Empire High Betrayal

by Ivy Smoak

  “She can’t do anything terrible to you here. You have the Pruitts’ security and the Caldwells’ security. If she makes one mean peep about you, they’ll kick her out on her ass.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know so.” Kennedy stood up. “The party is going to start any minute. Come on, we need to go explore. I hope they have fire dancers this year!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door.

  I was excited about the party. But the knots in my stomach didn’t go away as we stepped out into the hall. I knew Kennedy was right. Isabella couldn’t get away with doing anything to me here. But I had a really bad feeling about tonight. And the fake blood dripping from the bannisters didn’t really help.

  Chapter 28

  Saturday

  The decorations made me feel like I was at the Pruitts’ apartment instead of at Matt’s mansion. Or maybe it was just the haunting music and the creepy vibe in the air. I was used to the Caldwells’ house feeling warm and safe, despite its décor. But there was a definite chill in the air tonight. And I had a feeling Isabella was already here.

  I didn’t know how the fake blood was constantly dripping from everywhere. It had to be water fountains with red dye, but it looked so real. I leaned forward to inspect some of the red water.

  “You girls look stunning.”

  I jumped.

  Kennedy screamed.

  And Mrs. Caldwell laughed. “It’s just me.”

  “You scared us half to death,” Kennedy said. She was clutching her genie lamp to her chest like it could protect her from monsters. “But you look amazing, Mrs. Caldwell.”

  She smiled.

  I was pretty sure Mrs. Caldwell was dressed like the woman from Psycho. After she’d been murdered in the shower. She’d somehow made her hair look wet, she had a bath towel wrapped around her, and fake blood was splattered on the side of her neck. Some of the blood was on the towel too. She really did look terrifying. I wondered if most people were going as horrifying things like her. If so, tonight was definitely going to be scary.

  “Have you two seen all the decorations in the ballroom yet? I think we’ve topped last year for sure.” She glanced at her watch. “I better go check in with the caterers though. I’ll be back in a bit for our big plan regarding a certain someone’s crush on Robert.” She winked at us and hurried off.

  “I’m seriously regretting telling her I liked Rob,” Kennedy said as we ducked beneath a spider web. “What on earth do you think she has planned to push us together?”

  I stepped around a pond in the foyer with red water in it. “A blood bath?”

  Kennedy laughed and then screamed as a skeleton swung down from the ceiling on our way to the ballroom.

  “God.” I pushed the skeleton to the side. “I’m going to have a heart attack tonight.” And then I screamed when a fog machine kicked on.

  Kennedy grabbed my arm. “We should have had Matt walk with us.”

  “He told me to wait for him in the ballroom. Something about making an entrance.”

  “I thought he was joking about that. You really have no idea what he’s dressing up as?”

  I shook my head. “Are those eyes following us?” I pointed to a row of portraits that weren’t normally in the hall.

  “This is giving me the creeps.” Kennedy stepped closer and then backed up, hitting me. “Yeah, there’s definitely people behind those. Stop staring at us!”

  One of the pictures blinked and we both screamed. Kennedy started running down the hall.

  “Wait for me!” Something popped out of a coffin leaning against the wall. But I was running too fast to even see what it was.

  Kennedy stopped and I almost ran into her.

  “Oh wow,” she said. “It’s even more amazing than I’d heard.”

  The “Enter if You Dare” sign above our heads looked like it was written in blood. But beyond the double doors into the ballroom was a completely different vibe. The whole ballroom floor was covered in fog. There was a huge thing that looked like a witch’s cauldron in the corner. But it was actually a stage for the DJ. The smoke was bubbling from the top of it, pouring out over the room, reaching towards every corner of the ballroom.

  There were lights running up the sides of the walls that looked like floating ghosts. Every inch of the ceiling was covered in interwoven spider webs. And black crystal spiders hung down from them. The bar in the corner had rows and rows of goblets filled to the brim of some red signature drink. Gold candelabras held tall white candles that were dripping wax. And the bar itself was a nod to the old Hollywood theme. It was wrapped in what looked like huge video film, each piece of film splattered with red shiny fake blood. There was a pumpkin patch in the corner filled with white pumpkins with gold stems that looked like they doubled as seats for when people grew tired from dancing. All of it was hauntingly beautiful.

