Chapter Twenty-Four
Amelie
I can’t believe it’s Halloween and that I’ve been here for over a month already.
It’s funny how quickly I’ve adjusted and life at Knox has become my new normal.
The one thing I’ve not gotten used to though, is the weather.
I don’t think I will ever get used to the cold.
Or how bloody wet it is here. When I moan about it, Kalen and Elsie just laugh and tell me that I’ve not seen anything yet.
I dread to think what that means. I bought - or should I say Kalen bought me - a coat on our shopping trip, but something tells me I’m going to need a warmer one soon.
I get up at the arse-end of night - or the butt crack of dawn depending on how you look at it - to run with Onyx. I’ve come to cherish the quiet time I get to spend in his company. It seems weird to say that a bond is growing between us when we rarely talk, but it’s there nonetheless.
After, I head back to my room just as it’s starting to get light, to shower and get ready for school.
I don’t know if I’m distracted as I race into the bathroom, or if I receive a delivery whilst I’m in the shower, but when I return to my room a garment bag is waiting for me on my bed, a coffee in a to go cup on my bedside table.
Kalen. I smile and snatch the coffee up first, before turning to the note pinned to the bag.
Happy Halloween, sis! Here’s your costume for tonight’s party. I’ve included everything you need - and I mean everything! - so don’t even think about making any changes to it. Can’t wait to see you in it/get you out of it… xxx
The boy is incorrigible, but he makes me laugh.
I’m also slightly nervous about what might be in this bag, knowing Kalen as I do.
I’m gutted that he wouldn’t let Elsie help him choose my costume: I may not like her style, but she knows mine and what I like.
Plus she’s the only person I can count on to rein Kalen in.
Hmmm, do I look now or wait until later?
Screw it, I’ve never been one for patience.
I unzip the bag and pull out the costume Kalen has selected for me.
I stare, open-mouthed at it, and then frantically search the garment bag for the rest of it.
Bastard. There’s no way I can wear the tiny scrap of material he’s picked out for me.
It’s practically just lingerie - and slutty lingerie at that!
He’s been kind enough to include some killer stilettos for me too; and I mean that literally because I will break my neck in the damn things.
Nu-uh. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that I’m wearing that!
I quickly get ready for school and head down to the dining room for breakfast. I spot everyone - that is to say the Knox brothers and Elsie - sitting at what has become ‘our’ table and I storm over to them.
“Morning, sis!” Kalen grins at me. “I see you’ve taken a sneak peak at your costume for tonight’s party!”
“Kalen,” I hiss. “I can’t wear that! I’ll get arrested for indecent exposure!” My face heats with anger and embarrassment.
“Aww, sis, trust me, you wear that and you could easily get away with murder.”
“Good. Because I’ll be plotting yours!”
“Erm, Amelie?” Slate interjects. “Why don’t you just wear a different costume if you don’t like it?”
“Dude! Shut up! You’re going to want to see her in what I’ve picked out, trust me!” Kalen replies, smacking Slate on the arm to shut him up.
“Because,” I seethe. “I didn’t get another costume. Kalen said he’d take care of it! How was I supposed to know he’d have me looking like a damn hooker!”
“Erm, did you meet our brother?” Onyx laughs.
“Ha-ha,” I bite back.
“Amelie, relax,” Elsie tells me. “It can’t be that bad, and besides, it is practically a tradition over here for the girls to dress a little more revealingly than they normally would.”
I eye her suspiciously.
“So your costume…”
“Has been supplied by Kalen too. So we are in the same boat. We will have fun together and own it!” She beams at me. I begrudgingly accept her suggestion.
“Ok. I will wear the damn costume on one condition…”
“Name it,” Elsie says.
“Kalen has to wear the costume I provide for him too.”
“Done!” Slate, Elsie and Onyx all call simultaneously as Kalen attempts to protest.
“What? Hey! No, that’s not fair!” he cries.
“Life isn’t fair, so suck it up, buttercup,” I say, deliberately throwing his own words back at him.
“I didn’t know you got me a costume,” he says.
“I didn’t. But my best friend is a drama major and she has access to the costume department so we’re about to leave you now and go have some fun!”
Elsie and I leave, arm in arm, to uproarious laughter from the twins and Kalen’s sputtering complaints. The party might not be so bad after all.
“Oh God what was I thinking?” I groan. I’m standing in Elsie’s room staring at myself in dismay in the full-length mirror.
