By the time the Festival was over, it was almost midnight. The city had definitely quieted down. However, some people were still dancing and chatting with each other when we left the mansion. Because it was so late and we were all so tired, the Queen of Shialumura arranged for us to stay the night in a nearby inn. Shaye, Ashkan and I returned to our coach with Shaye's brothers. Kadia, Thorne and our guards escorted us on horseback after ensuring we weren't being followed. I rested my chin in my palm and made myself comfortable on the carriage seat.

Although I was getting progressively sleepier, part of me didn't want the night to end. Despite the bumps here and there, I was having tons of fun. Elliott was a great dance partner and overall just a really kind guy. The food was spectacular, I didn't mess up the dance or fall on my face, and surprisingly, nobody booed me for being a saviour. I didn't want this to be my only Nyvar Festival ever. I knew that it might not be up to me to decide that. My stomach churned at the possibility.

I was dragged out of my thoughts by Ashkan's foot tapping against mine. I only caught the last part of his sentence.

"...hear me? Hey." He had his arms crossed. "Gods, your eyes are all glazed over."

I yawned. "Huh? What?"

"I said, you're shivering."

He was right – my shoulders and arms trembled every time I exhaled. I didn't feel particularly cold, but the temperature had certainly dropped after the sun had set.

I went to rub my eyes before remembering that I was still wearing makeup. "You don't have to watch over me, you know."

"Take care of yourself, blimey..." Ashkan retrieved my cloak from the pile of everyone's beside him and flung it onto my lap. I uttered a simple 'thanks' and wrapped myself in it.

Shaye crossed her legs before pressing the back of her hand to my forehead. "No fever. Must just be fatigue."

"I'm okay," I replied. "We're all tired."

The trip was much less exciting because it was nighttime and relatively short. Within twenty minutes, our carriage was parked in front of a multi-level, upscale inn. It was situated in the main part of the city, so I could see other buildings and structures all around.

Kadia opened the door of the coach. She had already changed into her regular clothes. "Your guards are going home for the night. They'll be back by dawn. Come on, let's go inside."

I stepped out of the carriage and turned around to help Shaye. She was definitely the most exhausted because she'd stayed up late the night before. There were still groups of people throughout the lit-up streets, laughing and chatting with each other. It was a nice night if not a little chilly. When everyone exited, the coach pulled out onto the road with the other vehicles.

The hotel lobby was pleasantly warm and decorated in gold for the Festival. A small fire crackled on a stone hearth. Some guests were milling about or resting in chairs. Kadia approached the front desk.

"Good evening. Welcome to the Elysian Lodge," said the concierge. "What can I do for you?"

"Reservation under 'Kadia Lowell'," she said.

He took a moment to flip through a dossier. "Ah, yes. One night... Two rooms with three beds and one room with two. Third floor, room numbers 252, 253 and 254." He set three shining keys on the counter. "The fee has already been paid. Please enjoy your stay."

Kadia thanked him before picking up the keys. She tossed one to Cilas, one to Thorne, and pocketed the last. "Shaye and Brielle are with me. Ashkan, you're bunking with Thorne, and you brothers get the other room."

We took the wrought-iron elevator up to the third storey. Everybody said goodnight and went to their own rooms.

The room I was staying in was immaculate and spotless. There was a small bathroom, three beds with soft blue covers, and a big window with white curtains. Kadia gave us fresh nightgowns to change into – which we did almost immediately. Mine was a lot lacier than I would've preferred, but I wasn't complaining because it was comfortable. Shaye helped me get out of my dress and wash off every last trace of makeup. I flopped down on the left bed. The hotel sure didn't skimp on pillows. I had just enough energy left to crawl underneath the covers before letting my eyelids close.

----------------------------------------

The next morning arrived sooner than I would've liked. I was awoken to the symphony of birds singing their daily tunes. A belltower tolled in the distance. I counted eight chimes. The window was cracked open and a crisp breeze coaxed me out of bed. I sat up slowly, pushing the loose hair out of my eyes.

Kadia sat reclined in an armchair, her feet up on the table. "I was wondering when you'd get up." She closed the book she was reading. "I didn't hear a peep from you the entire night. Have you always been such a heavy sleeper?"

"Probably," I replied. "You'd have to ask my mom sometime."

