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Dedicated to BayleiFleetwood for the awesome banner. Thanks, lovely! x

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Friday night rolled around all-too-quickly, and at five-thirty that evening, I found myself standing in front of my floor-length mirror, evaluating the dress I had on.

            Since it was Halloween, a costume was kind of a given, so I'd just donned my prettiest white dress and a pair of angel wings. I straightened my brown hair and did some simple makeup. I wasn't really one for costumes or dressup, so this was probably the most clichéd thing in existence. I just had to hope the other girls of Sterling had more of a creative shine than I did.

            "Psst! Hey, V!"

            Immediately I swung around to face my window, knowing immediately who it was. Strangely enough, I couldn't stop the smile overtaking my face, and slid through the open window and onto the rooftiles. I slowly made my way across, careful not to slip off, and then made my way to the edge, where Colton was kneeling on his own balcony.

            "Hey," I said, slowly fanning my dress out and sitting down on the warm tiles so that we were facing each other with only a couple of meters between us. "I take it you're not going to the big shindig tonight?"

            "I wasn't planning on it," he replied, smiling. "But you give a guy a real reason to change his mind."

            "Charming," I replied, though I'd be lying if I said a blush wasn't threatening to make an unwelcome appearance on my cheeks. "But I wouldn't be going either if I wasn't doing a favor for Chloe."

            "I thought dances would be right up your alley," he replied, sitting down and swinging his legs over the balcony. I wondered why we'd never thought of doing this before. It was a pretty sweet set-up.

            "I've never even been to Homecoming," I confided, laughing. "It's Chloe's scene, but the whole dancing and spiked punch isn't really my thing. I prefer superhero movie marathons and caramel popcorn."

            "Speaking of superheroes, I read your article," Colton told me. "Quite altruistic if you ask me. It seems you have an eye for details no one else notices."

            I shrugged. "I just think someone deserves to fight on his behalf. All he does is prevent crime and save people in this down. And he gets criticized for it." I shrugged. "I think he's owed a fair say."

            "Are you sure he's worthy of one?" Colton asked.  "I mean, the guy screws up regularly. If he's not botching saves and almost getting people killed, he's making a fool of himself on the front page of the newspaper. How do you know he is owed a fair say?"

            "Let's just say I think there's more behind that brooding black mask than our resident vigilante lets on," I replied with a grin. "And now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Cross, I have a dance to get to."

            I stood up as elegantly as I could, praying against all hope I wasn't accidentally flashing him in the process. I looked at him and smiled. "I hope to see you there."

            I turned around and picked my way carefully across the roof tiles, feeling his eyes bruning into the back of my head the whole way across. I slipped through thr window without a glance back and lowered myself into the window seat.

            "Let's get this done," I muttered slowly, before groaning and preparing myself for the Halloween bash I'd so been dreading.

            ~          *          ~

            Entering the school gym, I couldn't help the nervous flutter in my stomach as I glanced around.

            The whole place was decorated in dark lighting, and the decoration crew had really gone to town on the whole affair. Black and white streamers hung from the rafters, with fake papier mache spiders hanging from the ceiling on fishing wire.

            "Oh, boy," I muttered, walking to the refreshments table and sliding through dancing couples. A few teachers dressed in clichéd garb stood posted around the room, swaying to the music and enjoying their own cups of punch. I saw people dressed as fairies and witches and zombies, and even one or two angels who had the same idea as me. I walked to the table and grabbed some strawberry punch, glancing around at the decorations and the dancing couples.

            I recognized a few people, and chatted aimlessly for the first hour, making small-talk and pretending to be interested in the whole affair, which seemed to generate a lot of enthusiasm from most of the school. And though I didn't exactly like these whole things, I couldn't exactly discourage their obvious happiness, so I faked a smile and nodded along and laughed at their lively retellings.

            Eventually they went off to talk to others and dance, so I walked to a table and sat down, sipping at my punch and fixing my heel so as to not look completely alone.

            "I think this whole thing is more horrific than we both imagined."

            I looked up from my shoe to see Colton standing in front of me, wearing a vest, a tuxedo vest and jeans. He seemed uncomfortable by everything, but completely and undeniably gorgeous under the intense lighting. I stood up, and grinned, thankful to have someone here that I knew and wanted to keep company with. "You came," I said, unable to stop from pointing out the obvious.

            He grinned. "You make a convincing argument. Do you wanna dance?"

            I laughed, but he stayed straight-faced. I stopped abruptly when I realized he was not making a funny joke and he actually meant it. "Oh," I said, my laughter stopping. "You're serious."

            He held out a hand. "I'm not here to stand awkwardly on the sidelines. Come on."

            I slowly allowed him to pull me among the throngs of dancing couples, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. My stomach did a strange face, but I mimicked the other couples by wrapping my arms around his neck (and thanking the heavens above I'd remembered deodorant) and resting my head on his shoulder. He smelled masculine, and was broad-shouldered and warm and utterly perfect.

