Chapter 19 #2
No Hands by Waka Flaka Flame pulses through the air.
The senior lacrosse house is nestled at the end of the block, lights glowing orange and purple through spiderweb-covered windows, dry ice producing mist down the porch steps.
The front yard is a mess of gravestones, beer cans, and half-hearted jack-o’-lanterns.
Someone duct-taped a skeleton to the roof.
Its hands flipping off everyone who approaches.
I adjust my fake parrot on my shoulder and walk in with my roommate Nash.
I am fully committed to this pirate look.
Eyeliner, fake sword, hat, the whole nine yards.
We make our way inside, the air is thick with the scent of sweat, cheap tequila, and pumpkin spice vape.
The living room is packed with people dancing.
I turn to my left hoping to find somewhere to get a drink to see and a sexy devil grinding on a banana.
Nash and I make our way to the kitchen passing a werewolf at a homemade DJ booth controlling the music.
A guy in a blood-stained lab coat passes out solo cups with something neon green and ominously bubbling.
“It’s punch,” he says. I take it, I’m not one to turn down free booze.
The kitchen has been turned into a DIY horror lab, Jell-O shots served in syringes, the neon green bubbling “punch”, which I suspect is actually jungle juice.
Various mixers are thrown haphazardly on the counters with cheap tequila and vodka.
Someone rigged a motion sensor to a speaker that screams every time the fridge opens.
I don’t know how Lab Coat Guy can handle the incessant screaming, but he’s probably so wasted it doesn’t register.
“Hey, Kate’s friend just texted me. Kate’s throwing up in the bathroom upstairs. Do you mind helping me get her out of here?”
“Course, man.” I say as I put my cup down and head upstairs with him.
Upstairs, the hallway is pitch black except for a strobe light going off every couple of seconds. Couples slip in and out of rooms. Doors slam. Someone yells “Don’t come in here!” which, of course, means someone immediately walks in and walks out gagging.
“Where’s the bathroom?” Nash asks a guy in Ghostface. Ghostface points and we follow his directions to find Kate huddled over the toilet. Ellie is here holding back her hair.
“Oh thank God. You found us. I had to yell at so many people to stay out of here. I don’t know how much she’s had to drink, Jessica, her roommate said they’ve been drinking since two.
Kate seemed fine when we got here, had a Jell-O shot and then immediately puked in the trash can.
I got her up here and we’ve been camped out ever since.
I finally got her passcode out of her so I could text you.
” Ellie is either nervous or grossed out by the puke and desperate to get out of here.
I don’t know which, but I don’t blame her for wanting to get out of this disgusting bathroom.
Nash sighs. “I got her, thanks so much for taking care of her.” I help Nash get Kate downstairs. The three of us get Kate settled on the sidewalk while Nash orders an Uber.
“Thanks for your help guys.” Nash turns to me. “I’m going to have her stay in our room. I don’t want to leave her in her room by herself. Is that cool?”
“That’s fine, seriously take care of your girl, we should have plenty of Gatorade and Pedialyte.” I say as an Uber drops off a group of girls and I help Nash get Kate in the car.
“I can stay with her.” Ellie says. She’s twisting her hands and looks nervous and I realize she doesn’t want to leave Kate in this state with a man, even if it’s her boyfriend.
Nash seems to realize this too. “I promise she’s safe. My sister is staying with us, so Kate isn’t the only girl in our room.” This seems to make Ellie feel better. She nods and relaxes.
“Wanna go get a drink?” I ask as soon as the Uber drives off with Kate and Nash.
“Oh hell yes.” She says. “I feel like I haven’t been able to enjoy myself since I got here.” We force our way through the living room to the kitchen and grab drinks. We both opt for the safer options, her mixing her own drink and I brave the screaming fridge for a beer.
“Cheers and Happy Halloween” We clink our drinks together.
Ellie gulps down her drink and pours herself another.
She wasn’t kidding about needing to relax.
She seems to be much more relaxed now with a drink in her hand.
I take this as a chance to really take her in.
She’s in a sexy Ghostbusters outfit. The shorts show off her great legs and the zipper is in a deep v showing off her breasts.
“We should take a picture!” She smiles and grabs her phone, trying to angle it to get us both in. She’s so short she keeps cutting my head off. I take the phone and angle it to get both of us.
“Hey, want me to take a picture of you two?” A black cat with smudged whiskers asks.
“Yeah, that would be great!” Ellie says. The black cat takes our picture, then shows us, Ellie approves it and puts her phone in her bra. Apparently, the Ghostbuster costume doesn’t have pockets.
“Ellie!” A female voice calls, Ellie waves.
“Do you mind if I join the rest of the Ghostbusters now that Kate is safe?”
“Yeah totally,” I watch her leave to join the other Ghostbusters. As she leaves two of my teammates call me over and I join them in a game of beer pong.
I finally get kicked out of the beer pong tournament; I’m several beers deep and I’m feeling it, eyeliner smudged, plastic sword tucked into my belt, gold earring sticker hanging on for dear life.
It’s so damn hot from all the bodies. I see Ellie well, I hope it’s Ellie, there’s four of them in the Ghostbusters costume.
I walk up to the Ellie shaped Ghostbuster and ask “Arrr you gonna dance with me or what?” Ellie turns around, her smile lighting up her face.
“That was terrible!” She laughs, her laughter scrunching the freckles on her nose. The music pulses around us, and her hair has fallen out of her high ponytail, little pieces framing her face.
“Lead the way!” The living room is packed. Bodies grinding together to DJ Werewolf’s Halloween mix. We find enough space to dance. Our drinks sloshing as people move around us.
“You’re gonna spill that on me,” she laughs, clearly feeling the drinks she used to relax after being on puke duty.
“I’m a pirate,” I say, leaning in so she could hear me over the bass. “We are known for our balance.”
She raises an eyebrow as she takes a long drink of something bright red. I can’t help but notice as her lips wrap around her straw. Fuck. Did it get hotter in here?
Someone bumps into us from behind and she stumbles forward, one hand landing on my chest. We both laugh at her face inches from mine cup crushed in between us, her lemon and vanilla perfume cutting through the room’s sweat scented air.
“Sorry, Captain,” she says looking up at me grinning.
“Permission to board?” I say, instantly regretting it. She laughs so hard she actually snorts.