  “Maybe I won’t have a heart attack after all,” I said with a laugh. “It’s almost pretty.”

  “It really is. I bet this is how your wedding is going to be. Like so over the top amazing. I can’t even wait!”

  I hoped my wedding reception didn’t look just like this. It was still a little scary. I didn’t want the main theme of my wedding to be horror.

  Guests started coming in through the doors behind us. There were gasps of appreciation. And the DJ started with some light music as waiters dressed as zombified old-fashioned movie attendants flooded the floor holding trays of hors d’oeuvres. I tried to avoid the zombie waiters because they looked like they really did just rise from the dead to come eat human flesh.

  “Look, there’s Felix!” Kennedy said and waved him over.

  He was wearing the signature bandana of the boy from Karate Kid on his forehead. But otherwise he was just wearing a gray sweatshirt and a pair of worn jeans.

  “You two went all out,” he said and gave us each a hug. “You look great, newb. And Kennedy, you look amazing.”

  I looked back and forth between them. He’d said I looked great. But he said Kennedy looked amazing. Amazing! Had she caught that too? I knew that Kennedy said she liked Rob. But I was pretty sure she loved Felix.

  Kennedy shrugged. “Thanks, weirdo. I’d tell you the same, but you barely even tried.” She waved her hand in front of his sweatshirt.

  “Hey, the karate kid wore a sweatshirt at some point in the movie,” Felix said.

  “Are you sure about that?” she asked.

  He laughed. “No, I’m not positive. You got me.” He looked up at the spider webbed ceiling. “This is insane.” He let his gaze drop back down to me. “So this is your new home, huh?”

  “At least until Isabella graduates. I don’t really know what will happen after that.” It was strange that Matt and I hadn’t talked about it. We were going to be married. A fact that I was still getting used to hearing out loud. So then what? I thought about the apartment that my dad had saved for me. That seemed like a good place to go. Would Matt’s parents let him move out? Would my dad allow it?

  My dad. I bit the inside of my lip. I hadn’t seen my dad all week. Just a few phone calls with him checking in. I figured dropping the news about my wedding date would be better done in person. So I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him yet. But I really needed to soon. Justin was probably already calling him for details. Shit. My dad approved of Matt as a second choice to Mason. I still got the feeling that he was hoping I’d change my mind though. And the whole mobster thing? I felt the distance between us. And not telling him that we’d picked a date wasn’t helping anything. I wished he really would walk through the doors dressed like Al Pacino in The Godfather. At least then it would confirm my suspicions and I could actually talk to him.

  “Earth to Brooklyn,” Kennedy said and waved her hand in front of my face.

  “What?”

  Kennedy laughed. “Do you want a drink?”

  “No, you two go ahead. I’m gonna wait for Matt.”

  I watched Kennedy and Felix walk over to the bar. I kept my
eyes trained on the door. My thoughts were all colliding in my head. And I kept getting shivers down my spine. I turned around, but no one was even looking at me. When I turned back to the door, I watched Rob, James, and Rachel walk in.

  Rob was dressed like Rocky. He even had a bruise around his eye and boxing gloves. James and Rachel were dressed up as…well, I wasn’t really sure. James had on a tuxedo with a white jacket. And Rachel was in some ridiculously revealing bikini. My guess was they were going as…themselves? I really had no idea what movie their outfits could be from. I hoped I was disappearing in the fog. But Rob’s smile and the fact that he was walking over to me said differently.

  “Happy Halloween, Sanders. You make a damn fine Sandy. Leather should be your new go-to.”

  “Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself.” My eyes wandered down to his exposed six pack. I’d officially seen all the Untouchables without their shirts now. It felt like I’d just accomplished some kind of weird Empire High scavenger hunt.

  He smiled.

  Fuck. Why was I staring at his abs? “How long did it take to put all that eye makeup on?” I tried to hide my smile.

