The invitation received by my dorm mate to the huge sorority Halloween party didn't exactly come as a surprise. Chris was in the process of adding Greek notches to his bedpost, and if any of the girls' boyfriends found out, he was going to be in traction for a week. But he still got a thrill out of trying to poach them from under the unsuspecting noses of their lovers.
"Come as something you aren't!" The gold calligraphy cajoled from the high quality stock of the card. I wondered if that meant Chris was going to dress up in khakis, a shirt without an air-brushed or painted logo, and a notebook computer for once and attend the party as a college kid who actually studied and finished his assignments.
As for me, the decision wasn't an easy one. I haunted the Halloween costume shops, brooding over elaborate Dracula and Medieval knight costumes, but nothing seemed to suit me. I would make a short and wiry Dracula, and the knight costume, while cool as hell, wouldn't fit me much better. There was a really good reason I wasn't on the football team, and I didn't delude myself from that fact. I was a short, paper thin, studious geek.
Don't misunderstand. I think I'm fairly attractive. But I'm not one who'd stand out from the crowd or be able to make a touchdown without being smeared all over the field by guys with a hundred or more pounds on me in the process.
So, it came as a total surprise when the perfect costume unceremoniously called out to me at the sporting goods shop. I was there to pick up some accessories for my Mongoose (look, it's not sexy but it gets me around campus just fine and doesn't need gas), when my attention settled on the skiing supplies proliferating an entire wall of the shop. An urging imp from my subconscious whispered directions to my brain. My eyes were drawn to the gloves, hats, and ski masks. When I saw the simple black ski mask, it was immediately obvious how I'd dress up for the party.
Autumn sunshine was crisp and bright a week later on the day of the event. Gaggles of children and exhausted parents trooped up and down the streets as I made my way back to the dorms to change and get ready. While walking past Fraternity Row, I could already hear the music and see several dozen people milling up and down the street dressed in all manner of costumes. I paused on my walk home, catching a glimpse of a trio of temptresses who'd surely not spend the night alone.
The sexiest and most wanton witch I'd ever seen stood, pale face gazing toward the setting sun, the sinking star's radiance caressing her flame red hair and bringing out it's molten highlights. She wore a short black dress with a scoop neck; little black boots, a pointed black hat, and carried a stuffed black cat. Beside her, a naughty nurse was adjusting her mocha-colored corkscrew curls beneath her peaked cap, white dress and hat bathed in the same waning warm light as her friend. But the one who stood out, the companion, who stole the show without even trying, had to be the sexy schoolgirl.
If my eyes didn't deceive me, she was Kelly, one of the newer pledges from the freshman class. And oh fuck, was she gorgeous! Her long blonde hair was parted down the middle, and then woven into two adorable braids tied off with red bows. She wore a starched white button up shirt that was buttoned up all the way and trimmed in lace around the collar and cuffs, red and black plaid bowtie at her throat, a black, white, and red plaid pleated skirt that stopped mid thigh, white knee high stockings, and the real kicker of the whole outfit; a pair of gleaming black Mary Jane shoes. She carried a miniature red backpack in one hand, and an opaque plastic cup in her other. I didn't need to be in the psych doctorate program to know it most likely wasn't plain old apple cider.
Damn my statistics and probabilities class running longer than usual. Right then and there, I made up my mind that I would not only attend the party for certain even with my lingering doubts, but that I'd find Kelly, and I would make sure both of us had enough spiked punch to serve as an effective social lubricant. After that, I would get her alone and see if I got the treat I suddenly craved.
Getting back to my dorm had never been so appealing or important as it was now, and I increased the pace of my step, wishing I'd brought my bike instead of walking for the benefit of a little exercise.
The lobby of our dorm was filled with black, orange, and purple crepe paper streamers, and everyone seemed to be in a jovial enough mood. Some of the other students were dressed up and some were not. The smell of microwave popcorn filled the air, and the rowdy chatter only fueled my decision to go to the party despite a moderate case of nerves.