She smiled faintly. "Well, the others are eating breakfast downstairs. Freshen up quick and we'll leave shortly."

I trudged over to the bathroom and splashed cool water on my face. Finally, I could touch it without fear of smudging anything. I walked over to the knapsack of extra clothes Kadia had brought and picked out a lightweight, navy tunic and dark brown slacks. To my delight, I also spotted my favourite, worn-in pair of leather boots amongst the pile. After packing up, we headed to the hotel canteen.

"There's our slumbering lady!" Cilas chirped when I reached the rectangular table.

Shaye patted the spot on the bench beside her. "You look much livelier this morning."

"Hungry?" Thorne asked with a smile, pushing a plate of food over to me. There was fruit, bread, fried eggs, and plain yogurt. "It's nothing like what I'd make, but it's fresh. How'd you sleep?"

I tucked my hair behind my ears. "Good, thanks."

Ashkan nudged my knee under the table with his. He smiled slightly when I looked up. "G'morning."

"Morning," I grinned. At least he's in a better mood.

"So, Brielle," Kelton spoke up, "what did you think of the Nyvar Festival?" Fenryk nodded as if to echo his question.

I tried not to think about the awkward moments. "Oh, it was great! Really beautiful and fancy."

"And you, Ashkan? Did you enjoy it? You hardly said anything the whole night," Shaye mentioned.

He mulled over his answer. "It was nice."

"You danced well," she continued. "But...how many times did Ofelia step on your toes?"

"I lost count, honestly."

I snickered under my breath. "She really was holding onto you from beginning to end as if her life depended on it."

"Yeah..." He shook his head. "I practically had to pry her off me when it was over."

"Then why have her as a date?"

"I'm not sure. I guess I knew she'd agree."

"That's not a reason," I teased. "Wouldn't any girl have agreed?"

He scoffed, clearly tired of hearing about that topic. "That's just how Shaye sees it. I'm not nearly as sought-after as some assume."

"Ofelia's really fancied him for the longest time," Shaye explained. "She is very pretty, but... I don't know what goes on behind those doe eyes of hers."

"She's kind of sweet, in her own way." I lifted a piece of fruit to my mouth. "I still can't believe she thought I was named after cheese, though."

They both laughed.

Ashkan's expression turned amused. "I should start calling you that."

"Brie? You won't if you know what's good for you," I warned, only half-serious. He arched an eyebrow challengingly.

"Ah, the guards have arrived," Kadia said from the other end of the table. "Come along. Let's get you all home."

----------------------------------------

We took a similar but more plain carriage back to Winithas. The four-hour flight felt even longer this time. I napped during most of it.

Shaye, Ashkan and I decided to hang out in her bedroom for a bit while her parents spoke with Kadia about how everything went fine the night before.

I watched Shaye balance our Festival outfits, which were now sealed up in cloth bags, in her arms. "Do you need help with that?"

She walked carefully out to the hallway and upstairs to the attic. "No, thank you! It's awfully crowded up here; I'll be lucky to find a spot to put these..." Her voice became steadily muffled. "Entertain yourselves for a bit!"

I chuckled and looked over at Ashkan. He was staring at the hail drumming lightly against the window, clearly lost in thought. If I'm honest, it wasn't often at all that I was alone with him without Shaye as a buffer.

"Hey... I wanted to ask you something," I said.

He kept his gaze locked on the window. "Go ahead."

I hesitated. "Um... Were you okay at the Festival? I mean, did something happen?"

"What do you mean? Everything was fine."

I moved in front of the window, directly in his line of sight. "C'mon, you can't even look at me while saying that." He raked his fingers through his hair. "You seem like you have something to get off your chest." No answer.

This is going nowhere. I need to change the topic...

I took a step closer, but that only seemed to make him uncomfortable, so I backed off. "Well, you seemed to enjoy the fireworks, at least..." I was grasping at straws to make conversation. "What did you end up wishing for?"

That got him to smile just a little. He clicked his tongue. "Haven't you ever heard that if you tell someone, it won't come true?"

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." I smiled brightly.

"What makes you think I'd be curious about that?" he questioned, finally looking into my eyes.

"All right, fine..." I shrugged and sat down on the cushioned window seat behind me, pulling my knees up to my chest.

