em·bel·lish

verb

make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features.

"Well?" Emilia asked as they both walked into the Byers' household.

"I don't know, it's not really my thing," Jonathan said. "I didn't think it was yours either."

She shrugged, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go to this party to change things up a bit, or if she wanted to be a teenager again. To forget about everything, just for a night, even though she still wouldn't touch alcohol. She had told herself that she could have fun at a party, the right people were going to be there, she wasn't vulnerable like she once had been. No, Emilia was going to go to a part on Halloween night and have fun doing it. It was time to face the fact she couldn't hide from social events for her whole life.

"Besides, mum asked me to take the kids out trick or treating," Jonathan reminded her.

"They're thirteen, who trick or treats with their big brother at thirteen?" Emilia asked, for some reason really desperate to go to this party. She didn't comment on the fact that she hadn't gone trick or treating since she was ten because she had no friends to go with and by the time she hit eleven it was too awkward to go with her mum.

So she felt inclined to dress up, to have fun. She had no costume, though.

Jonathan looked a bit offended, but quickly wiped that off of his face. "Alright, I'll drop them off then? And we'll go to the party?"

She beamed, "Really?"

"Yeah," he replied, softening.

Emilia hugged him, seeing that they were opening their relationship to another level yet again. This meant that they would compromise where it mattered, it meant that they could agree upon things when they didn't see eye to eye. Swept up in the hug, she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands quickly hooked around her thighs and squeezed. She giggled, and then kissed him deeply. Jonathan kissed back, and then stumbled along towards his bedroom, they would have a few minutes before anyone came home, he was sure of it.

Moving quickly, he pushed open his bedroom door with his foot and stumbled in. The moment that they tumbled to the bed, there was a herd of children who walked into the Byers' house. Their voices carried as they debated about something to do with Ghostbusters.

"Damn it," Emilia whispered from underneath Jonathan.

"I can't wait until we live in New York, in our own place," he said.

It was a sweet sentiment, one that settled deep into Emilia's bones. How good it felt to know that someone would still love her in a year. When she was younger, she always wondered who she would lose next. When she lost her mother, she wondered who would ever love her again. And then she found Jonathan, and everything that came with him.

She quickly pecked his lips, "I'll meet you at Tina's?"

"You bet," he kissed her back, mimicking her own kiss.

Emilia arrived at Hopper's place, alone as usual. She brewed herself a pot of coffee, and showered away the day. Digging through what Hopper had in his bathroom cabinets, she found some ancient hair curling product, and wondered if Hopper once had more hair. Laughing at the thought, then guessing it was some ex-girlfriend's who had left it behind, she found her costume for the evening inspired. She put the goop in her hair, and then went to her little bedroom to find out what she could wear.

It took some time, and some raiding of Hopper's closet, but she pulled her outfit together. Her hair was too long, but she pinned it up so make it look short and curly. Satisfied with her outfit, Emilia wondered what else should could do to embellish herself. She studied herself in the mirror, wearing a similar outfit to Ripley from Alien -the galaxy's fiercest woman- and felt stronger than ever before. The scars on her face looked perfect for the part, even though Sigourney Weaver's character never ended up mutilated like that.

She grinned, she looked tougher than Ripley herself.

She threw on some mascara to really make her eyes pop, something she never wore, and was surprised she even had it. When did she buy mascara? She wondered if it had been her phase after her mum died when she went to parties and let boys have sex with her when she wasn't ready.

"Enough," she told herself, angry that the thought kept coming back to her mind.

Emilia looked at the clock, and wondered what time people arrived to parties. The worst thing she could do is be the first person to show up, it would be horribly embarrassing, especially since no one would likely know who she was. She nibbled her fingernails, and then grabbed the phone. Dialing the Byers' phone number, she hummed and hawed until Joyce answered.

"Joyce! Hi! Is Jonathan there?"

"You just missed him, he took off to take the boys out trick or treating. Are you going with him?" Joyce asked.

"No, oh, yes! Yes, I'm meeting him... Uhm, I just forgot where he was taking them," she felt horrible about lying to Joyce, but obviously Jonathan had not told her that he was dumping the kids and going to the party instead. She felt bad that she had convinced him to do that, it didn't sit right with her, but there was nothing she could do now.

"I think they are picking up Lucas first, and then heading to the Wheeler's neighbourhood," Joyce explained. "You kids have a fun night! And be safe!"

"Always are, Joyce," Emilia replied, then hung up the phone.

Emilia tapped her fingers on the phone, then strummed the coiled cord, wondering how long it would take for Jonathan to do all that and then get to Tina's. Then, she decided, she would just go. She couldn't live her life in a shell where she was too scared to talk to people other than Jonathan, how was she supposed to live in New York if she couldn't handle the stimulation of more than a dozen people in a room. She told herself to be brave like Ripley, and she grabbed her keys to take off to the party. 

Give me inspiration! I really need to find the time to actually watch the show. Do you know how hard it is to write alongside the story plot without having it even remotely fresh in your mind? Thank goodness for chapter synopsis'. 

Question of the Day: Do you think going to the party is a good idea?