Gloria Gaynor tune sounded once again on her phone. Against her better judgement, Jackie answered.
Chapter Eleven
William was desperate. He couldn’t go to the party alone, so he called in a favor to the only female vampire friend he had.
“You want me to be your date?” Sulie shook her head as she walked with William down the Hall of Columns in the Capitol building. “A masquerade party?”
“I have a plus–one.” William replied. Overall, bringing a date made sense, but now he was second guessing his decision. As a good friend, Sulie owed him a favor or two, but she always meddled into other people’s businesses. Opening the door and letting her into his personal life felt like playing with fire, and it was a sign of how low he had sank in his love life. He hated it.
Sulie slowed her pace as they arrived at the connecting hallway that would lead her to her next meeting. “So let me get this straight,” she began. “The school district invited you to their annual costume ball…”
“Masquerade auction. I don’t think there will be any dancing.”
“Uh, huh.” Sulie’s mouth twisted as she stared at William, which made him feel uneasy. “The school district where that pretty teacher worked at just happened to send you an invite?”
William bit his lip as the two of them paused in the hallway. “I didn’t say it was her district.”
“Puh–lease.” Sulie rolled her eyes. “You’ve been depressed ever since you met her and decided not to date her.”
He would have protested, but he knew his mood as of late had been somewhat surly.
Sulie shook her head. “Invite her to go with you, not me.”
He thought about the parade of men Jackie had in her life. He didn’t need the rejection. “Not an option.” He cleared his throat. “Look, if you don’t want to be my plus–one you don’t have to. I would prefer not to show up alone though.”
“Which is why you should ask this teacher out.” Sulie looked at her watch, and William knew he was holding her up.
“She has a boyfriend,” William blurted out. “I’m sure she received an invite, as well, and I just don’t want to show up stag.”
Sulie’s look softened. “How do you know she’s seeing someone? Did she tell you?”
William rubbed the back of his neck. He was also running late to his next meeting, but wanted to secure a date for the blasted party. “Not exactly. Her neighbor hinted there was a man in her life.” He took in a deep breath. “Several men actually. I doubt I’d stack up against all of them, especially if I can’t even take her out to a meal without lying to her.”
He watched as Sulie grinned from ear–to–ear. “You’re pathetic.” She slowly walked down the hallway to her meeting, but then turned round with a devilish grin on her face. “I’ll pick out the costumes.”
He didn’t trust her smile. “I think we just need masks,” he protested.
“You’ll wear what I pick out and give no complaints.”
Chapter Twelve
Jackie felt ridiculous as she arrived at the school district’s annual costume party. It wasn’t her costume that fueled her mood, since she knew she looked hotter than hell in it, but something else.
Shimmering gold silk draped from her shoulders and cascaded down her back, leading to a full–length skirt which nearly trailed the floor. Her brightly colored mask was an arrangement of feathers and beads that flattered her face and hair. The costume gave her figure an hourglass appearance, showing off her recent, and now frequent, workouts at the gym.
No. She wasn’t regretting her outfit. What made her feel silly was her companion for the evening. At first she thought dressing as the Phoenix, with its rebirth from ashes to a living creature, would suit her present circumstance — namely leaving a dead–end relationship and finally deciding to go out and, perhaps, find the love of her life. Instead, she entered the school’s gym accompanied by her ex–boyfriend Steve.
She should have dressed as a doormat.
She hadn’t exactly planned the date, but his call last week caught her off guard. If she hadn’t been feeling sad, she might have let him leave a voicemail message again. But, no. She had to answer the damn phone. Immediately, his smooth talking ways, with sweet remembrances of good times in the past, began chipping away at her better judgment.
She was hopeless.
To make matters worse, Steve arrived late to pick her up and dressed in the same costume as last year — a vampire. The black cape and form–fitting dark clothing looked good on the man. After all, he was a gym teacher with muscles to spare. The mask he wore was just basic white. No frills, no decorations… just bone chilling white.
To finish the ensemble, Steve bought a pair of the cheap plastic fangs you’d normally find in every costume store around Halloween. The man looked strikingly good and nerdy at the same time. It was an odd combination, but at least he wouldn’t try to kiss her while wearing the cheap fangs. Well, he better not.
At no point in time would anything physical occur between them, and Steve was definitely not going to stay the night with her. Never again. Catching him cheating on her with the French teacher was too much to bear, especially since she felt as though she had been the laughing stock of the entire school. Her ‘wash day’ granny panties and unshaven legs would guarantee no hanky–panky tonight.
And what about Steve’s rep at the school after the breakup? He paraded around like a peacock, while the skank he dallied with left the school humiliated. And good riddance to her.
Throughout it all, Jackie held her head up high and pretended the break–up didn’t bother her. In truth, she knew deep down Steve wasn’t the one. Having someone to come home to was always nice, and recently she realized that she had indeed been lonely — if not a little depressed.
Why couldn't she have her her parents had? They had a relationship that survived for decades, filled with love. Surely she wasn't asking too much out of life to have someone who would treat her with respect.
