❛ I'm an outsider. Outside everything. Everything you know... It disturbs me so. ❜

SEASON 2, EPISODE 2
trick or treat, freak

━━━━━━ October 31, 1984

"IS THAT SERIOUSLY WHAT you're wearing?" Inés asked, her sharp brow raised and an unimpressed frown as she looked up and down at Frida's costume.

⠀⠀⠀Frida looked down at her outfit: a black long-sleeve turtleneck, cropped lime green shirt, black tights, and a pair of white belts that crisscrossed over her hips. She'd even spray-painted her old white sneakers to match the shirt.

⠀⠀⠀"What's wrong with my outfit?" Frida asked.

⠀⠀⠀Inés let out a short, annoyed breath and turned to look back at the front door, waiting for Max to use the bathroom and join them out front.

⠀⠀⠀Frida had decided months prior that she would be Rogue from the Uncanny X-Men comics for Halloween. Rogue was one of Frida's favorite characters with a larger-than-life southern girl attitude that was tough as hell and down to earth. She had big hair with a white streak and always spoke confidently and self-assured. She was kind and loving, but most importantly, she didn't let anyone walk over her. Her ability to steal people's powers, memories, and life force was also intriguing. The cost of being unable to touch anyone, mutant or not, truly set her apart.

⠀⠀⠀While Frida could touch people and couldn't steal powers, she did relate to Rogue and the X-Men. She felt like a freak at school every day, only able to make two friends since she'd moved there. She loved them beyond recognition, but at times, when she looked at her sister, who had practically befriended the entire middle school class, Frida couldn't help but ask what was wrong with her. She played Dungeons & Dragons, read comic books, worked at an arcade, and all seemed to push her further outside. Not to mention, she felt like a stranger in her own skin, being half-Hispanic and feeling that, at times, she couldn't relate to the rest of her family.

⠀⠀⠀Frida noticed Dustin leave his house across the street from her own. His sweet mother said goodbye at the door with a camera in hand. As he ran down his lawn, Frida made out the brown jumpsuit and iconic plastic vacuum from Ghostbusters on his back. Since four boys were in his group, she suspected each was a different member. She was curious to see who Dustin decided to go as.

⠀⠀⠀Dustin frequented the arcade, but Frida knew him better from the couple dozen times his mom asked them to babysit. Apparently, her grandparents had offered when he was born, and now visited once a week. It was strange to see him in her house like another cousin. Dustin and Frida's abuelita was often found in the kitchen as she taught him how to cook everything from tamales to tacos al pastor to mouth-watering sopapillas.

⠀⠀⠀Halfway down his driveway, Dustin froze, slack-jawed, as his eyes widened, and dropped his bike at his side. Suddenly, he seemed to turn back on and sprinted across the street.

⠀⠀⠀"HOLY SHIT! I mean, not shit, but your costume! It looks just like the comics!" Dustin screamed with so much enthusiasm that Frida was sure the whole neighborhood could hear him. Inés looked absolutely exhausted standing beside them.

⠀⠀⠀Frida grinned, knowing that Dustin's approval was the highest praise she could receive.

⠀⠀⠀"Some people don't even think my outfit looks cool," Frida said teasingly, pointing her thumb toward Inés.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Dustin asked, his eyes flickering between the pair before shaking his head rapidly. "No way! I think it looks amazing."

⠀⠀⠀"Well, you don't look half-bad yourself," Frida noted, brushing her hand over his shoulder. She noted his name tag and smiled. "Stanz is my favorite, good choice."

⠀⠀⠀Frida sparked a grin from Dustin. His cheeks turned a light pink, and she knew he harbored a slight, innocent crush on her. She hoped to never break his heart. She would never forgive herself if she did.

⠀⠀⠀"Man, I wish the guys could see your costume, but I guess you guys are going out?" Dustin asked, noting Inés' lack of a trick-or-treat bag or costume.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, but tell them how cool it was for me," Frida said with a smile.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, hell yeah! I have to get going, but I'll see you later, Frida! Inés!" he shouted, rushing back to his bike and peddling out of sight in seconds.

⠀⠀⠀"Congrats, you're cool with middle school boys! Are you happy?" Inés taunted, fake cheeriness in her tone before she crossed her arms over her chest.

