Chapter 34
34
Karim arrived to pick me up just before ten. I told him to wait a street away, just like last time.
‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost,’ he joked as I got into the car.
I sank lower into my seat. ‘Let’s get out of here before I change my mind.’
He laughed as he drove off. ‘You really are a daredevil tonight! Getting right into the Halloween spirit – I’m so proud of you. Every kid has to sneak out at least once in their life.’
My insides twisted with discomfort.
I texted Sal quickly, knowing she’d be waiting to hear from me.
I’m with Karim now. I really hope I don’t get caught!
She responded almost instantly.
You won’t, sis. Your parents will be knocked out cold soon. You deserve this night out to forget about everything and enjoy life! Just remember to be careful. Love you. Send me pics. But remember to not let anyone else snap you!
I sent her lots of heart emojis.
‘Is everything OK?’ Karim asked. ‘You seem tense.’
‘I had a fight with my parents last night. A big one. If they find out I’ve snuck out tonight, it’ll probably be the end of my relationship with them.’
‘Oh, come on. As much as parents love telling us off when we screw up, they’re never angry for more than a few days.’
I looked him dead in the eyes. ‘My parents are built a little differently.’
He reached for my hand. ‘I can drive you back right now if you want.’
‘No,’ I replied firmly, lacing my fingers through his. ‘Trust me, I’m less stressed here than I am at home.’
When we reached the Malik mansion, Karim led me to his sister’s room, as she was going to help me get ready. Kiran opened the door and squealed with excitement. ‘It’s you ! I remember you from the food tasting!’ She beamed. ‘I thought, wow, that girl is gorgeous – I’d love to do her make-up. And here you are! I’m so glad Karim’s finally made a normal, drama-free friend.’
‘Your make-up is incredible,’ I replied just as enthusiastically. ‘I’ve been watching your tutorials for years. This is literally a dream come true.’
The three of us settled on Kiran’s massive bed and Kiran started on my make-up, and as she applied it she spilled all the tea on how intense the one-upping was getting between their mother and her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
‘Monster-in-law and bridezilla are understatements,’ she said. ‘Azad is stuck in the middle of this wild tug of war. I won’t be surprised if they pull his arms right off before the wedding even takes place.’
Karim knocked his head back and laughed loudly, making me giggle.
Kiran was such easy company; her down-to-earth vibe made it feel as though we were old friends. It felt disorientating being in this magnificent mansion again but this time as a friend of the Maliks instead of as a waitress. The truth was, I’d never imagined being invited to hang out with such people rather than work for them.
‘All right, Karim, it’s time for you to leave because we’re about to put our costumes on,’ she said as she finished putting the last curl in my hair. She nudged his leg, and he rolled off the bed.
‘See you in a bit then,’ he said with a wink.
I gave him a little wave.
‘Good riddance,’ Kiran grunted. ‘Now us girls can finally get down to real business. Do you mind if I choose your look?’
‘Go ahead!’ I’d be completely lost if she left me to figure out my ensemble. I’d never dressed up for Halloween before, not even as a child; Mum and Dad had referred to it as haram nonsense.
Kiran disappeared into her walk-in wardrobe and, not knowing whether she intended me to follow, I lingered.
‘Well, come on then!’ she exclaimed, and I practically sprinted in after her.
The coats, trousers, bags and shoes were colour-coordinated and organized with such precision that I could hardly bear the thought of picking anything out and removing it from its rightful place.
‘This is going to be perfect,’ Kiran squealed, giving me a handful of black velvet and satin items.
I went back into her room to change. When I returned to show her, she gasped.
‘You’re a vision! And I’m a visionary.’
She grabbed my shoulders and steered me towards a full-length mirror hidden in her wardrobe.
My mouth fell open.
I’d been transformed into a dark fairy … and I looked exquisite.
A fitted, floor-length black dress. Velvety feathers crowding every inch. Dark satin gloves grazing my elbows. Wispy wings at my back. Hair styled in loose, glossy waves. Bold red lips. Heavily blackened eyes hidden behind a filigree mask.
I loved the anonymity.
‘Thank you so much!’ I said, genuinely delighted.
‘No problem at all. Now I could really use some help to get into my Superwoman costume.’
While she did her final touches, I took a few mirror selfies to send to Sal, who blew up my phone telling me how epic I looked.
Karim was waiting in the foyer dressed as Batman. As we approached the grand staircase, he looked up to watch me descending, like they do in the movies.
A half-smile formed on his lips as he took me in, and I found myself blushing.
‘You look incredible,’ he said as I reached him.
‘Of course she does,’ Kiran said, coming up behind me. ‘Meanwhile: Batman? How predictable.’
‘Still not as predictable as you.’
She punched his arm as we left the house.
By the time we arrived at Abeo’s house, the party was in full swing. My mouth grew dry. Sensing my apprehension, Karim wrapped a comforting arm around my waist. A guard stopped us and asked for our names. We were told to remove our masks, and my stomach clenched with discomfort.
‘No one’s looking,’ Karim reassured. ‘It’s just for security purposes.’
While we lingered near the entrance, Kiran began hugging people and was swept into the crowd.
‘I’m right here,’ Karim shouted over the music, holding my hand tightly. ‘The moment you want to leave, we’ll walk out.’
I tried to relax a little. This was Karim sharing his world with me – and I wanted to show the same openness he’d offered me. I loosened my shoulders and let the beat of the music sink into my bones.
‘Do you want to dance?’ he asked.
‘Sounds fun,’ I replied.
Within seconds I was jumping and swaying with the crowd, singing the lyrics at the top of my lungs, grinning at Karim so deeply I thought I’d never feel sad again. It was as though I’d been waiting to let loose like this forever, and the dancing and singing poured out of me so naturally I stopped caring about whether people were watching and judging me.
It was just us. Karim and me.
When the DJ slowed the music down a bit, Karim wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into a slow sway. I rested my chin on his shoulder and let my body inch closer to his and move in sync. That was when I realized how many people had their phones pointed at us, and I was finally able to hear what they were saying over the music.
‘She must be his new girlfriend!’
‘Wait till Chloe sees.’
‘Who is she?’
‘That girl’s kinda hot.’
Karim turned to the crowd with a clenched jaw, about to say something. But this was out of his control.
‘It’s OK,’ I told him, ‘no one can see my face, so –’
‘No, it’s not OK!’ He grabbed my hand. ‘Come with me.’
As Karim manoeuvred us out of the crowd, trying to shield me from the cameras, someone moved in front of us, blocking our path.
Chloe Clark.
‘Hi,’ she said drunkenly to Karim. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce us to your new friend?’
Sanjay was at her side. They were dressed as Mr and Mrs Incredible. As expected, she looked beautiful, but something about her haughty tone and expression made her instantly unlikeable.
‘Hey,’ Karim replied aloofly. ‘We’re going to get something to drink. See you guys later.’
Chloe switched her attention to me, clearly not taking the hint. Her bright green eyes narrowed with curiosity. ‘I’m sure you already know exactly who I am. But who the hell are you ?’
‘The dark fairy,’ I said coldly. I wasn’t going to let anyone ruin our night. ‘I think Karim should get me a drink now. If I’m made to wait any longer, I might just cast a particularly dark spell on you.’
I brushed past her without waiting for a response.