Devils' Day Party: A High School Bully Romance - C.M. Stunich Page 0,180

a woman with bloodred hair nearby. She stands near the girl with white-blonde hair, and the one with raven locks that fits more easily into the picture than she rightfully should.

I’ve painted everyone who’s touched me during this journey, whether for good or bad. Because every person on this canvas has mattered. They’ve all made a difference, their actions influencing me just as much as mine did them, even if they weren’t on repeat.

“It's like a wedding dress and a funeral garment all mixed into one,” Cathy says, leaning in my doorway as she watches Katie finish. I stand up and turn to look in the full-length mirror in my room, the gown's lacy length clinging to my curves, my purple hair loose and wild, as one should be on Devils' Day.

Katie balances on the bed and carefully places the crown of thorns and roses onto my head.

“A wedding and a funeral,” I repeat, watching myself in the mirror, big gray eyes in a pale, heart-shaped face, full lips, a small nose.

“I'll light some candles, and we can do a quick spell before you head out the door,” Cathy says, moving down the hall as I turn and wrap my arms around Katie, closing my eyes against a sudden rush of fear at the unknown.

“I love you, kid,” I tell her, and she goes very, very still in my arms, like she can sense where my trepidation and fear are coming from. “I want you to remember that, always.”

“I love you, too, Karma,” Katie replies, and when I pull back from her, I see that her eyes are the same as mine, just a little fearful, but also depthless, hope burning deep within. She and I are more alike than I ever realized. Tucking some dark hair behind her ear, I swallow back the tears. Tonight is not a night for tears.

I don’t have the time or luxury to indulge them.

“And me?” Emma asks, bouncing off the bed to rush over to me. She throws her arms around my waist and squeezes me as hard as she can, knocking the breath from my lungs. I laugh, reaching down to run my fingers through her silky hair. “I love you; do you love me?”

“I love you more than the moon and the stars,” I tell her, and she grins, looking up at me from blue-gray eyes. “And thank you for letting me help you with the mural today.”

“No, thank you,” she says, giving me another squeeze. “You painted better than me or Katie anyway.” Emma releases me and then grabs a lollipop off my nightstand, one I don’t remember putting there before. In fact … it looks almost like the one Barron gave her on the day the boys and I had tea together.

I exhale sharply as she unwraps the candy and turns to look at me.

“Are you okay?” she asks, blinking long lashes at me. “You look like you might cry.”

“I’m fine, I promise,” I tell her, giving her a kiss on the top of the head.

“Karma, your friends are here!” Jane calls out, and I sigh, glancing at myself one, last time in the mirror before I slip my glittering black mask over my face, the antlers tall and curved above my loose, purple hair.

I head down the hall and find all three boys waiting, dressed in their Devils’ Day finest.

“You actually came,” I say, when I get close enough that they can hear me, but my mothers can’t. “I’ll admit: I wasn’t sure that you would.”

“It’s Devils’ Day,” Barron tells me, reaching out to cup the side of my face, his eyes dancing with a dozen shared memories I’m not sure he’s even aware of. “It’s a night for the wicked. We three are wicked, and we’ve come to take you away.”

Raz snorts and shakes his head, offering up a single rose.

“I don’t know what you’re up to today,” he tells me, grabbing my hand and pulling me close. He stops just short of kissing me when he notices my moms hovering nearby. “But either way,” Raz leans down to put his lips near my ear, “I like it.” He presses a quick kiss against the side of my face before pulling back.

I clutch the rose against my chest as Calix and I lock gazes.

“I talked to Erina,” he tells me as I stand there, waiting, my heart racing like crazy as I study his dark eyes beneath the black leather of his mask. “She isn’t going to