and there was plenty of space in the middle for dancing. I knew Jill had been on table duty, and she’d nailed it. Every table was draped with a silver, purple, or black fabric. A pumpkin that fit the table size had a freshly carved face and a flickering votive inside. Benches with soft, cushioned black leather had been lined up along the wall for extra seating.
As if that wasn’t enough to look at, everyone had stuck to Khloe’s dress code. Or . . . maybe she’d tossed them at the door if someone hadn’t followed her “request,” aka “command,” to dress up.
Girls swayed to music in strapless, sleeveless, capped-sleeve, bubble, bandage, and every other type dress, and the variety of dress colors formed a kind of rainbow across the floor.
“Aren’t the masks the most beautiful part?” I asked Taylor.
“I’ve never seen anything like these. I was thinking Mardi Gras masks, but these are serious. They are so ornate and detailed.”
I nodded. “I did a lot of looking online. Some have ostrich plumes, some have rooster feathers—it all depends on what you want.”
“Let me see yours up close.”
I handed Taylor the stick of my mask. His thumb brushed my pinky when he grasped it. Months ago that would have made me shiver and do a Taylor-touched-my-hand cartwheel in my head.
This time? Nothing. Just our fingers touching for a half second on the braided silver fabric that covered the stick.
Taylor gingerly held my mask. “It’s so you, LT. I couldn’t see well enough in the moonlight. It’s pretty.”
I beamed. “Thanks!”
It had taken me hours to find the Venetian-style mask. It was the lightest silver with tiny pink rhinestones in random swirls and matching rosy pink around the eyes. Silver trimmed the mask’s edge, and on the side an oval-shaped crystal jewel hid the tips of the dozen whimsical, thin feathers that fanned to the outside of the mask. Taylor handed it back to me.
“Your masks are great too,” he said to my friends. He nodded at Lexa, Clare, and Khloe while looking over their masks.
I almost looped my arm through his. I was so excited about how well he was getting along with my friends. Each of them smiled, holding out their mask so Taylor could see.
Khloe’s mask was shiny white satin on a matching stick. On the right side a quarter-size rhinestone drew attention to an ostrich plume that was at least a foot long. Smaller feathers formed a half circle on the mask’s side.
Lexa offered Taylor her mask, and he took it and held it up to his face.
“Does this match my skin tone?” Taylor asked, batting his eyes.
Any worries I had about Taylor at Canterwood were gone. He felt like a Canterwood student, my friends seemed to like him, and I was excited to show him around campus tomorrow. Taylor just had a certain ease about him that made him fit in anywhere.
“Totally,” Lexa managed to say through her laughter. Clare, Khloe, and I were still giggling.
Taylor handed the shimmery black mask dotted with tiny pearls back to Lex. One of my favorite details of Lex’s très chic find were angel-hair-spaghetti-thin black wires that curled out from one side and had a cluster of pearls at their base.
“Don’t forget about mine,” Clare said. She held her mask up to her face. The deep purple mask had small black beads draped over it. It complemented her red hair and amethyst-colored dress.
Taylor told Clare how much he liked her mask and showed his to my friends. I couldn’t have been prouder or more relieved at how well he fit in. But I had to find Drew. I waited for an opportunity when everyone was talking, and I made eye contact with Lexa. I held her gaze and mouthed, Drew.
“Let’s get this night going!” Lexa said, brushing back her curls. “Khlo, can you grab us seats?” she asked.
Khloe nodded and disappeared into the crowded room of people dancing or sipping sparkling cider and pink lemonade, and groups that had clustered together to talk.
“Want to check out food and drinks with me, Taylor?” Clare asked. “We haven’t cut the cake yet—well, more like eaten the birthday cupcakes, but there are so many fun appetizers.”
“Thanks, Clare. I’m starving,” Taylor said.
“I worked on the menu, and we’ve got witch’s brew to drink, sugar cookies shaped like pumpkins with orange frosting, and peeled grapes if you’re in the mood for eyeballs.”
“I’m always craving eyeballs! Lead the way.”
Taylor followed Clare into the mix of people and toward the refreshments tables.
As they walked away, Clare turned her head around, giving me a quick wink.
“What was that for?” I asked Lexa, who was still beside me.
“Come over here!” Lexa tugged on my arm, practically dragging me into an empty corner of the ballroom. I almost had to jog to keep up with her.
“Oh my God, Lex!” I said as we stopped along the wall. “Taylor totally ambushed me!”
“You have to tell me everything, but first, Drew’s here and he’s been looking for you.”
“Drew’s here? He really came!” Taylor and everything that had just happened fled from my mind for a second as I reveled in the news that Drew was here.
Lexa waved her hand in front of my face. “You can freak out about that later. Clare and I kept covering for you.”
“Oh no . . .” My excitement was replaced with nervousness.
“Drew came up to me and said he’d been looking for you all over and couldn’t find you. He asked if I knew where you were. I had no clue, since I hadn’t even seen you leave. I told Drew that I didn’t know where you were but I’d tell you that he was looking for you.”
“Lex, I’m so sorry,” I said, rubbing my temples.
