𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

F A R R I S

"Ready?" I ask with a smile, and Reed rolls her eyes before leading the way into the girl's change rooms. I don't know why I'm surprised that it smells like sweat and chemicals, the same way ours does, just slightly less awful.

"Let's get this over with," Xander says, but I know he must be putting on airs because you can't not find the costume exchange entertaining. This is only our second year of doing it but any witnesses should feel honored.

"May the sorest loser lose." Reed holds out her hand for me to shake and I scoff, offended.

"Okay, I admit that I dropped the ball last year."

"The first ball. The only ball so far. Carry on." She cuts in cheekily.

"But this year is actually something I know you'll like." I smile genuinely at her, proud of my costume-picking skills. She seems pleasantly surprised but that turns into suspicion very quickly.

"I swear to god if you are putting me in a leotard..." She threatens and I put my hands up, hiding my body behind the door while poking my head out so that she can still see me.

"Not a leotard. Promise. Now let's get them on before we judge."

"Fine." She gives me the 'I'm watching you' sign with two fingers and turns her back on me to walk into the adjacent stall and we both shut our doors. I can see glimpses of her feet if I look down and she's just tapping one of them while we wait for Xander to pass us our costumes for gifting.

"Thank you," Reed says and right after, the costume I bought comes over, still sealed in it's packaging so Reed knows that I didn't tamper with it.

"Thanks, man," I say, and turn to face the wall. "You ready, Buttercup?"

After a brief pause, Reed says "Yeah." And that's our cue to begin stripping. I pull my white t-shirt over my head, grab the collar from the back, and toss it over into Reed's stall, laughing until her shirt comes over, bringing with it the scent that she uses. Either perfume or body wash, whatever it is it's purely Reed and I don't realize I'm the weird one who is delaying our tradition by still wearing my pants as her running shorts get thrown over as well. They land right at my feet, making me gulp.

"I think Fare's having some trouble. Xander, wanna help him with his pants?" Reed jokes and I shake my head, unbuttoning my shorts as fast as I possibly can before passing them over, standing in only my black briefs and socks with articles of Reed's clothing at my feet. And a half-naked Reed standing with only a thin wall between us.

"Okay, it's time. Any guesses?" Xander says, playing along and I snap out of it. Now is not the time to deal with this crisis.

"You only had two vetoes and they were a Leprechaun and Syndrome, so..." Reed says and I can hear how she has to hold back her laughter and that makes me smile.

"Chucky." I guess.

"Nope. My turn...hmm. Zombie cap!" She yells excitedly as if she had only just thought of that idea now and I purse my lips, wishing I'd thought of that. We both freaked out over the zombie alternate universe episode.

"Okay, it's time. Neither of us guessed so no backing out or switching. Three. Two. One. Toss em' over!" I call out to Reed and throw the package over to her, receiving one of my own that I don't immediately recognize by the colors.

"Wait a second..." I pull out a Gryffindor tie and stare at the wall.

"Farris please tell me this is a joke," Reed says and her voice sounds a lot less light, worrying me.

"What do you mean?" I ask, already slipping the maroon knit sweater over my head and putting on the black pants.

"What size do you think I am?" She asks and I start tying the tie around my neck, tucking it in under the sweater.