Getting away from dark, grey and gloomy skies
Page 11-12, Chapter 1:
Hired as a DJ for a fraternity’s Halloween party, Jenny decided to ride along with me since many of our friends would be in attendance. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was our favorite movie. We must have watched it twenty times that year. I went dressed as Riff Raff, the creepy butler, and she dressed as Magenta, the sexy castle maid. Jenny even dyed her hair purplish red to resemble the actress.
The house was in a historic district dating back to the late 1800s, where these large brick homes housed hundreds of upperclassmen. It featured a mammoth front porch with white pillars highlighting the staircase and entrance. A cloud of smoke billowing from every room hit us as we entered the main hallway. The smell changed from cigarettes to robust cigars as we passed the parlor. Upon entering the kitchen, the fog was still present but noticeably different from the order of stale marijuana.
The party was a huge hit. Hundreds showed up, and most of the costumes were so detailed that you couldn’t tell who was behind all the makeup. I would find Jenny and spend a few minutes with her every chance I could. It was hard to find her, as she kept moving around the house that night. Around midnight, I planned to dedicate “Time Warp” to Jenny, as it was our favorite song from the movie. We always had a blast dancing to it. Dressed as Riff Raff and Magenta, I thought it would lead the crowd to dance to the song and get everyone to join in, just as it did in the theater. “It’s just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right with your hands on your hips. You bring your knees in tight, but it’s the pelvic thrust that drives you insane. Let’s do the Time Warp again.” I was sure this would be the hit of the night.
Just a few minutes before midnight, I went to look for Jenny so that she would be close by when I prepared to set up the surprise song. Searching everywhere, I could not find her. I asked a few of her friends if they knew where she had gone, but they had no answers for me. Feeling frustrated, I figured I’d hit the bathroom before continuing my search. The old and warped door was a bit difficult to open, so with some force, I pushed hard. As the door flew open, I saw Count Dracula standing opposite the toilet, wearing a large, black satin cape. As he turned toward me, there was complete shock on his face. I realized that my best friend, Matt Posey, was behind the makeup. His eyes were wide open, but it wasn’t from forgetting to lock the door. It was because he recognized it was me. He didn’t say a word as I looked down and saw Magenta’s purplish red hair down by his waist as she kneeled on the hard, ceramic tile floor, facing him.
As her head jolted back quickly, a popping sound like a cork shot out of a champagne bottle could be heard from her lips as she released from him, then turned and looked toward the door.
The three of us stared at each other in disbelief. In shock and unable to process what I saw, I slammed the door shut and walked away in anguish, wholly mortified.
Some say heartache is the worst pain a person can feel. In my case, it wasn’t just emotional, as I also felt actual physical pain in my chest. Completely shattered, I quit school and moved back to my parents’ empty home for refuge. I never saw Jenny or Matt after that horrific night, although Matt tried to reach out to me several times to say he was sorry. Because of the agony of witnessing my two closest friends being intimate with each other, there was no way that I could ever forgive or forget.