𝐅𝐀𝐖𝐍•ᵉ ʲᵃᵉᵍᵉʳ

14

𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚢 , 𝚘𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟷𝚜𝚝

𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑, at about 6 PM, I'm perched in Jean's bedroom, surrounded by a whirlwind of costume essentials sprawled out across his floor. I sit in front of his floor-length mirror, my hair curling iron plugged in and a few hair products scattered nearby. The warm light streaming through the window makes the space feel cozy, and the anticipation of the night ahead buzzes in the air.

Sasha is sprawled across Jean's bed, her legs swinging off the side as she expertly applies her makeup using her handheld mirror. "Okay, but like, are you sure you want to go with the pink lipstick?" she asks, glancing over at me. "You know it's gonna smudge, right?"

I roll my eyes playfully, "Sasha, it's Halloween. If I don't look a little over the top, am I even doing it right?" I dab a bit of the vibrant pink lipstick on, pursing my lips to check the color.

"Fair point," she concedes, chuckling. "Just don't get it on your costume. I can already picture you walking around with pink smudges on that cute little skirt."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful." I shoot her a wink before turning back to my reflection. I start teasing my hair, adding volume and a few curls to really sell the whole "Little Bo Peep" look. "How's yours coming along? You look like sexy Sarah Sanderson."

Sasha nods enthusiastically, showing off her dark eyeliner and bold eyeshadow. "You know it! I'm channeling my inner whore tonight. Just wait until I get the cape on; I'll be serving looks."

I snicker at the thought, picturing her swirling around in a dramatic black cape. "You'll be the queen of the party. Just make sure you don't trip over it when you're trying to dance."

"Ha! Like I'd let that happen." She flips her hair over her shoulder with mock confidence. "I'm practically a professional at navigating parties."

Just then, Jean pokes his head in, his eyebrows raised as he takes in the scene. "You two are still alive? I thought you'd be in full-on panic mode by now."

"Panic mode? Nah," I reply, giving him a smirk. "We're just about to grace your party with our presence. You better be ready for it."

Jean chuckles, shaking his head. "Good luck with that. The guys are trying to figure out the playlist, and I swear, it's chaos in the living room."

Sasha grins, "Let them flounder! We'll just roll in and take over the music once we're ready."

I finish curling the last section of my hair and step back to admire my work in the mirror. "Alright, Sasha, time to wrap up! We need to get our outfits on and head downstairs before we miss all the fun."

"Miss the fun? The party starts in two damn hours," Sasha retorts, her tone dripping with snark as she rummages through her costume pieces. I catch a glimpse of her stripping in the mirror, revealing a stunning black lace lingerie set that somehow manages to be both sultry and elegant. I can't help but giggle at the boldness of it.

With a grin, I stand up, ready to shed my messy outfit as well. As I peel off my sweatpants and oversized shirt, I feel a rush of excitement. My hair is completely clean, curled to perfection, and smells like a mix of vanilla and coconut from the leave-in conditioner I used.