            Really, we'd never been that close, but having his arms wrapped around me made me feel like I never could get enough of this. He rested his head atop my hair, and we swung in slow and unceremonious circles. The whole moment was perfect, the song sweet and slow. I hoped it might never end. It seemed my boring and dreaded night had taken a surprisingly good turn, and now I wished that we might stay here forever.

            But of course, all good things must come to an end, and the moment soon shattered as someone appeared.

            "Colton," she said, and we were pulled apart like a riptide on the ocean.

            I pulled back and looked at the girl on front of me. Colton may have been a loner, but he had one friend, a girl named Alexi who rarely turned up to school and hardly ever talked. She had a long tumble of raven curls, streaked through with purple, and wore a black dress and ripped stockings. Her face was pale, eyeliner heavy and lips black. Her arms were covered in a lace pattern, and, though she'd always intimidated me a little with her appearance, she seemed nothing but nice.

            "Alexi, what's going on?" Colton asked, looking around and not seeming too happy at the interruption. That was something, at least.

            "We have trouble," she said, shuffling on her feet, and I knew this was even less her scene than mine. "It's Charlie."

            He turned to me, blazing blue eyes apologetic and wide. "V, I am so sorry, but this is an emergency. Don't leave, okay? I'll be back. I promise."

            Before I could say anything, he'd moved away, and was leaving with Alexi through the crowd, who parted like a wave and watched them go with intense curiosity. It wasn't every day Alexi Tanner and Colton Cross made an appearance.

            "Okay, then," I muttered, slipping through the loved-up couples and once again resuming my post as resident loner.

            A soft, romantic song began playing over the stereo, and I felt a flash of jealousy as everyone shuffled around, and a few couples traded slow kisses and sweet smiles. It was ridiculous and petulant to be feeling this way, especially since Colton hadn't just ditched me. Something was going on, something so disastrous it had caused even Alexi to show up, and I wondered who Charlie was and what was so wrong it had caused Colton disappear in a flash.

            I waited probably an hour for him to reappear, but as the dance seemed to be dwindling, I sighed and resolved to myself that he wasn't going to come. "What am I doing?" I muttered, shaking my head.

            I stood up, and turned around to grab my silver clutch from the table, feeling a strange sorrow come over me that a night that had seemed to be going so well had once again taken a surprising turn—this time for the worse. But when I spun around, I jumped as I almost ran into the broad chest of Colton Cross. "I hope you're not planning on leaving, are you?"

            "I didn't really have much reason to stay," I replied.

            "Look, I'm sorry about that," he said. "But I had to go. I promise the rest of the night is just you and me." He held out a hand. "Want to try this again?"

            I sighed, putting my clutch down and allowing him to lead me to the dance floor. I didn't worry about past grievances or why he had left—the fact was that he was here now, in my arms, dancing with me.

            The song began to draw to a close, and with that, the power shut down and the harsh glare of the auditorium lights came back up. "Thank you for sharing a spookily spectacular night with us!" A bubbly voice chirped over the loudspeakers. "We hope you join us next time!"

            He looked back, and I tried to school my features from the disappointment I was feeling right now. "I'm sorry, V," he said apologetically, looking truly remorseful.

            I forced a smile. "It's okay. Who needs dancing, anyway?"

            Couples slowly began making their way out of the auditorium and towards the exit, and we followed them in a slow but steady stream. Once we'd made it into the corridor, Colton stopped and led me to the side so we were pressed against a bunch of lockers. "Let me make it up to you."

            "Colt, it's okay," I told him. "It's obvious you had more important things to do. It's just a school dance."

            "I don't want this night to end," he admitted, and it was very easy to get lost in the romantic cadence of his words—even if my better judgment was screaming for me not to. "Just let me show you something first. Please?"

            Before I had a chance to answer, he took my hand and led me against the grain of the students. No one saw us going the other way, and he managed to move us skillfully so that we avoided the teachers.

            "Where are we going?" I whispered. "I'm all for surprises, but this is a little spooky, even for me."

            "Just trust me," he told me, and led me down a corridor that I rarely used. This is where they held subjects like agriculture and marine, subjects I hadn't taken since sophomore year.

            He stopped at a random door and jiggled the handle, which was obviously locked. I sighed. "Colt, come on, this is freaky. Let's just go."

            Just then I heard a voice, and turned to the end of the corridor to identify the source of the sound. I frowned and turned back around, just in time to see the door slide open to reveal a dimly lit room, with moonlight peeking through the venetian blinds.

            "That was locked," I whispered.

            He chuckled. "No, it wasn't. Just stuck. No one ever locks classrooms around here."

            Thinking of how many times I'd made late-night trips into the newspaper room, I could verify that line of thinking. "Yeah, that's true."

