Chomp

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22:

The Friday I'd been dredding came all too quickly, and with it my mother. She was quiet when she walked up the drive that morning with her auburn brows scrunched deep in thought. She was wearing weird clothing. The type that Celtic might walk around in. There were heavy bags under her eyes and she was paler than usual. Uncle Hector, still unaware of what had been going on, greeted her with raised brows. 

"What the hell happened to you," he demanded to know and shot Theo and I a backward glance. We both looked at each other before shrugging. 

"Drinks with friends," mom grumbled planting a kiss on my forehead and then my twin's. She trudged past us and made way for the stairs. "I'm gonna go and take a nap." 

At least the statement wasn't unusual considering the fact that she did that every day. Work didn't start until later that night, though by the looks of it, she probably should take another day off. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I whipped it out reading a text from Ray. She was waiting for me outside already. Stuffing the remainder of toast into my mouth, I spoke a good-bye to my uncle through the food and was out of the door. Ray was seated on her motorcycle actually wearing a helmet for once, tossing me the spare. 

"That's cute," she teased referring to my overstuffed mouth. I rolled my eyes and braced myself for the short ride. 

As expected, the school was decked out in Halloween decorations with students cluttering the halls in their costumes. There were a lot of the normal costumes like the black cats, witches (some slutty and others decent), and of course the sensational vampire. Like every year, the suits got weirder: a pizza with a mustach, a roll of toilet paper, a football player wearing a diaper. . .

"Where's your costume?" Ray asked breaking me from my thoughts. I looked down at my grey hoodie and dark jeans and sneakers with a shrug.

"I'm already wearing it. I said I'm just going to be a zombie," I sighed, "Besides, costumes are such a waste of money."

Ray huffed rolling her eyes at me and gestured to her own get-up. She wore all black. Her jeans were tight and the black cardigan she wore accenuating her clevage had my eyes stuck for a moment. As always, there were boots on her feet- these ones going just below the knee and lacing up in the front. Her hair was loose and wavy over her shoulders and she wore lipstick the same shade as blood. The irony. Ray grinned at me and I saw that her fangs were out. My eyes widened as I looked around to see if anyone had seen, but no one seemed to care. 

"Relax," she breathed, "It's Halloween and no one's going to notice."

Before I got the chance to argue with her, Lizzie came rushing down the halls slapping people aside with her white feathered angel wings. I cringed at the high waisted pink and white plaid pants she wore. God I hate plaid! Upon seeing Rayna, her wide grin lessened and she slowed to a hault. I knew that she still thought we were a thing and Lizzie really liked me for some odd reason. 

"Hey, Lizzie," Ray said cheerfully. It was way too early in the morning to be that happy. Lizzie smiled back politely before her spectacled gaze landed on my less than festive attire. 

"No costume?" she asked with a frown. 

"You'll see it when I pick you up tonight," I replied trying not to massage the throbbing in my temples. 

Lizzie's eyes lit up with the reminder that I was taking her to the school dance- a senior with some social cred. It must have been a fiftenn year-old's wet dream come true. She latched on to my arm babbling away about everything including the make-up she'd bought, how she was going to do her hair, blah blah blah. I was grateful when the bell sounded for us to split up and head to class.