The night of B-Bash arrived, and Arianne didn't know whether to throw up or hide under the covers and pretend her date—no, thing—never existed. She knew what she didn't want, however, and that was to hear another high pitched squeal. The two girls down the hall who'd also been invited to B-Bash hadn't stopped squealing and giggling all afternoon. Arianne couldn't give them too much crap because they'd invited Arianne to get ready with them. It was a sweet gesture, but her nerves couldn't handle them, and the incessant talk of who had dibs on Jordan who wasn't either of their dates.
Her fingers strayed over the floor length, rose-nude dress she'd found at a thrift store. It wasn't precisely a twenties flapper dress, but it was as close to the Great Gatsby style as she could find. The satin and tulle hugged her body until the bottom where the tulle flared out slightly giving her a mermaid effect. The real showstopper was the silver gems. They were designed in a beautiful starburst pattern starting on the bodice and working it's way out. It reminded her of a firework caught in the exact moment it flared to life.
She borrowed Morgan's nude high heels and a dormmate's long gold beaded necklace which she tied into a knot at the end, hitting her a few inched above her belly button. Not wanting to compete with the dress, she kept her makeup simple with a few coats of mascara, blush, and some lipgloss. She'd been planning on keeping her hair down, but when Morgan saw her, she forced Arianne into a chair. Sweeping her hair up, Morgan twisted and pinned all the while Arianne fretted over her decision to go to B-Bash.
Morgan laid a hand on Arianne's bouncing knee. "What's got you so nervous? You've been talking to this guy non-stop for weeks."
"This feels different." Like she was walking into the lion's den without a loaded gun.
Morgan loosened the hair around Arianne's face, letting it swoop down in a retro look. "Well, yeah. This is a proper date with a dress and everything."
"It's not a date. It's a...a...thing."
"Well, this thing sure sounds like a date. He's even picking you up from your room. The girls down the hall got a text telling them to be at the main parking lot at nine."
Giddiness tickled her nose like champagne bubbles, but she reminded herself, "Garrett's old school. He does stuff like that."
"Stop thinking so much. Enjoy tonight. You got an invite to one of the most coveted parties on campus." Morgan pushed the final bobby pin into Arianne's hair and doused her with hairspray. Stepping back, she admired her work. "Perfection." She winked. "And I'm not talking just about the hair."
There was a knock on the door. "Arianne! Come have a shot with us!"
Morgan opened the door as Arianne looked in the mirror. Morgan was right. The hairstyle was perfection. It added a bit of flair pulling the outfit together.
"You look gorgeous!" Dee, one of the girls, squealed as she rushed over.
"Here." Marisol, the other girl, handed a shot glass to Arianne and Morgan. They clinked. "Cheers, ladies!"
Arianne winced as the rum went down. It reminded her of the first time she got drunk in the back of Chase's jeep. He'd stolen a handle of his dad's best rum. They mixed it with Coke and drove to the old farmhouse on the edge of town. She lost her virginity that afternoon. She remembered thinking how lucky she was to have a guy like him. He'd been gentle and kind, taking it slow so as not to hurt her. He whispered how perfect she was, and how he loved her, how he'd always love her. In her mind, she knew they were young and couldn't make such promises, but her heart had foolishly believed his feelings would remain true.
She was older, and wiser now—her rose-colored glasses crushed by the heels of reality. Garrett believed they were the same, but his glasses were only fractured. He could still see the good, unlike Arianne who sprinkled a handful of cynicism on every situation. What would happen when their two viewpoints collided? Would she wear him down until they were the same scarred skeptics? And if that happened, would he grow to resent her like her mother resented her father?
Of course, she was assuming they would get to that point. Something she was seriously doubting. While she didn't particularly like his friends, she understood their frustrations. No matter how difficult it was, Arianne had opened up to Garrett about her past. She might not have told him everything, but he knew the majority of it. Garrett, however, had yet to reciprocate. She didn't know if it was a conscious effort on his part or an instinctive reaction, but either way, it stung.
