Page 156 of When Darkness Calls

“He’s Shaggy— I think. I’m not sure if he decided to go with that or not. We didn’t really have time to plan out a couple thing. I just had all this in my closet.” I chuckle.

Liz bursts out laughing. “I love it. I wish Issac would’ve come. He was going to be a Fry Boy.” She sighs, throwing a piece of popcorn in the air and catching it kind of aggressively in her mouth.

“He’s not coming?” I ask cautiously.

She laughs, and the sound is cold, hollow. “No. He’s ‘hanging out with his friend’. He won’t tell me who this person is, and I’m starting to think it’s just a ruse and he’s cheating on me.”

My ears prick up, turning to her slightly, “Did he say where?”

“No, but I overheard him talking earlier about the storage yard. I have no idea what he’d be doing there though.”

“I’m sorry.” I place my hand on her shoulder, and she shrugs.

“He’s been really strange lately. I don’t know why he was trying so hard to get back together with me. I think I saw him more when we were broken up than I do now.”

My brows crease. That’s the same thing he said to me.

“Has he been ghosting you a lot lately?”

“God, yes. He says it’s my work schedule, but I mostly work in the evenings. Mornings are always open unless I pick up an extra shift. And on the days we don’t have class, I’m free until four. And he knows that, so I don’t know why he’s blaming me.”

“So, he’s just, what? Blowing you off to hang out with his friend?”

“Pretty much, yeah. It’s like the only time he talks to me now is when all three of us are hanging out for lunch at school or, like, to tell me I’m wasting my time working.” She rolls her eyes. “He wouldn’t understand that I have to work.”

I lunge forward, throwing my arms around her, squeezing her tight.

“I’m so sorry. And I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty friend. I haven’t really been here for you through this, and that’s not okay.”

She shrugs, laughing softly. “It’s okay, Deeds. I love you.”

“I love you more…” I smile, then I fake cough, “Bitch.”

She fakes coughs, “Cunt face.”

We both burst out laughing. I’m wiping tears from my eyes when I notice a tall figure walking toward us.

The wind blows, making goosebumps rise on my arms through the thin shawl.

“It got cold really fast, didn’t it?” I mumble, folding my arms together. “I should’ve brought a jacket, or some more blankets.”

“It’s been cold the entire time.” Liz grimaces, rubbing hard at her calf that isn’t covered by the long skirt.

The dark figure slowly gets closer and closer until I can see a flash of white and my heart stutters.

Grays? Why is he wearing his mask?

But then I realized it’s just a Michael Myers mask, and I kind of deflate. But they keep walking toward us.

“I think Grayson might have skipped the Shaggy thing…” Liz mutters.

He comes up to us, holding out his hand for me, but he doesn’t speak.

I smirk. “You’re method acting, huh? What happened to trying match though?”

He shrugs, tilting his head down at me, then nodding to the concession stand.

I roll my eyes. “Okay, fine, geez.” He pulls me up, tugging me along. His grip on my hand is a little harsh, almost uncomfortable.