-ＤＡＵＮＴＬＥＳＳ- 𝑗𝑜ℎ𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝑙𝑎𝑤𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝟕 • 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐍

🅜🅨🅢🅣🅔🅡🅨 🅜🅐🅝
─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────

I slide the halo headpiece into my hair that's freshly curled and styled as Ali applies her lipstick in the reflection of her handheld mirror. I'd successfully convinced Daniel to buy a ticket to the Halloween dance yesterday and excited was a bit of an understatement when it came to Ali's reaction. I just hoped that he made some time within the day's notice to find something to wear other than the casual attire I see him in every day at school.

"Sammy, it's almost six!" Mom shouts from the end of the staircase, cradling her beloved Polaroid camera in her arms. I assure her we'd be down in a minute and Ali snatches her pearl cross-body purse from my lavender bed sheets.

We take pictures for a solid five minutes, forming a pile of partially developed film that continues to get taller as the seconds pass by.

"Have fun, be back by eleven you four!" Mom reminds us as we traverse out of our house, the brisk air hitting my bare shoulder in a refreshing wave that causes goosebumps to appear on my skin.

The Halloween bash had been going well: the decorations looked nice, the lights were illuminating the room in a purple and orange hue, and the letters that spelled out the event's name were straight, thanks to Bobby. The only thing missing was a certain Jersey boy that promised he would show up, even if it were just for a little bit.

Ali's features reflect her mood as she sips her punch with an unenthusiastic expression beside Suzie and Mel.

"A piece of your hair is falling out. Let me fix it." I fake tucking a piece of her dirty blonde hair back into its place and lean into her ear. "Don't be bummed yet, the night just started. He'll be here soon."

A smile of new hope creeps onto her lips and she encourages everyone to follow her into the crowd of dancing students as Flashdance sounds through the speakers.

Not too long after, a polka dot shower curtain wanders in through the threshold of the gym and Ali places her white mask back onto her eyes. "May I?" She asks Mel before borrowing the flower from her blazer pocket.

"Say hi to him for me." I tell her and she gives me a bright smile just before the curtain shuts the two teens into the 'shower.'

I scurry over to the complimentary snacks table and pick a cookie out of the pile of peanut butter pastries. While breaking off a piece of it to eat, my eyes set on Bobby and Andie who, at some point, met up and are now swaying together in the space directly below the stage.

If Andie is taking a liking to any of the Cobra boys, I'm glad it's Bobby. He's the most humble of them all and seems to have his head on straight unlike the rest of the group, although Tommy can be sweet to me during class. Dutch is what I'd consider as untreatable and Johnny is the most arrogant of them all. A bit of humbling could do him some good, but sooner or later he's bound to get a taste of his own medicine; consider it karma if you will.

As if he heard my thoughts, he appears against the wall beside me. His face is smeared with white and black to resemble the skeleton idea that I'd been informed of yesterday, but I can still recognize him by the golden strands that peek out over his eyes.

"What's going on between Bobby and your sister?" He questions as we both gaze at the couple that continues to enjoy themselves.