As she crossed the gym floor, she felt every eye on her, and she assumed she knew everyone’s thoughts. Once a cheater, always a cheater. She wasn’t a fool, but she knew some people, women included, did fall off the fidelity wagon at some point in time. Not that she would ever do such a thing. If a remorseful cheater attended a couple’s therapist, she suspected that a relationship may survive. But that wouldn’t be her and Steve’s story. There was nothing there to save.
As a pension–fund baby, Jackie suspected Steve was the benefactor of the money donated to the school, but that didn’t mean she owed him anything for his deed. He played coy and pretended not to understand what she was talking about the few times she mentioned the donation to him — which was why she avoided him at the school, never venturing towards the gym. By not acknowledging what he had done, he didn’t even allow her to graciously give a curt thank you and move on. And that drove Jackie crazy.
With the whispers now forming around her from her co–workers, she decided to ditch her date and seek out the bar.
*******
William entered the school with Sulie, his black cape flowing behind him. The idea of coming to the party as a vampire was a grotesque pun on reality, but Sulie would hear none of his protests — not even about the silly all–white mask.
On the other hand, Sulie was dressed as a she–devil. A sexy she–devil. Red leather pants cut below the navel, a tail trailing out the back, and a low–cut red–sequin tank top which allowed “the girls” to nearly pop right out. Her outfit was ridiculous, and he was tempted to put a few single bills into her pants to let her know what he thought of the costume, but he didn’t want to be on Sulie’s bad side. Not with her temper.
“This school is a mess,” Sulie said, commenting on the paint–chipped walls and graffiti along the hallway leading to the gym. “I can see why they need a fundraiser.”
“All of this,” he said, pointing around, “is cosmetic. What they really need are better textbooks and computers.”
Sulie nodded in agreement. “Let’s hope this event is successful then. Based on how packed the parking lot was, I’m assuming every staff member in the district is here.”
William walked with Sulie into the gym and followed her to a corner of the room. “This place is crowded. Do you know if your dream woman is here?” she asked.
William studied the room, but with so many people standing about, he wasn’t sure if he could find her. “I’m not sure. With everyone wearing a mask tonight, I think it’ll be difficult to even spot her.”
“But she is coming?” Sulie asked.
“I’m guessing she received an invite, but that’s no guarantee she’ll be here.” William scanned the room once more. Why did every party at a school gym look the same? Crepe paper, balloons, tables of baked goods and soda were about. As much as he’d like to think he was at a mature masquerade party, this looked just like every high school dance he ever attended — except he had gone to an all Negro school back in the day.
“There’s a table,” Sulie pointed to the far corner of the gym. “The silent auction requires signatures. If she’s bid on anything, we’ll see her name on those record logs.”
William led Sulie over to the auctions. The table was filled with onlookers, and he noticed the teachers of the school took their bidding very seriously. The auction held romantic dinner giveaways, bed & breakfast stays, bottles of wine, and everything else you would expect for a silent auction. Every item had at least five bids. The prices began somewhat low, but then again, these were teacher salaries. The teachers’ dedication to this event impressed him.
Sulie gave a slight whistle. “This deal is pretty good.” She looked over at William. “A carriage ride around town followed by dinner for two at a very exclusive country club.” She picked up the pen and handed it to William. “You should bid on this.”
Glancing at the bids, William considered the auction. An ‘exclusive country club’ back in the day would mean no Negroes or Jews allowed, now the term meant filthy rich. Times, they were a changin’.
If Jackie were to lose all her suitors and take an interest in him, he would love to take her to such a place. He noticed the largest bid came from a guy named Steve. Regardless, William signed his name and pushed the auction bid by nearly twice the amount already offered.
Chapter Thirteen
After ditching her date and getting a drink at the bar, Jackie approached the principal, Bob Monroe, at the refreshment stand. The man was dressed as Superman, but his thinning hair and partial toupee gave away his secret identity. The man’s wife was somewhere around, probably dressed as Lois Lane and flitting from table to table to talk with everyone. The poor woman rarely got to go anywhere with the two of them working full–time jobs and the kids at home. Her mingling left Bob open game for Jackie to corner.
“So, Bob,” she began as she lifted her mask just enough for him to recognize her. “I know you don’t want to tell me who the man was that donated to the music and arts program…”
Bob held up his hand as he laughed. “For the thousandth time, I’m not going to tell you.”
From the sound of his slurred speech, Jackie knew Bob was enjoying his time off from the kids, and had probably already downed a few beers and maybe a scotch. It was the perfect time to pump him for information.
She smiled coyly at him. “Well, I already know who donated the money.”
“You do?” Bob reached over and grabbed a sugar cookie, managing to say, “Good for you,” just before shoving the tasty treat into his mouth.
“I won’t tell anyone the secret.”
Bob eyed her suspiciously and then pointed at her. “You don’t know.”
Jackie confidently stared him in the eyes. “Oh, I know.” She leaned in closer. “And I know he’s here tonight.”