"Another?" Marisol asked, holding up a bottle of rum. Arianne nodded, and she filled the shot glass. Arianne threw her head back and welcomed the burn. Maybe the alcohol would numb her mind so she could enjoy the night.
There was another knock on the door, and it swung open. Arianne's heart pounded as the velvety sound of Garrett's voice filled the room.
"Pre-gaming already?" he asked. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dee fan herself and mouth "holy shit" to Marisol.
As Arianne turned, she felt the whole world slowing down, every minute detail a vivid wash of color. The walls were whiter, the wood was richer, and Garrett...
Her body seized as all the air whooshed out of her. He'd always been a good looking guy, but in a black suit, he smoldered. He wore a silver bow tie accented with a dark gray button-up shirt that shimmered under the fluorescent lights like it had silver threads weaved throughout it.
"Hi," he whispered, his voice low and rough. His green eyes were lit by an inner candle, and she felt him silently beckoning for her to come close and make a wish before the light flickered out. Her feet moved across the floor, and he opened his arms, welcoming her to his embrace. She took a deep breath, letting his sweet and spicy scent envelope her like a cozy blanket on a winter's night.
He pulled back slightly, allowing enough room between them to open a small white box she hadn't noticed before. "I know it's not a traditional corsage with flowers and stuff, but I thought you might like this better." It wasn't merely a corsage. It was an art piece. It had a silver deco brooch with white feathers fanning out from the top and attached to the back was a satin ribbon which matched her dress perfectly.
"I asked Morgan," he explained. "May I?"
"Oh my god, this is sooo romantic," Dee whispered.
Speechless, she held out her hand. He guided it to his lips first and gave her a small kiss before turning her wrist over and tying on the corsage. "You look beautiful."
Her skin tingled where his lips had touched. "You look perfect," she whispered back. Then she realized what she said. "I mean you look great. Really great."
They made small talk, the girls drinking a bit more while Garrett abstained, then he glanced at his watch. "We should make our way to the parking lot." He escorted all three of them but kept Arianne close like he was afraid she'd poof, and disappear into a magic bottle.
When they got to the parking lot, Jordan gave her a big hug. "I didn't know you were coming. Nice to know Saint has good taste for once."
Garrett pulled her out Jordan's arm and nestled her next to him. "How about you focus on your date instead of drooling over mine?"
Jordan frowned as he fiddled with his blue tie which had come loose. "My date had to cancel at the last minute."
Harmony came from behind Jordan the fringe on her short white dress swaying with every step. Her toned legs gleamed in the moonlight, set off by a pair of strappy stilettos. "Good thing I was free. Hi, Garrett. Arianne."
"Harmony was nice enough to pinch hit for me," Jordan explained as she fixed his tie. Garrett and Arianne shared wide-eyed what the hell looks and quickly excused themselves.
"Did you know she was coming?" Arianne asked the moment they were out of earshot.
"Hell no. I mean, I knew she wanted an invite."
"From you," Arianne guessed. She'd felt a wave of irritation directed at her.
Garrett shrugged. "There's only one person I saw myself going with."
Curious, she asked, "And what if I said no?"
"I would have gone solo."
Arianne's lips curved. What a charmer. "Tell me the truth. You were a total player in high school."
"Not really."
"Oh please. You so were! I bet you had truckloads of girls falling at your feet."
"Nah. That was my brother. You should have seen the number of calls and texts he would get a night."
She held her breath to see if he would go on, but he clammed up faster than an oyster. Disappointed, she glanced away and saw Harmony roughly ten feet away, staring daggers at them. Gus walked over to Harmony and whispered something in her ear, breaking her line of sight. Gus' date joined them, and as the three of them talked, she noticed Harmony growing more and more upset.
She turned to ask Garrett if he knew what was going on but he was busy staring at his friends who were gathered by the curb with their dates. "Do you want to go over and talk to them?" she asked.
"I'll catch them later," he replied even as his gaze lingered.
