𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚎 • 𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚑𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

17 - Halloween (pt. 1)

October, 1992 - Japan
Halloween

It was about seven at night. When Haruka opened her front door, she was expecting the person on the other side to be another trick-or-treater with a bag open for candy. She would just give them their share, then flop back onto the couch and continue watching her horror movie.

"Haruka!" It was Tenten, wearing a fairy costume and a huge grin. "I was in the neighborhood and I figured I'd give you a ride to the party! Why aren't you dressed yet?"

Haruka groaned. Had her act in school really been that transparent? "Last time I checked, you live about an hour away from me. What were you doing in my neighborhood?"

Tenten stepped into her house and dropped the act. "Listen girl, you're going. I'm driving you."

"I don't even have a costume or a disguise." Haruka replied, even though she already knew it was pointless. Tenten just yanked her all the way up the stairs and started digging through Haruka's closets. Eventually she pulled out a plain, dark purple dress and a red ribbon.

"You can be Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service." She announced proudly. "Now get changed already!"

Haruka sighed as she looked down at her improvised costume. "I am so not doing this, Tenten. There is absolutely no way I'm going to the party!"

-

"I can't believe I'm going to the party," Haruka mumbled as Tenten pulled her to the front door of the random third year student who was hosting the wretched thing. She had sulked in silence for the entire car ride, letting her mind take over and imagine millions of ways that the night could end in disaster.

"I swear, you're going to have a good time, okay? If you don't, you can have my whole shoujo collection." Tenten said. They walked up the steps to the porch and stared at the building. It looked like it should be a hotel rather than just a house.

"You better kiss it goodbye then." Haruka said with a huff. At least she would get some decent manga to console herself after a horrible night.

Most of the guests had already arrived. Everyone was wearing either a disguise that went with their costume, or just a classic brown paper bag with eye holes in it. The room was massive, filled with people that Haruka had no idea if she knew or not.

It was every bit as scary as she imagined, and Haruka clung to Tenten as a safety measure. But chills ran down her spine and her poor heart nearly failed when the front door was closed and it was announced that they would begin dancing.

She was in the dead center of the sea of people, Tenten was suddenly gone from her side (not that she would have helped her get out of the situation anyway), and she had to think fast. As people paired off with each other, her eyes darted around the room.

The only exit in sight was a bathroom off in the distance. Obnoxiously pushing and shoving the other party guests out of her way, (they didn't know who she really was anyway) she scrambled off the dance floor, fumbled with the door knob for a little, and slammed the door behind her.

It was a nice, fancy bathroom—perfect for waiting out the half hour while people danced. Haruka's breathing slowly returned to normal as she stalled for time, mindlessly flipping through the pictures on her camera. After what she estimated to be around twenty minutes had passed, it dawned on her that Tenten would definitely be angry with her for hiding, and she snickered to herself. Maybe she would just tell her that she had danced with the handsomest guy there and be done with it.

When a knock came on the door, she squeaked out an "occupied" and cursed herself for celebrating too early. What was she going to do? She could still hear sappy love songs being played, and she knew she couldn't leave her place of cover yet. She stood in the center of the bathroom with wide eyes, her panic resurfacing. Perhaps they would just go away?