Loose Ends

Chapter 48

September turned into October and before long the students of Grant High were anxiously waiting for Halloween, the one night of the year they were allowed, even expected, to pretend to be someone else and just have a little fun.

"So what are you gonna be for Halloween," Griffin asked Ashley as he leaned against the locker next to hers. "I was thinking of going as Quasimodo."

"Aren't we a little too old to play dress up?"

"Nope. Not until you graduate from college," he assured her. Ashley shook her head at her friend.

"I don't know. You know I'm not good at parties," she reminded him. Griffin nodded.

"True. But this time you don't have any gossip headlines to share. Besides," he said while wiggling his eyebrows. "Your boyfriend Toby said he'd be there." Ashley rolled her eyes but the effect was undermined by her slight blush.

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Uh huh," Griffin said in a tone letting her know he didn't believe her. "Then why'd you pay Joe two weeks ago to find out who he was?"

"Pure curiosity," Ashley said as she shut her locker and began heading down the hallway.

"Uh huh. And I've got a bridge I wanna sell you." Ashley nudged Griffin with her shoulder as the two rounded a corner and parted ways to head to their respective classes. At Ricky's locker Amy was leaning her back against the locker next to his and clutching her books to her chest.

"I don't know, Ricky. You sure your mom won't mind?" she asked and then bit her lip nervously. Ricky looked over at her and smiled. He quickly leaned over to kiss her and then stood upright again.

"Do you have any idea how kissable you look when you do that?" he asked her with a smile, causing her to blush. "And no, my mom won't mind. Actually she volunteered. Although I'm pretty sure she just wants to take him trick or treating."

"But don't you think our costumes would be a little....I don't know. Weird?"

"How so?" he asked, shutting his locker and slinging his arm over her shoulders as they made their way down the hallway. Amy looked at her boyfriend incredulously.

"Because I'm not an angel and you're definitely not a devil." Ricky smirked at her.

"But that's the beauty of it. Our costumes would have multiple meanings."

"Like what?"

"One, most of the student body thinks you're an innocent angel who got burned by a devil. Two, people see us as a good girl and a bad boy. And three, you're my angel and since opposites attract that would make me your little devil," he explained, wiggling his eyebrows and causing Amy to giggle.

"You're such a goofball sometimes."

"I love you too," he told her and them promptly kissed her cheek, neither of them caring any longer who saw them being affectionate with each other in public.

In the main hallway, Grace was sitting at a table that had been set up to sell tickets to the Halloween dance, having joined the committee for said dance. She smiled when she saw Jack approach the table.

"Hi, Jack. Long time no see," she said cheerfully. He smiled back.

"Hey, Grace."

"So do you need to buy a ticket?" He nodded.

"Yeah." Grace took out a ticket form a rubber band-bound stack.

"$8.00 please." Jack handed her a ten dollar bill and Grace handed it to the girl sitting next to her who was in charge of the money box. She made change and then handed it back to Jack while Grace handed him his ticket.