“Amelie, you look hot. I would totally do you if you were on my team,” Elsie grins.
We’re standing side by side and although our costumes are similar - we’re both dressed as naughty brides - mine is way more revealing than Elsie’s.
I’m basically wearing a white bikini with a tiny scrap of lace connecting the two pieces down the front.
There are lace ruffles on the cups and a short lace skirt that barely covers my ass - in fact, it just seems to highlight it.
The stilettos Kalen gave me are white pvc hooker heels.
I have white stockings and a blue garter and the whole ensemble is topped off with a veil.
Elsie’s is a low cut white dress, no veil.
Hardly the same. I know I should be grateful that the bra isn’t cupless, but I’m still going to kill Kalen when I see him.
“I can’t do this!” I panic.
“Here, drink this.” Elsie thrusts a drink from her well-stocked mini fridge into my hands and I don’t question it; I down it. The alcohol burns all the way down but does warm me a little. “I can’t walk across campus like this,” I remind her.
“Relax, I have a mac you can borrow. It’ll look amazing with that outfit!”
“You know what’ll look amazing with this outfit? A blanket! Staying at home under mine and watching scary films!”
“Ah but then you won’t get the satisfaction of seeing Kalen in his costume. You do not want to miss that!”
She’s right. I sigh.
“Besides,” she continues. “I bet within ten minutes of being there, Kalen will seriously regret the costume he chose for you.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because every male student in this school is going to be on you like white on rice and he will hate that.” She laughs. “Come, it is time to go.”
She throws me a light coat - what did she call it?
A Mac? - which I pull on over my non-existent outfit.
It’s pale pink translucent pvc, a short belted trench style that falls to mid-thigh, with a tulle underskirt that makes it flare out in a flirty swish as I walk.
It’s the sexiest goddamn coat I’ve ever worn.
Sure, it doesn’t hide what I’m wearing underneath, but it fills me with so much confidence I strut across campus like I own it.
Although, it could just be the drink kicking in.
To my surprise, Elsie leads us to her car and tells me the party tonight is off campus a little way. I shrug and let her drive me. It doesn’t take long but panic builds as my surroundings become more and more familiar - even in the dark. When we pull up and park I remain frozen in my seat.
“What’s wrong, Amelie?” Elsie asks with a frown.
“The party is at Sawyer’s house?” I whisper.
“Shit! How did you know this was where Mr Knox lives?” I give her a hard look and she blushes. “Whoa, really?” I nod. “I can’t go in there, Elsie, take me home.”
“Hey, relax! Kalen said his brother is out all night and gave him the go ahead to have a few friends over for a movie marathon.”
“I thought it was a party?”
“Duh, but he couldn’t tell Mr Knox that now could he!”
“Please stop calling him that,” I groan, my head in my hands.
“Did you call him Sir? Was it kinky? Did he spank you?”
“Not talking about this,” I murmur.
“The only way to stop my questions is to get your ass out of the car and into that house,” she grins and for the first time I can see how evil she is. She’s loving every minute of my pain.
“I hate you.”
“Who has the biggest di-” she starts to ask but I cut her off by scrambling from the car and slamming the car door.
On the doorstep I take a deep breath and let myself in. There’s no point knocking, the music is far too loud for anyone to hear me. Memories wash over me in a wave as I walk the familiar hallway and turn left into Sawyer’s lounge. The place is rammed; I think the whole school is here.
“Amelie!” I spin at the soft sound of Slate’s voice.
He’s dressed as a zombie jock, wearing American Football gear, and he looks mighty fine despite the gruesome face paint.
“You look...wow…” he scans me up and down, his gaze heating to send the message his words cannot.
Ok, maybe Kalen did good with the outfit choice.
“Amelie! Sis! That coat was not part of our agreement!” Kalen crows from across the room. He battles through the throng like a salmon swimming upriver to get to me. When he reaches me, he too gives me the full body scan. “But hell if it wasn’t a great addition,” he says, eyes wide.
I take a step back so that I can take in Kalen’s costume in its entirety.
His long, usually messy hair is slicked back neatly and only a black bow tie graces his neck, the rest of his torso deliciously golden and bare, though gleaming.
His wrists are encased in white satin shirt cuffs.
On his bottom half he’s wearing a tiny apron, which I know is covering a black satin thong.
A giggle escapes my lips as I indicate for him to spin for me.
He does, and sure enough, he wore the thong. Fair play to him, he’s braver than me!
“Why are you so shiny?” I ask after wolf whistling him.