by Ivy Clyde
He grinned. “You can dress up as the beast. We can go as a couple.”
“Hmm.” The more I thought about it, the more I liked it. “You think I can rock a lion’s mane?”
“You’ll be a skinny beast but we can work on it.”
There was a loud knock at the door. “It must be Zoya,” I said, springing to my feet. Rushing forward, I opened the door for her.
Zoya peered around me and caught sight of Lucas on my bed. “Hey!” she said with a small wave as she slipped inside the room and casually threw her bag on my chair. “You’re here already.”
“You want something to drink, Zoya?” I asked, shutting the door.
“Do you have any hot chocolate?”
“Yup!”
“Then, yes.” She glanced at Lucas. “You want some too?”
“Sure.”
I let them chat while I took a saucepan from a cupboard and began prepping a pot of hot chocolate. The chilly fall afternoon was perfect for it. Ruben had sent over plenty of readymade homemade mixes of beverages along with more cookies. He never forgot to send a box every week. I smiled, thinking of the elderly butler who looked after the Davenport residence.
I poured the luxuriously rich hot chocolate in three mismatched mugs and topped them with marshmallows.
“Here, you go,” I said, moving towards the bed. Both Lucas and Zoya had gotten rid of their shoes and now sat in my bed with folded legs. After handing them their mugs, I moved away Zoya’s bag from my chair and dragged it near the bed. Taking a seat on it, I watched them take tentative sips of the hot chocolate.
“Lucas says you guys want to go as Belle and the Beast,” began Zoya after a while.
“I’m not sure yet,” I said. “What about you?”
“I want to go as Wonder Woman.”
“You’ve definitely got the figure for it,” he said with an approving glance at Zoya. “Style your hair and don’t go for a wig.” His fingers worked with the loose waves of her hair. “Curl it a bit more, add some bronzer and gold shimmer to your cheeks and you’ll make one heck of an Amazonian.”
Zoya beamed at him. Within no time, they were excitedly discussing makeup tips that would look perfect for each of their costumes. I tuned out of the conversation, contentedly sipping my hot chocolate. There were two quizzes coming up that week. My mind strayed on the topics I had to study that coming weekend.
“Hello, Paris!” Zoya was suddenly talking in my ear as she waved her hand close to my face. “Earth to Paris!”
“What?” The legs of the chair scraped against the wooden floor as I moved it away from her.
“We’ve finalized what we want,” said Zoya. “You need to make up your mind too.”
“I’ll go as the Beast,” I said at once. “I might have to search for the right wig though.”
Zoya clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait to see how you guys look together.”
I sniggered. “Lucas will take the limelight, of course.”
“Nah!” said Zoya with a wave of her hand. “Just wait till you see how some of the other girls dress up. It’s like the typical Mean Girls movie. They’ll mostly be parading in lingerie.”
I chuckled. “Halloween for us. Christmas for the boys.”
Zoya and Lucas went out together that weekend to get their costumes as well as mine. Since they were more into it than me, I let them hang out while staying back to study. My obsession with grades was probably taking an unhealthy turn but I couldn’t stop working. It kept me from missing Mom and thinking too much about the warnings people kept throwing at me.
The last time I’d been to the Davenport Manor was the evening of Liam’s birthday. Clara called me a few times over the past two months but each time, she sounded exhausted. Her husband was about to go for surgery soon and she was handling all his business matters from Hong Kong. It couldn’t have been easy for her to do it all alone in a foreign land.
I never told her about the incident. From what I gathered, even Ruben kept it from her. At the end of the day, I was fine. There was no need to burden her with more guilt.
Ever since that night, Liam remained cool towards me. For some strange reason, Gabrielle was avoiding me too but at least he would flash me a smile each time I waved at him.
Brianna, Holly, and Gianna made sure to throw dirty insults at me every time we crossed paths. They were even more vicious after the grades from my other assignments started coming up. Whispers of ‘gutter slut’ followed me everywhere but other than Holly and Gianna, no one openly attacked me. Brianna kept her distance from me, content to watch as her best friends harassed me every chance they got.
