Chapter Seven
Natalie
Brenda and I were sitting in photography class, chatting as our fight assignments came back. We had submitted pictures to the dean for the fight, and he had absolutely loved them. These assignments were now being handed back.
I looked in the folder, went through the pictures from that fight, and I beamed with pride. I looked at the assignment sheet and saw that I received an A+ on the photography. It made me feel incredible that I had done so well.
“Great job, girl. That was a pretty great assignment, and you had good reason to do well.” She meant Jet, and yet I didn't think it had anything to do with how well the pictures came out. I put the pictures back into their folder, and made note that I would have to show them to Jet the next time we got together.
“Don't forget that we have that campus costume party to go to tonight.”
“How could I forget?”
“Don't be a party pooper; I think it will be a lot of fun. Plus, everyone is going to be there.”
“Yeah, well, that's usually part of the problem. So what did you decide to be?”
“Ansel Adams.”
I started laughing. “You're kidding me?”
“No. I went to a vintage store and collected a bunch of things together, and I even found an old camera.”
I was still laughing. “Well, good, then. You will probably win for originality, that's for sure. Is your new beau going to be there?”
She smiled. “He's not my beau. This is only going to be our third date.”
“Well, you know what happens on a third date.” I couldn't help but smile when I saw her eyes go round. Brenda blushed deeply. She was really shy when it came to boys, but I thought the guy she was dating was a stand up fella, so I didn't think she would end up in over her head. Not like me.
“So, what did you decide to be?”
“Oh, nothing as original as you. Julie dragged me to one of those costume stores, and that's where we did some damage. Julie ended up getting a vampire costume. You know how she is about vampires.”
Brenda giggled. “Yeah, sometimes I think she would like to be one.”
I nodded. “Yeah, and to be honest, I couldn't find a damn thing that I felt comfortable in, so I just let Julie pick for me.”
“Ohh, that was probably a bad idea. Did she get you something slutty?”
I laughed. “No, I did draw the line there; I didn't want anything that required me to wear a short skirt. So she picked Catwoman for me.”
“You're not joking?”
“No, and although I don't show any skin, the outfit itself is skin-tight. There really are no words for it.”
Brenda chuckled. “Well, that's why I choose to make my own. Had I Googled my costume, I guarantee I would have pulled up a slutty version of Ansel Adams.”
We laughed together. I started gathering up my books, as class was ending. Brenda decided to come back to my apartment and get ready there. Then we would all go to the party together.
“Oh God, I can't be seen in this. I don't know what I was thinking when I allowed you to choose a costume for me. I may have been better off with a short skirt.” I stepped out of the bathroom, where Julie and Brenda were waiting. They looked amazing, Brenda really outdid herself with the originality of her costume, and she didn't even have to look slutty. Julie looked stunning, of course, as part of the undead world. She had found adhesive fangs that were so real looking that they gave me the creeps. They were a hell of a lot better than those fake choppers that used to be worn with vampire costumes.
Although she looked creepy, her outfit was also hot as hell. And that left me, Catwoman. I had the traditional pantsuit that was skin-tight, and a face mask that covered my eyes, and some cat ears. I had curled my red hair so that it was full enough that I could attach my eyes to it, and it would look less like a costume. When I stepped out of the bathroom, their mouths dropped open.
“What? What happened?”
“Oh my God, Natalie, you look ridiculously hot; no one at that party is even going to remember that you are an art student in that getup.”
“Oh, stop.”
“No, seriously. If Jet is there, he may have to fight for your attention this time.”
She managed to make me blush as well, and we decided to have a glass of wine before we headed out to the party. We sat and talked about boys and assignments, and vowed that we would all end up back at our apartment that night without any guys in tow. It was certainly something that I had to keep a handle on, so I was glad the girls were okay with stopping such situations if they happened.
We called a cab, and headed out to the campus costume party.
When we arrived, the place was packed. It was wall-to-wall people, and everyone was dressed up. It was actually a lot harder to find people I knew when they were donned in their finest costumes. There were plenty of zombies, what with the popularity of The Walking Dead. There were also a lot of superheroes and vampires. I saw some Duck Dynasty apparel, as well as fairies and angels. There were a few people whose costumes I couldn't guess, and I wondered if they chose the same type of original idea as Brenda had.
We continued to make our way through the crowds until I saw Jet. He wasn't hard to find at all. He was shirtless that October night, with an open robe and boxer shorts. It wasn't hard to guess that he was Rocky. He had a cut above his eye and some bruising on his face, and I couldn't tell whether it was makeup or not. Kyle was there as Batman, and a few of his other teammates surrounded him in various forms of costume.