  He laughed. “You really know how to throw punches.” He lifted up his hands that were covered with boxing gloves and then lightly tapped one beneath my chin. “One of the many reasons why I love you.”

  Stop it. I looked over his shoulder, but there was no sign of Matt. “I think you should focus on finding your Adrian.”

  “I’m not really looking for an Adrian right now. More like a one-night admission to my boxing ring, if you get my drift.”

  Well that wasn’t good. Kennedy wanted Rocky and Adrian love. Not a gross one-night stand.

  “How about it?” he asked. “Just one night of you and me before you marry my brother? It’s better to get me out of your system now.”

  I laughed. “Doubly hilarious. You’re not in my system. And I’m not marrying James.”

  “I don’t know…Brooklyn Hunter has a better ring to it than Brooklyn Caldwell. Ugh.” He shuddered.

  “James is literally standing right over there with his girlfriend.” I looked over at them. James already had a glass of something in his hand and I cringed.

  “Yeah, but Rachel Hunter sounds terrible.”

  I shook my head.

  “Speaking of terrible things. I need those blueprints to the Pruitts’ apartment.”

  “I told you that the prank was off.”

  He sighed. “But it’s going to be so fun. I mean… pudding. So much pudding.”

  I laughed because I couldn’t help it. I wanted to pull the prank on Isabella. I really did. But I’d promised Matt I wouldn’t be like Isabella. And that I wouldn’t hang out with the Hunters. “I know. But I can’t do it. I’m trying to be better than her.”

  “Anything you do is better than her. One because you’re beautiful. Two because you think you’re as funny as me. And three because I know I’ll eventually corrupt you. Just text me when you change your mind. Make sure the blueprints are in the text.” He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Your ass looks amazing by the way.”

  My face was bright red as he pulled away.

  He groaned. “Oh and reason four. I want to rip your clothes off when you blush. Huh. I guess those were four reasons why I like you. Save me a dance?”

  “You don’t like me.” God, he was just like his brother. “You’re just trying to mess with Matt. And no, I’m not going to dance with you.”

  “You playing hard to get just makes me want you even more.”

  I folded my arms across my chest. “You’re ridiculous.”

  “That makes your boobs look even better.”

  I looked down. I was basically pushing up my push up bra. Damn it. I dropped my arms.

  Rob laughed. “Text me those blueprints. Later, Sanders.”

  I rolled my eyes as he walked away. Why was he so confident that I was going to turn to the dark side? I’m not Isabella. I bit the inside of my lip. But I kind of did understand why he thought I’d cave. Isabella kept doing terrible things to me. There were only so many times she could embarrass me before I snapped. My promise to Matt was the only reason I hadn’t retaliated. Every bone in my body wanted to just freaking slap her.

  Or maybe Rob just thought I could be swayed because I was literally wearing the Sandy costume from when she embraced her wild side. But I didn’t want my wild side to be behaving like a mobster’s daughter.

  My thoughts came to a stop when the only other mobster’s daughter I knew walked in through the doors. I was pretty sure my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw Isabella’s costume. Yeah, there was only so much more I could take. I felt tears pool in the corners of my eyes. Fuck my life.

  Chapter 29

  Saturday

  “Puta mierda,” Kennedy said as she joined me by my side.

  I’d only ever heard her say that once before. And she’d told me that the meaning was nothing worth repeating. Puta mierda indeed.

  Isabella was dressed exactly like me. Or, Sandy, rather. And no, not exactly. Her costume was so much more…everything. Her high heels were taller. Her top was cut lower. More of her midriff was showing. Her hair even had more volume, which I shouldn’t have been upset about, but I really freaking was. It was probably a wig. But it didn’t matter how she’d done that with her hair. She was the perfect Sandy. I was pretty sure every guy’s head had turned to look at her when she’d walked in.

  I felt myself shrinking, trying to blend into the fog on the floor.

  “Do you want me to spill my drink down the front of her?” Kennedy asked as she took a sip from her goblet.

