More Than Comics (17 page)

“They’re both great, but totally different,” I added. “The LA job is scary because I feel so unqualified for it, but it’s such an amazing opportunity. To work for Giselle Roberts, writing for a TV show like that…it would be incredible. But I’ve heard that TV writing jobs are high stress and not very stable.” I was just pondering out loud now, but they let me talk it out without interrupting. “Whereas in the New York job I’d be more of an editor or producer, choosing and directing other people’s projects and putting them together, shaping the future of the comics division at Ostrich Books. It would probably be just as high stress as the other job actually, and I wouldn’t be writing anything myself either.”

“Hmm. A tough decision,” Maddie said. “Being an artist of any kind is a strange thing. Music for me is almost a…compulsion. An addiction. A form of madness. I can’t imagine not doing it. It’s always there, in the back of my mind, demanding my attention. Even on the days it’s hard, even when I want to give up, I do it anyway, because I can’t imagine
not
doing it. It’s like breathing for me.

“And I think to make it in any kind of creative industry you have to feel like that or it’s not worth it. It’s just too damn hard otherwise. So my question for you is, are you
compelled
to write? Does it eat at your brain until you do it? Do you feel like you’re missing something from your very soul when you don’t? Or would you rather direct other writers, to guide them on their path and help them make their own stories even better? Both are equally important, it just comes down to what’s right for
you
, and what you want to do with your life.”

“I never thought about it that way.” I chewed on one of my fingernails and considered what she said.

“Don’t think about Hector,” Alexis said. “Or whether you know people in a city or not. You’ll meet people no matter where you live. Pick the job
you
want and everything else will work out the way it should.”

Just like that, I knew what my decision had to be, and why I’d been so anxious about the New York job this entire time. It had nothing to do with the city, or with the people in it.

I was a writer. An artist. A
creator
.

I had to take the LA job. Even if Hector didn’t want me. Even if his friends never talked to me again after today. Even if I was alone in the city forever. Because I wasn’t doing it for him or for anyone else. I was doing it for
me
. This was what
I
wanted.

And, thanks to Maddie and Alexis, I had an idea that would make the job even better—assuming Giselle liked it, too.

I gave the girls each a hug. “Thank you so much. I know what to do now. I’m going to take the LA job.”

“Glad we could help,” Maddie said.

Alexis smiled. “Hey, if you need a place to stay in LA, let me know. My roommate just graduated and moved out.”

Her offer was so tempting, but I shook my head. “Thanks, but I think I need to live on my own for a while. I’ve always relied so much on other people. It’s time for me to be independent for a while. But I hope we can all stay friends, even if this thing with Hector doesn’t work out.”

“Of course!” Maddie said. “You’re one of us now. One of Gotham’s most wanted.”

“Um, I never said I was going to the Masquerade.”

Julie sank down on the other side of me, now wearing a long red wig. “Of course you are. You’re not going to let a stupid man ruin your weekend, are you?”

“Julie’s right,” Carla said, dropping onto the bed beside Maddie. “You
have
to join us for the Masquerade. She’s got your costume all ready and everything.”

“I don’t know. Hector will be there…” I looked around at the four girls surrounding me. They barely knew me, yet they were all on my side, completely supportive of my decisions and trying to make me feel better—like real friends should be. I didn’t want to let them down. But I was scared to see Hector again so soon, too.

Julie wrapped an arm around me and squeezed. “Girl, when Hector sees you in the costume I’ve put together he’ll
beg
you to come back to him.”

CHAPTER TWENTY
HECTOR

A
fter Kyle’s hair was done and they rinsed out the white dye in the sink, we walked to the convention center to meet the girls. Comic-Con had a rule that you couldn’t wear your costumes for the Masquerade before the competition, so we all had to finish getting dressed backstage. But when we arrived I wanted to turn around and run out—because Tara was there. She was talking with Carla and had her back to me, but I would recognize that blond hair and perfect ass anywhere.

“Thought you said she wasn’t coming,” I growled.

“Oops.” Jared shrugged, flashing a devious grin. “She must have changed her mind.”

