The Quarterback, Outcast and Me ✔

Chapter Eighteen - Trick or Treat - Part One

"Ugh, stupid zipper," I growled, trying desperately to reach the zipper on the back of my marionette costume. I was standing in my room in front of my full-size mirror in my Halloween costume. I was glaring at my reflection as my fingers fumbled for the little slip of metal on my back.

The numbers on my alarm clock behind me read 6:43 pm. I had seven minutes before Caleb was due to come pick me up and take me to the Halloween dance at school. Shifting my gaze from the clock to my face made my scowl soften. The doll-like makeup I had done looked stunning and I was quite satisfied with it, not counting the dress at the moment. I had done my hair up in pigtails with big curls and layered my eyelashes with several coats of mascara and surrounded my eyes with eyeliner and dark eye-shadow for the extra dramatic effect. I had also painted dark lines from the corners of my mouth and down to my chin, making me almost look like a ventriloquist doll.

"Dammit," I groaned deeply as I yet again missed the stupid zipper that was just out of my reach.

"Need help?"

I turned to look at Jace leaning against the open door of the bathroom. He was already in full costume and I couldn't help but to stare, possibly with my mouth open a little. He looked like utter perfection in his fitted dark blue pilot costume, complete with hat and pins. He was holding the aviator glasses in his hand, but I had no doubt in my mind that once he put them on, he'd floor all the girls at the dance. Heck, my knees suddenly felt a little wobbly, though I managed to keep myself upright.

"Yeah, uhm, it's my zipper," I said, demonstrating my problem as I tried again to grab hold of the zipper. Jace crossed the room in two strides and came to stand behind me. Our eyes locked as he gently placed a hand on the small of my back, the other finding the zipper and ever so slowly, pulled it up. It was all so intimate; I was afraid to say anything, to even breathe. We just stared at each other.

Jace cleared his throat and with an odd look on his face, took a step back.

"There, all set." He smiled casually at me, but it looked forced somehow. The whole situation suddenly felt forced.

"Thank you, Jace." I hoped my makeup concealed the heat that was building up in my cheeks.

"You look beautiful, by the way," he said.

"Thank you," I said, again, making me sound like a broken idiot. "You look quite handsome yourself."

Jace took a bow like a true gentleman and I grinned. The awkward intimate moment evaporated.

"Thank you, milady." He straightened himself and started swinging his glasses around.

"So, when's your date coming?"

I checked the clock again. "Any minute now." The thought of Caleb outside my door had my stomach churning in delight. He had insisted on keeping his costume a surprise, but during the week in school, Carrie and I had come up with several possibilities for what he might go as. Quite frankly, the choices were endless.

I grabbed my clutch and smiled. "I'm going downstairs. Are you coming?" Jace shook his head, so I left him in my room as I headed out in the hall and down the stairs. Our parents had decided to go out for the night. I had showed my mom the costume earlier today and she had loved it. The large house seemed so ominous even with the lights on.

I entered the kitchen and sat myself on one of the bar stools by the island.

Minutes ticked by; five, ten, twelve. The wall clock chimed seven and Caleb was still a no show. Anxiety was beginning to climb up my throat and I thought back to the night he had stood me up at the football game. Was this going to be a repeat of that? I opened my clutch and grabbed my phone, sending him a text asking him where he was. Five more minutes went by with no reply. I plucked up the courage and dialed his number. It went straight to voice-mail. So his phone was turned off. There could be several rational reasons for that: his battery had died and. And what? He wouldn't turn off his phone if he was going to be late, would he?