Chapter 15
Fifteen
Jaclyn
After taking hundreds of pictures for Natalia’s instagram, we’re in the car on our way to the party.
Music is playing lightly in the car while Natalia tries to figure out what to post on her instagram. Chris is driving and I am sitting in the back. Natalia is dressed as Harley Quinn while Chris is dressed as the Joker. His hair is purple and he has fake tattoos on his face and chest. Natalia did his hair and tattoos and I did Natalia’s hair and makeup the best I could. She said she couldn’t do it herself and needed help.
I’m not a makeup artist so it’s a good thing that Harley Quinn’s makeup doesn’t require much work.
I’m dressed as an angel. I am just wearing a white, off the shoulder mini dress with a white corset around my waist. My hair is curled in a half up, half down style with a ribbon tied in it and I have angel wings that are clipped to my corset.
I feel pretty. I feel confident in myself which is the first time in a long time. For Halloween I would always stay home and read or watch movies, I never really hung out with my old friends.
But going out with Natalia is fun and it makes me miss having a good group of friends. I haven’t been this excited to do something for Halloween in a while.
As Chris pulls up to the house, Natalia looks at Chris. “You sure you’re okay with being driver tonight?”
“Of course, just don’t do anything stupid.” Chris smiles at her in a teasing way which makes Natalia blush. Chris parks before he turns his head to look at me. “Anything I should know before letting you drink?”
I shake my head. “Not much. I already told you I took my night shot, my insulin is in my bag if my blood sugar gets high. You said you are pretty familiar with the symptoms of being high or low right?”
“Yea, my sister experiences highs and lows all the time.”
“You seriously don’t have to watch me though, Chris. If you want to drink, I don’t mind being the driver tonight,” I offer, feeling bad that he has to watch over me.
“No, I can’t drink because of football anyways. Plus it will be good practice to look out for my sister this way. I’ll take care of you Jaclyn,” Chris promises and my heart swells because I finally have friends that look out for me and care for me.
I smile at him. “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Chris turns off the car and we all get out to start walking towards the front door.
Natalia and I already took two shots at the house for a pregame. I took two Fireballs while Natalia took two Malibu. I am not tipsy but I am getting close. I already gave myself insulin too so I should be good if I drink or eat anything at all.
I hate that while we were at the apartment, my eyes kept going to Hayden’s door, wondering if he was in his room.
I hate that I was constantly wondering where he was and that I wanted to talk to him.
We finished the project last week in the library. He kept touching my hair and for some reason, I didn’t mind it. I wasn’t bothered, instead I enjoyed his touch. I liked how warm his finger felt against my cheek when he would touch a single strand.
At the same time I would hate that feeling because I can’t be feeling butterflies for a guy or forming crushes, especially on Hayden who seems to have this weird hatred towards me.
Last time I had feelings for a guy, I was destroyed .
When we walk in the house, the song “Where You Belong” by The Weeknd is playing throughout the house.
As usual, people are either grinding or dry humping one another against the walls, doing drugs and playing with powders on the coffee tables, and then drinking or dancing their little hearts out.
But Halloween parties are always more intense. People dance harder, do more drugs, and it's just more. It is the devil's night after all.
I’ve always been told that life changing things happen on Halloween and it’s not wrong.
“Drinks!” Natalia yells as she pulls mine and Chris’s hand through the crowd of people, trying to get us to the kitchen where the alcohol is. The counter tops are covered with chip bags and different types of alcohol. Natalia reaches for a cup and looks at me. “What do you want?”
“I’ll get the Smirnoff and then pour lemonade in there,” I tell Natalia which she goes ahead and does.
“I knew you were hiding somewhere.” I hear Max’s voice behind me. I turn my head and see him walking up to Chris, Natalia, and I. He is wearing a nerd costume. But he has no shirt on, just a blazer. Broken glasses are on his face and he has a big red hickey, smacked on his neck. “Like what you see, angel?” Max smirks at me.
“I’m sure you’re catching every girl's attention here Max.” I laugh. Natalia hands me my drink and then starts to pour herself something. Chris keeps his eyes on her the entire time. “When did you get here?” I ask Max, before taking a few sips of my drink.
“Like an hour ago. I needed to get as much of the good alcohol as I could before other people drink it all,” Max says, rolling his eyes. “Anyways, you look good though Jaclyn. Give me a little twirl.” Max winks.
I laugh and do a 360° turn. “Does his majesty approve?” I raise an eyebrow at him.
Max nods his head and winks at me. “He always approves of you, darling.”
“Once we finish, I want to dance a little,” Natalia says before drinking the liquid in her cup.
I nod my head before finishing the rest of my drink. My eyes go to the Reece’s Mini Cups set on the table. I snag some and eat them as Natalia slowly finishes her drink.
Chris and Max talk for a little bit while Natalia tries to drink as much alcohol as she can. She also ends up pouring me a few shots of Fireball which I gladly accept because I like the burn Fireball gives me when it goes down my throat.
After my second shot, I am starting to feel dizzy, the alcohol is slowly affecting me.
I wrap an arm around Natalia. “We’re going to go dance,” I tell Chris as Natalia tries to hold onto me as if she is going to fall .
“You think that's a good idea?” I hear that irritating, familiar voice.
I squint my eyes as I look behind Chris and see Hayden.
When did he get here?
Hayden is wearing a red dress shirt and black pants. He has tiny red horns on his head making me assume he is a devil.
How fucking ironic.
I glare at Hayden. “I think it’s a great idea.”
I look at Natalia and she just laughs. “Stop being such a mood killer, Hay.”
I laugh as I pull Natalia to the dance floor and we start dancing to “Nightcrawler” by Travis Scott. Everyone is yelling out the lyrics to the song and Natalia is jumping up and down. I join her and laugh while doing so because we probably look so stupid.
But we’re having fun and that’s all that matters.
Slowly my vision becomes impaired while dancing with Natalia. I still smile and laugh while moving my hips with hers.
She keeps yelling out lyrics to random songs that are playing while grinding her hips against mine. I wrap my arms around her while doing so. We look like such a mess.
Overtime I feel tired and the sweet taste in my mouth makes me desperate to have water but I want to keep dancing with Natalia .
It’s okay though because everything is fine.
Things are still so dizzy though and my throat feels all weird.
I look down at my feet and everything's so blurry.
But I’m fine.
Everything is fine.
I jump and try to dance with Natalia but when I try to move I feel the need to bend over.
My breathing becomes unsteady as I stubble through people to get out of the crowd. Everything feels dizzy and blurry.
I practically run to the nearest bathroom, managing not to trip or fall as I hold on to the wall.
“Hey what the fuck?!” a guy yells as I pass him and get inside the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
I fall to the ground and open the toilet seat before throwing everything up.
Tears start running down my face as more and more bile falls from my mouth. I whimper and shake, wanting to close my eyes.
I feel my hair being pulled away from my face and I almost imagine I’m back home with my mom holding my hair back as I would throw up.
“It’s okay. Keep going. You’re okay.” I hear someone whisper. But I feel too tired and dizzy to recognize the voice. They run their fingers along my forehead and their warm hand on my back feels so good and soothing. But I still can’t stop the bile coming out of my mouth. I wish it could all stop. I don’t know why this has to feel like I am dying. I feel like I am near death but it’s not like the low type of death where I shake uncontrollably and panic. It’s the high type, where I feel tired and dizzy. “You’re okay, Jaclyn. I’m here.”
And that’s the last thing I hear before everything goes blank.