PHANTOM
The next day I went to class in a daze, I had dreamt about him all night, but none of it was truly memorable, not a nightmare, not a dream. It was blurry and unclear now, I couldn't quite remember any of them. Angela was the first to notice my dissociative spell, poking me in the cheek as I zoned out on our way to the cafe, waiting to see if he would really be here.
"Helloooo, earth to Eva, anyone home?"
I snapped back into my body, turning to her and blinking. "Hm?"
"Girl what is with you today? You look like you've seen a ghost." She gave me a look, raising her eyebrow. Becca caught onto our conversation, then Jessica, the group pausing in our walk. I bit my lip as they all looked at me, I knew I wouldn't be able to lie, I was honestly terrible at it, and they would see right through me.
"Well...uh...I bumped into Edward Cullen at a bar last night."
I had all their attention now, each of them turning to face me.
"What happened?" Jess and Angela almost said it simultaneously, pulling me into an overhang on one of the buildings, sitting me on a bench.
"Uh, he bought me a drink, we talked about school, and I went home." I gave them the very edited version, there was way too much other stuff that happened that I didn't want them to know.
"That's it? Was he flirting? What did he ask?" They interrogated me for about ten minutes, trying to claw the answers they wanted out of me, when I continued to be vague, Jess groaned.
"God Eva did you even try to flirt?"
"What? No." I was surprised shed had to ask.
"Why the hell not? You had a perfect opportunity!" Angela followed her up, seemingly upset as well.
"Wh- guys, are you serious? Edward Cullen? Look at me, I don't think his league and my league are even in the same hemisphere." I looked at them incredulously, but still felt my face heating up.
"And anyway he and I already had a conversation, we're just friends!" All three of them groaned simultaneously and I was taken aback, getting frustrated.
"What!?"
"He bought you a drink girl! That's like, universal guy speak for "I think you're hot.'" Jess was frustrated too, holding out her arm in exasperation.
"She's right Eva- plus like, we've seen him staring at you." Angela chimed in.
"And he's not exactly stealthy about it either, I've seen him staring in the parking lot too." Becca added on top.
I stared at all of them in complete shock.
"I'll bet you, if he's here today, we're gonna catch him looking today, we'll prove it." Jess said it confidently, grabbing my arm. Angela grabbed the other and Becca stood behind me imposingly, she was sweet as a button but a good foot taller than me, and something about her expression said there was no way in hell I was escaping this.
They dragged me to the Cafe, I had to stop protesting when we made it to the door. Staring at the ground, red to my ears as they brought me to our typical table and sat me down. I couldn't look up, my heart was racing as I thought about what they had said. Was he trying to hit on me? Was this a trick?
"I give it a minute." Angela whispered in my ear, her and Jess chatting and glancing at the cullen table, it was even shorter than a minute. Angela elbowed me in the side and I winced but slowly glanced up.
Sure enough, he was staring, as soon as he saw me look over, he looked back to his brother who he seemed to be having a conversation with. Like he didn't want me to notice. Suddenly the context of our convo last night changed in my head drastically. Was that his way of flirting? He'd still hella dumped his drink into that poor potted plant. I shook my head a little violently, turning my wide eyes to the girls. They were all looking at me smugly, snickering.
"Told you. Girl, you need a confidence boost." Angela elbowed me again when I looked sheepish.
"I'm confident!" I argued, but they all raised their eyebrows at me. Jess sighed and leaned forward onto her arms, crossing them in resignation.
"Ok, sure you are, you're confident and just friends. With the hottest guy in our class." She raised an eyebrow at me in challenge, and I felt my chest flare. She knew how to get under my skin.
I slapped the table and stood up then, looking to all of them.
"Fine! I'll prove it. Just watch."
As I turned around to face his table, I felt all of my determination dissolve. He looked up at me, and his siblings watched, looking almost angry, some smug. He stood up and nodded to me before I could sit back down, seeming to hesitate before stepping over to a pillar away from their table, waiting for me.