The only places I found peace were in the science department, my cabin and the library. These places were free of the Evil Trinity. Other than being the new transfer kid, people in the science block usually ignored me.
Halloween this year fell on a Friday, the thirteenth. A feverish excitement spread through the air. Everyone (including me) was busy anticipating the evening’s feast. The cafeteria would be an amazing sight that evening with everyone dressed in their costumes.
The teachers gave up teaching that afternoon, freeing all classes so the students could get back to the dorms and prepare for the evening’s festivities. I was determined to enjoy myself at the feast as well as the party in the cemetery later. All my assignments due next week were completed.
“Come to my dorm room,” said Zoya as we walked out of the cafeteria after lunch. Trucks and vans belonging to catering companies and party planners were parked right outside. They were waiting for lunch hour to get over before moving in to decorate and arrange for the evening feast.
“Are you sure I can go?” I asked, feeling unsure. I’d never stepped into the tall apartment buildings that housed the student dorms.
“Of course, you can, dude!” said Zoya with a frown. “You’re a student here, after all. I should have dragged you to my room before. It’s just that I’m so used to meeting you and staying at your place all the time.”
I chuckled. “Actually, I’m used to that too.”
“You can come up to my room anytime now,” she said excitedly. “We don’t have to worry about my stepdad and his rules about outsiders.” She air-quoted the word ‘outsiders’.
Zoya led me down the path leading to the student dorms. Almost unconsciously, I’d avoided getting close to it, feeling like I didn’t really deserve to live there.
The luxurious apartment building was at least fifty stories high, towering over the main school building in the background. Dark, tinted windows glittered under the fading sunlight as we crossed the front yard to enter through the guarded doors that slid open after Zoya flashed an ID card at the card reader.
A well-furnished lobby greeted us. Zoya walked forward, leading the way further down the hallway until we reached the elevators. Everything was polished and clean. Compared to this, the surroundings of my cabin must look very humble.
Zoya hit the ‘10’ on the elevator panel. With a jerk, we rose upward.
As the elevator doors slid open, I caught sight of a wide corridor. Natural light came in through glass windows set on both sides of the hallway.
“Come on,” urged Zoya, hurrying down the corridor. She inserted her ID card into the slot by a door. After a short beep, the door unlocked. Pushing it open, she went inside.
Her room was like a luxury hotel suite spread over a vast area. The living room was filled with comfortable couches in a modern contemporary style. Beyond it, lay the bedroom.
“Have a seat,” she said, gesturing at the plush sofa. “I’ll give Lucas a call.”
Before she could dial his number, a buzzer rang out. “That must be him,” I said, going to the door to open it.
“Oh goodie!” she said with a little skip. “I can’t wait to put on our costumes. Mine was custom made, so I am dying to try it on.”
“What about Lucas?” I asked, opening the door.
“What about me?” he asked, stepping inside.<
br />
“Is your costume custom made too?”
“Yep. We had the same cosplayer stitch it for us. Actually, she made yours too,” he added. He dropped his backpack and sat on the couch. Stretching like a cat, he unfolded his long limbs and lay on the sofa.
“So, what do we do now?” I asked. “It’s still five hours until the start of the feast.”
“You think you have five hours,” said Zoya, coming to the room with three chilled cans of diet coke. She placed them on the coffee table near the couch and sat next to Lucas. “We have to do hair and makeup and then help each other get dressed properly. It can take a few hours.”
I opened a can of coke and drank deeply, letting my friends decide who would start getting dressed first and whose costume was more complicated than the other. As I gazed around the room, I realized my cabin was indeed tiny compared to the dorm rooms. Liam must have thought the difference between the two would have forced me into a tantrum. I smiled inwardly, realizing I already loved my cabin and wouldn’t trade it for an apartment here.
“Paris!” Zoya shouted, shaking me by the shoulder. “Why do you keep spacing out?”
“Sorry,” I said, turning to face both my friends. “What’s up?”