It was almost a minute before Ashkan spoke again. He sighed. "Okay, I'll bite. What was your wish?"

"Well, it's kind of stupid... I wished for the prophecy to be fake. So everyone can be happy and safe. Just wishful thinking."

For a second, his expression softened. "Gods. That's a bit despondent... But not stupid."

"Thanks, I think," I said quietly. "Okay, your turn."

He sat down on the bed across from me, gaze downcast. It seemed like he was debating whether or not he could trust me.

"Wait, you don't have to tell m–"

"I-I wished for the well-being of my mother," he blurted out. "Wherever she is...I want her to be at peace."

I sat in silence for a little while, stunned. I got a twang of sadness in my heart. With all that had happened recently, I'd almost forgotten about...that. He was still grieving, but he had a trace of calmness in his voice. Eventually, he tore his gaze from the floor to my face, searching for a reaction.

"Ashkan, I... I'm so sorry..." My eyes widened. I immediately regretted saying that. It just spilled out.

"What...do you know?" Something in his behaviour changed. He gripped the edge of the bed, knuckles white. His words were so quiet I could barely hear them. "How do you know?"

My whole body tensed up. I wasn't supposed to know. I was ordered to keep it a secret.

"The 'well-being of my mother' could mean anything. How do you know?" he repeated, louder this time.

I got up slowly. "Ashkan. I can explain."

He shot up to his feet, voice lowering. "Tell me. Right now."

My hands started shaking. I was at a loss for words. "You don't have to be upset. Just try to calm down–"

"Calm down?!" He started walking towards the door but then whipped back around. "It was Shaye, wasn't it?"

I couldn't lie right to his face. "Don't be mad at her, please. This is completely my fault."

"Yes, this is your fault. It's always your fault," he muttered to himself.

I was starting to get frustrated. "What?! What is your problem right now?"

He shifted his eyes to me. I hadn't seen so much coldness in them in several months. "You. You're my– You're the problem." Something about the way he said it indicated there was more to this. He wasn't just angry. He was hurt. His stride was surprisingly calm as he made his way to the door.

I followed for a few steps. "Where are you going?"

"Home," he replied flatly.

Shaye then entered the room, looking wildly back and forth between the both of us. "My stars, what is all the uproar in here?"

Ashkan took a shaky breath before turning his back. "I just..." He glanced at me over his shoulder. "I need to leave." The door slammed behind him.

"Brielle, what happened?" Shaye asked softly, clutching her hands to her chest.

All within the span of about three minutes, I was back to square one with him. It was like we'd just met, except worse. It was about his mother, but it was also deeper than that. He must've been agonizing over this – whatever it was – for a while to have this kind of reaction. And to make things more complicated, I'd dragged Shaye into this too.

Because everything about this, at the root, was unequivocally my fault.

----------------------------------------

Ashkan continued to avoid me entirely. He was upset and understandably needed to cool off. No matter how badly I wanted to make things right ASAP, I had to give him time. I was even talking to Shaye less. She wasn't as mad as I thought she'd be, but she was still upset that two of her closest friends were fighting. It was awkward. The last thing I wanted was for her to think this was her fault. I felt worse than horrible. I had no idea how I was going to fix this, let alone when. Days turned into weeks, and before I knew it, it was Halloween, and I was trying my hardest not to think about how I messed everything up.

Spencer posed in front of her bathroom mirror. "How do I look, Chloe?"

She was wearing a blood-red, velvet dress with short sleeves and a black, rounded collar. Her black socks stopped just below her knees and were complemented by burgundy, creeper platform heels. She also had brought a long, black cloak, matching jewelry, and a mini, coffin-shaped vinyl backpack.

"Gorgeous," I smiled. I didn't say anything, but I was glad that I couldn't spot any new cuts on her arms – not that I expected to. She told me that she was healing, and I believed her, but that didn't stop me from caring.

Stolen story; please report.

She set her hairbrush down on the counter and turned to me. "Are you feeling okay? You seem a little down. And don't you dare say 'it's nothing'."

"It's not that important. I just got into a fight with my dad," I lied. Ironically, my dad and I virtually never fought. "He...seems really upset."

"Awe, I bet you'll work things out soon." She gave me a side-hug. "How about we both forget about our life problems for tonight, 'kay?"