⠀⠀⠀The front door cracked open, and Max stepped out. She didn't move, her hand still on the doorknob as she talked into the house. No doubt Max got trapped by their abuela's endless stories. Inés jogged to meet her at the door and helped Max politely leave the conversation, closing the door swiftly. The girls giggled to one another as they walked back toward the road but kept their distance. Frida hadn't seen her sister smile like that in ages. And while she was happy for it, she couldn't help the cinch in her chest that wished it was her.

⠀⠀⠀"You seriously aren't dressing up?" Max asked Inés with a skeptical raise of her brow.

⠀⠀⠀"Dressing up is for losers," Inés claimed, casting her eyes toward Frida and then back to Max.

⠀⠀⠀"Wow, thanks," Max chuckled sarcastically, holding a Freddie Krueger mask in her hand.

⠀⠀⠀"You're hardly dressed up. You don't count," Inés assured her.

⠀⠀⠀Eddie's van turned around the corner of their street with a screech and stopped right in front of the three girls. The windshield rolled down to showcase June and Eddie in their costumes. June seemed to really commit to hers with the white wig. She even had a black leotard, rights, and cloak to invoke the visage of Storm.

⠀⠀⠀Inés opened the back door of Eddie's van, the two girls climbing in, while Frida stood at the window to talk to her friends.

⠀⠀⠀Eddie looked between his friends, noticing their costumes, and frowned. "Great, so now I'm the jackass who didn't match."

⠀⠀⠀With eyeliner, a black shirt and pants, and a yellow and black coat, Eddie stood out against the pair as metal legend Ozzy Osbourne. However, he didn't commit to the bleach-blond hair that Frida would've loved to see.

⠀⠀⠀"We forgot to tell you," June said, turning to Eddie with a dumbstruck look. "Ah, man, you would've made a cute Jean."

⠀⠀⠀"He doesn't have the red hair, though," Frida noted, leaning into June's window.

⠀⠀⠀"Right, maybe Kitty?"

⠀⠀⠀"Kitty!" Frida exclaimed. "He has the hair."

⠀⠀⠀"Would you two shut up?" Eddie snapped, his voice going a pitch higher. "Get in."

⠀⠀⠀Frida and June laughed at his disdain as Frida climbed into the back of the van to sit with Inés and Max as the van screeched toward the Hawk movie theater.

FRIDA STOOD AT THE ticket booth where a guy in his early twenties sat. His hair was long and shaggy, and dark circles were purpled under his eyes. His eyes moved to hers, but his chin stayed pinned to his chest. His frown sunk further into his face as he let out a long, laborious breath before stating, "Terminator's sold out."

⠀⠀⠀Eddie bumped Frida out of the way, slamming his hands down on the counter, and screeched, "Sold out?! What do you mean sold out?!"

⠀⠀⠀"It means there are no more seats in the theater," the employee answered dryly.

⠀⠀⠀Eddie looked ready to claw through the glass, but June quickly butted in. "Is there any way we could still get in? We could squeeze into two seats," she said, motioning to Frida, Eddie, June, then Inés and Max separately.

⠀⠀⠀"Sorry, can't do anything for you," he said with a tired shrug. "We still have The Muppets Take Manhattan."

⠀⠀⠀"Didn't that come out in January?" Max asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

⠀⠀⠀The boy shrugged again, unbothered. "Parents really like it."

⠀⠀⠀"Alright, come on," Frida muttered, pushing the group out of line before Eddie bit his head off. "Thanks," she called quickly behind her shoulder.

⠀⠀⠀"What now?" June asked as they came to a stop beside the hung-up posters outside of the theater.

⠀⠀⠀"We could go get some dinner," Frida suggested.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't really feel like getting stared at all night by depressed old ladies at Benny's," Eddie muttered, chewing on his thumbnail as he looked anxiously around the street.

⠀⠀⠀"We're in costume, and it's Halloween," June said reassuringly. "No one will look—"

⠀⠀⠀Inés snorted, looking away when June paused to give her a look. Max jabbed her in the side despite a small grin lifting her cheeks.

⠀⠀⠀"As much," June finished with a sigh.