“I am going to do Lucas’s makeup first, then mine. Once we’re both ready, we’ll help you get into yours.”
I nodded. “Cool. Let me know if you need my help with anything. I am going to take a nap in the meantime.” The couch was comfortable and warm, lulling me into a doze within minutes.
When I was shaken awake again, I found a very pretty Belle with broad shoulders and a cute, petite Amazonian warrior standing before me. A smile rose on my lips. “You guys look amazing!” I cheered. Their custom made costumes were as sophisticated as original movie props.
“Look at the time, Paris. It’s already six. We’ve got to get you ready. People are already going downstairs.” I could hear the muffled shrieks of excitement coming through the walls of the room.
I stretched, rubbing out the sleep from my eyes.
“Where’s my costume?” I asked, looking around the living room area.
“I’ve laid it out on my bed. Wear it and call for me. I’ll help you with the wig and the mane.”
With a nod, I headed to Zoya’s bedroom. It was littered with plastic wrappers, used towels and tissues. Makeup stuff was strewn across the dresser’s table as well as on the bed. She was going to have one heck of a time cleaning up later. Ignoring the mess, I stripped out of my uniform.
My costume looked as sophisticated as Zoya’s and Lucas’s. The shirt I wore was long-sleeved with ruffles at the wrist-end. Even the long, tailored coat I wore could have passed off as a vintage garment. However, I didn’t look anything like a Beast. More like a feminine valet in his castle.
“I am done,” I said, walking back to the living room. Zoya and Lucas were busy snapping each others’ photos. They looked over at me and both burst out laughing.
“Hey!”
“We should have got her some shoulder pads,” said Lucas, eyeing me through heavily-mascara’d lashes.
“And probably some heels,” said Zoya. “She looks tiny in that get-up.”
“We need to hurry,” said Lucas, checking the time on his phone’s screen. “The feast will begin soon.”
“Let’s go,” I said, locking my arm with Zoya’s. “It’s not like there’s a prize for the perfect costume. Let’s just have fun today.”
“Now you’re talking! Woohoo!” Lucas positioned himself on my other side and wound his arm around mine. “We look like a bizarre couple but what the hell, right?”
“Right!” Zoya and I cheered.
We stepped out into the corridor outside. There were all sorts of monsters prowling the halls along with scantily clad girls in fishnet stockings and tiny lingerie. Lucas attracted a lot of attention as we walked to the elevator. His long, flaring gown was eye-catching and he had the perfect pose to make it work. You had to look very closely to realize he was actually a dude in a Disney princess gown.
The lawns around campus were full of people dressed in a myriad of costumes. Other than the girls in lingerie, it was impossible to recognize anyone.
“Let’s stay close,” I said. “It’ll be easy to get lost among all the vamps and pirates.”
The pathway leading to the cafeteria was lined with carved pumpkins. They looked amazingly eerie in the darkness. As we got nearer, the muffled sounds of music reached our ears. They’d chosen a creepy, masquerade playlist for the feast.
The cafeteria itself was decorated to celebrate the occasion. Black, gauzy drapes were hung overhead. The place was dark, almost shadowy. The only lights came from the small carved pumpkins that dotted the floor. The chairs and usual tables were taken away, leaving a vast place for students to dance and mingle. A long table in the corner was laid with food. There would be no waiters tonight.
“I need a drink, girls,” said Lucas.
“Sure. But let’s stick together or I’ll lose you.”
“There’s not a chance we’ll lose him,” said Zoya with a chuckle. “You can see that dress from a mile.”
Sniggering, we followed Lucas to the table. My mouth parted in surprise as I took in the visuals the party planners arranged for us. Most of the food was made to mimic bloody, eerie stuff. There were small carved pumpkins placed in between the platters. Fake black spiders and replicas of lone, human skeletal hands were strewn all around too.
“Ewww,” said Zoya from my side. “They went too overboard with it. The food looks disgusting.”