Shit. How did I back out now?
I took a deep breath and forced myself to march in his direction, feeling the girls eyes watching my every move as I did. When I finally got to him, I faced his front fully, looking up at him, feigning nonchalance. He looked confused, furrowing his eyebrows in the silence and waiting for me to speak.
"Um, so...How are you?"
Cool, great, I'm a fucking moron.
He stared at me for a second, then his face split into a confused smile.
"I'm...well, you?"
"Good...attempting to convince my friends that we're chill." I rocked on my feet, grimacing.
Sudden understanding crossed his face and he glanced around me to our table, still thoroughly amused.
"Ah. So that's what's happening, so we should talk, hm?"
"Yes we should, if I didn't go entirely blank when it comes to small talk."
"I've got one, I'm still curious what you're planning to do about the Halloween party, your mysterious 'date from Spokane.'" I groaned, he'd reminded me I still had nothing for that.
"Shit. I completely forgot, well, maybe I'll tell them he ditched me or found a different party, I mean Mike is going with Jess and Taylor's going with Lauren...god I hope Eric found a date." I grimaced, rubbing my face then.
"Seems a little obvious that you lied to me, you seem to underestimate how...persistent, guys can be when it comes to women like you."
I looked up at him, his eyes glittering in amusement, the way he'd said that felt...loaded?
"Women like me?" I blinked, hoping he would explain.
"Fit, tenacious, intelligent. You don't seem to realize you're quite a catch, Miss Irving." He seemed to be teasing me now, and I rolled my eyes at his smirk.
"Maybe I'm not looking to be caught." I grumbled. I could swear I saw a flicker of something across his expression.
"...Regardless, I think you should get back to your friends, they look like they're about combust."
I turned to see he was right, Jess nearly vibrating over the table, Becca straining to hear.
"Right, um...see you in class then…"
"See you." I walked away from him and back to my table, getting yanked down, immediately interrogated. At least my trip had the effect that I'd wanted, they were impressed.
The week felt different than any really prior. Edward was still as intense as ever, but he didn't ignore me. We talked in bio, and worked well together in the labs. He even helped me with research. The time raced, I felt bizarrely light, confused but happy. Maybe things had finally mellowed out. It didn't last long though, the Halloween party was coming, and I couldn't help but feel a knot of anxiety start to build in my stomach. Jess had picked out our costumes and refused to let us know what they were, and it made it worse.
Friday night Jess had me stay over at her dorm, sleeping on the futon under her lofted bed. We ate cereal for breakfast and both took showers, and she chattered at me about how her dinner had gone with Mike. She was happy, it had gone well, and I was happy for her. Soon enough Angela and Becca showed up, holding grocery bags with what looked to be scraps of fabric in them.
"Happy let's get fuckin LIT day!" Angela cheered, beaming at me, kissing my cheek as she went to go set down her stuff. Becca did the same as she passed me, making me blush. Jess disappeared into her closet and came back with two more bags, one seeming newer than the other.
"Okay so our costumes are themed after our dream careers." She said excitedly, and I blinked, glancing at the bag full of fabric scraps. She reached in and pulled one out, and it took me a moment to figure out it was an outfit.
She held up an absolutely tiny khaki button down top, which had been cropped in order to make it a tie front. The collar and chest pockets were nicely pressed, and a pair of khaki..panties. I couldn't even call them shorts, why did they still have belt loops?
"I also have a sunhat and I'm gonna wear my excavation boots!" She gushed.
"What...what is it supposed to be?" I was bewildered and Jess pouted.
"It's an anthropologists uniform, duh."
Becca held up her tiny doctors outfit, and Angela held up her tiny vet tech look. I could feel myself draining of blood.
"This one's yours, you wanna be a forensic pathologist right?"
I looked in horror at the bag she pointed out, stepping over to pull it out and assess the damage. It was worse than I'd thought.
