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Usually, Barbara loved Halloween. The atmosphere, the colors - the candy, just quietly. The kids were always so excited to wear their costumes to school and even though a contraband class sugar rush could be challenging the inevitable crash always granted her the reward of a peaceful afternoon.
The morning had been going wonderfully. Barb had gotten to school early to finish preparations on a Halloween activity and even with the halls empty there was a charged energy, an excitement in the air that told her this was going to be a good day.
And then Melissa walked in. Melissa Schemmenti wrapped in red, looking sexy and sultry and seductive… and Barbara needed to stop listing ‘s’ words before saliva followed.
Melissa spotted her before Barb had time to fix her face and the redheads’ eyes brightened. Goodness had the day started off this warm?
“Hey you look great – wait don’t tell me. Spelling Bee, right? I love it!”
Barbara smiled tightly, hoping the costume she’d been so proud of earlier this morning and that now felt like a sexless matron’s uniform had enough padding to muffle the heavy heartbeats she could feel echoing in her own head.
“Happy Halloween!” she said, cringing at how false her voice sounded. She prayed Melissa wouldn’t notice.
“Back at you!” Melissa beamed. “What do you think of my costume? Don’t tell anyone but I spent an embarrassing amount of time on it. Worth it though, right?”
While speaking Melissa had begun running her hands down either side of her waist and Barb watched the journey of her fingers with jealousy.
“I..it’s,” Barbara’s voice cracked. For heaven’s sake it’s just an outfit, she reprimanded herself. And it’s not like it’s the only time Melissa’s worn something tight.
But unlike the black leather pants that had first sparked confusing feelings in the Kindergarten teacher, seeing Melissa dressed as Wanda was causing visceral sensations that try as she might, Barbara couldn’t shelve.
“It’s what?”
Barb swallowed hard and tried to ignore the tingles that had broken out all over her body.
“Well, I mean it’s obviously very well done but is that outfit really appropriate for school?”
“Oh come on, I’m totally covered. Besides we teach elementary, not high school. I think I have a few years before I have to worry about the kids ogling my goodies.”
Barbara gave a disapproving snort.
“What are you gonna do,” Melissa waggled her eyebrows, “Report me to HR?”
“Sandy doesn’t work Monday’s.”
The brow waggling stopped and was replaced with a slight furrow.
“Yeah, I know that Barb, it was a joke. Are you okay?”
Barbara dropped her gaze, worrying that if Melissa looked too closely right now she’d be given away.
“Fine. But I do have to be getting back to my classroom. Those pumpkins aren’t going to vine themselves.”
“Ohhkay… well I’ll see you later?”
The hint of a question in Melissa’s voice made Barbara’s chest ache.
“Of course,” she said, brushing past the redhead and down the corridor. She could feel Melissa’s stare on her fleeing back and it took everything in her not to turn around.
For the rest of the day Barb invented reasons to avoid being in close proximity to her best friend. She made sure that Melissa’s class was back from the Library before escorting her Kindergarteners so they didn’t pass each other in the halls. At lunch she’d scarfed her salad, barely making eye contact with Melissa before offering to help Janine, heaven help her, with a grant application during their break time.
Barbara was under no illusions that her behavior had gone unnoticed. If Melissa’s eyebrows had risen any higher when she’d volunteered to spend the majority of her lunch break with Janine they would have risen off her head completely.
But it was just for today. That’s what Barb kept repeating to herself. All she had to do was get through today and tomorrow everything would be back to normal. Melissa would be in her regular clothes and even though she noticed her every day it was the kind of noticing that still permitted the ability to speak and function. The kind that could be filed in the “my friend is pretty, of course I recognise that” filing cabinet. Ignore the fact that said filing cabinet was getting very full and harder to shut each year.
Barb was sitting at her desk in the afternoon, after her kids had left for the day, enjoying a ring pop and the quiet. She was about to congratulate herself on a feat less than artfully achieved when she heard the telltale sound of strong Italian legs stomping down the hallway outside her classroom.
Hurricane Schemmenti approacheth.
Barb barely had time to toss her ring pop in the trash and steel herself before Melissa barged in without knocking, speaking forcefully and at pace.
“Are you mad at me or something? Because if you are I really need you to tell me what I did so I can apologise and fix it. I can’t handle when people are mad at me. Grudges I hold, a big fat yes. Grudges against me – no fricken way. I know that’s hypocritical but whatever I still…”
Barb cut in, “I’m not mad at you.”
Melissa didn’t sound at all appeased.
“You’re not?”
“No.”
