The next Monday Evy found herself in front of the club room. 2.07 Liv had told her. She opened the door and found herself in a permanent Halloween store. The usually ugly looking white room was decorated with black sheets crudely hammered into the walls, with purple curtains blocking the sunlight coming through the tall windows. Glass jars holding candles were the only source of light. Plastic skeletons, bat garlands and decorative pumpkins that were probably also plastic, were scattered throughout, joined by several soft looking jewel-toned pillows. A healthy layer of glitter covered everything.

“Evy! Come in!” Liv pulled the blonde in and placed her on a pillow at the low table in the middle of the room. Jamie and Evan were already there, sitting comfortably close to each other. Several books with black covers were sprawled across the table’s surface, with the odd comic book in between. A black, gothic looking tea set sat in the middle, with a silver tray underneath. Evy was dying to know where they got it, but before she could ask, Liv had already shoved a piece of cake in front of her nose.

“How do you like it? I decorated this place myself!”

Evy nodded, recognizing the chaotic nature of the girl in the way she decorated. She loved it though.

“It’s awesome!”

Liv grinned and poured a cup of fragrant tea.

“Roses?”

“And vanilla.”

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the hot beverage and sweet cake. Even though she had met the group only a week before, she already felt as if she had known them for quite a while. They seemed to accept her for how she looked, for how she was and they tried to include her in any conversation. She had never felt this comfortable before, so at ease. All her previous friends were pleasant on the outside, but never seemed to truly care when she needed them. This time felt different.

“So, what do you guys usually do here?”

“Make ou..” Jamie started with a devilish grin on his face, but Evan pinched the guy’s lips together, stopping him from saying anything more. A mumbling sound still escaped.

“Ignore those weirdos, Evy,” Liv waved at the boys, meaning for them to quit it, ”We usually research topics that we come across that we find interesting. Recently we dived into vampire stories,” she motioned to the books on the table.

“Only because you have a vampire fetish,” Jamie teased. Liv glared at the long-haired monster.

“It’s a healthy interest, I’ll have you know.”

Evan snickered, finding the conversation all too funny.

“Anyway, there will soon be a school festival featuring every club’s interest, and I was thinking of doing something incorporating vampires, but I feel like doing a simple presentation is kinda boring.”

Evy agreed. Then an idea popped up that her designer heart would love to do.

“What about a vampire themed fashion show? I know sewing, so I could make the outfits.”

If this was a manga, Evy would be sure sparkles would have appeared in Liv’s eyes right this moment. The girl, for some reason, jumped up.

“That’s a great idea! We could have capes, lace and big ruffley sleeves. Oh, I’m in Heaven!” She clasped her hands together as if she was praying, and twirled around, ending her pose with her hands up to the sky.

Evan shook his head at the sight of his friend and pushed her back down on the pillow. “We need you here on Earth though.”

Liv sighed and put on a more serious face.

“What do we do about designing the outfits though?” she continued, “And who will be our models? And do we go for a male, female or mixed collection?”

“Wouldn’t it be the most logical for us four to be the ones modeling? Less stress trying to find people who would be willing to model for us,” Jamie suggested. From her interactions Evy knew he was not only jokes and sneers, he could also be serious and thoughtful. He just simply prefered to express his love by being a troll.

“So, mixed it is then.”

The other three members of the occult club nodded.

“I have a decent drawing skill,” Jamie continued, “So I could visualize the designs. Liv can help me with the detailing, as she loves ‘researching’,” he airquoted the last word, causing the girl to blush and grumble. Evy chuckled and Evan grinned.

“Alright, then that’s set. Evan, you’re pretty good in math too right? Can you help me with the pattern drafting and sewing?”

“Sure! Though you’ll have to guide me because I’ve no experience sewing anything.”

Evy nodded. She would gladly teach him how to use the sewing machine and how to make the patterns. Quality time with a hot guy.

Liv clapped her hands together, something Evy came to understand as her being satisfied. “Then it’s settled. Lets think up a general look and then we can hunt for matching fabric and materials. We can go to the fabric store Saturday afternoon if everyone is okay with that.”

Evan, Jamie and Evy nodded. Evy loved the fabric store, running her hands along the bolts, feeling different textures under her fingertips. Sometimes she wondered if it was better than sex.

* * * *

That Saturday the four of them went to the only fabric store in town. Earlier they had decided on getting black Deluxe satin with a heavier drape, cotton voile in both black and white, taffeta in purple, electric blue, blood red, a silvery grey and ofcourse some more black. Evy also found a nice dark colored jaquard with a fleur de lis pattern that would be great for vests and lining. Finding some nice quality lace was Evan’s job and Liv and Jamie went on to search for sparkles and other haberdashery. They left the store with four big shopper bags. Evan offered to keep the stuff in the back of his car until Monday, when he would drive to school.

“Ah, I’m spent!” Evy called out, bending her back hoping it would relieve some of the muscle aches.

“I can drive you guys to an icecream shop,” Evan offered, “I feel like having icecream.”

He was right. It was unusually warm for the end of September.

“Hmm, icecream,” Liv murmured, “I want all the colors of the rainbow!”

Evan opened the trunk of his car and dumped the four big bags in it. He unlocked the doors and the group settled it.

“It’s coffee for me,” Evan replied, “Though I also hope they’ll already have pumpkin spice.”

“You’re such a Halloween whore,” Liv commented, making Evy giggle.

“Says the one who hoards plastic skeletons.” That was Jamie.

The blonde shook her head. The group could be loving one moment and bickering the other. They locked their seatbelts and when Evan started the car, Evy tried to steer the conversation back to the cold delicacy.

“I want a simple strawberry icecream. And if they have toppings, I want strawberry sauce added.”

“I’m also in favour of toppings,” Jamie said, “Caramel with caramel sauce and chunks of hazelnut.”

Evan sighed. “This is gonna be such an expensive treat.”

The group discussed all the possible and impossible flavours throughout the short journey. More and more Evy fell in love with all their different personalities, her heart truly filled with happiness. She wished to cherish this moment forever.