here without you

46

"Are you sure this looks good?"

I look at myself in the mirror, dressed up as a vampire.

"Are you kidding me? Roze, you look hotter than fucking hell. But, well, you always do."

It makes me blush, and also smile like crazy. I step over to Jade and wrap my arms around her neck.

"Well, you're definitely the hotter vampire," I say.

Before she can answer, I kiss her. After a few kisses she lets go of me, saying, "We should go now."

"Or we could..." I grin at her.

"That does sound really tempting, but we can't. We just put on our costumes."

"Yeah, we did, but -"

"No!" She lets out a laugh. "Let's just go, okay?"

She takes my hand and drags me downstairs with her. We walk to my car, sit down in it. She turns to me and says, "We still have later, Roze."

"You think I'd still want you later?"

"Well, yeah. Actually, I know you do."

"We'll see about that."

By the time we arrive at Jack's the party has already started. It's extremely loud, not only because of all the people shouting, but also because of the loud music which is playing. There is this mixture of alcohol, smoke, and sweat in the air. Everyone is wearing costumes, and pretty much everyone seems to be having lots of fun - which probably means everyone has consumed lots of alcohol.

All of these things are making me uncomfortable, and they remind me of the last and only time I got fully wasted, which was a few days after Olive's suicide. I don't remember much of that night, only that Nate had to literally carry me home, where he took care of me while I threw up all the contents of my body.

This party looks exactly like one of those events I rather avoid attending. Jade, however, seems like she's loving it. She's beaming, and she points out the crazy decorations to me. I try to seem just as fascinated by it as she is only to not destroy her enthusiasm.

Britney Brooke, one of the cheerleaders, comes over to us and greets us with a squeaky cheery voice. I look at her and her outfit. I'm not sure what she's supposed to be; she looks like a mix between a cheerleader and a stripper.

Britney first pulls Jade, then me into a tight hug, even though I've never talked to her before. When she hugs me, it feels like I'm suffocated by her perfume, which is horribly strong.

She looks at Jade. "Wow, Jadie, you look super, super hot. I mean, even hotter than usual. I absolutely love your costume! How did you make that blood look so real?"

"Well," I say, "obviously we both smeared on some real human blood."

I roll my eyes, and I see Jade suppressing a laugh. Britney looks at me, blinking. It takes a couple of seconds, but then she starts giggling, loud and annoying.

"You're so funny, Roze!" She slaps my arm. "And, by the way, you look exactly like a vampire. But you kinda always do. I mean, you have super pale skin and you have black hair."

Is that a compliment?

Jade must realise I don't know what to say or do, because she starts talking again, which makes Britney direct her attention back to Jade again.

"Your costume, Britney, is really..." Her mouth closes, opens. "Well, I could never wear it, but you look great in it, Brit." She gives her a smile. "You look really good."