Chapter 44 Monster Smash – Aurora
MONSTER SMASH
AURORA
"Ithought you were joking!" Maisie's heels click against the sidewalk as she rushes over to me, taking in my costume as I step out of the Uber at the Alpha Sigma Phi frat house.
"Nope. Not joking."
I show her the purse shaped like a nineties landline phone and mime putting it to my ear as if I were receiving a call. I put my hand to my mouth and pass it to her. "Oh no, it's for you."
She pushes the phone away and laughs. "Ha ha, so funny. Just so you know, there are probably about fifty Ghostfaces in there who are going to want to play-kill you all night long."
Yeah, this is what I get for letting Seven dress me up as one of Ghostface's victims, phone, blood-stained dress and all. He thought it was hilarious, and since I opened the package he ordered last night, he's been making jokes about all the ways he wants to 'stab' me repeatedly and make me scream.
He even offered to put the mask on last night when he snuck into my room. The one he wore for the heist at the Matisse.
I peer down the road as the Uber drives away, catching sight of the black SUV that followed me here. I will Ambrose's man to leave, but of course he pulls up in an empty space down the block and puts the SUV in park.
"What are you looking at?" Maisie asks, and I clear my throat, forcing my attention back to her.
"Nothing. I like your costume," I say, giving her the nod of approval as she does a little spin.
"Cher from Clueless," she announces as if I didn't recognize the yellow plaid.
"Iconic," I agree, and then sigh when the music booming from inside the frat house gets obnoxiously louder as the beat drops.
Out on the lawn, there are already several groupings of students in various states of intoxication. Smoking, kissing, pissing…oh, and vomiting, apparently.
Why did we come here again?
"This is going to be so fun!" Maisie chirps, oblivious to my disgust as she pulls a small bottle of flavored vodka from her purse. She shakes it, holding it out to me. "A little pregame?"
What the hell…
It's not like I'll trust drinking anything in there, and her cap is still sealed.
I take it and down a couple of small swallows, coughing as the chemical taste of artificial bubble gum burns in my throat.
Ugh.
Maisie takes a long gulp when I pass the bottle back, and I blink at her when she doesn't even make a face.
Damn.
She giggles and takes me by the purse, dragging me by its strap all the way up to the front door.
As the vodka makes its way to my stomach, I shiver, and some of the tension in my body uncoils. I have until tomorrow afternoon before I'll need to reach out to Ambrose and accept his invitation to Spain.
I suppose I could at least try to enjoy it.
I've been thinking, and when this is all over, maybe I could go back to school for real.
Possibly even continue with these classes, here in Boone, so it's within driving distance to get home.
Or the guys could come here? We could get a bigger apartment.
I could get some experience apprenticing with a music label.
Maybe start one myself someday.
My friendship with Maisie could become more than part of my cover. I like her.
When Maisie goes to knock on the door, I shake my head at her and go for the handle, swinging the door open for her. Is this her first college party?
Even I've been to a couple, but this is my first one as an actual student at said college.
Inside is like being swallowed by some kind of hellbeast. It's hot as fuck, and all the walls and decorations are red. The pulsing lights play off the crimson damask wallpaper and streaming scarlet tinsel, making it look like we're partying in the devil's stomach.
There's a wide staircase leading up to the next floor in the middle of the entryway, and most steps are filled with people sitting and chatting—more like screaming into each other's ears over the music.
To the left is a massive room with a pool table set up, and to the right a room filled with sofas and stacks of discarded empty cans.
Maisie was right. I see at least four other Ghostfaces already. And there are two in the same mask Elijah wore at the Matisse heist. Another three in the tactical skull mask Atty chose.
The Menage a MaskTok really blew up on TikTok and the evidence of their virality is literally all around me.
Most of the masks are resting atop their heads as they drink, and will probably stay there throughout the night until they're eventually discarded. Full-face masks don't exactly make good drinking buddies.
"You made it!" Bailey's voice rings loud over the music as he pounds down the stairs, red Solo cup in hand, black Ghostface getup swishing around him like a dress. His mask hangs by a string around his neck, bouncing against his back, already forgotten.
Of course, he'd be one of them.
"Hey you," he croons to Maisie, pulling her into a hug before moving on to me. "Nice costume. Were you trying to match with me on purpose?"
I give him a look that doesn't stop him whatsoever as he pulls me in for a tight embrace that smells like beer and bad decisions.
I can't quite put my finger on why I don't like him, but I just don't. I should've trusted my gut with Jesse when I first met him. This time, I'm listening.
"Follow me!" he says when he lets me go. "Let's get you ladies a drink. I know Trip was hoping you'd show up, Maisie."
Shit. I forgot she had that date with him. I've been so caught up in my own shit I never even asked her how it went.
Maisie blushes and is so quick to follow Bailey that I am genuinely concerned for her. I stop her and shake my head, calling to Bailey. "We brought our own booze, but thanks!"
"Oh, you gotta try the monster punch. My guy Philips makes it. Shit's lethal."
Because that's really selling me on it…
"I want to try the punch." Maisie is all smiles for him as she shouts over the music.
"Come on, Aurora," Bailey says, and there's a gleam in his eyes that I recognize. "Just a little taste."
I jerk Maisie back. "We're going to go shoot some pool."
Behind Bailey, two men in coordinating masks appear. One with a glowing smile and crossed-out eyes, the other in the skull mask.
"Hey!" Bailey calls to them, indicating me. "This is the girl I was telling you guys about—from Professor Ryan's class. Aurora, this is Philips and Trip."
"Hey, Trip," Maisie says with a cutesy smile and he lifts his mask to appreciate her properly, eyeing her up like a fresh cut of meat.
"Looking good, Mais."
Bailey fumbles to get his Ghostface mask back on over his blond hair, pulling his dark hood up. Once he's got it, he puts his arms out with his buddies on either side of him like he's the main act. "Recognize us?"
He makes the peace sign like Seven did in the original photos.
The fact that they are literally dressed up as my men makes me want to laugh and rage at the same time.
They look fucking ridiculous.
"Come on," Bailey says, voice muffled through his mask. "We're the Menage a MaskTok!"
I wave a hand around the rest of the party. "And so is everyone else."
Bailey leans in to whisper, "Yeah, but we're the real deal."
Now I actually laugh, and his Ghostface mask recoils from the sound.
"Come on, Mais. Let's go."
She makes a whining sound, but lets me tow her into the room with the pool table and away from the sharks smelling blood in the water.
I pluck a twenty from my phone purse and slap it on the side of the pool table. "I'll take the winner."
It's been a minute since I've played, but it was Jesse's favorite pastime, and you pick up a lot when you're forced to watch a man play this game more nights than he doesn't. Jesse never played against me, but he loved watching me beat down every other scumbag at that greasy bar.
Using everything I learned from watching and practicing after hours.
The guy dressed as a Yellowstone character tips his cowboy hat to me, and I take it he's the one about to finish off the other guy.
"If I win, I take the hat, too," I decide. It's nice. Looks like a real leather one.
The guy raises his brows and pulls the toothpick he was chewing from his mouth to gesture at me with it. "You think you can beat me, little lady?"
"I think I have a fair chance."
I will definitely beat him.
"You're on."
Then I turn to Maisie. "Give me ten minutes, and we'll have the table."
She winces. "I don't know how to play."
Oh.
"I'll teach you."
Maisie grins. "Okay, yeah. I'm in."
She pulls the vodka from her purse and hands it to me. "Kick that cowboy's ass."