The Fate Of Broken Hearts

Chapter 54

I sat at the centre of my bed, contemplating the choices before me. As much as I enjoyed most aspects of Halloween, picking an outfit was not one of them. Each option whispered in my ear like a curse, telling me how boring I turned out to be. The longer I stared, the more I was convinced that I would die of old age before I came to a decision.

After all, the only reason I was going to this party was that I knew Aiden would be with me. He was waiting for me, and yet, there was a part of me that didn't want to go.

Since the day we all went shopping, Aiden had barely spoken more than a few words to me. Our conversations consisted of hello, how was your day and see you later. I tried talking to him to figure out why he was acting so strange, but he would insist that he was fine; I didn't believe him most of the time. He never answered my questions nor hung out with me other than when he drove me from my apartment to the library and back to the apartment again. He seemed so detached as if he were a stranger or there was a brick wall between us. It was as if all the progress we've made had suddenly been erased and the only thing left was a smudged canvas.

As Friday night had inched closer, everyone seemed to be talking about the Halloween party.

I rubbed my thighs and sighed, knowing that I still had a decision to make. If only picking out an outfit was as easy as other daily habits, I thought.

An embarrassing amount of time later, I finally chose a black dress with a sweetheart neckline and lace sleeves. It was snug at the waist and broader as the skirt extended down my knees. I wasn't exactly sure who or what I was pretending to be, but I was satisfied.

I gathered my things and sat at the table, waiting for Aiden to arrive as he had promised. I didn't think I'd be waiting long. I had learnt over time that he was rarely ever late. Therefore, I waited... I waited... and I waited some more.

The anticipation and dread that previously bubbled to the surface began to fade as disappointment quickly arose and took its place.

I sent him messages, I called, but all led me nowhere. Every time I glanced at the clock on my screen, I felt worse.

"You're not coming...." I muttered to myself.

Eventually, after two hours, I realised I was right. He stood me up.

With no messages from him, I decided that if he wasn't going to show himself, I would try to have a fun night despite his absence. I knew Will was going to be there, so I wouldn't be alone. With that in mind, I jumped into my car and drove to the frat house.

It wasn't long before I arrived. On either side of me, cars filled the streets. I looked out the window, watching people stumble on the lawn with their costumes. I scanned the area and noticed a peculiar man in an even more peculiar costume. He was in a cardboard box, being carried by an inflatable, angry alien. He casually sipped out of his red Solo cup while turning his head to talk to someone beside him.

Standing a few yards away, another man – deep in conversation with a girl opposite him – was dressed as one of those tiny green army soldiers young children play with. He even had the green base glued to his feet. I wondered how he walked.

I stepped out of the warmth of my car and into the cool night. I walked along the pathway up to the large, double story house. The loud music and yelling filled my ears with each step until it was all I could hear.

However, when I stepped inside, it was an entirely different world. It was overwhelming to see so many people crowded in a space that suddenly seemed smaller than it was – even more so when they were dressed as clowns, superheroes, and vampires.