“I looked for you while trying not to seem like I was doing anything,” Lexa said. She smiled at a guy from our class as he walked by. “So,” she continued once the guy was gone, “I started to get worried when I couldn’t find you after a while. I kept telling myself it was the masks and maybe Drew had already found you and whisked you away on a carriage ride.”
“Instead I was really off talking to Taylor.”
“I asked Khloe if she’d seen you, but she was dancing with Zack and they were making googly eyes at each other. Totally not helpful.”
“I was gone at least half an hour,” I said. “What happened after you talked to Khloe?”
Someone turned down the music, and Lexa stepped closer. “Clare found me. She told me that Drew had asked her about you and she’d lied to him.”
“Lied how?”
“Clare had seen you and a guy she’d assumed was Drew go outside. But since Drew was standing in front of her and looking for you, Clare realized you’d left with another guy.”
I groaned. “This is so bad!”
“It could have been. Clare saved you—she told Drew that a group of your friends from English class had dragged you off on a carriage ride. Perfect timing, because the carriage was actually gone.”
“Did Drew see me outside?”
Lexa shook her head. “Don’t think so. Clare wrangled Khloe away from Zack for a few minutes and told her the deal. Khlo managed to get Zack and Drew into a show-off at who was better at pool.”
“So I made it back in time before—”
“Found you!”
I jumped at the voice behind me. I whirled around to see a wide-eyed, unmasked Drew.
“Sorry I scared you, L
auren,” he said. “Was the haunted trail ride really spooky?”
My mouth was dry. I had to tell him about Taylor, and my friends didn’t even know the whole story.
“Yeah, Lauren got out of the carriage after the ride was over and tracked me down to say I might have gone a teensy bit overboard with the glowing-eyed bats.” Lexa smiled at Drew and made a mock you’re a total wimp face at me.
“Happy birthday,” Drew said. “I got here late and then couldn’t find you. I’m glad I finally did.”
He took a step closer, and I could smell his body wash’s hint of grapefruit.
“Me too,” I said. “I’m so happy you came.”
Lexa tipped her head and took a step back, smiling. “I’ll see you two later.”
She was gone, leaving me to tell Drew what had happened tonight.
YOUR WISH ISN’T COMING TRUE
I STARED INTO DREW’S EYES. THEY LOOKED shades bluer tonight—if that was even possible.
“You look beautiful,” Drew said, his eyes not leaving mine. “I’m not sure what kind of dress that’s called, but whatever it is—it’s pretty on you.”
I laughed. “Thank you, and because you complimented me, I won’t take points off because you didn’t know that I’m wearing a spaghetti-strap dress with a sequin bodice, and if I said the rest, you’d probably be confused for the rest of the night.”
Drew twisted his mouth into an oops gesture. “Yeah . . . you lost me at ‘spaghetti-strap.’ ”
“I do know what you’re wearing,” I said. “The thin blue pinstripes are great against your white shirt, and I like the black jacket and matching pants.”
Drew wiped fake sweat off his brow. “Zack and I helped each other. At least I know one of us looks good.” He grinned. “And you haven’t even seen my mask yet.”
He held up a black mask with silver cross-stitching that covered his face from forehead to chin.
“I love it, but you better keep it off or we’ll lose each other again,” I said. “Here’s mine.” I put my mask up to my face, and Drew’s reaction was exactly what I’d hoped for. A smile spread across his face. He took a quick breath.
“Wow,” Drew said. “Lauren, that looks so cool on you.”
“I’m glad you like it,” I said.
I let my mind wander for a second. I wanted to stay behind my mask and dance in the ballroom.
“Want to dance?” Drew asked.
“Like you read my mind,” I said. “But first, can we go somewhere quiet to talk for a sec?”
Drew nodded. His eyes lingered on me for a second. “C’mon. I know a spot.”
He took my hand, and we sidestepped around clusters of people talking, dancing, and eating, until Drew stopped. He twisted an antique brass doorknob and pushed open a door that had been partially hidden by draped purple fabric.
We stepped into a dimly lit side hallway. It was narrow with brick walls on both sides. Iron-and-glass lanterns were spaced every few feet along both sides of the hall, and small bulbs emitted soft yellow light. At one end an EXIT sign glowed. The thick walls absorbed most of the music coming from the other side. I could actually hear myself think.
“Is this okay?” Drew asked. “It’s heated in here, at least, or we can go outside if you want.”
“This is perfect,” I said. “I needed a private space to talk to you.”
Drew, standing across from me, leaned his back against the brick wall. “Is everything okay?”
I was quiet. For a very long time.
“No. Not really,” I said finally. “Lex, Khlo, and my other friends were covering for me tonight. Something really unexpected happened, and they did what best friends do. I want you to hear the whole story from me before anyone else tells you.”
“You can talk to me,” Drew said. “Whatever it is—I want to know.”
I hope you really mean that and don’t storm out of here the second I’m finished.
“I’ve told you a little about Taylor Frost—my ex-boyfriend,” I said.
“Right. Mutual breakup.”
“Yes, and tonight Taylor came here.”
Drew’s eyes widened. “He came to Canterwood? For your birthday?”
