Chapter 24

                                    

                                          
If Josh hadn't come up to tell me about his new relationship with Gwen (well, he claims that's why he walked towards me when I arrived at the party), he'd be hitting on me already. I don't let him know who I am at first. Unfortunately, Gwen recognizes me. Somehow.
                          
"Matthew!" she exclaims, lunging for a hug. After I pry her off me, I take a closer look at her costume. She's dressed up as a schoolgirl, probably from an anime. "You look great!" she squeals.
                          
Josh blanches. "Matthew?" he asks. "Holy fuck, I didn't recognize you at first." He clenches his beer cup, looking like a puppy who got caught doing something mischievous. 
                          
I smirk. "Tell me I look gorgeous so we can start partying," I prompt. To add some flair, I flip a part of the wig back. 
                          
My best friend snorts. "Yeah, that'll happen any time soon," he says. "But seriously, you look like an actual woman. Did you have Kelly help you with your costume?"
                          
"Something like that." Actually, all the help I've gotten from Kelly (and the only help that I needed from her) were the make-up and wig. The rest, I had to watch make-up tutorials on YouTube and endless websites that give you step-by-step instructions on how to "disguise yourself", as they put it.  
                          
Do you know how many times I've attempted and failed to put on enough make-up to appear feminine? I'll give you a hint; there's too many to count.
                          
Unlike yesterday, I've donned on the red dress (sash included) and heels. I would've snitched a couple of Mom's jewelry, but lately she's been extremely picky on her appearance. When that rare occasion happens, she'd wear several pieces of the jewelry that's mismatched but she'd be able to pull them off with any dress Mom thinks would work with all of them. So, with that going on and her being dead against cross-dressers in mind, I've taken the safe way out.
                          
Someone hands me a cup half full of beer. I haven't seen who it was, but I take a cautious sip anyway. After making a face, I give it to Gwen. "You can have this," I say.
                          
She laughs. "You don't like the taste?" she asks, drinking some of it.
                          
I shake my head. "I don't like that kind of beer."
                          
"What kind of beer do you like?" Josh pipes up. "Cause seriously, there ain't much to choose from." He chugs his own down. My best friend looks around for a keg to refill his cup.
                          
"Any kind that's not 'light'," I answer.
                          
Gwen shrugs. As soon as she finishes the drink, she takes me from the front hallway to the living room. I can tell by the scrapings on the floor the furniture have been moved for an all-night game of beer pong. A couple of drunk Draculas are giggling hysterically from one side as one of the earlier Doctor Whos on the other side (the one with the really long scarf) spits out the ping pong ball that fell into his mouth while he was drinking from the cup. 
                          
"Wanna play?" Gwen asks me, a grin on her face. 
                          
I tell her I'll just watch, which she accepts. A new round starts, and she joins a mermaid and naughty nurse, replacing the vampires. A guy dressed as a referee blows his whistle, and the game starts. A crowd surrounds them, and soon people start hooting for Gwen's team to win. 
                          
"Whazz goin' on?" Josh appears beside me, slurring his speech. I've forgotten how much of a lightweight he is; as far as I know he's only had one and a half cups of beer. 
                          
I point at the game, and my best friend notices his girlfriend. "Hey!" he hollers, pointing at Gwen. "That's my girl right there!" He smiles frivolously as the outsiders turn to stare at him oddly. I simply cover part of my face, hoping no one can tell I'm friends with him. 
                          
Gwen smiles at Josh, while at the same time the ball falls into one of the now few cups in her side. She picks it up and drinks it down as fast as she can. She throws the empty cup aside as Gwen picks up the ball and throws it to the other side, missing the cup nearby. 
                          
As I'm watching the game grow more intense as more cups are dunked, I feel a pair of hands on my hips. "Well hey, pretty girl," a deep voice whispers in my ear. "What are you doing here when you can be with someone like me?"
                          
Normally I'd be all over the fact a guy is flirting with me, but the only thought that pops into my head is: Holy fuck, he sounds sober.
                          
The hands wrap around my waist and they kind of guide me out of the crowd. Josh doesn't pay attention to anything outside of the game. I don't get a chance to see the guy close until we're outside on the back porch. One couple is at the far end, pretty much sucking each other's faces off.
                          
The guy is taller than me, even in my heels. He's got orange-dyed hair that doesn't match with his naturally brown 5 o'clock shadow. A pair of glasses that screams, "FASHION!" rests on the bridge of his nose, and he's wearing a blue T-Shirt with ragged jeans. He looks like a very hot nerd, to put in shortly.
                          
"What's your name, sweetheart?" Hot and Nerdy asks. 
                          
"M-miyah," I stutter. Sorry, but there's no way in hell I'm telling him my name is actually Matthew.
                          
He smiles, for some odd reason dismissing my deep voice. "A gorgeous name for a gorgeous girl," he says. I turn red at the compliment. "Do you have a boyfriend, Miyah?"
                          
Without meaning to, I laugh. "I don't have one right now," I say.
                          
His eyebrows raise. "Why not? You're too fine to be single, honey." His hand reaches out to tug me closer to him. "Why don't I help change that?" 
                          
I don't even get a chance to ask for his name when his lips meet mine. It's gentle, and my lips curve into a smile. I wrap my arms around his neck, and his are around my waist. I'm kissing a fucking guy! This is awesome!
                          
I stop kissing his mouth and lower my lips to his neck. He groans. "That feels nice," he says dreamily. His fingers brush the hair out of my face, which results to removing the whole wig off of my head.
                          
Fuck.
                          
He takes a step back and looks at me. My stomach drops as his face contorts to disgust. "You faggot!" he bellows, causing the couple to stop and stare. "You fucking piece of shit!" Before I can grasp what's happening, something solid hits my face.
                          
My head whips back, and I cry out in pain as I can feel blood gushing from my nose. I put a hand on it. I hear a grunt, and I feel a hard kick on my stomach, causing me to fall on the floor.
                          
"You. Think. You. Can. Trick. Me!" Each word coincides with another kick. I yell out for help, but with the music blaring, no one hears me. 
                          
The guy's done with his abuse, thank God. He spits at me before going back inside. I groan, my vision blurred with tears. Where was the couple when I needed them to stop the guy? Have they left the scene? 
                          
I get to my stomach, and I gasp at the excruciating pain. I try to drag myself away from the porch and get help from someone. Drunk or sober, I don't care. If they can call the hospital I'd be grateful.
                          
"S-s-someone," I croak. "H-h-help." 
                          
My vision starts to dim as I get closer to the inside. Holy fuck, am I dying? People can die from these injuries. Will I be one of them?
                          
I keep myself dragging across the floor until I can't do it anymore. I slump to my side and breathe as deep as I can. The last thing I can see is the drunk partiers before I black out.