I think it was supposed to be scrubs, but the top was way lower cut, and cropped. And the shorts weren't much better than Jess'-slightly longer in the thigh thank god so maybe I wouldn't chafe. There was also a lab coat, er, a simulacrum of a lab coat, much too short and seeming pinched at the waist. The accessories were a thigh garter, which I realized had a real scalpel-cap on securely- a swab set, and two plastic beakers. A pair of safety goggles, a pair of nylons with a line running up the backs of the legs, and a pair of blue, latex gloves.
"Absolutely fucking not. There is no way in hell I'm putting this on. Look, I'm so thankful you're comfortable showing so much skin, but I brought my own costume!"
I loved the outfit I brought, I had spent years putting it together for the renaissance faire I went to with my family every year up until Senior year of High School. I reached into my backpack, pulling out the masses of black fabric. It was a high necked victorian style blouse, a floor length black chiffon circle skirt, a bustle and petticoat, and a black underbust corset. I held it up proud, but the girls all groaned.
"Oh come on! What are you supposed to be!"
"I'm going to be a witch! Look I even painted my nails black!" I showed them my hands, pouting. Angela sighed and shrugged.
"Alright, if you're sure."
Jess helped with my makeup, and it was way more intense than I was used to, she even put fake eyelashes on me, something I'd never done before, and it felt bizarre, like my eyelids were wrong. She also made me put on a dark red matte lipstick, helping me apply it correctly so I wouldn't look like a clown.
I put on all my layers, happy because I'd stay warm too, squeezing my corset over my head. I tightened it to the firmest comfortable place, then waited a few minutes to tighten it all the way and tie it shut. I adjusted the skirts and blouse so it fit properly, waiting for the other girls to finish getting ready. At one point Becca needed help tucking, and we all saluted the poor girl and her dedication to her ultra mini skirt. It took us hours, all of us finally ready around eight p.m.
"Alright, alright, time to see if I can drive in these things." as we walked out to my truck,I hiked up the skirt and petticoats, everyone piling in. I hopped a bit, and it took me a second to figure out how to place my feet, but I was able to start my truck and pull out, headed towards the greeks.
We were all gaping when we pulled past the house looking for parking, and I managed to wedge myself into a spot nearby. The three story mansion that was repurposed into a Fraternity house. It was pounding with music and people, we saw a guy in a banana costume already passed out on the front lawn. The decorations were mostly lights and cheap ghosts and skeletons from walmart, and they were strewn all over the face of the house. There was a massive wrap around porch that was buzzing with people, costumes and red solo cups. I could smell the sexual tension from here.
We had to shove our way inside, pushing past Deadpool and Jason Vorhees to get to the kitchen where the drinks were.
"You guys grab what you want, I'll hold your drink if you need to abandon it for something. Look for the goth lump." They were nearly bouncing, but I ensured we all got coordinated, our phones fully charged and a panic word decided. Soon they dispersed, looking for a drink and I sighed, looking at all the pockets of conversation and laughter around me. I grabbed a can of mountain dew out of a cooler and headed into the house to wallflower it up like I usually did at these events, starting or joining conversations was not a strong suit of mine, so I just "let the chips fall where they may." As Edward had put it.
"Eva!" I heard Mike's voice, looking up and feeling myself relax when Jess was already on his arm, looking happy as a clam with her white claw.
"Oh, Hey guys!" I smiled, stepping closer. It was hard not to notice Mike's eyes dip over my body in this costume, his face seeming to fall in disappointment. I held back the relieved smile from my face. He wore a cheap looking pirate costume, a mustache and goatee drawn on in what looked like eyeliner.
"Happy Halloween!" He grinned, "These places know how to throw a party huh." I nodded, chuckling mostly for his benefit.
"So, a pirate?" I motioned to his costume and he looked down as though to remind himself, this was definitely not his first drink.
