I looked at him. “If I knew that, don’t you think I’d be going after her?” I said. “I don’t know where she went!”
Darren held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay,” he said. “No need to jump down my throat about it.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, chastened. “I’m just confused. She took off without a word. I didn’t even get her number. She just said she had to go, and ran out of here like a bat out of hell.”
“If it makes you feel better, she might be back,” Howie said.
“Why would she come back?” I asked. “She sure seemed in a hurry to leave.”
Howie held up a pair of black, thigh-high boots. “She left her shoes,” he said. “I doubt she could have gotten very far without these.”
I snatched them from him, examining them. Howie was right; without her shoes, there was still a chance I could catch Ella before she disappeared from my life forever. The events of the night before swirled around my memory. For the first time, I was starting to feel alive again. I wasn’t about to let her go.
“Looks like she might have picked these up at one of those sex shops downtown,” Jason volunteered. “You can try asking around, see if she gave any indication as to where she was going next.”
It was an idea. Maybe not a solid plan, but at least I could feel like I was doing something, trying. I dressed in a hurry and tucked one of the boots under my arm.
“Where are you going?” Saul asked. I stared at him in disbelief.
“Where do you think?” I said. “I’m going to go look for Ella.”
17
Ella
I was half a block down the street when I realized I had forgotten my shoes, drawing stares from the people I passed as a seemingly crazed woman in a PVC ball gown ran barefoot down the streets of DC. I forced myself to slow down. I had to return Demi’s clothes before I could go anywhere.
I had heard of the “walk of shame” before, but never thought I would experience it myself. I examined my feelings as I walked, searching for the familiar feeling of shame that usually gathered low in my belly at the merest mention of sex, but it was nowhere to be found. In fact, I felt amazing! I hadn’t slept a wink all night, but I felt like I could run a marathon. Far from shame, I felt . . . proud? I had taken my fate in my own hands last night, and it was a powerful experience. I had wanted to have an adventure, and by God, I’d had one.
By the time I arrived at Pumpkins, I knew I was positively beaming. The little bell above the shop door tinkled merrily, announcing my arrival.
“Hi, Merryweather,” I said, scratching the fat orange cat behind the ears. He opened one yellow eye and gave me a baleful look, before going back to his nap on top of the register.
“Sorry about the wait, how can I—Ella! How did it go?” Demi emerged from the back of the shop and beamed when she caught sight of me.
“It went so well, Demi, you would never believe . . . but I’m so sorry, I lost the boots you leant me.” My face flamed shamefully. Demi had been so kind in lending me a complete outfit for my show, and I had repaid her by losing part of it. I felt terrible.
Demi waved my apology away. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’m sure they’re at the Ball somewhere; I can stop by later and pick them up. It’s no big deal.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“100 percent,” Demi said. “Now, tell me all about it! I want to hear all the details. Did you meet anyone?” She surveyed me critically, taking note of my rumpled dress and messy wig. “From the looks of you, I’m going to go out on a limb and say you had a good night.”
I caught sight of my reflection in a nearby mirror and stared. It was worse than I thought: my eye makeup was smeared halfway down my face, my lipstick gone entirely. I even had what looked like a hickey on my neck. My face went bright red.
“I did,” I confessed. “Oh Demi, it was amazing! You were right, it was so easy to let go of my inhibitions by becoming someone else.”
Demi beamed. “I’m thrilled!” she said. “I knew you would have a great time. It’s impossible not to have fun at the Ball.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall. I didn’t have much time. “I’m so sorry, Demi, I wish I could stay and chat, but I have to catch up with my band. Thank you for lending me these.” Quickly, I stripped in the dressing room and changed into the sweats and old T-shirt I had brought in my bag.