            He took my hand and dragged me into the room, shutting the door gently behind him. I heard him flick on the lights, and I gasped when they did.

            Around us was a scientific wonderland, filled with budding new flowers and little lizards in tiny cages that moved sluggishly under heat lamps. "Whoa," I whispered. "I've never seen this place before."

            "Not many people have," he replied. "Only people that do senior science know of the place. It's where they keep the animals and run experiments on plants. No one ever goes in here, though."

            "But it's so beautiful," I replied, walking over and running my finger over a glass cage that held a shiny pink rose with waxy petals.

            He nodded. "Yeah, it is. But the most beautiful things are almost always underappreciated."

            I peeked over my shoulder. "How philosophical of you."

            He held out his hand grandly. "May I have this dance?"

            "There's no music," I told him.

            He shrugged. "So imagine some."

            I took his hand, and he drew me to him, until our bodies were flushed against each other. Slowly, I put my arms around his neck, and his muscular ones slid around my waist. I buried my face into his chest, listening to the reassuring rhythm of his heart.

            He started humming a song, and we fell into a rhythm of dancing. I pulled back. "Smart, funny, romantic, good singer. Is there anything you can't do?"

            He leaned forward, his lips agonizingly close to my own. "Why don't you tell me?"

            I felt my stomach flip, and let out a playful giggle. Just as his lips brushed mine, I pulled away and slipped out of his grasp, diving around a metal bench until I was opposite him. "First, you've gotta catch me."

            "I hate to break it to you, V, but I'm faster than you," he told me.

            "Prove it," I said, and took off.

            I giggled as he dove after me, and wound my way through a bunch of white camellias growing. I ducked under a table, using my small size to my advantage, and behind an aquarium. I peeked through the water and found him staring at me through the other side, the most wonderful grin on his face.

            He raced around the other side for me, and I quickly dove out of the way and started running across the length of the room, diving around glass cages and underneath work benches in my attempt to get away from him. For the first time in what felt like forever I felt carefree, without the worry of any biochemical companies or danger.

            I hid behind a set of twin cardboard boxes, holding my breath. "Where are you?" he called tauntingly in a smooth voice. "Oh, Violet!"

            The room went silent, and I was a childish mix of giggles and silent breathing. The boxes suddenly disappeared, and he was standing there. I squealed and dove around him, running. I felt two arms wrap around my waist and pull me into his chest, and I squealed.

            I wriggled free and ran around a bench, and before I knew what was happening, he was standing right in front of me. It was like one moment he'd been behind me and the next he was in front of me. I went to duck past him, and as he grabbed me, we slipped on a bit of wet concrete and fell back.

            I shrieked as we hit the ground, me landing safely atop his chest with him breathing heavily underneath me. My hands were on his chest, and I felt myself rise as he leaned up on his elbows. Our legs were a tangled mess of limbs, and even if I'd wanted to move away—which I really, really didn't—it would've been with great difficulty.

            The air grew humid and my heart beat faster in my chest at our close proximity. He looked up at me, and I was lost in the brilliance of his eyes. My breath caught, and his lips loomed ever closer.

            And I was going to do absolutely nothing to stop them.

            He leaned up, and there was one moment of total silence and stillness, where the anticipation was almost too much.

            Then his lips met mine, tender and hard and all-consuming, and I was powerless to fight his pull. My hands ran over his hair and stroked his face, and his fingers dug into my hips and met every movement of mine with passionate tenderness. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before, and I didn't know if I'd ever feel it again.

            It was only after we'd snuck out of the school and I drove back home that I had time to contemplate it. I wandered up to my room in a blissful daze. When I glanced out of my window, I saw his was still dark, and wondered where he was. Wondered if he was still thinking of me.

            I sat down and opened my laptop, knowing I needed to get this jumble of euphoric feelings onto a page before I exploded and started dancing around my room.

            I opened a new document, and my fingers hesitated over the keyboard before I started writing.

            Halloween is a time for dressing up and pretending to be something you're not for a short amount of time—about shedding expectations and being whoever you want.

            There are people out there who see the evening as meaningless—why dress up when you could stay home and watch horror movies? It seemed like a waste of makeup and costume jewelry.

            Some love it. They thrive on fake zombie makeup and spending one night lying about who they are and reaping the benefits—namely, eating candy and looking fabulous.

            And then there is another group—a group that no one knew about until tonight, kept under wraps like a best-kept secret.

            That is those people who started out as hating it, but grow to kindle a fond appreciation for the holiday. Those pleasantly surprised people who got to see that, when in costume, some people become the people they've always been but have never shown before.

            What started out as an expected terrible evening may just turn into the best night of your life.

~          *          ~

I have been waiting since I started actually writing this book to write this scene—it was the original scene I got the idea for the book from.

Hope you enjoyed!

xXx