"Ah, yeah! I went out to late to get anything better, it's what they had left at target, but I think it turned out okay!" he posed a little, holding out his plastic sabre.
"Jus' call me captain morgan!" It made Jess laugh, and I couldn't help but smile too. He turned back to me, then looked around, his eyes narrowed suddenly.
"So uh, where's your date? Didn't you say you were bringing a friend from Spokane?"
I stuttered, cursing my luck. "Uh, yeah he ended up bailing on me, no big."
Jess gasped and covered her mouth as I felt someone come up beside me, a familiar tenor voice speaking over my head.
"I asked if I could take her in his stead."
Edward Cullen stood beside me now, smiling cooly at Mike. I was almost shocked to see he was even in costume, a white half mask covering his face, a black suit and gloves under a floor length black cape. Ah yes, of course he'd come as the Phantom.
"Oh, uh, that's good I guess." Mike mumbled. Jess made eye contact with me and we shared a brief moment of communication. She suddenly started hustling him off, talking about bobbing for apples and shots. She called back a goodbye and winked at me before she disappeared.
I slowly turned to look up at Edward, raising an eyebrow.
"You asked, did you?" He grinned behind the mask, one gold eye glimmering in the party lights.
"I figured you wouldn't mind the excuse." His eyes drifted lower and his smile faltered, it took me a second to remember what I was wearing, and I felt a blush spike up my neck.
"I kinda have a thing for the Victorian era…" I grabbed the sides of my skirt as I turned a little to show off the whole look.
"And I never get a chance to wear it."
He looked like he found something funny, and I pouted.
"Is that a real corset?" His eyes were a little dark, and he cocked a brow.
"I mean, steel bone instead of whale bone, but yes, I had it custom made for this costume. I keep missing the renaissance faire with summer classes."
"Well, you look...lovely…" He trailed off, something in his eyes I couldn't quite pin down.
"I like yours," I motioned, "The Phantom, very mysterious."
He grinned a little wider, taking my hand in his gloved one to playfully twirl me.
"Why thank you, my angel of music." He was playful, but I heard something else in his voice then, I could only blush and smile at him, but it was then I noticed people staring at us.
"Um, do you wanna go to the other room?" I nodded to a staring couple who quickly tried to cover their asses.
"Lets, it's where they're playing the music but it's less crowded." He chuckled and we both headed towards the bass, staying close to the wall. Currently it was some house, dance music, nothing I recognized, but I did feel like I had to raise my voice to talk to him.
"So, I didn't think you were the type for parties like this." I leaned against a wall, crossing my arms and taking another sip of my mountain dew.
"I go with my brother, Emmett, he's a bit of a party junkie, likes the atmosphere." He shrugged slightly, but I was distracted from his answer by how close he was, he faced me, only standing a foot away. If I wasn't leaning on the wall, I'd probably be eye level with his lapel.
"W-what? Sorry I didn't hear-" He frowned slightly, I'd meant for him to repeat himself, but instead he came closer, leaning down slightly to speak. He was so close now his breath fanned my face, the scent of him was something I'd never experienced before, floral? Musk? Fresh? I couldn't come up with a word to describe it, but it made my mouth water and my eyes flutter. He repeated his question above me, and I fought to keep my pulse level and my breathing steady.
"I-I think my brother Kain mentioned seeing him a few times at these, he helps watch girls drinks, that's rather noble." I looked up at him then, and my nose nearly touched his chin. His eyes met mine then, and we both froze, lips parted. This was not a tension I recognized, nearly a heat between us, like something was warming the air in our little bubble.
And then it burst.
I looked back down and he stood straight, looking a little stiff.
"I agree, I'm happy to help him." His voice was...strained, frustrated, and he seemed to be gritting his teeth. "Speaking of which, I believe he's looking for me, and I think Angela and Ben are looking for you." He glanced at the arched doorway then, and I looked too, seeing the two trying to identify my head over the others. He gave me a stiff, incorrect smile, then turned on his heel out of the room, the cape fluttering only briefly as he did.