I chewed the inside of my cheek. “Yes and no. He came to my party to surprise me and to tell me some incredibly huge news.” I looked down, not wanting to see Drew’s reaction. “Taylor applied and was accepted to Canterwood.”
Drew was silent for a moment. Every sound in the tiny hallway seemed amplified, and I heard both of us breathing.
“If he’s here, does that mean you want to get back together?” Drew asked. There was zero emotion in his tone—it gave me no sense of what he felt.
I shook my head, bringing my eyes to Drew’s. “No. No. I promise. I already told Taylor that you and I had just started something and I was not getting back with him.”
“Were you off talking?” Drew asked. “Is that what your friends were covering?”
“Taylor and I were talking, and yes, that’s why Lex and everyone covered for me. But they didn’t know Taylor was coming either.”
This was it. This was the moment when Drew was either going to walk away or stay with me.
“Drew, I want to tell you everything. I like you, and I don’t want to keep secrets. Taylor found me inside the ballroom, and I thought he was you. He had a mask covering his face and hair—I was so caught up in the party, the lighting was dim, and all I could think was ‘Drew actually came to my party!’ ”
“Laur, of course I was coming,” Drew said. “We must have been missing each other for a while inside.”
I nodded. “We definitely were. When Taylor found me, he led me outside and toward a carriage. I thought my birthday wish was about to come true.”
“What did you wish for?” Drew’s voice was soft.
“That you would kiss me on my birthday,” I said shyly, softly. “But I know that won’t happen now.”
“Why?”
“Because when Taylor took me outside, he kissed me. Drew, I’m so sorry!” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I thought Taylor was you until he kissed me. I knew something wasn’t right, and I pushed him away.” My voice bounced off the walls. “I was so furious at Taylor that I dragged him away from the ballroom and freaked out at him for kissing me, showing up without telling me, and just assuming he and I were getting back together.”
I opened my eyes and saw that Drew had straightened, no longer leaning against the wall.
“He kissed you?” Drew’s eyes were midnight blue.
I nodded.
“But you swear you don’t want to be with him. Even though he’s here now and you guys are—were—friends. You do not want to be with Taylor.”
I clutched my mask stick so hard, I thought it would crack. “I don’t. I don’t want to be with Taylor. Whether he’s here or at home. I want to keep going out with you.”
I took a step toward him, and our faces were inches apart. He had to know everything. I didn’t want to lose him.
“I really like you, Drew, and I’m so sorry I got swept up in my party. There’s no excuse. If I were you, I’d be so offended that I’d even thought for a second that someone else was you.”
We looked at each other. It felt as though all of the oxygen was disappearing from the hallway. There wasn’t room for Drew to back up, and my feet were rooted to the ground. My knees felt like they’d give out if I moved.
“Lauren, your birthday wish isn’t coming true tonight.”
THE PIRATE AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE
I KNEW, I JUST KNEW, THAT DREW WAS GOING to break up with me. But I didn’t know it would feel like this.
Tears made his shape blurry, and I stepped back, resting my back against the wall. I wanted Drew to just walk out the door. I’d embarrassed him enough. I wasn’t going to beg him to accept my apology.
Shoes shuffled, and two cool hands touched my elbows.
“Look at me,” Drew said, his voice gentle.
I gazed up at him, trying
to keep my chin from wobbling.
“I’m not breaking up with you. What I meant was, I wanted to kiss you on your birthday too. It was going to be a special night for both of us. But because of . . .” Drew swallowed. “Taylor, that’s not how I want our first kiss to be. It’ll happen on a night just for us—you and me—when I’m the first one to kiss you.”
“You—you’re not—but I—”
Drew touched my chin, making my queasy stomach a little calmer. “You didn’t cause anything that happened tonight. I know you like me, and you’re honest. If you had kissed Taylor and felt something, you would have told me. Or you could have kept this whole thing to yourself. But that’s not you.”
“I’d never keep anything like that from you.”
“I know. You’re honest, Laur, and that’s part of why I like you.” He smiled. “I mean, I really don’t want to think about another guy kissing you. Let alone the fact that he’s an ex. But it happened, and you came to me with the truth. I’d be pretty dumb and egotistical to stop seeing this girl that I like over a really big misunderstanding.”
I raised an eyebrow and touched my pointer finger to my chin. “You like a girl? Who is she?”
Drew laughed. It was the way he laughed that I knew we were okay. His laughter reached deep down into his belly, making his shoulders shake a little. It was the type of laugh that couldn’t be faked. His great laugh was one of the things I’d been drawn to when we’d met.
Drew took my hand in his and bubbles tickled my stomach.
“Ready to party, birthday girl?” he asked.
“So ready,” I said. “Full disclosure—Taylor’s in there. I invited him because—”
Drew squeezed my hand. “Hey, you don’t have to explain that to me. I want to go inside, have fun, and make this an awesome night for you. If Taylor’s the guy you’ve told me about, then we’re not going to have a problem.”
I squeezed Drew’s hand back, and he reached for the doorknob. Together we stepped out of the hallway. Forcing away any lingering worries, I let Drew lead me to the dance floor.
Jealousy Page 3