Vixen's POV:
"Girl, you need to find a date to formal and stat," Bethany said as she twirled her long, auburn hair around her skinny finger. Vixen was worried about her. She hadn't always been this slim, she used to be a good weight but lately, she seemed to be losing more weight by the week.
"And who do you suggest?" Vixen said flatly, taking a bite from her sandwich. "There aren't many men left around this school." She wasn't lying. There were only about three who didn't have dates in her grade.
"Who's that boy your brother hangs out with? Ivan? Rumour has it he doesn't have anyone." Bethany took a sip of her juice box and set it down. "Unless you would rather go with your own brother."
She raised an eyebrow. "Let's get one thing out of the way, I am not going to go to formal with my brother. No, thank you. Secondly, Ivan?" Vixen looked over at the table where her brother, Mason, sat. "That's not a bad idea actually."
Mason always had such a big friendship group. Everyone wanted to be around him, friends with him, the lot. She unfortunately didn't get that luck. The only reason people gravitated to her was because she was the lead cheerleader. Ivan was a mystery to her. She only knew him based on what her brother had told her, and she knew he didn't visit his friends' houses often as well. Her eyes scanned Mason's friends until they landed on Ivan, a blond-haired boy that matched the way her brother described.
"Him? Y'all want me to go with that ugly thing to formal? No thanks. I'd rather go with a donkey then him," Vixen said, scrunching her face up in disgust.
"Vicky, you know that's so mean. Don't be like that," Emily said pointedly, side eyeing her. "He's a good looking boy. Just ask him. It's better than going alone. You know how people talk in this school."
Vixen sighed and stared at the red table. She knew Emily was right, but she really didn't want to go with Ivan. He was the last person she wanted to go with. "Okay, fine," she said finally after mulling over it for a bit. "I'll do it." She pushed her chair out, wincing as it squeaked against the floor. Slowly, she made her way over to her brothers table, heading over to the blond boy. "Ivan. Get up. We need to talk." Her arms crossed over her chest as she raised an eyebrow.
Ivan slowly turned around in his chair, raising an eyebrow at her too. "Try that again but less rude and condescending. I'm not a German shepherd or a circus monkey, I'm a person."
She went silent for a few moments, her eyes meeting her brothers' green ones across the table. Mason seemed to be holding in a laugh. She rolled her eyes back and did her best 'nice girl' plea to Ivan, holding in a pained sigh.
"Fine. Sorry. Ivan, may I please speak to you, away from your friends?" She had to fight an eye roll as she spoke.
"I'll forgive your tone just this once," Ivan said, standing up from his seat, eyeing Vixen from head to toe.
She crossed her arms and began to walk to the side hall which was behind the wall from where her brother and his friends sat. "You and I don't have dates for the formal so I'm here to see if you want to go with me."
"Gee Vixen, thank you for the lovely offer but someone beat you to it five minutes ago," Ivan said, his eyes wondered around as he rubbed the back of his head.
Her eyes widened and her breathe caught in her throat. "What?! How? I didn't see any chic go to your table though. Who the fuck beat me?!" Her heart sank. How could this be possible?
"Who said anything about a girl?" Ivan asked confused. "You''ll have to find someone else." He turned and walked off, heading back to his group of friends, leaving her to stand there with wide eyes.
Heat rose to her cheeks, embarrassment and anger brewing within her. Who could have asked Ivan? He was probably her best bet for formal and he was stolen from her hands. An idea chimed in her head Maybe it was someone from their friends but the only person without a date was her brother. She instantly pulled out her phone from her blue blazer jacket and unlocked it, locating her brother's messages.
Me to Mason: Did you find a date to the formal yet?
She watched as the three dots formed. He was typing and her heart felt like it was going to explode with every passing second.
Mason: Yes, I have.
She sighed. Of course it was him. It was always him.
Me to Mason: I hate your guts.
Mason: Aww, I love you too twinnyboo.
She hated when he called her that. Red formed in her vision. Mason, once again, ruining her opportunity. He always had to one up her in everything, he was even the first to enrol in this school. Most of the teachers loved him. Quickly, she walked back into the cafeteria, towards where her brother had sat.
"If you weren't my brother, I would cut you open and use your organs as Christmas tree decorations," she said, grabbing his hair, tugging his head back.
"The fuck did I do?" he protested.
"You better me in everything, even a date to formal! Why do you do that?!" She let go of his hair and sighed. She was furious at him.
"It's not my fault I'm better than you!" Mason said as calmly as he could.
The table was silent as they fought, finally Jackson broke the silence. "Mum! Dad! They're fighting!" he mocked.
She shook her head and walked off, sitting with her friends.
"I'm guessing that Ivan was already taken?" Emily asked, her head leaning to the side.
