"Surprise!" Zoey and I screamed.

Nikki was stunned, she didn't expect such a surprise, "Aww, you guys. You shouldn't have!".

"Oh c'mon! You don't have a costume to the dance, and the dance is tomorrow! So we're willing to make it 'just us'" I said, giving her the jazz hands.

"So we're going to be bags of,....... trash?" Nikki asked

" I know, right? isn't it cute? " Zoey squealed, " Your idea was fab, so Chloe and I decided to go with it, for you".

Last night, mom came to my room and said I had a visitor. I wasn't expecting anyone, so I wondered who it could be.

I didn't expect to see Zoey at my house!!!

I thought she'd start asking me why I acted the way I did at library yesterday, but she didn't ask.

"Hey Chloe, I know you don't want to talk to me, but this is about Nikki" she went straight to the point after my mom left us alone.

"Go on".

"Well, didn't you notice her behavior. She feels lonely. She doesn't have a date to the dance, and also no costume. I mean, she ran out of ideas and suggested we should be bags of trash!".

" Yeah. I kinda felt bad for her. I mean, we both have dates, but who's Nikki going to hangout with. And also, she'll look odd if she doesn't have a costume".

" Exactly! That's why I came up with an idea".

" What? "

" We three should wear the same thing. It'll make Nikki happy and she wouldn't feel left out".

" What do you have in mind? "

She told me about the bag of trash idea Nikki suggested, and I it was a no, for me. But it kinda sounded cute. Us three, being bags of trash, so I just agreed with Zoey's idea.

"Nikki would be so happy!" We both squealed like five year olds....

I recalled the incident between Zoey and Ryan, so I cleared my throat and regained my composure.

"We should start working on the costumes" Zoey said, solemnly.

"Hmm" I muttered, under my breath.

We finished the costumes in no time, because hello, we were supposed to be bags of trash.
Just get a trash bag and construct a neck and arm holes and ta-da! You've got a trash costume! BAM!

I already feel like trash, so it wearing a trash bag would be a no biggie.

"I'm really sorry, Chloe and Zoey, but I CAN'T wear that bag of trash costume or hang out with you guys at the dance!" Nikki announced.

Zoey and I stared at her with disappointed looks on our faces. We were confused and stunned by Nikki's statement.

"What do you mean . . . ?" Zoey sputtered

"I d-d-don't understand . . . !" I stammered.

Suddenly, she smiled really big and gave us jazz hands to lighten the mood.
"Um . . . what I actually meant was . . . I can't wear that costume or hang out with you guys . . .
UNLESS we get yellow rubber gloves, crazy wigs, and sunglasses!! We gotta have those! Right?"

Zoey and I felt relived on hearing that!
I suspiciously glared at Nikki. She's definitely hiding something.
"OMG! You almost gave us a heart attack!" I chuckled.

"Rubber gloves, wigs, and sunglasses, coming right up!" Zoey said.

I didn't know Zoey had all that already. She handed each of those items to Nikki and I.

"Great! Then I guess we're ready to ROCK!" Nikki said smiling.

Nikki looked a little bit worried, from what I noticed though. I thought she wasn't thrilled about the trash costume we got her, but then she forced a smile and we did a group hug.

I hope she's fine.

As always, the drama queens of the school were busy blabbing on and on about their costumes.
Mackenzie said she'd definitely win best dressed! Talk about blabber-Itis!

That girl is so vain, and she needs all the help she can get!