“It’s Halloween,” I insisted, accepting a glass of blood-red punch from Lucas. They somehow made it into a thick, syrupy consistency, much like blood.
“It’s gross,” she muttered.
“It’s not so bad,” I said, taking a few sips of the cranberry-flavored drink.
Two tall boys, dressed like zombies, sauntered over to where we stood. “Hey, Zoya! Looking hot,” they said, letting their gazes rake her from breast to foot.
“Paris, this is Sam and Kent,” she said, gesturing at the boys. “We’re in the same economics class.”
“Hi,” I said with a small wave. They glanced at me momentarily but their gazes went back to ogle Zoya in her Wonder Woman costume.
“Come dance with us,” said the taller zombie. “We’re all over there.” He jabbed a thumb in the background where plenty of people were already dancing to gothic rock music.
“Go ahead,” I said as Zoya looked longingly at the group of dancing zombies.
“Will you be okay by yourself?” she asked, looking worried.
“Don’t worry about me and enjoy yourself. I’ve got Lucas for company.”
She smiled and skipped across the room to join her classmates. Within seconds, she disappeared in the throng of dancing bodies.
“Try these fish fingers,” said Lucas, stuffing something resembling a long, human finger into my mouth suddenly.
I bit into it and if I didn’t pay too much attention to what it looked like, it tasted rather crunchy and savory. “It’s good,” I said through the mouthful.
After eating our way through the most bizarre-looking dishes, Lucas and I moved to the dance floor. People openly stared at us, a tall Belle and a short, skinny Beast. It was funny and we were both laughing and dancing in no time at all. For the first time since I stepped into Knightswood Academy, I was having fun.
The crowd grew larger as time passed. With the myriad of costumes everyone wore, it started getting claustrophobic in the darkened cafeteria.
“I need some air,” I shouted over the music which had been cranked high.
Lucas nodded, taking hold of my wrist and leading the way through the crowd. His tall frame and voluminous skirt easily cleared the way for me.
The cold night air felt amazingly refreshing after the suffocating warmth of the cafeteria hall. A half-sickle moon hung in the sky, illuminating the low hills all around us.
“How about we chec
k out the cemetery now?” asked Lucas.
I hesitated. Not only was it extremely creepy to be going to one at night, but it was also Halloween. Mom told me about the crazy shit that went on there during this time. Séances and drunken orgies had been common during her time. Did I really want to see any of it?
“C’ mon, Paris,” urged Lucas with a tug at my hand. “I’ve never been out on Halloween over the past two years. Ever since I stepped in Knightswood, I had no friends to hang out with. Please? Go with me?” He wagged shaggy eyebrows at me.
I chuckled. “You’re asking the Charity Case for pity?” Taking a deep breath, I nodded. “Might as well see what really goes up there than being curious about it. But you’ve got to promise me one thing.”
“What?”
“You can’t ditch me.”
“Not a prob, Beasty Darling,” he said, pulling me against him. “I won’t leave your side.”
We followed the path leading past the student dorms. Tonight, the way was lit with carved pumpkins as well as hanging lanterns on bare tree branches. A chilly breeze blew down on us but my layers of vintage clothing kept me warm. Zombies, vampires and even girls in cute little dresses playing the Powerpuff Girls passed by us as we all headed to the hill with the Victorian cemetery.
“Why does the school allow this?” I asked thoughtfully, looking at the furtive way everyone huddled together with their friends as they headed up the hill. People looked nervous rather than excited.
“It’s an old tradition at the academy. Among the rich and elite, nothing is more important than keeping up age-old traditions even if it makes them look like idiots.” Lucas’s voice was bitter.
“Is your family okay with you being gay?” I asked slowly. So far, I’d refrained from asking him anything personal, but after being friends for almost two months, I felt we were close enough.
“My family is okay, that is, my mother and father,” said Lucas, looking ahead. “They even gave up their positions in my grandfather’s company because I refused to be set up with another heiress. He hates it. He’s the one who has given free rein to Lucien. I guess he believes my cousin can beat it out of me.”