“You planned this, didn’t you, you son of a…”

I shut up when Maddie ran over to us with a big smile on her face. She ruffled Kyle’s black and white hair. “Nice job.”

“Why thank you,” Jared said, giving her a quick kiss.

“Hector…” She gave me a disappointed look from behind her glasses that made me feel like an even bigger asshole than I already did. Tara must have told her everything. “Don’t even think about leaving. And be nice.”

What did that mean? I wasn’t going to start anything. Hell, if it were up to me I’d be back at the hotel already. The absolute last thing I wanted to do was be around Tara knowing I couldn’t have her.

She turned toward me and, even with the crowd rushing around us, all I saw was the cobalt blue of her eyes. She paled and quickly looked down, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. Her face looked puffy, like she’d been crying, yet was still the most beautiful thing I’d seen all day.

Julie immediately whisked our group to the backstage area where we had to get ready. I didn’t get a second to talk to Tara or even catch her eye. And who was I kidding—there was no way in hell she’d want to talk to me anyway. I was shocked she’d come at all, after what I’d done. She must not have spoken to Andy yet or they would be together, celebrating their perfect future. I hated that I’d hurt her and was unable to apologize, at the very least. Maybe the guys were right, and I should tell her how I feel. But that would only complicate things more.

Backstage was pure chaos, with everyone in the competition scrambling to get their costumes on. We pulled our clothes out of wardrobe bags and it became a mad rush to get them on as fast as possible.

Julie darted back and forth between us, making sure our outfits were okay, fixing any last minute emergencies, and making any tweaks to the fitting. She was cosplaying as Poison Ivy with a bright red wig, a leather choker with ivy leaves, and a green plaid dress with metal buckles that was so tiny I’m not sure it actually qualified as a dress. Carla helped her with hair and makeup, dressed as Catwoman in a black leather jacket with spikes all over it, pants with jagged slices cut through them, and cats-eye sunglasses perched on her head.

We were Gotham’s finest villains with a punk twist. If all of Batman’s enemies had formed one giant rock band, that would be us. Julie had put the entire thing together, designing and sewing many of the clothes herself, taking inspiration from the traditional comic book costumes for each character but giving them a tough, modern edge. I had to admit we all looked pretty fucking awesome.

The others had made me go as Bane, in a black military-style vest, black cargo pants covered in zippers and straps, and combat boots. Not too different from what I wore on stage, though I missed my Villain Complex hat.

“Looking good,” Julie said, inspecting my costume. “But where’s your mask?”

I crossed my arms. “I’m not wearing the mask.”

“You have to wear it. Without it you just look like a muscular guy in black.”

“Fine with me.”

She gave me a look that didn’t leave any room for argument. I groaned and grabbed the stupid bandana. It was black and white and went over my mouth and nose, a more everyday version of Bane’s mask. “Fine.”

“Mmm, you are the sexiest villain ever,” Jared said to Maddie, yanking her close and kissing her. They were dressed as Gotham’s most notorious couple, with Jared as the Joker in dark purple pants covered in patches and chains, a black t-shirt that said “Ha ha ha” in green letters, and a studded leather jacket. Maddie was Harley Quinn with a short, sexy dress that alternated between red and black under a jacket like Jared’s, plus matching knee-high tights and boots. Her look was complete with a light blond wig done in pigtails, a leather collar around her neck, and her signature black-rimmed glasses.

“No kissing!” Julie snapped at them. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”

Kyle had his arms around Alexis and looked like he was about to break that rule, too. He was going as Two-Face with his wild hair and a costume that had one side in black leather with spikes and chains, the other side smooth, simple, and white. Beside him, Alexis looked super hot as a genderbent version of the Riddler, wearing a tight green top with question marks all over it, black cut off shorts, purple sunglasses and boots, and a tiny bowler hat over her long red hair.

I enjoyed checking out all the girls in their costumes, but the only one that made me absolutely speechless—and instantly hard—was Tara. Julie had somehow pulled off an amazing last minute costume, transforming Tara into a female version of the Penguin. She was in all black and white with a leather mini-skirt, thigh-high fishnets, and those killer leather boots that showed off her shapely legs. She had on that corset from her pirate costume that brought back all sorts of erotic memories, along with a bowtie at her neck, fingerless biker gloves, and a top hat.