Bob looked around, carefully scrutinizing the crowd. She suspected the masks and alcohol made it hard to judge, but Bob knew whom to look for. She noticed his eyes stop on the man with the vampire costume standing at the auction table.
Damn. She had been right.
“It’s Mr. Dracula,” she said.
“Shhhh,” Bob managed to slur out. “It’s a secret.”
She glared over to the vampire and she-devil vixon. Not that she cared, but how dare they stand that close together and be that affectionate as they read through the bid items! Steve was at this party with her, not that devil. Was it too much to ask that he not try to pick up another woman while already on a date?
The devil smiled and patted him on the arm, as though she were to be the recipient of the auction if Steve won. Jackie's eyes narrowed in on Steve. It really wasn’t her place to be jealous, especially since she had no loving feelings towards the man. But the betrayal of what he was doing, and especially since it was again on school property, made Jackie madder than hell.
Once again, he’d made a fool of her in front of her coworkers, and this time she had set herself up by agreeing to be the man’s date. Noticing mini cheesecakes sitting on the refreshment stand, Jackie bid good–bye to her diet and reached for the creamy pastry.
Chapter Fourteen
The clock was ticking, and William knew he only had a few minutes left of Sulie’s help to find Jackie. He reached into his heavily weighted cape pocket, pulled out his mobile phone, and noticed no new calls had come in from the team. The schedule had Sulie working the ten o’clock shift, and she would be leaving soon. He wasn’t working tonight, but was on call, so he thought he might leave with Sulie — even before the announcement of the raffle winners.
He again walked the perimeter of the party, passing tables filled with district co–workers who were either tipsy, bored, or gossiping amongst themselves. Sulie had seen Jackie once on television when she shook hands with the President, so she went to check the two closest ladies’ rooms. William suspected Jackie had only made an appearance and had left the party within minutes of arriving, but he appreciated Sulie checking none–the–less.
With William’s vampire hearing, he heard someone mention Jackie’s name, so he sought out a table of ladies sitting quietly in the corner of the room gossiping about many of the party–goers. The gaggle of hens clucked about everyone’s costumes, their hairstyles, and how drunk some of their co–workers were getting.
Could these ladies here themselves talking? How much cattier could they even be?
He understood any social gathering lent itself to an onslaught of nosy busybodies who had nothing better to do than to put others down, he just had never experienced it before. He was spying and getting the information he so desperately wanted, though — so wasn't going to complain.
He stood against the wall behind their table, blending in the best he could, and listened in. The phrase “a fly on the wall” crossed his mind, and he felt silly for such a guise, but if it helped him track Jackie down, so be it.
He thought to compel them to continue talking about Jackie, but these ladies seemed more than willing to focus on her and her date. The women didn’t even notice William hiding in the shadows as they viciously tore into their coworker.
The ladies ranted about Jackie’s insane decision to give Steve another chance, and how desperate she must be to take the cheating bastard back. They also criticized her outfit. They thought the gold dress made her resemble the Academy Awards Oscar statue, and that the feathered mask made her look like an ostrich who had just pulled her head from the sand.
Of the four ladies, only one offered a kind word for Jackie. It was a backhanded compliment though, as William assumed she tried to fit in with the rest of the spiteful women. The somewhat–kind woman mentioned Jackie’s father and how difficult it must be to mourn the loss of her mother and settle her father into a retirement home.
While listening, he gathered Jackie was struggling, and nearly failing, as a teacher of art and music. Through the three ladies’ loathing remarks, William could tell the fourth lady was trying to defend Jackie. She offered excuses of time spent with her father and with s
tudents, giving them tutoring and support in all their other subjects. William realized that Jackie spent nearly every moment of her day either at the school, with the students, or with her elderly father.
It wasn’t until one of the snide women distastefully commented on Jackie’s lack of a husband, citing her lack of a dating life over the last few months, that William realized he had misjudged Jackie’s love life. She wasn’t a player. Steve had played her. What cut William deeply was the fourth woman’s comment that she thought Jackie still loved Steve. The remark was met with a barrage of not–so–polite comments by the other women at the table.
William had heard enough. He needed to find a woman trimmed in gold and… tell her what? That she needed better friends? Yes. That she deserved a better man in her life than Steve? Probably. Tell her that he, a vampire, was the man of her dreams? Not quite so much.
He needed to find Sulie and get a woman’s opinion, but not until he compelled the four ladies to no longer speak ill of Jackie.
Chapter Fifteen
“There you are!” Sulie said as she pulled on William’s arm, stopping him mid–stride as he crossed the room in search of Jackie. “You won’t believe what I just went through.”
Hearing the half–disgust, but also some humor in her voice, William led Sulie to a side table out of earshot of other party goers. “Did you find her?”
“What? No. I didn’t see Jackie anywhere. But I witnessed a steamy scene in the second bathroom,” she smiled. “A heated scene between a man and a very drunk woman.”
William's Tale Page 7