wintumn 🖤

the halloween party

31st october 2023
7:13pm

it was the night the whole faculty had been waiting for. the night where they could all be themselves, and not have to worry about parents listening in or being overheard by a toddler.

autumn knight had seriously debated even showing up. it was a very last minute decision, due to marjorie saying she'd give her another day of annual leave if she showed up. that was an offer even autumn couldn't resist.

she had never really got on with her co workers. sure, her and marjorie would converse in the office occasionally, but other than that she was an outsider at the knight nursery.

her outfit was basic, a tight black dress with cat ears and drawn on whiskers. normally, she would take halloween very seriously, and would spent hundreds on a costume and makeup. but this year, she had nobody to impress, so she toned it down.

halloween was her favourite day of the year, a day of fear and excitement, chocolate and horror movies. everything she loved. she would always associate halloween with her childhood, and trick or treating with her brother and mia.

she wore her hair in her usual half up half down, but she curled the ends and put some black glitter on her roots. once she added some fake blood and black heels, she was ready.

her taxi arrived, and she was all set.

as the car pulled up to the venue, the flashing disco lights and extremely loud music made her feel like she was back at her primary school leavers disco, high on haribos and fruitshoots.

she paid the taxi driver and begun to walk to the door, already regretting agreeing to come.

marjorie met her at the door, trying to hug her which was awkwardly declined by autumn.

"aw autumn im so glad you could make it! you look incredible." marjorie smiled, very obviously slightly tipsy.

autumn smiled slightly, and thanked her before heading inside to seek warmth, and partly to escape marjorie trying, and failing to flirt with the taxi driver.

the room was quite full, with most barstools occupied and the chairs by the window were occupied. she spotted sorscha and charlotte talking at a table in the corner, they seemed too happy to be bothered. then she noticed siobhan, who was loitering outside the bathrooms, looking miserable as always. jodie was there too, sitting at the bar drinking orange juice and eating pretzels. then, she noticed winter.

he was sitting alone at the bar, scrolling on his phone while sipping a small glass of jack daniels. he seemed quite content, a small smirk on his face as he watched whatever was on his phone.

autumn didn't have many choices of people to sit with, so she assumed she would spent the whole night sitting alone, drinking wine until she passed out.

she took a seat at the bar inbetween jodie and winter, who looked up as she walked over.

as soon as autumn sat down, winter looked up from his phone and watched her order her drink, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

the bar man handed her her wine and she sipped it absentmindedly, playing with the end of her hair with her other hand.

winter noticed how her hair shone under the bright light from the discoball, and he was enticed by her whole demeanour tonight, which is something he had never felt about her before.

sure, he had always found her attractive, anyone who didnt must have sight problems, but before he had never looked at her like that, with such curiosity and hope that she might, maybe, possibly, be a good person.