The day of Jack's Halloween party had finally arrived, and the neighborhood was buzzing with excitement. If there was one thing Jack excelled at, it was throwing legendary parties. Eloise, Hana, and I gathered at my house to get ready, just as we had planned.
Halloween is the one time of year you can dress up as hot thots and no one can say a damn thing. After days of debating between Lara Croft or a pirate, I finally went full pirate mode. DIYing our outfits was the best idea ever because, damn, we looked amazing. A pirate , Mavis (Eloise), and Starfire-tell me we didn't nail it. We were basically the hottest trio to ever grace a Halloween party.
.Eloise had left when Eddie came to pick her up. At sharp 7:30, Hana drove us to Jack's party. Standing outside, we could hear the booming music and the lively chatter from inside.
"Ready to get shitfaced?" Hana asked, adjusting her pink wig.
"Absolutely," I said, unable to contain my excitement. "Let's aim to be so plastered that we'll be telling our grandkids about this night."
As soon as we entered the party, we made a beeline for the dance floor
"'Can't have a party without some drinks,' Hana remarked, leading me to the corner where the drinks were being served."
I don't usually drink, but tonight seemed like a good exception. As I approached the counter and grabbed a cup, ready to take a sip, a hand suddenly grabbed the cup from me and yanked it away.
I turned around, ready to give someone a piece of my mind, and damn. Standing in front of me was a tall, guy in a masked man costume (the one from the photo at the start of the chapter). Even with my high heels, he towered over me, exuding a magnetic allure. My annoyance melted away as I took in his presence, and suddenly, I couldn't find my voice to say a single word.
Although I could only see his eyes, they were enough to captivate me completely.
"Isn't it a bit daring for you to be sipping on that, Lily?" His voice pierced through the noise, instantly pulling me back to reality. Lily-a name I tolerated only from him. Emery.
As he removed his cap, a rush of heat surged through me. Since when had he become so irresistibly attractive? I was too caught up in admiring his face to miss the way his eyes roamed over my body. And when I finally took notice of his outfit-a compressed shirt and pants-I couldn't help but appreciate the sheer bulk of his physique.
Finally gathering myself. I shot him a glare, my eyes burning with intensity. "Why do you even care?" I demanded, my voice laced with frustration.
Emery's gaze hardened, his tone becoming more assertive. "Because someone needs to look out for you since you seem incapable of doing it yourself," he shot back, his words sharp with frustration.
My voice cut through the tension. "What's with your sudden change in attitude? Weren't you a jerk to me just a moment ago?" I demand, eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.
Emery's expression softened, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes. "Look, I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with lately," he admitted, his voice sincere. "But that doesn't mean I don't care about you, Lia. I just... have a strange way of showing it sometimes."
"Why are you giving me mixed signals?" I shot at him, frustration leaking into my voice. "Do you enjoy playing mind games, or is it just a hobby?" I pushed him back, unable to hide my irritation.
Emery's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he quickly masked it with a smirk. "Wow, someone's feisty tonight," he remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But if you want to know the truth, maybe you're just not as good at reading people as you think you are."
His words stung, and I fought to keep my composure. "Oh, so now it's my fault?" I retorted, my voice sharp with indignation. "Don't you dare try to turn this around on me. You're the one who's been sending mixed signals all night."
Emery's smirk faded, replaced by a furrowed brow. "Fine, if that's how you want to see it," he muttered, his tone laced with frustration. "But don't come crying to me when you realize you've misjudged everything." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, seething with anger and confusion.
What the fuck.
