Page 12 of Moonflower

“You motherfucker,” I growl.

Wilder grabs me and holds me back before I even realize I’ve started moving toward Matt. “He’s the one who isn’t worth it, Ez.”

I let out a curse. Then I pocket Matt’s phone and grab his keys from Wilder. I try them all in the front door until I find the one that works. Then I snake the key off the ring and toss it to Wilder.

“I’m gonna start getting his stuff,” Wilder says. “You make sure he doesn’t try anything stupid.”

I nod, keeping an eye on the bathroom. It’s funny, seeing Matt scrub away at the sink like he’s terrified of missing a single spot.

Maybe that has something to do with why Cora is breaking up with him.

I watch as Wilder hauls a couple bags downstairs. When he comes back up, he brings a few empty boxes with him. They must’ve been in his trunk.

Thankfully, all the furniture and most of the stuff in the apartment is Cora’s. She lived here for three years before Matt moved in with her a couple months ago.

While Wilder moves more stuff into Matt’s car, I look around. A lot of the tiny apartment is the same, but there are some new additions. Mainly the black tapestry with dancing skeletons on it that’s hanging above the couch. It warms my heart because it’s exactly the type of thing Cora loves.

In the corner, there’s a coffin bookshelf she’s had since she was fifteen. Currently, there are a couple tiny jack-o-lanterns on it along with some books, a fake human skull, and some black candles.

I grin when I see the framed photo of the three of us from Halloween our senior year. It makes me happy that she still has it up, especially when I realize the photo frame is on top of her copy of Dracula. The three of us read it together in high school.

When Matt comes out of the bathroom, he says, “It’s clean.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Wilder snaps, coming out of their—Cora’s—bedroom. In the bathroom, he inspects everything, narrowing his eyes at the mirror. “There are streaks.”

“Come on man, you know how hard—”

“Again,” Wilder says. “Jesus fuck. How did Cora put up with you? You should know how to clean a fucking bathroom, man.”

Matt’s face is beet red as he cleans the mirror again. “This is humiliating.”

I hum in agreement. “I’d be ashamed of myself too if I didn’t know how to look after myself.”

Thankfully, Wilder doesn’t give me one of his pointed looks. Because if I’m being honest, I’ve been a mess for the past couple months. And while I may know how to take care of myself, I’m not doing it. Wilder knows that better than anyone.

After Wilder approves Matt’s job in the bathroom, we help him gather up the rest of his stuff. He seems resigned to his fate now, which is a relief. I want to get this over with so we can find Cora.

We watch Matt carry his last box out of the apartment and shut the door behind him. Then I turn to Wilder.

“What was up with the bathroom?”

He grins. “I’ll explain soon.”

Of course.

We don’t leave the apartment until we watch Matt drive off. Then we make sure to lock up before we head out.

“Do you know where this party is at?”

“Yeah.”

“Do I want to know how?”

“I texted Brooke. She knows we’re coming.”

Right. Brooke is one of the new friends Cora has made this semester. She’s gotten close to a couple other girls fast. I’m happy she’s finally meeting people—she struggled socially for the last three years—but it sucks, too. I hate that there are people who spend more time with her than I do.

It doesn’t take long to get from Cora’s apartment to the party. DeAndre and Imani’s house is huge, and they went all out with their Halloween decorations. The place is the perfect blend of whimsical and creepy, with colorful lights everywhere. Jack-o-lanterns line the pathway leading up to the front door.

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