Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

a maid costume and carrying a red feather boa that she threw around my neck. "That's better!" she said, and kissed my cheek. "You get the snacks, I'll get the tickets. I need Raisinets, please!"
    "Aren't there supposed to be… supplies? Stuff you throw and all?"
    "They don't sell that here; a true fan brings their own. We'll be fine without."
    I bought the largest popcorn, a big box of Raisinets, and a large soda with two straws because I didn't have enough hands to carry another. Mallory met me at the door and we went inside. I preferred to watch movies from the back of the audience, but Mallory led downhill and we ended up in the second row on the end. I pointed out we'd have a bad angle to see the movie, but she shook her head with a grin and had me sit on the aisle. Soon the theater filled with costumed people talking and laughing and sometimes dancing. Mallory tapped my knee.
    "Listen. Don't watch the movie for the movie— it kind of sucks. Rocky Horror is about the experience . If you don't get into it, you're going to have a rotten time."
    "…okay." Why would anyone pay to see a rotten movie?
    The lights dipped and came back once, twice, three times. The noise level dropped. A voice came over the speakers.
    "Welcome, Creatures of the Night!" A figure stepped from behind the screen. A spotlight came on, and I stared at Alan in—
    Good God.
    He wore a black wig, extreme eye makeup, a corset, elbow-length black gloves, a tiny— was it a vinyl Speedo?— then garters with fishnet stockings and knee-high heeled boots. Whistles and catcalls greeted him; Alan put his hands on his hips and rolled his shoulders, the movement twisting down his body. He had a headworn microphone next to brightly painted full lips that parted as he writhed.
    "Good evening, my dear, dear Creatures of the Night!" he said, and the crowd shouted back at him. "Welcome to the Loft's biweekly showing of our beloved Rocky Horror Picture Show because the Loft loves us!" He raised a fist. "And we love the Loft!"
    The crowd cheered. I pulled my trench coat into my lap and hunkered down hoping he wouldn't see me but Mallory was waving her arms and yelling. Dear GOD, the skin and the laced boots and—
    "To keep the Loft loving us," Alan went on, "we have just a few requests. Butter your butts if you like, darlings, but don't butter your toast. Shoot only water—" he gave an exaggerated wink "—unless you're using protection, and still try not to get it all over the place. Respect your fellow creatures, and be sure to make the first time good for our virgins." He strutted across the front of the theater as he talked, one hand on his hips that swayed as he moved. How could he walk in those heels? And his legs—
    Stop looking at him, Lukas! I pulled my eyes to the proscenium. The Loft was a landmark in—
    "Right, lovies," Alan said, "you know what happens now! Virgin sacrifice!"
    The crowd erupted.
    "Hold this," Mallory ordered, shoving the soda at me. Then she grabbed my chin. Her other hand held lipstick, and she wrote on my forehead before I could free my hands from popcorn and soda to stop her.
    "What—?"
    "It's tradition," she said, waving her arms. "Here! Here!"
    Alan grinned at her and strutted over. Costumed people were leading normal-dressed people down to the front, each with a red V on their face. A redhead in a maid costume had cans of whipped cream— no. Oh please. "Mallory—"
    "It's tradition!" she said, laughing and waving. "Here, over here!"
    Alan was nearly there. Desperate, I raised my eyes to his. He stopped, cocked a hip, rolled his eyes, and took the steps to stand over me. He grabbed my hair, put a big smeary kiss over Mallory's mark and let me go. "Virgins!" he boomed, stealing my boa before he went on up the aisle. "Bring out your virgins!"
    "Aww." Mallory sat back. "Jerk. He took pity on you!"
    "Mallory, you are an evil hideous woman and I think I hate you," I muttered, scrubbing at my forehead with a napkin.
    Mallory made a kissy face. "It's payback for you being so damned on top of things," she said. "I've known you two years, Lukas, and that's the first time I ever saw you flustered." She pulled the box of Raisinets from my pocket and worked carefully at opening it. Her nails were long and red and fake, but I didn't offer to help.
    "All right, my creatures!" Alan strutted back to the front and I could not believe how I liked looking at him in that costume. I'd flipped through Victoria's Secret catalogs. I'd picked