"You don't think it's too much glitter, Vee?" I asked as I kept my eyes closed.
My head rested on a black pillow in Violet's lap—evidently upside down was the only way she could properly apply makeup on other people.
"Hey, you're the one who decided on a glamorous pop star," she teased. "No time to be self conscious now."
Susan's party was still an hour away when we all piled into Violet's truck. Gabriel and K.C. were arguing the idea of getting drunk before arriving to the party.
"Susan's lame," Gabriel rolled his eyes. "You know she won't have anything strong."
"I know that, but remember the last time you got 'drunk'?" she held up her fingers to motion air quotes around the last word.
"Yeah, dude, didn't you puke your guts out?" Eddie laughed and looked back towards the couple from the passenger seat.
"Worse than that. You barely made it to the toilet—it was in the sink! And you cried about how cold the bathroom tiles were," K.C. groaned dramatically. "I had to give you a blanket because you refused to come to bed."
Gabriel was quiet for a moment.
"But what if I promise that doesn't happen this time?"
"Did you call Charlie to make sure he was coming?" I asked to change the subject.
"Yeah," Violet said with a quirk of her lip.
"Fucking hell," Eddie sighed. "I can't believe you still remember his number."
"Hey, who gets us into the movie theater for free?"
Eddie crossed his arms in annoyance, and Violet grinned as she turned into the liquor store parking lot.
The party was in full swing.
I was comfortable with a crowd, sure, but I'd never experienced anything like this. The music was loud, there were colorful lights flashing to the energetic beat, and there were so many costumed guests on the dance floor. I had decided to make myself as inconspicuous as I possibly could, and hovered over the snack table to quietly observe the rest of the party-goers.
"What do you think?" K.C. asked, bounding towards me with two plastic cups in hand.
"It's... a lot," I admitted with a small smile, and took the other cup she'd offered to me. "But I'm having fun."
"I'm glad one of us is," she murmured with a giggle. "Eddie's glaring daggers at ol' Weaselhead—who by the way—is still trying to put the moves on Vee."
I took a swig of whatever drink I had. It burned thickly all the way down my throat, and crept throughout my chest before finally ending its journey uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach. I caught myself flinching away from the offending liquid.
"Jesus, what the hell is this? Battery acid?"
"It's just vodka, you baby," she laughed and smacked my shoulder. "Drink it fast so it isn't as gross."
I downed the rest in a huge gulp and exhaled the uneasy alcoholic heat with a grimace.
"You drink this reg—regularly?" I gasped and blinked back the tears that prickled the corners of my eyes with a sharp cough.
K.C. only giggled at me and finished the rest of her drink so I wouldn't be alone, "I'll get you another."
My eyes followed her as I silently watched her disappear between the writhing bodies on the dance floor.
"God, I feel like shit," I mumbled to myself as soon as she was out of earshot, and pinched the bridge of my nose.
"You okay, pop star?"
I spun toward the voice and I was met with a vampire who had bright blue eyes and glow-in-the-dark plastic fangs.
"I..." I paused for a moment and shook my head. "My—my friend gave me a really strong drink. I'm not handling it very well."
He let out a relieved chuckle, "and you're trying to bury that with food."
I nodded at him and poured a mountain of tortilla chips onto a plate, "figured I shouldn't have had anything to drink on an empty stomach."
There was a long silence before he decided to speak up again, "I'm—I'm Scott, by the way."
"Shannon, but everyone calls me Ann," I replied before taking a handful of chips into my mouth. "...Scott's not the kind of name I'd picture a vampire having."
"Yeah, uh, it was a last minute decision," he said and gestured at his red and black cape. "That glitter looks good on you though."
I could feel the heat forming in my cheeks at the compliment, and swallowed the chips thickly, "th—thanks. It was my friend's idea. Uh, so, what brings you here to Susan's party? Are you old friends?"
"More like acquaintances," he said with a nervous laugh. "I was kinda dragged along by some actual friends of mine, though."
"Ooo, and who's this?" Violet asked as she made her way to the table before I could properly reply. "Annie's never mentioned having a boyfriend before."
"Violet, please..."
Scott laughed easily and held out his hand for the lavishly adorned witch to shake before introducing himself.
"I'm joking obviously," Violet said a little more seriously, and gave my forearm a reassuring squeeze. "K.C. told me to give you this by the way."
I sighed awkwardly as I took the second helping of vodka with a tight smile, and find myself internally drifting away from the continuing conversation as it always happened when the familiar tightness in my chest and the tremors took hold of the rest of my body. Everything would begin to dull and fade as if I was being held underwater and nothing else could reach me.
Fortunately, I was able to make the odd comment here and there about Scott's experiences—how he found himself in the party and the rest of his friends—but there was a disconnect horrifically obvious to me.
Unfortunately, I couldn't remember what Doctor Taylor had called it.
"Well, if you'd like to hang out with our little crew, we aren't at all opposed," I could hear Violet suggesting brightly from my left.
"Of course," Scott replied warmly from my right.
I choked down the vodka almost in a panic and wiped the corners of my lips.
"Where did you get this?" I asked Violet and hoped I didn't look as withdrawn as I felt.
"The vodka? Back over there—by the speakers," she gave me a worried look that I ignored.
I wordlessly looked past the two and saw a long line of people congregated near a couple tables that were decorated with liquor bottles. My eyes settled on a shadowy figure standing a few feet away from the others.
I took a step forward towards it. And then another.
I felt light. Every step I took was almost weightless. The music pounded through my ears and rattled around in my head. I was drawn by the deathly white face concealed in darkness. My pulse quickened with adrenaline.
It stood silently before me.
Unmoving.
Alone.
The white face simply gazed back at me—through me—clear as day.
And I reached out to The Shape.