He spotted me immediately and made a beeline for our little group.
“My God, Natalie, I almost didn't recognize you. That's a pretty hot getup.”
“What the hell? What do you mean you almost didn't recognize me?”
The girls started to giggle as an awkward look came over Jet's face. “No, that's not what I meant. You always look amazing, Natalie, you know that. But to be honest, I thought you would avoid costumes like this and go with something nerdier, like a famous painter.”
His eyes fell on Brenda, and he looked confused. “Are you a man, Brenda? Like a tourist with a camera?”
Julie was bent over, dying with laughter. She thought Jet was hilarious, but what seemed to be funnier for her were the holes he constantly dug himself into.
“Ahhh no, I'm Ansel Adams, the famous photographer. I apparently went for the nerdy costume.”
He looked like he had some regrets. “Ohh, right, I see. I had no idea what he looked like, that's all.” He turned to Julie, who was still busting a gut. “Thanks a lot, Julie. You're a big help. Nice costume, though; you plan on biting anyone tonight?”
“Oh, we'll see; the night is young.”
“Well, I can introduce you to some of my friends if you like.”
She smiled. “Maybe, we'll see. Anyway, Natalie, we are going to grab a drink. We'll see you in a bit.”
I nodded. “So, Rocky, right?”
He smiled. “I'm glad you can recognize a legend. Yeah, of course. I'm not really big on dressing up for Halloween, but my buddies wanted to come, so I thought, what the hell.”
“Your face definitely matches the costume. I thought it was makeup at first, but clearly it isn't. So what happened? Did Katie do that to you?”
He laughed loudly. “No, she didn't. I had the conference semifinals the other day, and well, I got my ass whooped.”
“Oh, I'm sorry, Jet.”
“No, don't get me wrong. I won my belt, and I'm going to the finals, but I still took a really good beating.”
He moved his robe to the side, and I could see bruises all over his body. “I ended up breaking the guy’s rib; that's what finally ended the fight.”
“Wow, that's incredible. I didn't realize they let things go too far.”
“Well, I don't think they normally do, but the guy kept getting up. He was a monster, and had they not stopped the fight, he would have kept coming at me, broken bones and all.”
“Really?” My eyebrows rose; I had a hard time picturing it. “But you're okay?”
“Yeah, I had to go to the hospital and get stitches, but that was it. Noting major, but I have a lot of healing to do before the finals.”
She nodded. “I have those pictures, by the way, from the fight that I attended. They came out really well, and I got an A+ on the project.”
“Hey, good for you. Wow, teachers actually give out A-pluses? Man, I thought it was just a myth.”
She giggled. “No, Jet. It just requires studying.”
“Yeah, I don't have time for sure things. Maybe now I will, though, since I will be resting a lot.”
“Well, next time you come for the drawing, I'll show you the pictures.”
“Cool.”
Brenda and Julie came back with drinks, and handed us each a glass of mystery punch. It looked like bad news right there, but thankfully, we girls had vowed to go home alone.
Jet waved over his buddies, and the girls quickly started mingling with them.
“Hey, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?”
There was a long pause before I answered. “Jet, I thought we agreed that we were just friends.”
“Oh, I definitely never agreed to that. But yes, you have mentioned it. The thing is, I wasn't asking you on a date.”
I looked at him, confused.
He explained. “I have to have dinner with my brother and father, and it's bound to be really awkward, so I was hoping you would come as a form of distraction to the whole thing.”
“Now, why is dinner with your family awkward?”
“It's a really long story, and not a very interesting one. Will you come?”
“Won't your family think it's odd that some random girl is coming?”
“You're not some random girl, and I already told them I was bringing you. It's fine.”
I laughed. “Were you that sure I was going to go?”
“No, of course not. I just wanted to make sure that they were okay with it. Please? You would really save my life on this one.”
I nodded. “Okay, I will go.”
“Thanks, Natalie. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”
The night went by perfectly, and I kept my drinking to a minimum. Although I mingled with a lot of very different people throughout the night, Jet stayed pretty much by my side for the entire evening. Julie seemed to find one of Jet's friends interesting enough to talk to, and they really seemed to get along great. Brenda, of course, already had her beau, who showed up in a Frankenstein costume.
The night ended well, with awards being handed out for originality, scariest costume, and sexiest. Everyone cheered as I won the award for sexiest costume of the night. I was completely stunned, but accepted it graciously.
I collected Brenda and Julie together, and we decided to catch a cab home. We could have walked, but when you’re drunk, walks like that seem extra long. I said goodbye to Jet and the rest of them, and we headed home to warm beds, alone.