The weather was particularly nice this early autumn evening. A slight breeze blew through Aloisâ long black hair, and he relished the feeling. Heâd always loved autumn. Everything slowly turning to dust, darkness progressively gaining ground. He liked to think of himself as a creature of the night, and the heavy atmosphere was starting to fill him with a sense of excitement.
Plus, it was still the beginning of the semester, full of new faces and endangering promises.
He sensed a buzz coming from the right pocket of his coat and reached for his phone. It was a text from Olivia.
- Donât forget the party tonight.Â
- Pretty sure Iâm not interested in seeing drunk freshmen playing beer-pong and making out in the hallways of your sorority house.
- Donât be a bore, Alois. Iâm going to need your arrogant self by my side if I want to bear those losers. I have a feeling theyâre gonna go all pandemonium tonight.
- You win, but you owe me one. Didnât think youâd have me come for free, did you?
- Your job suits you so well, darling.
He sighed at the message. Olivia sure knew how to be a bitch.Â
But she was also his best and, he thought rather bitterly, only friend. And incidentally the one member of his dysfunctional family that didnât make him go batshit crazy.Â
She was there when he came back from school confused and angry at himself after kissing a boy for the first time. She was also there when his father found out.Â
She had seen him at his lowest, most miserable self, and she was still there, in all her catty glory. He smiled because he would never think of his cousin as compassionate, the word wasnât fitting. But he had to admit he owed the witch some.
He chased away these thoughts as he adjusted his coat and stretched lazily. A party, huh? Guess it was showtime, then.