Page 49 of Sad Girl Hours
“Hmm, OK. You’re a portrait of someone. Someone grey.” They deliberate for a minute before clapping their hands together. “Dorian Gray!The Picture of Dorian Gray.”
“Correct.” Vivvie smiles, posing in the frame.
“All of your vibes are incredible. You definitely have the coolest costumes here,” Harpreet says, and I have to agree.
“Your Carmilla costume is also peak vibes,” Nell says, shifting over to let Harpreet sit down in our sleeping-bag circle.
“I love that you got the specific vampire inspiration.” Harpreet smiles.
“Well, I know you want to write your diss next year on all the different queer allegories in vampire fiction throughout history—”
“Carmillathrough toTwilightandBuffyfanfic, yep.”
“—so who were you going to come as, a heterosexual vampire? I don’t think so.”
As their shared laughter fades, something grows inside me. Something unpleasant.
“You found another you,” Jenna jests, affectionately nudging Nell in the ribs.
“Did you also make your friends dress up in similarly obscure costumes?” Vivvie asks.
“Nah.” Harpreet shrugs. “My friends are over there dressed as various members of the Scooby gang – original, notBuffy– the basic bitches. So, either you guys are better friends or Nell’s more persuasive than I am.”
“Perhaps both,” Casper says, before realising he’s accidentally disparaged her friend group. “Although I’m sure your friends are as lovely as you.”
“Nice save,” Vivvie says dryly.
Harpreet smiles at her, before her brows furrow into a frown. “You do know Dorian Gray wasn’t actually grey himself, right? That was just his name.”
“Ay ay ay. There really are two of them.” Vivvie tosses her hands into the air, while Nell says,
“EXACTLY what I said!”
Something about this situation, about sitting here pretending like everything’s normal for me while Nell and Harpreet joke around, is making this giant hall feel a whole lot less giant.
“AHHHH!”
There’s a collective scream as we’re thrust into darkness. I feel somebody’s limb brush against me and shudder. Menacing music is played as the lights flicker, affording me just enough light to see Casper shoot backwards into Jenna as he notices the ghostly faces grinning from behind the cell bars.
After another minute, the lights flicker back on.
“Well,” Nell says, “they’re really committing, aren’t they? Very haunted Rainforest Café energy.”
“I’ll say.” Casper gulps, still not removing himself from Jenna’s lap. Jenna just strokes his hair, like he’s a quivering Shih Tzu she’s trying to calm.
“When in Rome,” Harpreet says. “Or a dungeon in Lancashire, I suppose.”
Nell laughs again and I notice how warm her smile is. August beach, not a single cloud blemishing the blue of the sky warm. I can almost hear the waves breaking when I look at it.
Nell feels my eyes on her and directs that smile at me. I look down straight away. And then hate myself for it.
I feel trapped. And not just in theI have literally paid to be trapped in a dungeonsense. I feel like if I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to burst into tears in front of everyone, and Ireallydon’t want to do that. What explanation could I possibly give?
I know you all think everything’s fine with me, and I’m the happy-go-lucky person of the group who normally gives instead of takes, but can I let you know that’snotwho I am and let me take the fun out of this evening for you?
Not likely. Except maybe possibly likely if I don’t get out of here soon.
Again, I’m aware that I’m locked in but that doesn’t stop me from standing up, candle and phone in hand. “Excuse me,” I say with a very forced smile to the group, desperately scanning the hall for something that will make me feel less like I’m a walking grenade. On the other side of the room, I notice two modern-looking doors that I know don’t lead to cells. I’m not allowed through them if theStaff Onlysigns above them are anything to go by.
