I walked in the front door. My mom was on the couch reading a book when i walked in. She looked up setting the book down onto the coffee table. "What are you doing home? I thought you were staying with Lucy?" She asked. "Wait did something happen? Did Ya'll have a fight?" She asked.

I shook my head. "No it wasn't her. We went to a party. It was supposed to be fun but it wasn't fun. It was...i don't know." I said shaking my head tired. "Well i don't understand was it Keith? You seemed like you were a great match even just as friends." She said. "No, Keith was great. He's great really." I said. My mom frowned. "Then what is it?" She asked.

I sighed. "It's stupid." I said. She patted the couch and i took a seat next to her. "Try me, I'm not as stupid as i look." She said. "And who knows maybe i can help." She said. "Fine, okay so remember Conner?" I asked. "The guy that was your fake husband for that school project? Yea, why?" She asked. "I have a massive crush on him." I said. "Oh are you upset because he didn't ask you to the dance?" She asked. "Yes and No, he's got a girlfriend and i told myself i wouldn't fall for him. But i did anyway." I said.

My mom nodded. "That is a tough situation. Being friends with him is going to be hard you know." She said. "You're telling me, and the worst part of all is...his girlfriend is horrible! I mean she's rude and controlling and she freaks on any girl he talks too." I said. My mom smiled. "Wow you really do like him, i mean if you want better for him even if that means he's not with you." I nodded. "It's a pickle that's for sure." I said. "Well you aren't allowed to be hard on yourself. This is the first boy you've actually had the chance to really get close too. Maybe he comes to his senses maybe he doesn't. Who knows maybe you'll date Keith maybe you'll date somebody else but you can't be hard on yourself." She said.

"Thanks mom, I'll try. I'm going to get some sleep." I said. "Good, I'll see you tomorrow. I'm going to get up early and go antiquing. It's supposed to be fun!" She said smiling. "Well i hope you have a good time then." I said hugging her before heading to my room.

I laid down unable to sleep when my phone went off. Lucy. "Hey, are you okay? I was really worried about you." She said. "No, if I'm being honest. But i will be. It's just going to take time. How did things go with Joel? You two are so cute together!!" I said. "You think? I really like him. He's so nice. He didn't even try to kiss me when he dropped me off." She said.

"Awe how cute. I'm really happy for you." I said. "Thanks, well you looked nice tonight dancing with..." She left the text blank at the end. "What? Who? Conner? Keith?" I asked wondering. "Oh I'm sorry I just wanted to see which name you'd fill in..." Said Lucy. "Well then! Don't judge me. I'm trying to get over him. It's just hard...he's so...cute..." I said. "I know, you'll figure it out. I'm here if you need me." She said. "Thank you, you know...I'm glad you're my first real best friend." "Really? Well then me too. You're definitely a lot nicer than my last best friend." "Ha Maleficent is nicer than your last best friend." I said. "Too true, too true." She said. " sorry I didn't come and stay the night., That's on my list you know? I just needed to come home after everything. Can we do a rain check?" I asked. "absolutely. I'll see you at school on Monday."

      I rolled over and quickly went to sleep.

The next morning i heard the doorbell ringing. I rubbed my eyes. Mom could get it. No wait she was gone. I rolled out of bed as the doorbell rang again. I stumbled to the living room and opened the door. I blinked in surprise at Conner on my doorstep.

"What are you doing here?" I asked stepping back to let him in. "I came to check on you." He said. I groaned. "Please don't do that." I said. "I'm sorry?" He asked. "Look, that's why i like you okay. You're nice and caring. And you can't do that! It makes it harder for me to get over you. I'm doing my best here but you gotta help me." I said. "I'm sorry, i guess i didn't think. I was just...worried about you. I'm trying to figure this out for myself." He said.

"What exactly?" I asked. "Look you've met my girlfriend. She's not the easiest person to date." "Then why are you with her? How did you even start dating anyways?" I asked. He sighed running a hand through his hair. "We started in ninth grade but back then she wasn't as bad as she was now and it's not like she was terrible over night. It was so slow that i guess i didn't even realized it. Not until you showed up that is. She somehow got even worse." He said.

"She sounds insecure." I said. "She is, and she's always been that way. She tries to act like it doesn't bother her but i know it does. That's why she pulled all that crap with Lucy. Anything so that nobody sees what she tries so hard to hide. I guess in a way i felt bad for her that's why i stuck around." He said.

"But you deserve better than that. Look if you don't love her...really love her then you need to take a step back. She's a grown girl she can handle herself. I'm not saying leave her, if you love her great then stay with her. But sometimes it looks like you don't really like her." I said. "Can you blame me? She's hard to like somedays." He frowned. "Are you scared of what she'll do if you break up with her?" I asked. "Maybe a little. But maybe you're right maybe it's time. I'm just not sure I'm ready." He said.

"Then there you go." I said standing up. He stood up as well. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I said leading him to the door. "Okay then. I'll see you around and I'm sorry for everything. Just know it wasn't completely one sided. Megan was angry because i think she saw i was feeling something too." He said. "Well i wished i could say that was comforting but, it's just confusing if anything." I said. "I'm sorry, I'm going to stop talking then." He said. I shut the door waving.

