Dysfunctional

Chapter 8 Clueless

That next week, everyone was excited about Wes' Halloween party on Saturday, and wouldn't stop talking about it. It was going to be way more of a big deal than I was aware of, because Was had apparently invited about our entire year, some friends who weren't in our year, some more friends from another school, and a bunch of his cousins who in their turn were also bringing friends. We wouldn't be surprised if some uninvited people would gate-crash too, because Wes was rich and lived in a large house with a big backyard, and with the amount of people coming, nobody would really notice two or three extra partygoers.

"Guys, I have a genius idea!" Nina squealed during lunchtime Tuesday before the party.
"What's it?" Lilly asked.
"What about we do a group costume? Violet and I were thinking, and it would be really cool if we all dressed up as characters from the film Clueless!"
Right, Clueless was kind of a big deal amongst the girls in our friend group. They often had sleepovers where it was a must that they watched that movie for the 1000th time, and since I came out as gay a while ago, I had also been a part of those sleepovers a few times. The movie had always been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, and I knew all of the guys from our clique had also seen it at least once.
"Anne and I are already going as Gomez and Morticia Addams", Ted said.
But, not discouraged, Nina shrugged and said: "Well, the rest of us can still do it. I could be Cher, and Violet and Quinten would be perfect as Dionne and Murray."
Of course, the black friends would be the black characters, how original. But, Violet didn't complain and Quinten was always very easy-going with everything, although he didn't really seem to have a clue who all the characters were.
Nina continued, like she had already planned everything out in her head, which she probably had: "And then Wes could be Elton, and Lilly Tai. Matt could be Josh, and Simon Travis. And last but not least, of course Lars has to be Christian." Right, the gay character.
Everyone just nodded and went along, but Anne raised her eyebrows and asked: "Isn't it better if Matt is Travis, because they both have longer hair? Then Simon can be Josh."
Nina was about to open her mouth to protest, but Matt already said that that was a good idea, and Simon just seemed happy to not have to wear a wig.
"Good idea Anne, then we'll do it like this: Me as Tai, Violet as Dionne, Quinten as Murray, Lilly as Cher-"
"Wait up a second, didn't you want to be Cher?" Violet interrupted Nina, "You told me you already bought the costume-"
"Lilly can borrow my costume. It's just that now that I'm thinking of it, I think that I have a better facial complexion for Tai. Anyways..." Nina continued listing all the characters and who would be dressing up as who.

Later that day, when I was walking home with Violet, she brought up the happenings from that lunch break again.
""A better facial complexion", am I right?" she laughed, "Of course all Nina cares about is being the character that Matt's character ends up in a relationship with, so she has an excuse to be close to him all night."
"Or she just doesn't want to be a character that at one point in the movie tries to fuck my character", I suggested with a grin.
"Do you think Matt likes her too?" Violet asked out of nowhere.
I almost choked on my spit. "I sure hope not", I said without even thinking about it.
But, Violet caught what I said and raised one eyebrow at me. "I thought you'd like that, if it would mean Nina would finally shut up about him if they just started dating again. Or do you perhaps..."
"Do I perhaps what?" I asked quasi-aggressively.
Violet giggled and looked at me with an expression as if she could read exactly what was going on in my mind. "Do you perhaps have a different reason for why you wouldn't want them to get together?"
I turned my head the other way, hoping I wasn't getting red. "I just don't think they'd make a good couple anymore."
But Violet was not stupid, and she saw right through me. "Hmm, do you maybe suggest Matt gets himself a boyfriend instead, then, Lars?"
"Shut up."
"Ohh, no I think I'm uncovering something here. Lars, do you like him; Matt?"
I sighed, and looked back at Violet, and without having to say a word, she understood.
"You do?" she gasped.
"It's not like it matters anyways. Matt is too cool for me. Even if he doesn't get with Nina, he's still straight, you know."
"Don't say that, I think he does really like you."
"Yeah, but as a friend."
"Well, yes, but-"
"Don't try comforting me, Vivi. I've accepted my fate for a while now. I'm fine with just being friends." But was I? Was I really? Was I still, despite knowing things wouldn't work out, not looking for his approval, and wanting him to like me, besides knowing that it would never turn into anything else than platonic liking anyways?
"Well it's just..." Violet didn't seem to know what to say either. It was clear she too was rather convinced that it was only a matter of time until Matt and Nina would become a couple again. "Just don't let Nina get your self-confidence down too much. Even if she does get together with Matt again, that says nothing about you. You're a really nice and cute guy, it's not your fault if Matt doesn't like you. It's just that Nina is Nina, you know, irresistible and charming as she is."
"I know, I know", I sighed, agreeing with her but not feeling all that much better.
"I hope the others don't make a big deal out of the relationships between the characters we're dressing up as like Nina did. Things would get weird then."
"You would be dating Quinten, then~" I teased.
Violet laughed. "Oh shut up, even you have better chemistry with Quin than I do. What about the others? Simon and Lilly would then be a thing, right?"
"I think Simon is too ungodly for Lilly. And Nina would then also have a crush on Wes for a while, right?"
"Didn't they hook up once?"
"Once, but never again, that's what Nina said. You've also had a crush on Wes, right? In real life, I mean."
Violet gave me a soft shove. "Yeah, when we were six years old and in primary school."