“Yes...” Bay said, turning to me slowly.
“Could you describe these seizures to me?” I asked further.
Bayla didn't seem as extroverted as Grace and Larissa, which pushed me out of my comfort zone a little. I needed to talk more, which didn't feel awkward because of Bayla, but because of the fact that I never did.
Bay kept walking, pulling a costume off the rack.
“It's usually my headache that comes first.”
We kept walking, and I started rummaging through the rows too, hoping to find something that wasn't too silly, because my main goal was to meet Erik after all.
My heartbeat immediately quickened.
Just the thought of this meeting was enough to get me all worked up.
“Then my arms...”
“What exactly about them?” I continued.
Bayla was silent for three seconds, then she continued. “My veins are standing out.”
My eyes widened.
When Bayla realized that I had stopped, she turned to me. Her eyes were full of questions, as was my head.
Why had so little made sense in the last few weeks?
“What is it?” she asked nervously, coming closer.
I remembered the last time I had seen this phenomenon. With Emely. With the Senseque.
But that was impossible. Especially in terms of contract.
“Oh, here you two Lost Birds are. I've been looking for you the whole time.” Larissa appeared behind Bay, who was still staring at me. “Just between us, the masks are one corridor over. Come on.” Larissa smiled at me and pulled me along with her. I wasn't used to this much physical contact. “Bay, go and try some costumes on,” she said as we walked.
Then we were already in the next aisle, and I didn't have a chance to ask Bayla any more questions.
“Jesus, your hand is icy,” Larissa laughed, before positioning me right in front of a shelf full of masks.
I looked at her, caught off guard, but she had already turned her attention to the shelves.
“How about this?” Grinning, she held a Michael Myers mask in front of my face.
I took it out of her hand to put the ugly thing back again straight away.
“Maybe something a little more subtle?” I asked, looking at her with uncertainty.
“Come on. I'm sure he likes Michael.” She laughed and continued down the aisle.
I smirked because I'd never met anyone crazy like her before.
“This one?”
Larissa held up a mask made of peacock feathers that looked majestic.
“Too flashy,” I sighed.
“This one?”
She held up a pig mask and I laughed.
“Feel free to take this one for yourself if you like it that much.”
Larissa hung the mask back with a grin and I wondered if this huge range would ever be sold. It was simply an entire range just for masks. For masks.
I wandered through the row, passing Venetian masks, carnival masks and fun masks, until I suddenly had to stop.
I eyed the white mask in front of me, which was covered in lace and had a subtle yet mysterious appearance with its few silver rhinestones. It was in the shape of a mask worn at those elegant masquerade balls.
I took it in my hand and felt that it was firmer than expected and also seemed to be of good quality.
“I think you should take this one.” Larissa suddenly stood behind me and eyed the mask. “Mysterious and sexy, exactly the right thing for Erik,” she teased me.
I pointed a finger in front of my mouth to tell her to keep her voice down, but she only commented with a giggle.
“Do you think he's walking around here somewhere?”
I paused. I hadn't even thought about that. Yes, I had gotten used to the fact that he could be anywhere, but right now there was a much higher chance than usual that the next person to enter this store could be Erik.