She looked so hot I wanted to bend her over and take her from behind like I’d done last night. Or pin her against the nearest wall and wrap her legs around me like I’d done the other night. But neither of those was going to happen ever again. I had to accept that we were over.

As we got ready, she stayed as far away from me as she could. The other girls hovered around her, keeping her busy at all times, like they were protecting her from me. I was glad they’d become friends and that she with us tonight, even if it meant I had to spend hours in her presence, trying not to go crazy knowing Andy could show up and propose at any minute.

Once Julie approved all of our costumes, we were taken to another room with a panel of judges. They had us pose for pictures and inspected our costumes. I reluctantly wore my Bane bandana the entire time even though it was uncomfortable as shit. I hoped Maddie and Jared appreciated it. I liked Julie too, but for my best friend and the girl who’d turned his life around? I’d dress up in whatever the hell they wanted.

After the judging and photos we were sent backstage again and told to wait until it was time to go on. Inside Ballroom 20 the show was starting, but we could only make out muffled microphone voices and music. There were no chairs backstage, so we leaned against a wall and surveyed the other costumes around us.

I couldn’t stop looking at Tara. Every second I was near her was pure torture. I had to say something. I had to apologize to her. I couldn’t leave things the way they were, even if all I did was try to repair our friendship. The thought of not having her in my life at all was just too unbearable.

But right as I was about to summon the courage to talk to her, she jumped up and walked away, clutching her phone in her hand.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
TARA

A
ndy texted me that he was inside the convention center, so I told him to meet me at the room we were all stuck in. He couldn’t get inside since he wasn’t part of the Masquerade, and I had to get a bathroom pass from one of the volunteers to slip out for a few minutes. How annoying.

I’d been dying to speak with Andy ever since Hector had flipped out on me, hoping he could shed some light on what had happened. All night I’d been tempted to say something to Hector, but wasn’t sure what. I wanted to tell him about my decision, but I was still too upset with him. If he wasn’t ready to apologize for being a jerk then I had nothing to say to
him
either.

The convention center had thinned out a lot now that everyone at Comic-Con was off to either grab dinner, crash in their hotel rooms, or head to other events and parties. I found Andy leaning against the second floor railing, staring down at the lobby. He’d changed clothes from when I’d last seen him, wearing a black button-up shirt over dark blue jeans, his blond hair slicked back. He looked handsome but out of place, especially next to me.

He eyed me up and down, obviously surprised by my costume. “Wow. You look…striking.”

Was that a compliment? I couldn’t tell. Hector would have just said I looked “smoking hot” or something. God, I missed him. I missed what we’d almost had.

“Thanks,” I said, adjusting my top hat, which kept threatening to fall off despite the bobby pins Carla had stuck in it. “What did you want to talk about?”

He gestured for me to follow him and we moved down the hall and around a corner, to where it was a little more quiet. There wasn’t really any privacy in a place like Comic-Con though. I hoped he would be fast; I wasn’t sure how long I had before we would be sent on stage.

“I don’t have much time,” I said. “What’s going on? Did you say something to Hector earlier?”

“I wanted to do this over dinner, but you’ve been so busy. But it doesn’t matter. I have some great news.” He took both my gloved hands in his, and I let him. “I’m moving to New York.”

I blinked at him, the words not registering for a second. “What happened to the job in Dallas?”

“I changed my mind and found a job in New York so I can be with you.” He gave me a huge smile and took a step closer, so we were only inches away. “Isn’t it great? We can even get an apartment together. I know you were worried about moving there on your own, and now you don’t have to.”

I stared into his warm, hazel eyes, and for a second I was tempted. Maybe it was my destiny to take the New York job and get back together with Andy. Things with him had always been good. Our relationship had been easy, comfortable, and practical. We’d been together a year and had never fought. We’d always had fun together. He was great in bed. Not Hector great, but pretty close.