The Technique

Chapter 12: Party

The party was tonight, and it was specially prepared for the three of us. I hadn't seen Greg and Stella for a while. We were supposed to come together to the party hall. 

But Kylie and Mike stayed with me in my room and had been pushing me to wear something more fabulous, but I kept insisting. Kylie put something on my face, something thick and sticky as if she was painting on it. "Okay, better!" she said before closing her makeup kit. 

I exhaled loudly while pulling my ass off my bed. I looked at myself in the mirror and agreed that it covered my exhausting look face. But it looked overdone. "I told you I didn't need this. I'm not like a groom getting married later." 

"But you have to look like the best, alright?" Mike said, tapping my back. He was wearing a black suit that looked totally formal for him. 

Kylie nodded from my back. She wore a pretty nice silver dress that was just above her knees. She also wore sparkling makeup. "Right, even better than Greg. You are the apple of the eyes tonight, you know." 

"Fine!" I shouted, slipping a handkerchief in my pocket. I was still wearing the wristband Greg gave me, and it was making me replay what happened earlier. "Why did they even pull this party? I hate crowd." 

"Come on! I guess it's going to be the best party. They said teachers won't be around after the ceremony, and there are whiskeys and girls," Mike said while looking out the window. 

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" I came out the door and waited for them to follow me. I noticed that the school hadn't been turning on many lights these days. It was gloomy. The clouds covered the moon. I couldn't see stars. The night air had been making me shiver. This suit wasn't much of a help. 

"I guess we have to leave you here," Kylie said when we reached the back of the party hall. 

"See you later, alright," Mike said. 

I nodded. There were no lights here. I sat down on the cold bench and searched around to check if Greg and Stella were here already. But they were not yet around. I let the gelid air enter my lungs. I scrunched down quietly as I watched the leaves dance on their own from a distance. I kept tapping my feet so that at least I could make a sound and reduce the eerie ambiance. 

What happened this morning flashed back in my head: the man who tried to help me, the small crack on his head, the blood, and the way it scattered slowly. I could picture everything vividly. I guessed I would never forget that moment for the rest of my life. 

Suddenly, some footsteps from afar pulled me away from my trance. I came back to my senses, and I felt the freezing chill again. I looked around to look for people, but the only things visible were the trees, leaves, the wall of the party hall, and the rest was pure darkness. I kept myself awake and listened to the coming footsteps. It sounded like my shoes. I knew it was going near me. 

And before I knew it, a hand touched my shoulder. 

I stood and turned around. 

My heart raced. 

"Hey!" Stella smiled, but then it suddenly turned to a concerned look. She hugged herself. It was obviously easier to get cold in her above-knee yellow dress. "Oh no, I'm sorry. I think I shocked you." 

I shook my head. "No, that's fine. I'm fine." 

She exhaled. I saw some wisp of smoke come out of her mouth. "Have you seen Greg?" 

"Not yet. I was actually waiting for the two of you." 

She nodded. She looked sideways and to my back. "Oh, here he is!"