the bass from the speakers thudded through the floorboards, rattling the framed pictures on the wall. the whole house was lit in orange and purple with cobwebs strung up in doorframes and plastic skeletons dangling from the ceiling. your halloween party was at full tilt. costumes were everywhere and people were dancing, laughing, and spilling drinks in the kitchen. you had been moving through the crowd all night with your beer in your hand, exchanging nods and jokes with friends but every time you passed through a room your eyes landed on regina george

she wasnt even trying to be subtle about it. she was leaning against the wall in that ridiculous angel outfit with her wings perched on her back and her gloss shining under the strobe lights. she was a junior and you were a senior but you had history that made you feel like the same age. a messy, off and on, nobody can keep up with you, history. you werent dating right now but the way her eyes tracked you across the room made it hard to remember why

you werent exactly innocent either. all night you had been brushing past her, letting your hand graze her arm in passing and leaning close enough so she could smell the faint trace of cologne you had sprayed over your hoodie. you had made little jokes that only she would get, teased her about her costume, and told her she didnt need to act so tough because she already knew she would be going home thinking about you

by the time you found yourselves alone in your living room it was inevitable. the crowd had shifted to the kitchen for shots, leaving the room quieter except for the muffled music from down the hall. you leaned against the wall, pretending to scroll through your phone like you werent waiting for her to make the first move. she stepped into the doorway, holding a red cup with her gaze lock on yours

“youve been acting like you own me all night” she said, tilting her head with that sharp little smirk

“maybe i do” you shot back, your voice low and casual but your pulse was racing

she closed the distance without hesitation. the cup hit the coffee table and before you could even think about what was happening, her hands were on your collar, shoving you against the wall as she kissed you

it was hot and messy, the kind of kiss that made the whole party disappear. her fingers curled into the fabric of your hoodie, pulling you in closer as your hands instinctively found her waist. she tasted like cheap rum and cinnamon gum. every second of it was exactly as dangerous as you remembered

you tried to say something but she cut you off with another kiss. your back fully hit the wall, her body pressing into yours and you could feel the faint vibration of the music through the plaster. her nails lightly scraped against the side of your neck before her hand slid up to cup your jaw, holding you there like she was making sure you couldnt move

“you really missed this didnt you?” she mumbled against your lips, not waiting for an answer before kissing you again

you laughed because she was right

the front hallway light flickered with the movement of people in the distance, the shadows stretching across the floor. anyone could walk in but neither of you cared. her perfume was thick in the air, mixing with the faint smell of beer and pumpkin candles. you knew that no matter how many times you tried to end this thing it would always pull you back in

when she finally pulled back enough to look at you, her lipstick was slightly smudged and her eyes sparkled in the dim light

“happy halloween” she whispered like it was a challenge