Chapter Ten
It was a perfect Halloween: gloomy and cold, enlivened by the odd sudden downpour. April gazed out of her bedroom window at the dark treetops whirling in the wind, then flinched as the glass was peppered with hail. Yesterday had been miserable, with her shopping expedition under grey skies and the lashing rain at her grandfather’s house. By Sunday, the weather had wound itself up into a full-blown gale with the distant rumbles of thunder promising even more fun later on.
‘It’s pointless, Caro,’ moaned April. ‘Whatever we do with my hair, I’m going to end up looking like a drowned rat as soon as I go out there.’
‘Stop being such a wuss,’ said Caro, waving a huge can of hairspray. ‘And come back and sit down - I’ll make you look like a L’Oreal advert.’
‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’ April pouted, but sat back down on the chair that was serving as their makeshift salon.
‘Don’t worry - my mum’s a hairdresser, remember? I grew up with straighteners in my hand. Anyway, that’s the beauty of a Halloween-themed party. No one knows if you’re supposed to look pristine or like one of the undead.’
April glanced up anxiously. ‘Can you steer away from the undead, please? I’d like to at least look as if I’ve got a pulse tonight.’
‘I’d say that would be a distinct disadvantage,’ Caro muttered as she tugged at April’s hair.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Caro tapped her on the forehead with her comb. ‘Oh, lighten up, buttercup. It’s Halloween! Undead is hot! And stay still, or you’ll turn out like Marilyn Manson.’
The truth was April was feeling uncomfortable about going to Milo’s party. She didn’t know anyone, least of all the party’s host. Caro informed her that Milo and Davina’s families were old friends, so it was sort of a joint party, but that didn’t really help April, and anyway, even if she did find a semi-friendly face, what would she say? Caro seemed to pick up on her mood.
‘It’s all about state of mind,’ said Caro between blasts of hairspray. ‘Don’t think of yourself as April the new girl, think of yourself as April the sex kitten. Here, take a look.’ She turned the mirror to face April. ‘Ta-dah!’
April gasped. If the dress complemented her figure, Caro’s hair and make-up had worked a miracle. She looked amazing, with dark smoky eyes and artfully tousled hair falling in waves to her bare shoulders. She looked like a catwalk model in some gothic fashion show.
‘Bloody hell, Caro,’ she whispered.
‘What? Don’t you like it?’ said Caro, chewing a fingernail nervously.
‘Like it? I love it!’ cried April, grabbing her friend and spinning her around. ‘You’re brilliant!’
‘Hey, hey, careful, you’ll smudge the blusher,’ Caro scolded as she disentangled herself, but April could see that she was pleased.
‘Caro, you’re a genius!’ said April, leaning in to the mirror to examine the make-up more closely. ‘I look like a human being.’
‘Well, that wasn’t exactly what I was shooting for—’
‘No, but I mean I look quite, well ... nice. Grown-up, even. I barely recognise myself.’
‘Don’t sell yourself short,’ said Caro. ‘I can only work with what’s already there.’
April beamed at Caro, then checked her reflection again. ‘Seriously, this is fantastic. I feel like I can do anything dressed up like this, like it’s a foolproof disguise or something.’
‘Not that you need any help, of course, the way everyone looks at you.’
‘Hey, I can’t help it if I keep being in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
April looked at her friend, frowning. ‘So what
do
you mean?’
Caro shrugged and avoided April’s gaze, concentrating on pulling strands of hair from her brush. ‘You’ll just call me paranoid, but haven’t you noticed how all the boys look at you? It’s like they’re staring at you all the time.’
‘Well, I’m the new girl, aren’t I?’
‘No, it’s the
way
they look at you.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’
Caro shrugged. ‘No, neither do I, really. It’s just there’s something a bit ... well, creepy about it.’
April began to feel defensive. ‘What’s this really about? Is it because you didn’t get an invitation and I did?’ she snapped. ‘Are you jealous?’
Caro snorted with laughter. ‘No,’ she said. ‘As if!’
‘Hey, it’s not funny,’ protested April, feeling close to tears. She hadn’t been feeling too confident about going to this bloody party in the first place and Caro’s strange questions really weren’t helping. Caro was the geeky type and she deliberately didn’t fit in, but April wasn’t a rebel by nature and she desperately wanted to settle down in this place.
‘I can’t help it if I’m suddenly the centre of attention,’ she said, ‘but I’m not going to turn down a party invitation just because you can’t go as well.’
‘Now, now, don’t get all upset,’ said Caro. ‘Honestly, it’s the last place on earth I’d want to be, getting trussed up in some expensive dress so I can hang out with airheads discussing lip gloss. Maybe I am just paranoid, don’t mind me.’
April took a deep breath. She knew her temper could get out of control sometimes; one of the less appealing traits she had inherited from her mother.
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Sorry.’
Caro smiled. ‘Apology accepted. So. Remember why you’re there - it’s not just to hit on boys, you know.’
‘The spying thing?’
‘The spying thing.’ Caro nodded gravely. ‘This is our best chance of finding out who’s really in charge at Ravenwood. We need to work out if Milo’s dad is really the power and money behind the school and, ideally, what the hell they’re up to.’
