To Heaven and Hell

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Eden

This what we live for, which is ironic of course. The parties. This one out of them all has to be my favorite. It's always fancy which means long dresses and perfected hair. That means I am going all out.

This year I have a long white dress that trails a bit behind me. If anyone steps on it I will stab them with my red stilettos. My lips are just as red as my shoes and my eyes are lined in glittering black makeup. There's a little sinner in my outfit thank you very much.

Fuck insiders. I hired students to clean up my room for me and made them keep their mouths shut. I wasn't about to do all that work and then have everyone talk about it.

Tonight is mine.

Mila

I look over Nix. Her eyes are squinted in the mirror. Her dress is a dark blue and she's leaning over her vanity in concentration.

"Are you a saint or sinner?" I ask casually.

Her back straightens. "Aren't we all sinners?"

"Well, yeah but you get to choose. It's a party."

"Whatever." With her hair piled up and her wide baby blue eyes she looks like a saint. That must be unfortunate for her.

"Don't wait on me. I've got some things to get ready." I explain while putting a bit of perfume on each of my mocha colored wrists.

"Like what?"

"Keep asking questions and I'll make you watch it." I snap. Her cheeks flame pink. Nix is so gullible. "Anyway, I probably won't see you much tonight. I'll be busy."

"You don't have to explain yourself anymore." Nix is still looking a little uncomfortable.

I shrug. "Have it your way."

Park

Tonight I feel uneasy. It's not the party, I think. I'm pretty sure I'm getting better at being social. But I just feel off. I don't think I'm sick. Can we get sick here? If we can die again then why not?

Greyson is already lying on his bed watching the clock. Pill bottles are laying haphazardly on his bedside table but they look untouched.

"Are you going to have those or..." It sounds like I'm mooching some. I don't want any. I think. I'm just not sure of anything tonight.

"Not tonight."

I haven't known Greyson very long but I'm sure that's very uncommon for him to do. "Is it the doing of a certain lady?" A light yellow bottle bounces off my chest from Greyson lobbing it at me.

"Fine! I'm done." I sit back on my bed. This suit makes me feel itchy. I didn't wear them a lot in my life. I'm recalling memories slowly and painfully.

Thinking about it makes me want to be sick again. "Is Luca going to be there?"

Greyson sits forward. "Yeah. Why wouldn't he be? Park, he's not going to do anything to you. He's just scary looking."

I sincerely doubt 'he's just scary looking'. I change the subject. "Have you done your math?"

"Erm, yes. Why?" Greyson is eyeing me.

"Just wondering."

"I would advise not skipping it. The teachers are way worse than Luca will ever be." Greyson fake shudders. "What's wrong with you?"

I shrug again. I'm not even sure what's wrong with me. I want to tell him it all started when I walked through those black iron gates. I grab at the painted window sill and press my face against the cool glass. It feels relieving to be against the glass staring at the cool night sky.

"Man you look awful." Greyson has been trying to comb his hair back, I can see his reflection in the clear glass.

"Thank you for casually saying I look disgusting." I breathe onto the window and watch the fog spread and then quickly recede.

Greyson makes the desicion to mess his hair up again in its usual ruin. "I didn't mean that."

I huff again. I just feel awful. My hand curls into a fist and my nails drag along paint from the surface of the sill. I release my hand and pat it back down like it didn't happen.

"Are you still coming to the party? I'm sure I have a copy of Greys Anatomy or something." Greyson has now stopped paying attention to his reflection. I would normally joke about Greyson's favorite show pretty much having his name but my head is seriously aching.

"While people are having their dorm room decorated in blood? I don't think so." I turn to face Greyson and plant my feet on my bed. My shoes are squeaky clean and make an annoying noise as they hit each other.

"You heard about that?" Greyson has abandoned digging around in DVDs trying to find me something.

"Eden may try to keep things quiet but she's pretty loud." I stand up and let out a long sigh as my stomachs lets out a noise. "Are you ready to go or what?"

"Let me put away my DVDs." Greyson isn't moving to fix his mess at all but is back staring into the mirror.

"Hello?" I am tempted to wave my hand over his face. Greyson shakes himself awake. Obviously his mind is on something else, or someone else.

"Hello," he repeats with an awkward smile. "I'm sure tonight will be alright, right?"

"Right. It's a party in hell, what could go wrong?"