On Friday evening, Max put on a pair of plastic red devil horns from the dollar store and a very un-Halloween-inspired outfit consisting of jeans, tee, and bomber jacket. He waited in the living room for Nina to get ready. His knee bounced in anticipation. She appeared in the hallway fifteen minutes later. Max's blue-green eyes lit up the moment he saw her. She looked like an angel.

No, really, she literally looked like an angel.

Nina was dressed in a flowy ivory-colored gossamer slip dress with a pair of feathery snow-white wings attached to her back. Her makeup was done in lovely golden, peachy tones. She had curled her long black hair. It now trailed down her shoulders in loose, wavy ringlets.

Nina winked and gave him a little twirl. "What do you think?"

He whistled appreciatively. "You're killing it! Absolutely killing it!"

For a guy who absolutely despised Halloween costumes, Max had found himself readily agreeing to team up with Nina as the devil and the angel on someone's shoulder. He was still feeling pretty nervous about the idea of going to a haunted house and being surrounded by a bunch of actors in masks who were being paid to scare them until they peed their pants, but knowing that Nina would be at his side put him more at ease. Not to mention, they would be showing up like a couple. Like boyfriend-girlfriend. People would totally assume that they were already dating...

Operation Escape From Friend Zone was about to commence for the evening. Max's eyes twinkled with mischief as he made his first tactical strike. "Let me ask you this. Did it hurt?"

Nina blinked. "Huh?"

"When you fell from heaven."

Nina made a gagging sound. "Oh, God, no. You didn't. That's, like, the cringiest line ever."

Undaunted, Max walked over until he stood toe to toe with Nina. He grinned. "What? You don't like stupid pick-up lines?"

Nina chuckled. "Nope. You should be ashamed, Max. I know you can do better."

"What if I gave you a sincere compliment instead?"

She studied him warily. "What are you trying to pull now?"

Max proceeded to gaze into Nina's eyes and murmured in melting tones, "I think... you look as beautiful as an angel. No lie. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on, especially on the inside, and you inspire me to become a better man each and every day."

A light pink blush crept up her cheeks. She coughed. "Stop it, loser. You're so full of it."

Nina nudged past him to grab her purse. She looked visibly flustered, though. Max bit back a smile as he watched her fumble and struggle to slide the strap over her shoulder. He grabbed his car keys from the kitchen counter and gave himself a mental pat on the back. Operation Escape From Friend Zone was going pretty well.

In breezy tones, he offered, "Ready to head out? I can drive."

She nodded. "Yeah, we should get going. My coworkers just texted me. They're heading out, too."

As they exited their apartment, Nina tripped over nothing in the elevator. Max caught her arm right before she stumbled.

"Thanks," Nina muttered as she righted herself. "I don't know what's gotten into me."

Clearly, his antics were starting to get to Nina. The smile that Max had been holding in slipped out, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

They hopped into his truck a few minutes later and drove out to Arlington Heights where the Rothamsted Mystery House was located. Once they pulled into the property, Max parked his truck. Max and Nina got out.

"Damn," Nina whispered. "This place looks creepy as hell."

Max gulped and barely mustered a "yeah" in response.

The mansion towered over them. It was a three-story Gothic Revival masterpiece of dark red Italian brickwork and white cut stone. The Rothamsted Mystery House's most distinctive features were the arched cathedral-like windows with panels of Tiffany stained glass. The house had been built in the early 1900's by famed American architect, Albert Rothamsted, as his family's private residence. Tragically, his young daughter died of a strange illness at the age of five, and, in her grief, his wife leaped from their second-story stairwell to her own untimely demise. Albert sold the house and moved out shortly after his wife and daughter's deaths.

The Rothamsted Mystery House was rumored to be cursed. Every owner since then experienced some form of fatal loss or tragedy in the house. Now, the property was run like a tourist attraction for ghost hunting enthusiasts, and, every year, in the months of September through November, it was transformed into a haunted house for guests to wander through.

As Max stood before the looming mansion, a chill ran down his spine. People dressed like Pennywise clowns and Marvel superheroes were gathered around them. They all wore masks or heavy makeup on their faces. His pulse began to thud uncomfortably. All thoughts of Operation Escape From Friend Zone dissipated as his nerves kicked into high gear.

Nina placed a hand on Max's shoulder and asked, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah," he muttered faintly. "I'm good. I'm fine. Totally... fine."

She grasped his hand and held it tightly in hers. He glanced down in surprise. Nina smiled at him. "Better?"

Max gave her palm a grateful squeeze. His nerves quieted down a little. "Much better."

Then, from the corner of his eye, Max noticed a group of three guys and three girls who seemed to be waving at them.

"Come on," Nina said as she tugged on his hand. "I see my coworkers over there! Let me introduce you to everyone..."