  “No.” I turned away from the door. “God, how did she figure out that I was dressing up as Sandy?”

  “I guess the odds of it being a coincidence are pretty slim.”

  “There’s no coincidence when it comes to Isabella.”

  “I swear I didn’t say anything,” Kennedy said.

  “I know. I wasn’t implying that you did. I just…” I sighed. “This really sucks.”

  “At least you know what she had up her sleeve for tonight. Don’t let her bother you. She’s just trying to get under your skin.”

  Well, she’d succeeded.

  “You need a distraction,” said Kennedy. “And I have the perfect one. Guess what Felix just told me?”

  “What?”

  “That it’s actually official. He’s done with his drug business. He sold his list of clients to Danny Zuko.”

  I must have looked confused because she pointed to the door.

  I turned to see Cupcake who was dressed up as Danny Zuko from Grease. He was wearing the classic white t-shirt and leather jacket. He even had an unlit cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth. They did a couples costume? Why didn’t I think of that?

  But it was better that Matt wasn’t dressed like Danny Zuko. Because he’d be a hotter Danny Zuko than Cupcake. And it would be clear to everyone that the hotter Danny should be with the hotter Sandy. Was that Isabella’s plan? To somehow woo him away with a couples costume square off? If so, she was going to be disappointed. Because I had no clue who Matt was dressing up as.

  Crap. What if he was dressing up like Danny Zuko to surprise me?

  “Oh no. She’s coming this way. Come on,” Kennedy said and pulled me toward the pumpkin patch.

  But it was no use. Isabella’s demon eyes had lasered in on me and there was no hiding. Even though we tried to hide behind the big pumpkins and the giant cauldron.

  “Are you running from me, Sissy?” Isabella asked.

  I tried not to groan as I turned around. “What? No.” I stepped away from the fog tumbling down from the cauldron.

  “Good evening, Kennedy,” Isabella said. “You better watch your drink tonight. Who knows what someone might try to slip into it.”

  Kennedy laughed, even though it sounded forced. “Go to hell, Wizzy.”

  Isabella glowered at her. “You can call me Sandy for the nig
ht. What do you think of my outfit?” She did a stupid little twirl. “Oh no.” She put her hand to her cheek in mock surprise. “Sissy, are you dressed up like Sandy too?” She leaned forward and squinted at me like it was hard to tell. “How utterly embarrassing for you. Don’t tell me Matt’s dressed like Danny? That would be…such a travesty for you. Especially if he and I win best costume together.”

  So that was her game? She wanted to win best costume with my fiancé? Kennedy was right. Isabella could go to hell.

  “And if you think this is bad,” Isabella said, “then just you wait. Because I will definitely be wearing white to your wedding. Not that you’ll ever make it to the altar.”

  I swallowed hard. She didn’t necessarily say that I’d be dead. But she was staring at me like I’d be dead. “Dad won’t let you do anything to me. And he won’t let you wear white at my wedding.”

  “You call him Dad now, huh? How quaint. I don’t know, Sissy. I’m the one living at home. While you’re out on the street.”

  I’d hardly call living with the Caldwells being out on the street. I jumped when I heard a little bark.

  “Sir Wilfred, bad dog,” Isabella hissed when her evil little dog pranced over to me.

  Who brought a dog to a party? He was going to get trampled. I went to pick him up but Isabella beat me to it. She pulled Sir Wilfred to her chest.

  “Bad dog,” she said again. “How many times do I have to tell you to not mingle with trash? Stupid mutt.”

  Sir Wilfred whimpered in her arms.

  I pressed my lips together. Sir Wilfred was growing on me. Every time Isabella was mean to him, I loved him a little more. And I hated that she treated him just like she treated me. It looked like he was shivering in her arms. Probably because her hands were so freaking cold. Or maybe he was just scared of her like I was.

  “Isabella, there’s a gate in the backyard. Why don’t you let Sir Wilfred play out there during the party?” I would have offered to let him stay in my room. But then all my clothes would somehow get cut up. I reached out and petted his cute little furry head.