The buses arrived, and they took a seat near the back. Not surprising, they were on the opposite bus as his friends. Garrett groaned when Jordan plopped in front of them with a reluctant Harmony in tow. Gus and his date slid in the seat across from Harmony and Arianne noticed a thread of tension between them. Jordan nor Garrett seemed to pick up on it. To be fair, Arianne had been people watching for a lot longer.
As the bus pulled out of the parking lot, Garrett squeezed her hand and kept it there the entire ride. The bus was filled with excitement as the couples talked and laughed in anticipation for the night. Even Arianne got in the swing of things, sneaking in a few sips from Jordan's flask, while studiously ignoring Harmony who seemed determined to comment or laugh at every single thing Garrett said.
As they stepped off the bus, Garrett said, "I have a confession to make. I should have told you before you agreed to go with me, but I didn't want you to say no."
She placed her hand in the crook of his arm and leaned into him, enjoying the way he shifted to accommodate her. "Let me guess. You can't dance." She laughed at his expression.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"It's the only thing that would make sense. Plus, I've seen you bopping your head when a song comes on. You're not exactly on beat."
He grinned ruefully. "I blame my dad. He's not musically inclined either."
As they were ushered into a ballroom, Gus' date, Jemmye, came over. "I have to know where you got this dress. It's gorgeous." She ran a hand over the silver gems on Arianne's shoulder strap making Arianne self-conscious. "Did you buy it at that boutique on Vista Avenue? That's where I found mine, but I didn't see anything like this. Of course, I only looked for short dresses. I should have gone with a long one. You totally killed it!" Arianne was one of the few people wearing a floor length dress.
"I found it in this place on Los Posas." She told Jemmye about the thrift store and how all the proceeds went to the homeless shelter.
Jemmye snapped her fingers. "You're the girl from the event with the cardboard boxes. I thought I recognized you."
Garrett piped up, "She helped organize it. Didn't she do an amazing job?" The pride in his voice made Arianne blush.
"You really did," Jemmye told her. They chatted about the best thrift stores to go to as Garrett was pulled away by a teammate. "I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the tip."
"Just don't take all the good stuff." Arianne liked Jemmye. She reminded Arianne of an eager puppy that wanted to have fun and be in the middle of the action. What a girl like that was doing with someone like Gus was beyond her. In her mind, Jemmye was a warm, bold marigold which clashed with Gus' cool-toned parakeet green color.
Jemmye laughed. "No promises." She looked around, then dropped her voice. "Listen, sorry about Harmony. I told her it was a bad idea to come, but she insisted."
"What's her deal anyway?"
"I love the girl like a sister, but she can be as stubborn as a bull. She's got this idea in her head that Garrett's the answer to her prayers even though Gus and I have repeatedly told her Garrett's not interested. I mean one look at the two of you and you know Garrett's a goner."
Heat rose up Arianne neck as she protested. Morgan told her when they were together he vibrated with energy, but Arianne thought it was an exaggeration.
Are my feelings as obvious as well?
Jemmye squeezed her arm in understanding and Arianne's eye widened. "Did I say that out loud?"
"I won't tell. Promise." A hesitant pause, then Jemmye powered on. "I know it's a lot to ask but try to give Harmony a break, okay? She's going through a rough time. Her dad got laid off, and the grant she was counting on for her post-graduation fellowship fell through so she's in a bind."
Arianne sympathized with going through rough times, but if Harmony thought she could use Arianne as a punching bag, she had another thing coming. And she wouldn't let Garrett become prey to her either. Why was Harmony fixated on him? Yes, he was devilishly handsome and had eyes that a girl could get lost in, but her reaction was extreme...wasn't it? Or was she so out of touch with college life that she didn't have a clue to the social norms?
"You okay?" Garrett asked, returning to her side as soon as Jemmye left. He scowled like he was ready to chew Jemmye out. "Did she say something to upset you?"
"No. She was explaining stuff to me. We're good."
"Here." He handed her a pink frothy drink in a martini glass. It had a grapefruit peel twisted around the edge.
