𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀.ᐟ 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀

thirty-one

"Jules!" The brunette squealed back. "It's so good to see you!"

Vera stood there for a second, awkward clutching onto her handbag and unopened drink. When Connie finally noticed, her face lit up. "Vera, right? Oh my gosh, hi!"

"Hey Connie, how's it going?" She replied with a smile.

The brunette gave her a look. "Pretty decent, but I should be the one asking you that. Well-- more like ask how are things going with you and preppy?" She bit down on her lip with an eager look on her face.

"Well, it's go-" she started, but of course, that was the moment he decided to walk in. On the opposite side of the house, Adam and Guy came in through the sliding glass back door.

Guy was dressed as a greek god and Adam; a vampire. Vera's eyes widened as she realized that they were matching.

He stood tall, chest stained with fake blood and a dark grey dress shirt that left little to no imagination with the way it was unbuttoned and showed off his chest and lower stomach. There was a bite mark that sunk deep in to his neck, and pairing that with the crimson red contact lenses assisted the whole vampire costume together. Although, there seemed to be another addition to his look that made Vera's knees tremble, which was the dull scar that slit down from his left eye.

It was like she could feel the drool falling from the corner of her mouth.

"...it's going." Her finishing words came out in a croak.

Noticing the sudden hesitation in her voice, the two other girls followed her gaze and immediately understood the reason for the word delay.

"Damn, I didn't think he'd actually do it." Julie said smiling proudly.

Vera couldn't help but scoff. Not in a rude way, more of in amusement. She nudged her shoulder with the blonde's. "Of course you were the one who set this up."

She just shrugged, trying to not look guilty, and took a sip from her wine cooler. "I thought it would make a cute picture."

By then, Connie had already made her way over to greet her boyfriend.

They were up against the wall kissing.

The girl watched as Adam walked around the couple, patting his friend on the back before marking his way across the house. She bit down on her lip in an attempt to get rid of the blush that was crawling up to her cheeks. She was beyond nervous to talk to him.

But to her surprise, Adam avoids making eye contact and strode past the two girls, disappearing into the kitchen.

With eyebrows knitted into confusion, Vera turned to Julie, her eyes filled with longing.

"Maybe he didn't see you?" The blonde said. She opened her mouth to speak again, but Vera interfered.

Shrugging, she said, "He literally brushed my shoulder." The lump forming in her throat was hard to hide. She hated how small her words came out. "Of course he saw me, Jules."

That was true.

Adam did see her and he hated it.

He hated how he couldn't find himself to approach her, not with her dressed like that.

How could he? She was absolutely beautiful.

And Julie was right. That costume was doing something to him — unspeakable thoughts were already swarming in his mind.