April winced. ‘Listen, I’m just going to a party. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do much rooting around, I don’t even know if we’re going to be in the main house—’
‘Hey, easy there, James Bond, I’m not expecting you to go safe-cracking or come back with an evil agenda mapped out on microfilm.’ Caro smiled. ‘This is more about you getting the confidence of those po-faced bitches, so maybe they’ll let something slip about Daddy’s business. You just go and have a good time. And no kissing.’
‘I won’t ... I will. I mean, won’t. I hope.’
‘Just don’t get
too
friendly, huh? Don’t want you going native. Remember who your real friends are.’
April looked at herself in the mirror one last time and then ran over and gave Caro a hug.
‘I don’t think I’ll forget that.’
An unexpected knock at the door made April jump and squeal involuntarily.
‘Only me,’ said her father, opening the door a crack. ‘Are you decent?’
‘Dad, don’t come in!’ cried April, for some reason not wanting her father to see her in her party get-up. ‘Go away, I’m getting ready.’
Caro, however, had other ideas. ‘Hi, Mr Dunne,’ she called, pushing April away and yanking the door open. ‘It’s lovely to meet you at last.’
‘Ah, you must be Caro?’ April’s dad smiled. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you. I understand you’ve been digging up an exclusive for me.’
‘I’m working on it,’ she replied. ‘You’ll be the first to hear about it when I’ve assembled all the evidence, don’t you worry.’
‘Sounds good.’ He laughed indulgently. ‘Now, I think it’s time I gave you girls a lift ...’ He looked across at April and fell silent.
‘What? What’s the matter?’ asked April awkwardly, fingering her hair. ‘Don’t you like it?’
‘I’m just ... shocked. I’m wondering what’s happened to my little girl.’
‘Aww, Dad ...’
‘Sorry, honey, sorry. I can’t help it. I know you’re a grown woman and everything, but I still think of you as my cute little girl. Not that you’re not still cute, it’s just ... wow!’
‘I think you should take that as a compliment, April,’ said Caro.
‘Yes, you should,’ said her dad. He looked at April with glistening eyes. ‘You look beautiful, love.’
April tried to swallow, but she couldn’t, and her father looked away.
‘Anyway,’ he said with a sudden briskness. ‘Let’s get moving before the rain floods the streets completely, and you’re stuck here with me, and that wouldn’t be any fun, would it?’
As he turned to the door, William caught sight of Caro’s jeans and T-shirt and frowned. ‘Aren’t you getting ready, Caro?’ he asked.
‘Haven’t been invited to the swanky party, Mr D.’ She smiled proudly. ‘The burden of being a thorn in the side of the Establishment, you see. They don’t want me around recording all their shady dealings - I’m sure you have the same problem. Anyway, I’m glad we’ll have a bit of time in the car to ourselves, because I wanted to ask you about your theory on the war in the Middle East ...’
William made a ‘save me!’ face at April and headed down the stairs.
April made it from the car to the front door without the rain ruining her hair.
It’s the next bit that’s tricky
, she thought to herself, taking a deep breath as she looked at the big black door in front of her. She could hear the music pounding inside and suddenly she felt very alone. She glanced back to the car, but her dad had already turned around and was disappearing down the drive. He had given her the ‘don’t do anything I wouldn’t do’ speech as they drove to the party. ‘I trust you, love,’ he said, ‘I know you’re a good girl, but don’t go getting drunk.’
April had winced, especially as Caro was in the car too, grinning at the cheesiness of the conversation.
‘Yes,’ Caro had piped up, ‘and I’ve heard that some boys might try to kiss girls at parties. And they sometimes smoke cigarettes. Cigarettes are bad, aren’t they, Mr Dunne?’
April reached up and pressed the doorbell.
Please don’t let this be embarrassing
, she said to herself.
Don’t let me make a fool of myself, that’s all I ask.
The door opened and April found herself face to face with a gorgeous boy. Tall and dark-haired with hooded eyes that peered down at her, he was dressed in a black silk shirt and had a moustache pencilled onto his top lip.
‘Zorro,’ he said.
‘I’m sorry?’ said April, suddenly feeling a little off balance.
‘I saw you looking at my moustache,’ said the boy. ‘I’m supposed to be Zorro.’
‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t realise ...’ April stammered.
‘Don’t worry, I’ve spent the last twenty minutes explaining it to everyone else, so I thought I’d better get it in quickly. Sorry, don’t stand out there in the rain, do come inside, I’ll show you to the bar,’ he said, stepping to one side and graciously helping April over the step. ‘I’m Milo, by the way.’
Milo guided April down a dark corridor decorated with spray-on cobwebs and cut-out witches. To April’s eye, the Asprey mansion didn’t need much embellishment for Halloween - the dark wood panelling on the walls, carved wooden staircase and thick folds of the curtains at the windows already gave it a sombre grandeur, but the Faces - or, more likely, some party-planner they’d paid to look after the details - had clearly gone to some trouble to make it even more atmospheric, with glowing pumpkins, moody lighting and velvet draped over the furniture.
Or maybe it’s always like this
, thought April.
‘I think I over-thought the fancy dress thing,’ said Milo as they threaded through the packed rooms. ‘You’ll see that everyone with any sense has gone for sexy Halloween outfits like you.’
April saw that the partygoers seemed to be a mixture of the most fashionable Ravenwood students - April nodded to a few as she passed and was surprised to be acknowledged with smiles and waves - and, unexpectedly, some of the more geeky element from school who were no doubt more comfortable in lab coats than dressed up as zombies.