A burst of sweet and tart grapefruit flavor hit her tongue. "This is delicious. Do you want some?"
He made a face. "It's a little too sweet for me. There's no alcohol in it, but I can get you some if you want. A bunch of guys snuck in flasks."
"I'm good." The shots she'd done earlier had gone to her head.
"Man, Jordan pulled it off," Garrett said, glancing around.
That's when she finally noticed the ballroom. Wow. It looked like a scene straight from a Great Gatsby movie. Massive chandeliers dripping with crystals hung from the ceiling, and large pillars with white feathers sprouting from the top lined the aisle ways. Dramatic gold curtains framed the ceiling to floor windows which overlooked the gardens lit with fairy lights. A black and gold dance floor was set up in the middle of the room with tables surrounding it and lined along the walls were food, drinks, and even a bar. A DJ was at the far end, his body moving to the rhythm as he fiddled with his microphone.
"I know him," Arianne said, recognizing the equipment. "Did you poach him off me?"
"Marcus and Stephan did." For some reason, he looked ashamed.
She took his hand in hers, his skin cool to the touch. "Hey, it's fine. I'm not stingy with my DJs. Only their equipment," she teased, bumping his hip with hers. He looked far too severe for someone supposed to be having fun.
His eyes flared as he touched her lower back, rubbing small circles over her dress. "Is that so?"
"Can I let you in on a secret?" She motioned him closer, and whispered, "I like big equipment, and I cannot lie." Pleasure coursed through her when his eyes crinkled at the edges and he let out a low laugh. The players around them whipped around in astonishment acting as if they'd never heard Garrett laugh before.
"I was, uh, supposed to help them find a DJ, but they did all the work," he explained. Garrett might be stingy with details of his past, but he was very open about the troubles with his friends. Part of her wondered if she acted as their substitute. Once he made up with them would he lose interest? Would she stop being the person who gave him peace?
Garrett added, "I thanked them, but then Marcus said something and I don't know." He cupped her waist and anchored her to his side almost like a shield. She felt every inch of his hand, his skin no longer cool but warm. So warm she felt it melt some of her resistance. "It got me thinking."
"You think a lot," Arianne commented. They were both thinkers. They thought, and thought, and thought, letting their issues dictate their worth. That's why she jumped from the bridge. She needed to remind herself life was more than a sum of her problems. She still needed that reminder. Daily.
He drew her in closer and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "Don't I know it. Hence the ulcer."
She leaned into him, letting him take most of her weight. "The longer you let this fester, the worse it's going to get."
"You made it sound like an infection."
"Isn't it? Anger, resentment, all those nasty feelings eat away at the good until you're left with nothing. I saw it happen to my family. Don't let it happen to yours."
"They're not my family."
"Not if you don't let them be. What are you afraid of?"
She felt his lungs expand as he took in a deep breath. She expected him to release it, but he held it in, waiting and waiting, almost like he was blocking something out. Who was he blocking? Her thoughts or his own? Finally, he heaved a long sigh. "Can we forget about them for now? I want tonight to be about you. About us."
"Garrett," she groaned.
"I know, I know, but Ari—" She could feel his lips against her hair, every word a brush of softness. "Whether you like it or not we have something. We don't have to put a label on it or push it into something we're not ready for, but let's not act like it doesn't exist okay?" He turned her so they were face to face. Her pulse raced as his gaze meets her, a hundred volts running through her system.
"I'm worried," she admitted.
"About what?"
That you'll hate me when everything comes crashing down.
But it wouldn't happen tonight. Tomorrow she'd shore up her walls. Tomorrow she'd redefine her boundaries and push Garrett back to where he belonged. "You're right. We should leave our problems at the door tonight and have fun."
"So what do you want to do?" Garrett asked.
"Well, you don't dance..."
Wincing, he rubbed the back of his neck, lifting the edges of his collar. "I can try if you really want."
She fixed his collar, then patted his shoulders. "Let's find something we'd both enjoy." She looked around and noticed stations like face painting, photo booths, and caricature drawings interspersed throughout the ballroom and garden. They went from station to station, laughing and teasing as they enjoyed the night.