I sighed and laughed. "Sounds good."

Together, we decided on dressing up as modern-day vampires. Sure, it wasn't astoundingly imaginative, but it was really fun and relatively simple to do. We gathered our clothes and accessories from various thrift shops in the area as well as our own closets. All it took was a little creativity – and lots of fake blood.

"Holy shit, your fangs look so real!" Spencer exclaimed. "One sec, let me put mine in..."

I finished adhering the sharp tooth caps over my upper canine teeth with denture gel before examining my reflection. "Yep, my mom said these are the most lifelike models in the movie business. I'm just glad we can still talk normally with them."

"Make sure to thank her for me." She applied a couple of swipes of dark red lipstick and smoothed her hair. "The party's starting soon. Ready to go?"

I looked myself over one last time. While Spencer went for a more feminine and sultry getup, I insisted on playing the 'scary' part, which meant I got to be super comfortable. I wore a long-sleeve, high-neck, black and white marbled mesh top with a thin, knee-length, burgundy nylon jacket on top. The oversized, black denim jacket over that had red drips on the shoulders and arms to simulate blood. It shared this pattern with the high-waisted black jeans. Supposedly, it was going to be a cold and cloudy night, so I layered for the weather. The outfit was complete with a white leather belt, a chunky, silver pant chain, and a burgundy choker.

Spencer had also done some of my makeup, which was kept – by her definition – natural. It included winged black eyeliner, silvery highlighter, and crimson lip stain that faded out from the centre of my lips to create an ombré effect. This wasn't something I would wear normally, but it fit perfectly with the vampy outfit. I didn't do much to my hair and left it in its usual side-parted, semi-messy waves. Before leaving, I slipped on my black combat boots, which bore chain details and fake bloodstains.

We made our way to the door of Spencer's house, passing her twin brother. Even though they're fraternal twins, he looked basically like the male version of her. However, their personalities were quite different.

"Okay Carter, we're heading out. You sure you don't wanna come?" Spencer said.

He scoffed from where he was playing video games on the living room couch. "Let's see... Spending a minimum of three hours in a sea of drunk and/or horny seniors, none of which I'm friends with, hosted by a girl who 'accidentally' keyed her last ex-boyfriend's car for dumping her... Sounds like the perfect evening."

"You could've just said no." She rolled her eyes. "Well, what do you think of our costumes, then?"

"Since when do you care about my opinion?"

"You know that Halloween's my favourite holiday."

"Fine, fine." He sat up and paused his game. "Spence, you look like you just returned from burying your fourth millionaire husband and got all of his life savings. You're also a vampire, I guess." He then shifted his attention and looked me up and down. "Chloe looks cute, but in like a 'I just murdered someone with a crowbar' kind of way."

I snorted. "I'll take what I can get."

"And, that's what I get for asking my dumbass brother," Spencer sighed. "Bye, don't wait up for us."

We stepped outside into the tepid, Californian night air.

"You have a really cool house, by the way," I mentioned.

Spencer fell into step beside me, laughing. "Not what you expected, huh?"

"No, that's not what I meant! I just like the way it's built."

"Relax, I know you're not like most people."

"'Most people'?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, usually when people see me and then they see where I live, they're shocked. And I get it – I can't complain. My parents are still together and they support me through everything. There's always food in the cupboards. My grades are decent. We've never had serious issues with money. And I'm close with Carter, even though we don't act like it. I'm really lucky."

"It's good that you're humble about it, though," I pointed out. "That's pretty admirable, I think."

"Ha, I try."

----------------------------------------

It only took fifteen minutes for us to walk to Farrah's house, but I could hear the music from dozens of feet away. I checked my phone before putting it in my pocket. 8 o'clock. We were right on time. Farrah's abode sat in one of the middle-class subdivisions of San Diego. It had beautiful Mediterranean architecture despite its modest size, lots of palm trees and greenery, multiple storeys, and a big pool out back. The chains on my outfit jingled with each step. I won't lie, the costume made me feel a little more confident.

"C'mon fellow vampire, let's crash this party," Spencer grinned, showcasing her fangs.

