Bound By Nature [ A NaNoWriMo Novel]

Chapter Nine

That afternoon when I got home, Maggie was gone to eat with Mom and Dad, leaving me to fend for myself to find an outfit for the dance. I know most people would go out and buy an elegant floor-length ball gown, but it just wasn't that important to me. I turned on some music, letting it blast through the house, and then headed to my closet to decide what dress. The theme was snow- white, silver, light blue, dark blue and the like. I began skimming through what I had and then was struck by an idea- I have the perfect dress. I've never been so thankful for Tim Burton movie obsession.

Heading into the house hallway, I reached up to the attic door. It took a minute, but I finally managed to get it open and climbed up the ladder. The attic was dusty and dimly-lit, though the occasional beam of sunlight did manage to squeeze through the siding. I tip-toed across carefully, shaky on the potentially hazardous wooden boards. I just didn't trust them. I found what I was looking for- a big box had Sharpie marker letters: "Annie's Costumes".

Yes, I kept my Halloween costumes, all seventeen of them so far.

I lifted the flaps of the box and began to rifle through it. Pumpkin, mushroom, panda, witch, zombie 50's girl... A-ha! Here it is! I grabbed the snowy white dress and headed back downstairs, seeking out shoes to go with it. After digging through my mom's closet for twenty minutes, I managed to scavenge a pair of white flats with a few laces strapping up my leg. I returned to my room and put on the dress- the dress Winona Ryder wore in Edward Scissorhands. It un-surprisingly still fit; I'd gotten it at the age of fifteen, and I hadn't really grown too much since then.

With the dress and shoes on, I went to the mirror and dug out my good makeup- my costume makeup. I had a love of dressing up I couldn't hold down. Something about looking like someone I'm not just made me much more confident- being the one to stand out, to catch peoples' eyes. I didn't know if this would, but I was going to get as glammed up as I could.

Several applications of mascara, a dusting of white eye-shadow, and the pink-staining glossing of my lips later, it was time for the stand-out part of this makeup. On the corners of my eyes, I painted the branch-like design of snowflakes in sparkly silver-white liquid eyeliner. Looking in the mirror, I knew I didn't look quite as dazzlingly beautiful as Winona, but I did feel pretty. I found a bottle of cinnamon-scented perfume and sprayed a few spurts, and then heard my phone ringing. I grabbed it from my nightstand and answered, holding it up to my ear, "Hello?"

"We're still on for tonight, right?"
"Kale! Yeah, we are- I hope. I'm already dressed and ready," I answered. How did he get my number? Then again, he is related to Ember...

"Okay, I was just making sure. I didn't want to assume we were and then find out you changed your mind or something," Kale commented and I laughed a little.

"Oh, no, of course not. I'm looking forward to it." As I spoke, I took a seat on the end of my bed, biting my lip to hold down my smile some. Related to Ember or not, this guy's still giving me vicious butterflies. I'm just going to go with it's all part of their trick- some kind of love spell. Yep, that's it. I'm totally not just a hormonal teenage girl...

"Well, I'll let you finish getting ready. Do you need or want a ride, or do you have one?" He asked and I thought about it- it would be rather counterproductive for me to ride alone with him. If I'm willing to do that, then Charles' involvement is completely useless.

"I'm getting a ride with Callista," I fibbed, hoping he wouldn't catch me.

"She's actually riding with Chris." Shit.

"Oh- she forgot to mention that." I felt my cheeks heating as Kale chuckled. Damn you, Callista!

"So, we'll pick you up at 6:30, then?" Kale offered. I sighed a little.