"What do you think?" Vixen barked. Her blood was still boiling with how her brother had beaten her yet again.
"Well, I guess you're going to skip formal this year," Bethany said, still twirling her hair around her finger.
"No, it's fine. I actually have some emergency contacts who can fill in," Vixen said as she pulled her phone out and scrolling through her contacts.
— —
Two weeks later
Vixen wasn't the biggest fan of the ballroom the formal was set in. It was very sketchy. She didn't like the way the staff looked at her as she walked in with her cousin and the way the place smelt like cigarettes and a hint of lavender. The white ceiling was cracked in several spots. The purple wallpaper was peeling away and faded as if it were a hundred years old. The maroon carpet at the entrance didn't do the place any favours either. In fact, it made her wince at how mismatched the entire place was.
A big handful of students were already in the huge ballroom, most of the girls wearing black or white dresses. She felt like the odd one out coming in a sparkly pink dress that flowed down her body, almost touching the floor.
"This is quite the place," she said as she scanned the room. "Hopefully you won't mind being the only senior out here, Nate."
"Nah, don't worry," he replied, standing by her side. "Anything for my little cousin."
Around the world by Daft Punk blared on the speakers around the dimly lit room. Vixen was bored out of her mind. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, so she fished it out of her dress and stared at it. It was her friend, Ella, messaging her to let her know she couldn't make it. Vixen sighed for what was probably the billionth time already, a pained groan escaped her lips. She only came to this stupid place because her friend promised she was going to be there and now she was going to be alone with only Nate to talk to.
A short while later, the large, fogged glass doors opened and her twin brother, Mason walked in with Ivan. Her brother sported a big smile and a black suit while Ivan wore a cream coloured one with a black design on it. Her breath stopped as Mason's eyes met hers from across the room, her heart stopped. Everyone had stopped their chatter and turned to face both men. It was like a scene from a movie, there were gasps, there were rounds of applause, some hollered even. Vixen could see Ivan was probably uncomfortable with the attention when he shifted from one foot to another, his gaze meeting the floor.
Mason smiled then he yelled out, "Okay everyone, shows over."
Most of the students turned and chatted in their little groups with a very few who still stood and stared. Vixen pulled out a chair from the table next to her, throwing her phone on it with little care what happened to it as she then sat onto the cold seat. Her brother always had the spotlight. She was jealous. It just would be nice if people noticed her for anything other than her accomplishment as a cheerleader.
"Hey, I'm going to go get us some drinks. Uh. What did you want?" Nate asked, scratching the back of his head, ruining his styled-back black hair.
"Just a coke, thanks." Vixen forced a smile than rested her arms on the table, slamming her head down onto them. She wanted this night to be over already. Nate had driven her in his Nissan Skyline GTR R35 so even if she wanted to leave, she couldn't unless she wanted to walk and roll an ankle in her high heels.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Vixen herself," Mason's voice said from somewhere above her.
She lifted her head and looked up towards where Mason stood to her left. "What do you want?"
"Someone's angry I see. Don't bite my head off sis." Mason had an arm around Ivan. "I don't think Nate likes me very much though."
"Well, I didn't have anyone else to go with, so I had to settle for him, Mason." She sighed and rested her elbow on the table, resting her head onto her hand. "I don't think Nate has issues with you, bro."
Mason raised an eyebrow and stayed silent. She knew his silence spoke a thousand words.
"So," Vixen said, breaking the silence. "You two, huh? Nice." She tried to sound as supportive as possible, keeping her venom under wraps.
"Why not? I'd say we go well together," Mason said, nudging Ivan with his elbow and winked towards him.
She looked between them both, her eyebrows drawn together. "Didn't know you swung that way, Ivan."
Ivan looked towards her, patting Masons upper arm. "Oh, uh, yeah, I do, I guess. I swing both ways, Vixen." He seemed quite uncomfortable, so she didn't push any further.
She fell silent. Their school was really good education wise, but it wasn't very friendly to anyone who was anything other than straight. Deep down she hoped no one would judge her brother but she knew she couldn't hold onto hope for very long. She learnt the last time when something bad happened.
Mason and Ivan walked across the room towards a long table filled with drinks and appetisers, leaving her on her own once again. Nate was taking long, and she wondered where he had gone. Could he have left her on her own and gone home? She didn't know but she was sure of one thing. If he did ditch her at this old, smelly place, she was going to kill him.
A small while went by and Nate still had not returned. Vixen was starting to worry. Surely, he wouldn't just leave without telling her, would he? She sighed and stood up, walking up to her brother. "Have any of you seen Nate?" She stood next to her brother and Ivan, looking between them both.
Mason shook his head. "Has he not returned?"
"Actually," Ivan began, his eyebrows pulled together, his forehead creasing a little. "I saw him walking down the hall after I was on my way from the bathroom. He seemed quite... Agitated or distressed. I assumed he just needed the bathroom really bad and was in a hurry."
