248 Days

October 31st

When I found myself face to face with batman, I thought I was still half asleep. I thought that Grayson's DC superhero marathon had woven itself into my dreams. But as the hands shaking me began to feel too real, Bruce's signature scowl replaced with bright eyes, and an all too familiar smile flashed my way, I fully woke. Eyes suddenly alert, I took in his elaborate costume, from the mask to the cape to the leather boots, and I hid my face in the pillow.

     "Oh no." I laughed.

     "It's Halloween!" Grayson announced animatedly, turning me to face him before running around my room, cape extend and arms flapping like a bird. "I've already got the living room set up. The first movie is ready to play, pumpkins ready to carve and crafts ready to start."

     Nodding weakly to his words, I rubbed my eyes. "Breakfast?"

     "I made monster themed pancakes." Batman's ear lifted as he grinned. "Would you like to start with Dracula or Frankenstein?"

     Head turning from the clock reading 7 o'clock to Grayson's waiting smile, I blinked sluggishly. "Dracula."

     "Great choice," he commended, laying a heap of fabric on my chest. "I'll get that ready, while you put this on."

     Sitting up, I scowled at the black latex suit, holding it away from me with two fingers. "What. Is this?"

     "Your first costume," he said. "We were three. Our first Halloween together. I was Batman, you were Catwoman."

     "Catwoman?" I spoke distastefully, nose crinkled.

     "I have a picture to prove it," he offered. "You only have to wear it for an hour, then we switch."

     "Switch?"

     "We have eleven costumes to recreate. I figured it would be easier to get through some of them before we go trick or treating."

     "Trick or treating?" I demanded. "We're seventeen years old!"

     "But today, we are children at heart." He placed his hand on the wrong side of his chest for emphasis. "I'll be damned, if you're deprived the pleasure of the memory of trick or treating."

     He wasn't damned. Grayson Ryder was always true to his words.

     He approached Halloween with great significance. Feeling exposed in my Catwoman outfit, on my descent of the stairs, I ran face first into a fake spider web. He had covered the entire kitchen and living room with decorations; fake spiders, dolls and bones found everywhere.

     Finishing my breakfast next to the singing witch, Hocus Pocus playing in the background, already Grayson was applying paint to my face for the upcoming costume switch. I was forced into a vampire, princess, Rockstar, ghost, and female Frankenstein costume that morning alone. Finishing the outdoor decorations, baking Halloween desserts, carving pumpkins and watching movies, we switched costumes on a very fixed schedule, dropping everything to change the moment Grayson's watch rang. It was ridiculous. He overdid every possible tradition, but I found myself enjoying every moment.

     Unfortunately, too soon I found myself being pushed out of the front door, pillowcase in hand, wearing a ridiculous Luigi costume. Sun starting to set, first trick or treaters venturing out, Grayson was adamant on beginning our embarrassing evening.

     Car horn blaring the moment we stepped outside, I hid my face in my green hat. Of course, he had invited others to witness my humiliation. Recognizing the spotless grey Grand caravan, I sent a shy wave to Blake and Luke. Pushing me in the backseat, behind Luke's younger brothers, Grayson tossed our large costume bag in the trunk.