Chapter Thirty-Six: The Invite:

Things were about to heat up around October. There was a huge Halloween part coming up on campus. Wallace didn’t even know this was happening. He stood blinking his doorway.

“What?” he asked.

“Are you going to the Halloween party?” Rocky asked. The country boy tilted his head.

“There’s a Halloween party coming up?” he asked.

“Yeah,” his neighbor said. “They do this sort of thing every year. I don’t really stay too long myself.”

“Why?” Wallace asked. Rocky shrugged.

“Don’t feel like it,” he said. “Are you going to go?”

“I don’t know,” the country boy said. The idea intrigued him. Maybe this could get him closer to Julia and figure out where they stood.

“Who all is going?” Wallace asked.

“Usually everyone,” Rocky said. “My friends and I don’t really stay long. You taking anyone?” The country boy blinked.

“Taking… anyone? Like a date?” Wallace asked.

“Maybe,” his neighbor said.

“Are you taking anyone?”

“Not really. I’m going to meet them there.”

“Who?”

“Melody King.”

Wallace’s eyes widened. “I know her.  She’s the one who designed the costumes.” Rocky walked up and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“What the--?!” the country boy asked in a yelp. His neighbor looked him deep in the eye.

“Hook me up with her!” he shouted.

“What?!” the country boy asked.

“Please!” Rocky shouted. “Let me get her number.” Wallace didn’t know how to respond. For the most part, his neighbor had been rather chill. The country boy wondered if he was asexual. Rocky never seemed interested in the girls around their apartment building. Right now, he was staring at him as if he was forcing him to take the last of his money in his hand. Where did this come from?

“Please?” Rocky asked. Wallace clenched his teeth.

“Uh…” was all he could say.

“Come on, man!” his neighbor said.

“I’ll see what I can do,” the country boy said without a second thought. Rocky let go of his shoulders.

“Thanks man,” he said.

“Right…” Wallace said. His eyes shifted off to the side. Already, he had a bad feeling about this. Maybe he could work his way around this? That desperate look in Rocky’s eyes said that he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

“You love her that much, don’t you?” Wallace asked.

“Yes!” Rocky said. The country boy chuckled to himself nervously.

“Right…” he mumbled. Oh boy…

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Wallace wasn’t the only one looking for a date. His admirers were looking to woo him over as their date for the Halloween party. There’s Julia. Morgan wants in too. Who else is there? Leslie might be interested. Let’s not forget about Blare too. But who else is there? Who wants to ask the country boy to the party? Who’s going to be the lucky girl?

We are going to have to sit back and see.