Mezzanine

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I snaked my way across the floor of the decaying living room that had been overtaken by vines, leaves, and the senior class of Sycamore Falls High. Finally, I reached the other side where Lola chatted with Evelyn and Morgan after their beer pong match.

"Oh my God, at least we made three shots," Morgan said. I can't believe I spilled beer all over me. She pursed her lips and wrung the hem of her canary yellow dress. Looked like she'd managed to fit into it after all.

"Andy is really good," Evelyn said. "What did he get, four cups in a row?"

"Hopefully he won't spend all night on the table, right?" Morgan glanced to Lola.

"Whatever." Lola flipped her curly hair over her shoulder. "I don't care what Andy does."

"Nice game," I inserted myself in the conversation, sneaking up behind them.

Lola jumped, and Morgan spilled beer on her dress. Again.

"What the fuck? You can't just sneak up on people like that, Count Dracula!" Evelyn yelled.

"Please, just Dracula. The Count is my father."

Lola snorted a laugh, and beer came out through her nose. "Sorry." She wiped her face. "I think I must have sneezed."

"Then bless you," I said. I turned to the other girls. "Evelyn, your nails look nice."

"What?" She furrowed her brow, glancing down at her hands.

"Silver is a nice color on you."

"Umm...thanks?" She turned her gaze up, meeting mine for a second before looking away.

"You're welcome," I said.

Morgan leaned in to Lola and whispered something in her ear. Even though I couldn't hear her over the pounding house music, I didn't need to.

What is he doing here? I thought Andy wasn't inviting everyone at school.

"Oh, I wasn't invited, Morgan," I said. "Carter and I just decided to crash. I'm not a full fledged vampire yet, so I can still enter places without an invitation."

Morgan rolled her eyes and glanced into the crowd, like there was someone she was looking for, but I could tell she was just searching for a distraction. She was flustered that I'd "heard" her.

"I think I'm going to get a fresh drink," Morgan finally said when she didn't locate the nonexistent person she was pretending to look for.

"Same," Evelyn said. "Lola, wanna come?" She nudged her in the arm with her elbow.

"I'm going to stay here." Lola took a last sip from her red cup, her eyes meeting mine over the brim, almost like she wanted to talk to me.

Was I reading into it too much? Did she just flirt with everyone?

Before I could dwell on it any more, the moment passed. Lola finished her drink and held her empty cup out to Evelyn. "Can you get me another one, though?" she asked.

"Lola," Evelyn whined.

"Pretty please with whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, and a cherry on top?" Lola batted her eyelashes. "I'll let you be top of the pyramid at the game next weekend."

Evelyn let out a huff through her nose. "Fine." She snatched Lola's cup, stomping off toward the table where the drinks were set out as Morgan tagged along behind.

"Whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, and a cherry?" I asked. "I've never heard someone taking their beer that way."

Lola turned to face me, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow for a second before the confusion faded from her features. "Ha! Hopefully Evelyn will take the hint, then, and get me a piña colada instead."