We stepped through the front entrance. Her prediction was spot-on; it was pretty much packed. The house was decorated in orange, black and purple. There were pumpkins, skeletons, bats, and even some of those creepy animatronics that scare you when you walk by. I was happy to see that everyone was wearing a costume for Halloween. Ghosts, zombies, superheroes, movie characters, you name it. Some were very low-effort, but still. High-tempo dance music blasted from several large speakers around the house. The bass thumped steadily from my chest to my feet.

"Oh my god, look at Farrah," Spencer yelled over the music.

I turned to where she was pointing. Farrah stood by the drinks table, surrounded by her loyal followers. Until then, I'd never really gotten a proper look at her. She was dressed like an angel, complete with wings, a halo, and a dangerously short skirt. I wondered if she was comfortable like that before reminding myself that it was her decision, and more importantly, I had no reason to care.

"Didn't you say she's the furthest thing from an angel?" I yelled back.

Spencer snickered. "That's the point of Halloween! Dressing like something you're not."

Farrah narrowed her light green eyes in our direction and approached us. Her long, black hair swished back and forth like a cat's tail. She was definitely less than intimidating up close. "Hey! Welcome to my party!" she said. "Oh my god, Spencer, people have been asking nonstop where you were."

Spencer kept quiet.

I spoke up to fill the awkward silence. "Hi, I'm–"

Farrah threw up her hand to cut me off. "Wait, don't tell me. Chloe, right? Chloe Harlington?"

"Uh, yeah, how did you–?"

"I know everyone at Oceanside, duh! Especially the new kids," she giggled. "You're the girl with the one...um...cool eye!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Right..."

She smiled. "Anyway, great costumes! Love the fangs. So spooky. M'kay, see you!" Farrah spun around in a flurry of white feathers and walked off.

"Well, that wasn't the worst," I said.

Spencer shook her head. "Oh, just you wait. She's decent to you for now because you're not a threat."

"That's future-me's problem," I shrugged. "Wanna go stroll around a bit?"

The pool was only marginally less crowded than inside. People were lounging on lawn chairs, swimming half-naked, and hurling beach balls at each other. Two girls – one dressed as a nurse and the other, a lifeguard – each sat on a guy's shoulders in the water as they tried to pull each other down. There was a turntable station with a DJ and a mini dance floor in the corner, where groups of guests were dancing like their lives ended tomorrow.

"I think I see an opening by the table. I'm gonna go get us some drinks," Spencer said. "What do you feel like?"

"Some kind of soda. Surprise me."

She pouted. "No booze? Are you positive?"

I was tempted by the hurricane of thoughts present in my brain since my fallout with Ashkan but ultimately declined. "Hard pass."

"You're so responsible," she teased. "Okay! Be right back. Don't go anywhere!"

Unsure of what exactly to do with myself, I moved out of the general stream of traffic and leaned against the far wall of the house. The minutes ticked by as slow as ever. It felt like Spencer was taking a long time. Right when I was about to go searching for her, someone familiar slid directly into my path.

I crossed my arms casually. "Oh, hey Nathan."

"Hey yourself," he said with a smirk. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, fancy that." I moved to look behind him, trying to spot Spencer.

He rested his arm on the wall above my head, effectively blocking my view. "That jacket is killer. So what are you supposed to be? Just a hot girl in bloody clothes?"

Ignoring his comment, I flashed him a forced grin. "Take a wild guess."

His eyes landed on my fangs. "Ah, a hot vampire. My mistake. I mean, wow, it sure beats my costume."

I nodded, scanning his respectable Jason Vorhees imitation, which was complete with the classic bloodstained hockey mask sitting atop his head, a plastic machete hanging from his belt, and a ripped button-down shirt that was undoubtedly purposely open to leave his abs on full display.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked.

"No, but thanks. My friend's on it already."

He frowned. "Who?"

"...Does it matter?" I countered.

"Well, you can have some of this if you feel like an extra kick." He fished a pocket-sized bottle of rum from his jeans and dangled it in front of my face. "All you have to do is ask."

"Nah, I try not to rely on alcohol to have successful social interactions."

He laughed and leaned closer. "I didn't expect that answer. Hey, think I could snag your digits?"

I arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

Surprisingly, he started to get tongue-tied. It was like nobody had ever questioned him before. "Why? Uh... Because you're cool."

I couldn't help being amused by his sudden introversion. "Okay, give me your phone."