“Okay then what the hell IS going on because you’ve been acting weird all day.”
Barbara let out a heavy sigh and rubbed her forehead exasperatedly. Melissa was not going to let this go.
“Nothing, it’s…. I’m not myself today, that's all. It’s nothing you’ve done I promise.”
“Well, I’m calling bullshit on that.”
“Melissa!”
“What, the kids aren’t here, and it IS bullshit. You haven’t been weird with Janine - how was that little study session by the way? You haven’t been weird with Jacob or Gregory or Ava. Just with me. And we were fine yesterday so I must have done something today. Tell me! I’m not leaving here until you do.”
Melissa crossed her arms defiantly. Barb bit down a groan at how much the action accentuated the redhead’s already ample cleavage.
Barb took a deep breath, be brave, she willed herself.
“I’m sorry if the way I’ve acted today has upset you. It’s just…”
Barbara pressed both hands into the top of her desk and stared at them intently, hoping that if she pressed hard enough the butterflies in her stomach would settle and the words wouldn’t stick in her throat.
“Your costume…”
“SERIOUSLY! I’ve been tying myself in knots all day wondering what I’ve done and you’re pissed about the fricken costume?”
“I’m not…”
“THE COSTUME. Jesus Barb I know we have different ideas about professional attire but you’ve never gone radio silent on me before because you didn’t approve of my clothes. I can’t believe this is what you’re mad about!”
“I’m not mad,” Barb reiterated quietly.
“Yeah right. You’ve been avoiding me all day - but you’re not mad? You can barely make eye contact with me - but you’re not mad? What are you then Barb? Because you took one look at me this morning and went completely…”
Melissa’s tirade died out and a shallow silence took its place. Barbara chanced a look up and saw a stunned expression on that gorgeous (stop it, Barb!) face.
The pieces started clicking into place and a small “oh” left Melissa’s lips unbidden.
“Oh.” Barb repeated in confirmation.
Melissa nodded, her mind rifling through the day’s memories and applying this new information to every interaction they’d shared since that first meeting in the hallway. She looked down at herself and a slight tug pulled at the corner of her painted mouth.
Barb caught the look and was immediately indignant.
“Oh, don’t look so smug.”
Melissa’s laugh had traces of scoff to it. “I look so hot right now that my straight best friend is foaming at the mouth for me. I’m going to be a little smug.”
“How do you know?” asked Barb.
“Know what? That you’re foaming for me? Barb I know I was slow on the uptake but…”
“That I’m straight?”
A much fuller silence – not awkward but certainly heavy – settled between them.
Melissa chose her next words carefully, speaking with all the deliberateness of someone trying not to spook a startled animal.
“You’re right… I guess I don’t. I assumed. Did I… assume incorrectly?”
Barb’s voice, usually the biggest and warmest thing in the world, was small and reedy. “I don’t know.”
“Okay. That’s okay.” Melissa tried to keep the fluster out of her face and voice and almost succeeded. “You don’t have to know right now. But I will just say, ya know, noticing that I’m a total smoke show doesn’t have to be like, a revelatory moment for you. It could just mean you have eyes.”
Barbara gave a short chuckle. “Philly 11,” she confirmed. Then, after a pause. “And if I want it to be a revelatory moment?”
There was that silence again, somehow heavier than the last and yet more comfortable. The way it only can be when shared by two people who know that no matter what they’re safe in each other’s presence.
“Then that would be something we could talk about, I guess. After you’ve had some time to process.”
Barbara exhaled, relieved that she had some time to prepare for that conversation but also grateful that it was going to happen - at last a part of her whispered traitorously.
“I would like that,” she said gratefully.
Melissa nodded. “Okay. Good. And in the meantime we’re… we’re okay?”
“We’re okay.”
“Good, great. Um..” Melissa faltered. “Should we, I mean do you want us to hug?’
“I would love that. But ah, perhaps tomorrow?”
“Riiight yeah. Because of the…” at this Melissa gestured at herself and the smug smile once again graced her features.
Barb permitted it. Melissa had reduced her to a teenage boy with a few yards of red cloth, she was entitled to enjoy knowing that.
Melissa turned to walk out of Barbara’s classroom - a little extra swing in her hips as she went Barb was certain - before turning back as she reached the doorway.
“Is it all right if I tell you that I think you look cute as hell in stripes?”
Barbara laughed. “Beat it Schemmenti!”
“I’m gone Howard!” And with that she made her final retreat, closing the door behind her as she left the older woman to her thoughts.
Barb was still chuckling when she heard Melissa’s voice echo from just down the corridor.
“God I love this holiday.”