I would get over him, it was my mission. At school on Monday it was hard to stay away from Conner. He kept looking at me. But Megan didn't really leave him alone. She got called to the nurses office during life 101. Conner nudged me. "Hey look I'm really sorry about everything. I feel horrible." "You have no reason too feel horrible. I knew you had a girlfriend. I knew you were off limits. And so I'm not even sure how I fell for you. I guess I'm the big dummy here. I mean what kind of girl girls after a guy who has a girlfriend. I'm not that girl." "To be fair I wouldn't say you went after me, I would say your feelings just became known? And trust me I'm more than flattered." "Yea well a lot of good that does me." He groaned. "Look if I'm being honest? I wanted to kiss you at the party. And not to prove some stupid point to Megan, because I just simply wanted to kiss you. Who's the big dummy now?" He asked. "Eh maybe we're both big dummies." I shrugged.

Megan stalked into the classroom. "Baby ew no, don't talk to her." She said taking a seat. "Oh by the way, you need to return my boyfriends Jersey back to him." Megan said giving me a pointed look. "Unless you were gonna keep it." "Well as a matter of fact I had been wearing it to sleep in, but that sounds bad....so you know what I'm gonna shut up." Conner grinned. Megan slapped his leg. "No, none of that." 

Flyers were being put up all over school about the halloween dance. Another dance? How could this possibly go wrong? I met Lucy at lunch and she was smiling. Which wasn't unusual but she was smiling a lot and that was unusual. "Joel asked me to the halloween dance. And he asked me to be his...girlfriend. Am I dreaming?" I squealed "I hope not!! I'm so happy for you!!" As if on cue Joel and Keith came walking in followed by Trey. "Would you beautiful ladies mind if we took a seat?" Keith asked. "Hey man keep that to yourself this beautiful lady is taken." Joel said sitting next to Lucy. "And can I just say, I am so happy for you guys!" I grinned. "Thanks Liv." Lucy said.

"We need to go costume shopping eh?" Lucy asked. "Yea what are you thinking?" "Okay here me out, I have the perfect costumes for you guys. Morticia and Gomez Addams." Joel laughed. "Actually that's fun, what do you say Luce?" "Oh I'm so in." She ginned.

"They don't like crown a king and queen at this thing do they?" I asked. "No, but they do give an award for best costume." Said Trey. "Oh, that makes sense." I nodded. "Any idea what you're gonna be?" Keith asked. "No, I haven't gone trick or treating since...well I was little." "Okay then after school let's go to the costume shop." Keith said. "Oh?" "Yea, you know you're gonna need an opinion and what not." "So true! Thanks!"

When school let out I followed Keith to the costume shop. We browsed the racks and finally picked a few choices. He came out as a firefighter. "Hey that's cute." I said. "Yea? It's a lot of costume. I'm already sweating. But that's a fun one. What is it a ghost?" I pulled at the tattered dress. "I think so? Looked cuter on the rack." I sighed throwing my hands up and heading back into the dressing room.

This time I had pulled a cat costume. It looked like a black leather catsuit. Sweetheart neckline. Fit me like a glove. The ears were cute too. I came out. "Woah, ahem...that is..." "It's bad isn't it?" I asked turning to look in the mirror. "No, not even a little bit. If I was a dog, I'd chase you." He joked. I burst out laughing. "Okay you, let me see your costume." He put his hands out. "I'm a biker. How do you like me tattoo sleeve? Is it working for me?" I laughed. "I guess." I shrugged. He waved me off going back into the dressing room. I put on my last costume which was a mummy. I stepped out. I noticed Keith had his back to me but when he turned around I stopped dead in my tracks. He was wearing a pirate costume. "I couldn't tell where the shirt went, or if it was missing. But, what do you think." I bit my lip. "That's the one." "You think?" He grinned. "Oh for sure. And I don't think it needs a shirt." I said.

"Well without it some girls gonna be all up on this." He gestured laughing. "Oh? Is that a bad thing?" I asked. "It depends on who the girl is." He said walking over. "I think the cat is the winner." He nodded. "Okay, thanks. So, no girl you have in mind for this dance?" I asked. He put his hands out. "Well there might be a girl. But to be totally honest? I think she has her eyes on someone else at the moment so..." I frowned. "How rude of her, you are such a great catch and in that costume she'd be nuts not to be all over you." I said. "I was thinking the same thing." He said taking a step closer. "What about you? No date for the dance either?" He asked. "No, and I don't think I'd want to go alone. I feel like, I need a pirate or something to save me from walking off the plank." He nodded. 

"I think I could help you there, I mean if you wanted that is." I looked at him confused. "Why do you hesitate?" "Look to be honest, I'd be stupid not to jump all over this. But I know how you feel about Conner and I guess I don't wanna get hurt? I don't wanna hurt you. I don't wanna confuse you. I don't want to be some consolation prize because the guy you really wanted was taken." I frowned. "Oh, I am so sorry. Look, yea I had a thing for Conner. It's not going anywhere he has a girlfriend. I also don't want to lead you on. If that makes any sense?" "Let me see if I can sort this. You are open to seeing where this goes. As long as we take it very slowly because...." "I want to make sure I'm really over Conner before, so that neither of us gets hurt. It would kill me if I hurt you. It's not who I am." 

He grinned. "Why do you think I'm into you? I realized that after our first date. Megan was being such a pill to you and you didn't jump her like you could have. And I'm all for taking this slow, it's what's best for both of us. So what do you say we go to this dance as friends and see where things go?" He asked. I nodded. "I'd like that." "Okay let's get the costumes then and get going." I grinned ducking back into the dressing room. I came back out in my clothes with my costume in my hand. We checked out then headed home.