He gladly handed it over and I entered my phone number under a new contact. He then did the same with mine. I didn't see any harm in doing so – worse comes to worst, I could just block his number.

"Expect some texts from me soon," he said with a wink. "You know, you've never told me why your eyes are like that."

I smirked. "Like what?"

"Very funny." His eyes darted down to my lips and back up.

I stepped back and faced the pool. "It's just a genetic abnormality...thing. Nothing to fuss about."

"Oh, so it's always been like that? You didn't get punched in the eye or anything? Because I'd be pissed if that was the case."

"...You can't be serious. Is that what people have been saying?"

"I mean, that or you have 'some kind of disorder'. But that's obviously bullshit. Right?"

"What? That's so stupid, I don't have a–" I facepalmed. "It doesn't even matter."

"Hey, sorry for bringing it up," he said, grimacing. "For what it's worth, I think they suit you."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Thanks. I mean, it's just people being dumb, that's all."

When I turned to face him again, he had gotten nearer than where he stood before. He said nothing and instead stared at me intensely. It was the same focused expression he made during a math test in class, so I thought nothing of it at first. But then he started leaning in closer and closer. He reached his hand up towards my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I panicked internally, pretended to see a friend in the distance, and swiftly ducked under his arm that was propped against the wall.

"Um, talk to you later," I muttered, slipping past him and making my way to the drinks table.

Nathan never acted like this in class; I didn't know why he was starting now. I figured the alcohol was probably making him all self-assured. Looking at my phone, I realized he had entered his contact with a heart emoji beside his name. He called after me but I pretended not to hear through all the music and crowd noise. I felt a little bad about the whole thing, but I didn't know how to handle that kind of stuff. Although he was maybe growing on me, the last thing I needed at that moment was more boy drama. I made a beeline to the punch bowl.

Spencer looked relieved to see me. "Sorry Chloe, the line was insane! But they have your favourite! And don't worry, it's sealed all over. I double-checked just in case." She handed me an ice-cold can of cherry Pepsi. "So, have you seen Luke and his friends? Their costumes are incredible."

I almost choked on my drink. "Wait, Luke's here? This doesn't strike me as his typical environment."

"Well, Farrah probably invited him because...whatever she thinks she's going to do with him." Her face twisted as she cringed. "Anyway, I swear I just saw him. Wanna go say hi?"

"Might as well."

In the next room over, Luke and four other guys were standing in a semi-circle, chatting with other party-goers. They were all dressed in white t-shirts and black jeans with shockingly detailed skeleton makeup on their faces, necks, and arms. From a distance, they nearly passed for real skeletons – with hair, that is. The relatively dim lighting made them look pretty eerie. They even had stark-white contact lenses to increase the spook factor.

One of them spotted us and shouted, "Yo, Spencer! Chloe!"

I had no idea how they knew my name, but we went over regardless. Spencer seemed to be friends with them.

"Damn, those are the best costumes I've seen all night," he added when we got closer.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Spencer greeted. "I just about died when I saw all of you. This face paint thing you've got going on is seriously awesome."

"Yeah, we got it done at the kiddie fair down the road," one of them explained. "Easiest costume ever."

They all burst into laughter. I smirked and sipped my drink.

The guy beside me put a hand on my shoulder. "Chloe! Nice to finally meet you." I recognized him somewhat – he was often hanging around Luke. His grin looked even goofier between the simulated skeleton teeth.

"'Finally'?" I echoed.

"You're friends with Luke, right? We've only heard a couple bits here and there about ya."

I smiled and looked over at Luke. "I see."

Luke addressed me with a two-finger salute. I almost couldn't recognize him through the skeleton makeup enhancing his bone structure. His dark hair paired very well with the colour scheme. It was like a sheep in wolf's clothing. He smiled at me. "Glad to see you, Chloe."

I returned his gesture. "Likewise."

"Actually, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah, of course." I glanced at Spencer to make sure she was okay with me stepping away, who gave me an enthusiastic nod.

Luke motioned for me to follow him. I tried to ignore the chorus of excited whispers and 'ooh's erupting from his friend group as we walked away. He led me to the backyard, a safe distance away from the splash zone of the pool. The music here became muted enough to have a conversation. In the back of my head, I was praying that Nathan wasn't still out here. We stood in the semi-lit shadow of a nearby palm tree.