Garrett might not dance, but his eyes sure did. He watched her with so much happiness and levity she was surprised he didn't float off the floor. Hell, she was surprised she didn't do the same. For the first time in a long while, Arianne's heart felt light. It felt right.
Hours later, Arianne excused herself to the bathroom. She exited the ballroom and took several turns, but ended up on the wrong end of the hotel. Cursing, she retraced her steps. A group of drunk businessmen stumbled out of a conference room. They whistled as she passed, one hailing her down. "Hey sweetie," he said, hauling her to him. She slammed into his chest, and nearly choked from the smell. It was like he'd swallowed a distillery.
She twisted her arm out of his grip, but like an octopus he kept coming, hands grasping everywhere. Suddenly, she was ripped away and thrust into another pair of arms. Panicked, she balled her fists, ready to punch, but a voice said, "Calm down. You're safe." It was Garrett's friend, Marcus—the one who'd laid into Garrett at her event. He led her down a hallway, but she got a glimpse of a thin black-haired boy in a white suit approaching the men.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" he asked.
"I'm fine." She gulped in air, calming her nerves. "What about those guys?"
"Stephan's taking care of it," he assured her.
"Him? But it's only one against all of them."
A small smiled played on his lips. "You don't know Stephan."
"You should help him." He had at least four inches and twenty pounds on Stephan.
"Trust me, Stephan can take care of himself. Compared to him, I'm a pacifist."
She remembered his outburst the other night and snorted. "You?"
Suddenly, he couldn't meet her gaze seemingly more interested in the tile patterns on the floor. "I'm sorry about what happened. I shouldn't have talked to you like that."
She wasn't letting him off that easy. Garrett might not admit it, but Marcus' words had cut deep. "No, you shouldn't have."
The other boy, the one in the white suit, strode down the hallway cradling his hand. It'd been too dark the night of Cardboard Under the Stars to get a good look, but now that Arianne saw them up close and personal she felt like whistling. Those boys cleaned up good. Stephan was classically handsome with dark looks and a strong jaw, while Marcus appeared more rough and tumble with his hooded eyes and dirty blonde hair that brushed his shoulders. It was too bad Garrett was at odds with them because she'd love to set one of them up with Morgan. Or maybe not. Morgan made mincemeat out of every guy she dated.
"It's taken care of?" Marcus asked. Stephan gave a sharp nod. "What about your hand?"
"Got to put some ice on it." Stephan grimaced as he loosened his tie. "At least it's not my catching hand."
She volunteered to get the ice, but both shot her down with fierce scowls. Stephan went to find ice while Marcus stayed with her. "Do you want us to get Garrett?" he asked.
She shook her head. Now that the adrenaline has subsided, her bladder feels like it's going to explode. "I have to go to the bathroom." Marcus stepped to the side, letting her go first. When he followed closely behind, she turned, "You don't have to—"
"I do." Marcus' tone was unflinching. "Even if my dad wouldn't box my ears for leaving a girl alone, you're Garrett's." The latter was said as if it were a done deal.
Lifting her chin, she informed him, "You know the women's liberation movement happened in the sixties."
Marcus swept the bathroom door open for her, his dark chocolate eyes twinkling. "I get it now."
"Get what?"
"Why Garrett isn't interested in Harmony or any other girl."
She wagged a finger at him as she passed. "Trying to buy my forgiveness with flattery?"
"Is it working?"
In one word? "Yes."
He laughed as she walked into the bathroom, his relief evident. The truth was she'd forgiven him the moment he stepped in to save her. If only Garrett could forgive as easily.
The door slammed shut leaving an echo. That's when she heard someone sniffling. Arianne turned the corner and came to an abrupt halt when she saw Harmony standing over the sink.
Speak of the devil.
*Bonus Content* Want to see a picture of Arianne's dress? Follow me on Instagram (@DoNotMicrowaveX) and DM me #CoUDress