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THE BASS THUMPS THROUGH THE FLOOR, vibrating in my chest This party is absolutely chaos. People packed wall-to-wall, strobe lights flashing, fake cobwebs hanging in every corner. There’s a skeleton with glowing red eyes dangling above the kitchen doorway and someone’s already knocked over the alcohol bottles, leaving the sticky liquid to pool across the tiles.
Typical Royal Academy party.
I tug at the hem of my costume, the short shorts riding up every step I take. Valeria insisted we all match, so while I’m Super Girl, she’s Catwoman and JJ is Wonder Woman.
I’m surprised JJ came with barely any persuasion. The first party of the year, the one where I got stupidly drunk at, Valeria and I had to beg her to come. It was weird. JJ is usually the life of the party. She is the party. Every big party that has happened was always at her house. I’m glad she’s here now though.
I try to focus on them, JJ and Valeria. To laugh when they laugh but my mind drifts elsewhere. For a moment, I’m back in another time, another Halloween. Back when Felix and I were kids, running from house to house trying to collect as much sweets as possible. I miss that.
Speaking of my brother, there he is. Leaning against the wall in his black and white suit with his face painted as a skeleton and his dirty blonde hair slicked back. Anika twists a strand of her hair on her finger as her other hand rides up his chest. Ugh. I need to look away before I throw up.
Turning in the other direction, my eyes fall onto JJ. I watch as her face slowly drops and that’s when I realise she’s looking at my brother behind me. She mutters something under her breath before downing the alcohol in her hand.
“Hey,” Valeria’s voice cuts through my thoughts, “what are both of you guys doing? Standing and looking pretty isn’t allowed tonight.”
Before I can argue, she grabs my wrist and JJ’s and drags us to the middle of the dance floor just as the opening beat of Goodies By Ciara blasts through the speakers.
“Oh, no,” I breathe out, shaking my head.
“Oh, yes,” JJ laughs, pulling me closer as I try to take a step back. “She’s right. This is our song.”
Before I can protest, Valeria spins me around, making me laugh despite myself. The music pulses through me and my limbs loosen as I move to the beat, letting go of everything on my mind and swaying my hips instead. The drugs I took earlier makes this a whole lot easier, the world blurring at the edges until there’s only the music, my body, and the laughter of my friends.
I close my eyes and lose myself in the motion, my hair whipping against my shoulders as my body flows with the music. JJ sings the lyrics beside me, pulling Valeria into a spin that has her doubling in laughter.
“I’m not being too dramatic, that’s the way I gotta have it,” I sing to JJ, having my fist to my lips as a makeshift mic.
But then I feel it. A pair of eyes on the back of my neck.
It feels like a strange sensation, almost like a chill running down my spine and I can’t ignore it. Slowly, I turn around, my body still dancing to the music. My eyes scan the room until they lock with the pair I felt watching me.
He’s wearing a SWAT costume, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over the fake bulletproof vest. I can’t seem to recognise him. The black war paint smeared on his cheekbones, the messy black hair; it’s all throwing me off.
But once I narrow my eyes, focusing closer, my heart skips a beat.
It’s Aaron.
For a second, I just stare, caught in his gaze. His expression is unreadable but there is something about the way he’s looking at me, something intense.
I recognise the two guys beside him. Jack matches with his SWAT costume, while Carson dressed as the devil and the girl under his arm, Alyssa, is as an angel, which represents her perfectly.
They’re talking to him, laughing about something, but his focus doesn’t leave me. It never does.
I hate the way it’s making me feel, like off balanced and out of control. So I force myself to look away, to pour all my energy back into dancing. JJ spins me around with a smile on her face before grabbing both my hands, making me dance with her, her sleek brown hair moving side to side as she shakes her head to the beat.
Slowly, the song starts to die down and I can feel my chest heaving as if I just finished a workout. “Oh, my God,” Valeria breathes out, her lips tilting into a smile.
“Yeah, I definitely need some fresh air,” I mutter out, brushing my hair out of my face. “I’ll be right back.”
Valeria gives me a thumbs up before going back to dancing. That girl is something.
Laughing, I manage to stumble outside, the cold night air hitting my skin like a shock. I take a moment to catch my breath, scanning the area and that’s when I notice a guy leaning against the railing with a joint between his fingers, smoke curling into the air. He looks completely out of place in his jeans and navy hoodie, like he didn’t even bother to dress up.
As I take a closer look, I recognise who it is. Jude Walker.
“Academy,” he acknowledges me with a slight nod. “Or Super Woman for the night, I see?
“It’s actually Super Girl,” I correct but then realisation hits me and my brows furrow. “But it should be Super Woman.”
“Exactly,” he adds, shaking his head as he blows out smoke.
I let out a chuckle as I scan his facial expression. “Didn’t take you for a feminist.”
He turns his head slightly, just enough to make eye contact with me, and his lips tilt into a small smirk. “Bit rude, no? I support women.”
Loud and proud. As he should.
“So who are you supposed to be?” I ask teasingly as I cross my arms.
He shrugs, taking another hit. “The local drug dealer.”
“Real funny,” I reply. The smirk on his face widens in response.
“Why are you here though? I mean, this isn’t exactly your scene.” The question slips out before I can stop it.
He chuckles, low and amused. “You’re not the only student from Royal Academy who’s bought from me. The others, they invited me.”
“Guess you’re a favourite, huh?” I ask teasingly.
“You bet.”
Before I can reply, the front doors swing open and I can hear familiar voices. Aaron and Jack step out soon after, talking about something football related but Aaron’s attention quickly diverts to me.
I watch as quickly says something to Jack and then he heads off to the driveway, but Aaron doesn’t follow. Instead, he walks over, his eyes flickering between Jude and I.
What is he doing?
Please tell me this is a joke or some type of hallucination.
“Haven’t seen you in a while, lad,” he says, nodding his head towards the guy beside me.
“Moved to Royal, huh?” Jude asks, smirking as he takes another drag. “To be honest with you, Connie, I didn’t believe it when I heard.”
Aaron simply shrugs. “You know what my old man is like.”
The comment throws me off. What is his dad like?
“His way or no way, right?”
“Exactly,” Aaron mutters before his gaze slides back to me. There’s something heavy in his eyes. Something that makes my stomach twist.
Jude seems to pick up on the tension and says, “Well, I’ll let you two… catch up.” He snuffs out the joint with his shoe before not wasting any time walking off, leaving me alone with Aaron.
The silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating. I don’t know what to say and judging by the way Aaron keeps clenching and unclenching his fists, neither does he.
“Carmen.”
“Aaron.”
He lets out a quiet scoff, shaking his head. “Do you know who he is?”
“I do,” I reply bluntly.
“So you know he’s a drug dealer but you’re still talking to him?”
His words catch me off guard and I take a step back in shock. Why is he acting like he cares? Besides, this is none of his business. But most importantly, he can’t find out about Jude and I. He can’t find out what I bought from him. No one can find out because no one will understand.
“You realise I can do what I want, Aaron,” I tell him with a chuckle.
“Carmen, don’t get caught up with him,” he sighs, a pleading tone in his voice.
“Stop it, okay?” I put my hand out, taking another step back. “Just mind your business, Aaron. I know what I’m doing, I’m not a child.”
“I’m not saying you are, Blondie,” his voice softens as he closes the gap between us, “but just be careful with him.”
His sudden sincerity towards me feels odd but I brush it off. “Like I said, it’s none of your business.”
“Carmen-“
This time, I don’t let him finish and walk off.
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