“Ladies!! You look gorgeous,” Summer exclaimed, yanking us both in for a hug. “Taylor, what do you think?” She swept her arm to indicate the room, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away from her. She’d gone with a devilish theme for her masquerade outfit, and one that went nicely with the theme of the album—a red, patent leather bodysuit with a daring keyhole that exposed her cleavage, blood-red lipstick, a gorgeous, elaborate, red-and-gold eye mask, and little devil horns. She even had a forked tail.
“I think… you look incredible. And you did an incredible job.”
“Sweetheart, you did an incredible job. This was all your idea, and don’t think I’ve forgotten it. There’s a bottle of pink bubbly with your name on it at the bar. And one for you too, Merritt.”
We thanked her and headed deeper into the room, trying to find our way to the bar through all the bodies. Not all that easy with a mask on.
Merritt had worn a sexy, beaded, charcoal-silver cocktail dress, flapper-style, with long, charcoal satin cigarette gloves and a feathered and beaded black eye mask. If you aren’t getting laid in that get-up, I’d told her as soon as I saw her, there’s no hope for mankind.
I’d opted to blend a few of my favorite things in my costume choice: animals, rock ’n’ roll, and the color black. I’d gone with a kind of Catwoman theme, wearing a sleeveless, black sheath dress that hugged me from chest to ankle, with a long slit up the side. I had long black boots and black gloves, a black tail, ears and partial face mask, and of course, what was a kitty without a collar? I’d bedazzled my accessories with silver studs to rock them out. It only occurred to me when I actually saw myself in the entire thing that it had a very S&M vibe about it.
I’d briefly considered changing it or toning it down. But honestly, at an event like this, with this crowd… I didn’t even stand out.
People were already dancing, and heavily into drinking, mingling and checking out all the incredible outfits and costumes, trying to figure out who was who, probably, just like we were.
Some people were a total mystery.
But others were obvious.
Like Elle Delacroix’s sister, Angeline, and her boyfriend, Flynn, who was Elle’s bodyguard. Flynn looked stiff and on-guard, as usual, but tonight he was the vision of cuteness dressed as the man in black from The Princess Bride, in black pants and a black pirate shirt, head scarf and eye mask. Angeline was, of course, the princess bride, complete with the bridal dress, crown, and a gold eye mask. I clocked them right away and mentally put them in the running for Most Adorable Couple Costume.
We really should’ve given out a prize for that, because that level of cuteness was award worthy.
Trey Jones stood out, too. That tall, athletic stature and the square jaw, the jagged, white half-mask against his dark skin—like if the Phantom of the Opera was a rock star. He wore a black tuxedo with long tails and glittering seams, and he pretty much stood in one spot at the edge of the dance floor, where people flocked around him.
Then we found Xander and Courteney. Also easy to spot.
Xander looked pretty much like Xander usually did, except for the full head mask. He wore red sequined sneakers, snug white jeans and a shredded white T-shirt that probably cost more than my entire outfit. It clung to his muscles, offering a peek at his tattoos through the rips. And on his head, he wore a red-and-white lucha libre mask. Courteney wore a long, turquoise skirt with sequins like scales and a long train like a mermaid tail, with a seashell bra over a see-through top. Miniature starfish decorated her long, blonde hair, and a glittery green mask that looked like kelp wrapped over her eyes.
After the ridiculous conversation Cary and I once had about mermaid sex, I couldn’t wait for him to see her in it.
I wondered, though, if he’d get to see her in it.
“I had no idea your man was a secret Mexican wrestler,” I said, walking up to them.
Courteney turned, saw me, and evidently recognized me as easily as Ronan and Summer had. “Taylor! WHOA. You look hot.”
“As do you, my friend. I didn’t realize this was a fetish party. Kind of feels like one, wouldn’t you say?”