Angela and Becca saw me then, and ran over, excited. There were several party games and activities. We bobbed for apples, pinned heads on the horseman, played "spooky" beer pong, danced badly to the monster mash, we avoided the games of spin the bottle and seven minutes in heaven popping up. I judged some chugging contests between the boys and Angela, who beat them by a mile, Eric ending up with his head in a trashcan.
Even still, I couldn't get him out of my head, I'd caught a glance of his brother when we all played beer pong, but not him. The tension in my chest didn't lessen, and the memory of his face so close to mine made me shudder every time it came to mind. I waited until the girls were happily trashed and relaxing on a couch, chatting with Mike and Eric who didn't look like they could move, Becca stoically standing over all of them without a hint of being buzzed, though she had to be. Woman could hold her liquor. I ducked out, wanting to find him again, wanting to understand this electricity between us.
It took some hunting, asking a couple people if they'd seen him before I found him outside, standing like a statue in a dark corner of the patio, leaning against the fencing surrounding it. He looked nearly asleep. I approached quietly.
"U-um, Edward?" His eyes snapped up to mine, and held my gaze, relaxing his unmoving stance.
"Ah, hello Eva, having fun?" He gave me that crooked grin again, masking the frustration I could see in his eyes.
"I saw you bobbing for apples, I was glad Becca was there. I was worried you were drowning with how long it took."
I took the teasing, rolling my eyes. "Only I could drown in a bucket sober." I walked up to him with forced ease, standing across from him on the little deck, leaning my back against the exterior wall to face him.
"Did you see Mike on the keg stand? I've never seen that much beer come out of someone's nose before." He laughed at that, shaking his head. "Unfortunately I missed that."
The electricity was there again, the tension, as we made eye contact again, I was desperately holding back the urge to step closer, to touch him somehow. His own face was becoming intense, and I straightened my back when he took a shaky step towards me.
He stood close, looking down at me again.
"What are you thinking?" His voice was low, soft, and I felt myself falling under his hypnosis again.
"I'm thinking...about your lips…" I murmured, we were drifting, growing closer.
It was like a supporting cable on a bridge snapped.
And then we connected.
It wasn't like in the movies, no fireworks or explosions. In fact the world was quiet, I could hear a cricket chirp nearby. But instead, with the quiet, with his lips on mine, I felt...relief. A wash of blissful peace I hadn't ever known. His lips were as cold as the rest of him and his breath carried no heat, they gave, but only slightly, feeling oddly firm against my own. I could feel the heat of my own breath warming the surface of his skin. I felt his gloved hand, nearly trembling, slip over my waist and around my back, squeezing me closer to him, and my hands rest on his chest. I could feel his pulse then, but something was...off about it. It was too slow, too hard, and definitely not human. But in that moment I could genuinely say I felt safe, this man, was no monster. Not to me.
I parted my lips against his then, and he tipped his head, urgency leaking into our kiss now as we came closer, deeper. My hand slipped up to wind into his hair, his other hand wrapped around me and grabbed my hip to pull me even tighter to him, nearly painful, my back hitting the wall behind me.
I gasped.
Suddenly he snarled, a sound more animal than man, and slammed his hand into the brick wall behind my head hard enough that I heard it crumble. He was frozen where he was, starting to tremble. He set me down slowly and I looked up at him in confusion, my chest still heaving.
He looked like he'd committed a murder, horror etched onto his face as he backed away from me. He covered his mouth with a gloved hand, choking on his words.
"I'm...So, sorry…" And then he was gone, leaving me alone on the moonlit porch, staring out at where he'd been in shock, my heart still thrumming.
I felt my eyes water, and my chest ache, I mindlessly grabbed the fabric there and closed my eyes against the rejection and fear.
I knew what he was now, I was certain, and the thought made my blood run cold.