Fall Pageant:

My school started to get ready for our fall pageant on Halloween. Ever since the chancellor stepped down, everyone is trying to act normal. The tension wouldn’t leave us. The guards on the playground didn’t really help either.

“They could at least put the guns away,” I said.

“I doubt they’ll listen,” Lyle pointed out. I frowned. He did have a point, but still…

My class worked with the decorations. I looked around at all of the orange, yellow, and brown in the classroom. Ms. Diederich seemed much calmer now. I’m guessing that her husband was found innocent. Maybe I would get to see her smile soon. Milo nudged me on the arm. I turned to see those blue eyes of his.

“Yes?” I asked with slightly red cheeks.

“Can I talk to you about something on Halloween?” he asked. I gave him a puzzled look.

“Why can’t you ask me now?” I asked. Milo shook his head.

“No,” he insisted. “It has to be on Halloween.”

“But why?” I asked.

“Just trust me on this, please?” he asked. I didn’t speak at first. What was he trying to do? I nodded at him with my lips pressed together.

“Alright,” I said. “We’ll talk then.” Milo grabbed onto my hand.

“Thanks, Claudia,” he said. I looked away for a bit.

“Uh… can you let go?” I asked him. Milo blinked in silence before reacting. He slowly released my little hand.

“Sorry, Claudia,” he mumbled.

“It’s okay,” I brushed off. We went back to the decorations after that. This pageant took much planning. There was even going to be a fancy dress competition on Halloween. Lyle tried to push me to enter. I shook my head at him.

“Nah,” I said.

“Oh come on,” he insisted. “You would win for sure!” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“What are you trying to pull here?” I asked. “I don’t trust you.”

“Nothing!” he insisted. “You never really enter in these things.”

“So?” I asked.

“I just want to see you in it just this once, please?” he pleaded. I turned to him as the bus turned the corner to go to Berlin University.

“Why?” I asked.

“I just want to see you in fancy dress,” he said.

“Why?” I asked again.

“Please?” Lyle pleaded. I frowned at him. He turned to Milo.

“Help me out here,” he said. I turned to me boys with an eyebrow raised. Oh great, he’s using Milo against me. You better not stab me in the back; I’m watching you! Milo took about two minutes to think about this.

“I think she would look cute in costume,” he said in a soft voice. I turned away blushing. Damn you, Milo! Why did you have to say that?!? Damn it, jerk! I puffed up my cheeks.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” I mumbled. “But nothing funny, okay?”

“I promise!” my brother insisted. I still frowned at him.

“Only if you two dress up in costume as well!” I said. Lyle shrugged at me.

“Sure,” he said. I narrowed my eyes at him. I don’t trust him when he’s so insistent on me doing something and doesn’t care if he has to do it too if I say so. I suspected that he was plotting something. I decided to stay on my guard and watch him on Halloween. With the decorations, planning, and costumes all set, there was one more element missing.

“Claudia’s going to be in the fancy dress contest,” Lyle told Kat on that same afternoon. She glanced up at him while grading papers at her desk.

“Oh okay,” she said.

“Can you come with us?” I asked. Kat looked up at us.

“You want me to come with you?” she asked.

“Yes!” we all said to her.

“Please?” I asked. She lowered her pen and smiled.

“You didn’t need to ask,” Kat replied. “I would be happy to come with you.” Lyle and I cheered and hugged each other. Milo sat in the back corner, smiling. Now, we were all set. We just needed to wait for Halloween to come around. Yet, that happy time would be crashing down on us in an unseen chain of events during the invasion.