"Huh?" Vixen said, staring at Ivan with wide eyes.
"In hint sight I probably should have gone after him and checked in with him." Ivan scratched the back of his head. "Hopefully he returns soon, and it was just a bad case of IBS or something."
"Maybe he's just feeling sick," Mason said. "Don't worry Vi, he'll come back."
Vixen could only nod and sigh. She could have gone by herself, now she regret asking him to come along with her. Most of the coupled up students were in the middle of the floor, dancing away, having the time of their lives, Rock with you by Michael Jackson blaring through the speakers. She poured herself some coke from the pitcher and headed back to her table. Her brother deserved to just celebrate and be happy. She didn't want to bring him down with her emotions. Pain stabbed her chest and tears welled into her vision. She was lonely on the one day that was meant to spark joy. Her friends and Nate all ditched her.
"Why don't you come sit with Mason and I till Nate comes back? We don't like seeing you on your own," Ivan offered as he pulled the seat out next to sit, sitting on it and faced her.
She forced a smile and took a deep breath in. "I don't want to intrude. My brother asked you so it should be only you two. Who am I to just rock your shit."
Ivan reached out and held her hand. "Up you get. No one's going to be a third wheel on my watch."
Vixen rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. If you say so." She genuinely felt like she was crashing their little duo. Ruining her brother's night was the last thing on her agenda when she woke up.
– –
The night was well underway. Everyone dancing, girls up close to their partners, maybe a little too close, making Vixen grimace and turn away. Many of them had been dancing out there for over three hours and somehow, they were still surviving in their high heels and very little to drink. Ivan and Mason had made it their 'mission' to distract Vixen even though she kept reminding them she was grown and could handle being ghosted by a dude, even if it was their own cousin but they wouldn't take her word for it. She just accepted her fate that Nate was the worst person to ask out to a formal as the man probably never spoke to a woman let alone knew how to treat one with respect and dignity. She definitely was going to have a word with him when she saw him next time. She was going to make sure of it. Mason was on his fifth shot of the night, unfazed by the alcohol. He had tried to get her to join him but the last thing she wanted was to wake up feeling like death.
"Come on Vi, just one drink," Mason pushed, holding a shot glass near her.
She just stared at him and shook her head. "You have five seconds to put that down otherwise I'm smashing that glass over your head. I've said it before and I will say it again, I will chase your tall ass to the edge of the world and push you off if I'm given the opportunity, bro."
The dim lights flickered a few times momentarily then a scream. A high-pitched female scream. One that could be heard over the music. The DJ stopped the music, everyone froze. The girl screamed again, this time some of the men ditched the girls they were previously dancing with to run to the source of the sound.
"What's going on?" Ivan asked, his eyes scanned the room.
"I dunno. Let's go see," Mason replied, grabbing Ivan by the arm almost dragging him towards the hall. "Come on twinnyboo."
Another scream. A panicked one. It did not ease Vixen at all. In fact, it made her feel a hell of a lot worse.
Ivan, Mason and herself run faster up the dark hallway. Her heart beat hard against her ribcage, almost about to rip out and run away. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She was scared but Mason had seemed so calm. She wanted to be like him, but she couldn't. They walked faster, trying to catch up to everyone else.
Another terrified scream.
Vixen's feet hurt but she kept pushing. The boys were walking lightning fast, and she did not want to lose them. The three boys in front of them stopped outside of the unisex bathroom, their eyes wide, mouth agape. One of them walked in while the other two just stood there like statues. Mason and Ivan walked in before her. Her breath caught in her throat as she turned the corner where small pink tiles aligned the walls on either side, concrete invading the floor as far as the eye could see. The boy who had walked in first, held the blonde-haired girl close to him, letting her cry in his chest as he tried to reassure her it will all be okay.
She froze as she saw the man on the floor, a needle not far from his body, one of the sleeves of his suit rolled up. A familiar head of messy brown mid-length hair, slight tan, his square jawline, familiar red suit with the curl type of design on it. She knew exactly who it was. She took a step forward and it was confirmed. "Nate?" she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. "No! No, no, no!" She shook her head, more tears fell.
Mason sighed. "I'm sorry sis." His voice cracked as he spoke, his shoulders fell. He whispered, "The holidays are over..."
"... But the deaths aren't," Ivan continued as he hung his head down.
Vixen had felt like her entire world had crash down, drowning her with it. She couldn't stand anymore as her legs gave out and she crashed onto her knees, tears smearing her dress. "This can't be! He... Why would he do this?! He was never about that life!"
"I'm sorry darling," Ivan said, slowly sitting next to her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into him. "It'll be okay. You have Mason, myself, and your family."
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Total wordcount so far: 5031 words