"I just wanted to thank you."

I frowned. "For what?"

"Remember that chemistry test we had earlier this week? The acids and bases one?"

"Uh-huh."

"I, uh... I got a ninety on it. Because you helped me study."

"Whoa, that's amazing!" I exclaimed. "Luke, you did that all on your own."

He beamed. "No way, it's all because of you."

"C'mon, give yourself some credit. Sometimes I wonder if you actually need help or if you're just making it up," I joked.

"Nah, I really do have problems remembering things." He ran his hand through his hair.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Nathan.

Hey, where'd you run off to?

I texted back, I'm around!

Realizing that I was being super rude, I stashed my phone away and turned back to Luke. "Your costume is so cool, by the way. I love the attention to detail with the face paint."

"I was just about to tell you the same thing," he chuckled. "You look great."

My face turned slightly warm. "Oh, thanks."

He gazed at me a moment longer before turning away. "Man, I wish they'd play some rock music or something."

"You like rock too? I knew I wasn't the only one."

"The new stuff and the old stuff. I listen to most of it." He laughed. "And also just any song that sounds good in general, really."

"Same here! Growing up, my dad always played rock around the house. That's how I knew he was home after work."

Luke seemed intrigued and moved slightly closer, his brow furrowing slightly. "I feel like there's so much I don't know about you."

I looked up at him. The background noise seemed to fade out. Everything was...weirdly different. I didn't know what else to do, so I just laughed. "I mean... What do you want to know?"

He must've been caught off-guard because he simply laughed along. Before I could say anything else, Nathan decided to wedge himself in between us. He pushed a red plastic cup into my hand. Whatever it was filled with, it reeked of cheap beer.

"There you are! Here, I got you another drink."

"Thanks, but I know better than to accept unsealed drinks from strangers," I said, setting the cup on a nearby table.

"Ouch. I'm not a stranger!" He feigned betrayal before wrapping an arm around me. "In that case, maybe we can get to know each other better."

I tensed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luke fold his arms and glower at Nathan. He looked like he was ready to knock him out if he tried anything. I gave him a nod as if to say, 'I've got this'.

"Beat it, skeleton," Nathan threatened. With the addition of being dressed as a murderer, he sure wasn't making himself look good.

I shoved his arm off me. "Geez, don't be rude." I took Luke's hand and started walking away. We quickly returned to our friends in the kitchen, disappearing into the crowd faster than Nathan could track us.

Luke glanced down at his fingers still intertwined with mine.

"Oops, sorry!" I said, letting go and sticking my hands in my pockets.

"It's cool," he smiled. "But remind me not to get on your bad side! I've seen too many girls just let that guy walk all over them. I wouldn't want the same to happen to you." He gave me a playful shoulder bump as we were reunited with everyone else.

Spencer suggested that we all move to the dance floor, to which everybody readily agreed. I think we had some excess energy to burn off.

The living room wasn't terribly crammed, so we picked a spot and began dancing. Other people joined in around us. Soon, we were all singing and jumping around to the song. I stuck close to Spencer, but not for long. In the midst of our waving arms and flailing hair, she looked past me, gave me a thumbs-up, and gently pushed me backwards. I stumbled slightly, bumping against someone.

I whipped around to see Luke grinning at me. He stuck out his hands in an inviting manner. "Wanna dance?"

I nodded, took his hands in mine, and kept dancing. Our feet moved in tandem as we stepped to the beat. I swayed my head from side to side as I felt the rhythm of the music. He spun me in a circle, making me laugh.

"I'm happy you're here," he said, leaning in to speak in my ear over the blaring music.

"Me too! I mean, I'm glad we're both here. Life's all about who you surround yourself with, you know?" I shook my head. "Sorry, not the time to be all philosophical."

He chuckled, not breaking eye contact. "You're an interesting character, Chloe."

I laughed again, beaming. My face started to hurt from smiling so much.

Separated from the activity, Farrah stood in the corner with her friends, glaring at me with such profound revulsion it would make some shrink into the floor. I met this hateful scowl unwaveringly, tilting my head to the side in disinterest. No doubt, if she had a hit list, she had just scrawled my name down on it.