⠀⠀⠀"We can just chill at my house," Frida offered. They did it enough anyway. She looked at Inés and Max and said, "You guys could go trick-or-treating if you wanted."

⠀⠀⠀Eddie made a face at Frida's suggestion before something seemed to burst inside his head. A sudden realization occurred, and his eyes went wide, and he threw his hand out towards her. "Wait, one of those popular girls is having a party tonight," Eddie said, darting across the street to his van. Frida, June, Max, and—reluctantly—Inés followed. He was already in his van as he rummaged through crammed sheets of paper in his glove compartment before pulling out a pumpkin orange flyer. He smoothed out the crinkled edges before holding it out to them with a proud smile.

⠀⠀⠀"And you were invited?" June asked, raising a brow in disbelief.

⠀⠀⠀"I stole it off Derek Klein," Eddie said with a wave of his hand. "We should crash!"

⠀⠀⠀Frida's lips thinned, and she glanced at the two pre-teens beside her. "I'm not taking Inés to a party."

⠀⠀⠀"Damn, and just when you could've been cool," Inés muttered sarcastically.

⠀⠀⠀"Just drop us off at my house, and you guys have fun," Frida told them.

⠀⠀⠀"Who's going to see your awesome costume!" June exclaimed with a frown.

⠀⠀⠀Frida noticed a couple walking past them, their eyes locked on them, and a soft snicker left them as they huddled together.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, I think it'll be okay," Frida assured her.

⠀⠀⠀"What time is it?" Max asked suddenly.

⠀⠀⠀Frida glanced at her, alarmed for a second, worried that she needed to be somewhere to take some medicine. She checked her watch and said, "6:45."

⠀⠀⠀"That one kid, Dustin, I think, invited me to trick-or-treating with him and his friends at seven. We could go do that," Max suggested, looking at Inés.

⠀⠀⠀"Seriously, Dustin?" Inés asked.

⠀⠀⠀"Stop being such a party pooper!" Max exclaimed, shaking Inés' arm. "Besides, I can totally freak them out with my Freddie Krueger mask."

⠀⠀⠀Inés seemed to consider the offer and looked close to saying no. Still, Max had those watery blue eyes that no one—not even a grumpy teenager—could say no to.

⠀⠀⠀"Fine, whatever," Inés relented.

⠀⠀⠀"Where at? I can drop you guys off, and then we can get sheet-faced!" Eddie exclaimed, pointing at the bad pun on the flyer.

⠀⠀⠀"Who's driving home?" Frida asked, narrowing her eyes.

⠀⠀⠀"You don't like drinking anyway," Eddie told her with a shit-eating grin that got under her nerves.

⠀⠀⠀"Well, then. I guess that's fair," she grumbled as Eddie threw his arm over her shoulder and squeezed her tight to his chest.

⠀⠀⠀"Dustin said they'd be in the cul-de-sac at Maple Street," Max said.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright, then, what are we waiting for? ¡Vamos!" Eddie shouted, clapping his hands as he hopped into the driver's seat. (Come on!)

⠀⠀⠀Frida was in the backseat with Inés, and Max could barely see them as the sun nearly set.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey, Inés, would you tell abuelo that I'll be late?" Frida asked softly. She was almost sure Inés would push back but found the darkness made her a bit softer.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, what if you need to take care of these two idiots?" Inés asked.

⠀⠀⠀Eddie and June had the radio on, bickering about the music each wanted to play. It switched back and forth between June's pop music and Eddie's metal cassette.

⠀⠀⠀"Let him know I'll call if I won't make it," Frida said.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright," Inés muttered.

🍂 ╱ AUTHOR'S NOTE

Here is Frida's Rogue costume. I felt like it was simple enough that she could make it at home!

Anyone else watching X-Men '97 and losing their mind every week? I'm excited for the finale because I want to rewatch it all at once. It feels like so much has happened since that first episode!!

NEXT CHAPTER STEVE COMES IN!!! Sorry that it's been so long but I hope these chapters have been enjoyable despite that.

I'm also considering changing the update schedule to Fridays just because I feel like more people are on Wattpad. How do you guys feel about that? Or is there a better day/time you'd prefer?

SONG: Outsider by Ramones

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like, they keep me motivated! However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next update is Monday, May 13!