Brother- Who?

Chapter 1

"Madison, it's almost Halloween! Come carve pumpkins with us!" My mom called from the backyard.

Usually, I would be all over this, but this year is different. I don't know why, but I know this Halloween is going to be different from any other Halloween yet. My iPhone 7s flashes on, I got a text.

Jen: the fam is making me carve pumpkins. u?

Maddi: same

Jen: u gonna do it?

Maddi: yeah

Jen: k. i'll do it 2

"Maddi! If you don't open this door now, I'm gonna scream!" My little brother Nick screamed.

"Too late! You're already screaming!" I yelled back.

"Touché," he said cooly.

Maddi: so where are we gonna go trick or treat?

Jen: idk, we can talk about it at school tomorrow cuz we have to ask the guys too

Maddi: ok

"The guys" are Matt, Jen's boyfriend, and Asher, my boyfriend. We're all going trick-or-treating together.

When I carve my pumpkin, I carve an intricate little ghost with the most amazing metropolitain background. Then I scrape the skin of the pumpkin to write Casper in the City.

"Wow Maddison, that's a beautiful ghost," my mom says.

"Thanks, mom. That's a nice..." I pause. My mom has never been the best artist. I stare at her little blob.

"It's supposed to be a pumpkin," she says.

"Well, points to you for effort!" I say encouragingly.

"Thanks."

"Hey do you mind if I take the car to Jenna's house?"

"Sure, after all, you are almost 17 already."

I run over to the hook by the door where the key to my mom's white mini cooper is. I snatch it off happily and then I text Jen again.

Maddi: mom lent me the mini cooper. coming by to work on costumes.

Jen: k. can u stop by the Michaels on the way here?

Maddi: wanna come? you know what to get more than I would

Jen: of course! pick me up in 5

Maddi: you bet

I grab my wallet, lip gloss, and a pack of gum and stick it into my new Coach purse. An "early birthday present" my parents said. I think they were just happy I got my license.

I drive around the corner, then four blocks over to Jen's house. Of course, it's already decked-out to their normal Halloween decor. The usual pumpkins, cobwebs and spiders, but this year they've added a little blow up vampire's coffin with a "hand" sticking out.

"Hey Mads!" Jen screams as she runs out the door.

"Hey Jen, you know we were just texting, right? Btw, you're not wearing shoes," I say.

"Whoops," she says as she runs back into her house. I love the girl, but sometimes she can be a handful.

She comes back out with her white purse and some strappy sandals.

"Ready," she says.

We get into the car and look at our phones for a bit.

"Whoa," I start "did you know it's only going to be around 42º on Halloween?"

"Wow, how many degrees is that above freezing?" she asks with a strained expression on her face. Sometimes I wonder if she's acting or if she really doesn't know.

"10," I say almost instantly.

"Well I guess that's why you've been on the honor roll since kindergarten," she says.

"First grade," I start "kindergarten was rough for me."

I start up the car and we head to Michaels.