MELROSE

CHAPTER 15

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Happy birthday to you
May the good Lord bless you
You look like a monkey
And you smell like one too

I rolled my eyes for the thousandth time as Chris more or less screamed happy birthday into her phone. Today was Don's birthday and because my brother is his best friend I haven't heard the end of it.

"Yep. She's here." Chris said into the phone.

I sure as hell hope she's not talking about me.

"Of course we're coming. Have we ever missed it?"

Since Don was a rich guy and Halloween was his day, he always threw a huge Halloween party. One which everybody goes to. Including me.

"Yeah. I'll give her the phone."

I froze. What?

Chris handed me her phone. "He wants to talk to you."

I glared at her. "I don't want to talk to him."

"Oh puh - lease don't be a bitch for two seconds and wish him happy birthday."

I snatched up the phone. "Happy birthday Don."

"Did you get me a gift?" Was his oh sweet sweet reply.

"No." I simply said and handed Chris back her phone. She talked to him a little longer before hanging up and turning to me.

"Okay. Are you ready to see your costume?"

"Just show me the damned thing already." I sounded as uninterested as possible. But I was interested. Very very.

"Wow Aura if you don't calm down your holiday spirit might just kill me." She mumbled sarcastically, producing a package. She ripped it open. "And this year's costume is ..."

I nearly lost my breath. Hell no.

"No way."

"Yes way."

"Not a chance."

"Many chances."

"I'm not wearing that."

"Yes you are."

I stared at the costume on the bed. The orange and black stripes meant more than just a costume. Tigress. Only one person called me that. And its his birthday.

"I said I wanted something black you idiot! Not orange!"

Chris snickered. "Oh come on. This has a little bit of black on it! And haven't you heard?"

I frowned. "Heard what?"

She smiled, that smile people give when they're about to say something stupid. "Orange is the new black."

***

The first thing that I heard was the pounding music. I stepped out of the car, took one good look at the house and nodded in approval. The exterior had been decorated with skeletons, fake spiders, cobwebs, pumpkins, small witches on brooms and other Halloween props. Don was seriously worshipping this holiday.

Snagging the bottle of cologne I decided to buy for him, one which I didn't bother wrapping, I walked into the house.

People in different costumes were engaged in one activity or the other. I scanned the crowd for any familiar face. Then I spotted the two idiots of the year. Their heads were ducked down in conversation and I had a feeling they were betting on something. I wasn't wrong.