My year with The Devil

EVIE'S POV “Kiss me.” The words were so casual that for a second I thought I’d imagined them. “Excuse me?” I blinked in surprise. The stranger didn’t repeat himself. He simply watched me. Not the way other men did. There was no pity in his eyes. It was as if he already knew every ugly thought I’d ever had about myself. “Kiss me,” he said again, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “And I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted.” A nervous laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “What are you talking about?” “The life you dream about.” His voice remained impossibly calm. “The chance to walk into a room without feeling like you don’t belong.” His words landed harder than I wanted them to. Because they weren’t guesses. They were wishes I’d never said out loud. ”…Who are you?” “Someone who makes impossible things possible.” His eyes never left mine. A cold breeze swept across the empty courtyard. The leaves stirred around our feet. Somewhere across campus, music thundered from the annual Halloween party, followed by laughter and distant cheers. Everyone else was celebrating. And I was standing alone with a stranger who claimed he could change my life. “Why a kiss?” I couldn’t even bring myself to meet his eyes. “Because...” A smile ghosted across his lips. “...that’s how we seal the deal.” … *EARLIER THAT EVENING* ... Unlike everyone else on campus, I’d always hated Halloween. For one night, they could become anyone they wanted. I had the opposite problem... No costume in the world could hide who I was. I adjusted the crooked witch hat on my head and stared at my reflection in the dorm room mirror. A cheap black dress fell to my knees. I’d bought it two Halloweens ago because it was the only costume in my size that hadn’t looked completely ridiculous. The orange tights from the costume clung to my legs in all the places I wished they wouldn’t. My hair refused to do anything except fall somewhere between straight and wavy. And my body always seemed to take up more space than I wanted it to. The pointy witch hat leaned slightly to one side no matter how many times I tried to fix it. It looked exactly like something you’d throw together five minutes before a party. Which, unfortunately, it was. I turned toward my roommate. “I look like a discount Halloween decoration.” I let out a humorless laugh, tugging at the hem of my dress as if that could somehow make it look better. Lena, already waiting by the door, dressed as a vampire, looked like she’d stepped straight out of a movie instead of a costume store. “That’s not true.” She rolled her eyes before giving me an exaggerated once-over. “You actually look cute.” I snorted. “See?” she said. “You’re already trying to convince yourself not to come.” “I wasn’t invited.” I looked back at my reflection, pretending to straighten my hat again. “You were.” “No.” I shook my head. “Amanda invited everyone.” Lena crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “And unless I missed something...” A small smile tugged at her lips. “...you’re part of everyone.” A quiet laugh escaped me, though there wasn’t much humor in it. Lena didn't understand. Girls like Amanda never meant everyone. “No,” I said softly, dropping my gaze to the floor. “I’m the punchline.” Lena’s smile faded. She stepped closer and gently straightened my crooked hat. “Maybe.” She shrugged. “But maybe this time you’re wrong.” I really wanted to believe her. Because for one stupid, embarrassing moment... I’d allowed myself to think that maybe Amanda was finally done making my life miserable. Maybe tonight would just be a party. For once.