I wiped the tears from my eyes, refusing to cry another tear over Joe. He’d broken my heart, but I wouldn’t let him know it. I would still go to the costume party we’d been invited to, even if it meant going alone.

Brushing out my long blonde hair, I watched as the springy curls framed my face. I pulled out my make-up box and applied blush and a pale peach eye-shadow. Using my dark brown mascara, I lengthened my eyelashes and then curled them. A sheer gloss finished off the look.
Next, I put on my costume, an off the shoulder white goddess tunic. Gold strappy sandals adorned my feet.

Happy with my overall appearance, I walked out of my room, said goodbye to my parents, and left for the party. Joe was supposed to drive me, so I now had to find my own way there. I knew where the hotel was, but I didn’t have a car of my own. I’d been saving, but I was still a few thousand off from the Mustang I’d seen at Ship’s Ford.

I heard a motorcycle coming down the street and saw a boy about my age dressed in a vampire costume. My heart accelerated when I got a good look at him. Black wavy hair curled over his collar, blue eyes seemed to look right through me, and his lips – oh my! Just looking at him make me feel hot.

He pulled to a stop at the foot of my driveway and gave me a heart-stopping grin. “Need a ride, goddess?”

I wanted to accept, but I didn’t know him. Should I accept? Mom had always told me not to accept rides from strangers, but he seemed trustworthy, and he was definitely mouth watering.