Back in my dorm room, Chris was blasting some generic rock as he stood in front of the mirror in our bathroom; carefully disheveling his hair and tilting his head to admire the stubble he'd meticulously grown over the last couple days. He was shirtless and wearing a banana sling under a loin cloth. He wore a bow across his back in some sort of rawhide contraption. Some discernable pile of faux fur was balled up on the counter next to the sink. When he heard me enter, he grinned.
"Listen. If you go out tonight, do the 'just checking' knock before you come barging in later. I am hoping to drag Janella back to our room by the hair. If you just show up, that will definitely fuck up the mood." I rolled my eyes, trying not to grimace from the over-application of body spray Chris had used.
"Right. Whatever." I made like I was heading for my computer.
"Dude, you should come. I mean there's going to be a hella lot of girls there. I'm sure you could find someone." Ah. Chris's candor strikes again. "Come on."
Truth was that I didn't want Chris to know if I was going or not. If he knew I was going, he'd try to talk girls into dancing with me out of pity. If he knew I wasn't going to go, he'd start another campaign to cajole me into coming just so he could have one more person over whom he could feel superior With his endless rutting and bevy of horny hotties.
"I've got a lot of reading to do."
"Fuck that. It's Halloween! Girls, sluttish costumes, and booze equals epic win! Come on. I know someone who'd love to meet you." Suspicions confirmed, I sighed, leaning back to prop my feet on the desk.
"I need to get this done, man. Otherwise I would. Look... Just take a lot of pics for me. Those freshman girls... They're great for drunken nip slips and stuff."
"Well if you're sure." Chris already had his boots on. He picked up his keys and moved toward the door. "You know girls aren't all that bad, man. You just need to build up the confidence."
"I know. See ya later, Chris." He shrugged, and then left in an air of overly masculine swagger and cheap cologne.
"Later." I replied to the closed door.
Once I knew he was gone for certain, I got to my feet, turning off the music and starting toward our shower.
As hot water began to cascade down my body, I luxuriated in the feeling. I thought of my idea again and again. Was it wrong? Maybe. But tonight was the night for costumes. The invitation urged you to dress as something you're not, but there wasn't going to be anyone at the door to verify that fact. I was just taking my incognito status to an entirely new level.
Out of the shower, I brushed my hair, toweled off, and then slipped on a pair of black boxers. Over these, I drew a pair of tight black jeans and a long sleeved black shirt. The ski mask, boots, and gloves came last, and when I was through, I appraised my reflection in wonder.
The only thing that indicated who I really was was my eyes. But then again, half a million men in this city might have hazel eyes. I was an enigma and this was more than just my costume. It was my disguise. A disguise that hid the sort of awkward and introverted person I was, and exuded power, anonymity, and a little fear. I was the stuff of anxious housewives fantasies and bank owner's dread. But I wasn't out to take anything that wouldn't be offered freely. And with that thought, I grabbed a spare pillow case from a set of clean linen for my bed, my cell phone, and my keys, then headed out of my room and out into the violet hue of falling night.
The side streets that housed a great deal of college kids were already dotted with gathering crowds of revelers. Fraternity Row was positively clogged. Had I decided to hitch a ride, I doubt there would have been room to park. As it was, I couldn't walk more than a few feet in any direction without running into sexy genies, gory monstrosities replete with dripping blood and all, and a few Emo kids who merely wandered hither and yon with a cup of God only knew what clutched in their hand.
I recognized Caveman Chris (the costume wasn't too far off, actually) and knew he would be out to nail as many sorority pledges and sisters as he could. Deciding he knew where all the action would be, I followed him. Leaves crunched under my feet and grated against the pavement as he boldly shoved his way through a group of frat boys, followed by a chorus of "Hey, Bro! What's your problem?" and "What the fuck, man?" I followed right behind, slipping inside one of the huge houses amid a group of giggling freshmen like a shadow.
