The Seventh Grade Wars

CHAPTER 45: HAYLEY

I had no plans for Halloween night. In the past, I'd always had a lot of fun. I wouldn't go to Party City for my costume, like any normal kid. I'd make my costume out of old fabric scraps and whatever I could get my hands on, and it turned out great. One year, I was a Smurf. Another year, I was an evil angel. (I'd made my wings by hand by gluing feathers onto pieces of black cardboard.) Last year, when I'd really gotten into reading Greek mythology, I'd been a goddess. This year, I was just myself. An ordinary girl. That's because I wasn't going trick-or-treating. I was going on another date with Jordan.

We'd gone on three dates so far. It was nothing big. The first time was to the movies. The second time, he took me bowling. This time we were going to dinner at Panera.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to go trick-or-treating with Jace?" my mother asked me for the fifth time that evening. "You always go trick-or-treating."

"No, Mom," I sighed. "I'm going someplace with a friend."

I still hadn't admitted I had a boyfriend. I wasn't sure how she'd take it.

"Would you like a ride?"

"No, they'll meet me here and then we'll walk," I answered. "Come on, I'll be fine."

"Well, okay. Just be careful. Where exactly are you going again?"

"Panera," I answered. "For dinner."

"All right. Call me if you need me," she said. "I'm leaving now with Jace."

"Okay," I said. This year, Jace was dressed as a ladybug. He looked super cute.

After they left, I went downstairs to wait and read my book. My dad was working upstairs, and when he's writing you don't bother him unless it's an absolute emergency. I seem to be the only other person in this family who understands this. I've been working on a couple things myself, and I hate it when somebody comes in to ask me something and I lose my train of thought.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"Hayley!" my dad called from upstairs. "Would you get the door?"

"Yes," I answered. I got up from the couch and carefully marked my book. I smoothed down my outfit. I had on a comfy cable-knit sweater, black leggings, and combat boots. My hair was pulled into a ponytail. I was trying to get out of the "nerdy" stage I'd stayed in for far too long, but I still liked to dress like myself.

I opened the door. Jordan was standing there, in a hoodie and jeans. He smiled. "Hey," he said.

"Hi," I answered.

"You look nice," he commented.

"Thank you," I said. "So, you ready to go?"

"Yup."

I stepped outside and shut the door behind me. It was a chilly fall night, but my sweater kept me fairly warm. And I always got this warm feeling inside me when I was around Jordan.

The walk to the restaurant wasn't too far, and once we got there we got a table and ordered our food. I got what I always get at Panera: the broccoli soup and caesar salad.

"I like how you're not afraid to eat," Jordan commented as we dug into our food. "Most girls are like, 'oh, you know, I'll have whatever's forty calories or under.'"

I smiled. "Sounds like the Reynold twins."

"So," he said. "I don't mean to make this date all about the War and everything, but you know both A Side and C Side are having Halloween parties tonight, right?"

"Of course," I said. "They put their flyers all over the school."

Both the parties were for people on the same Side. Some girl named Asia Larkin was throwing the C Side party, and Jessica Malboy was having one for A Side.

"You know what's going to happen, don't you?" I said.

"If you mean that A Side's going to try and get revenge on C Side by crashing their party, then yes, we're on the same page," said Jordan, stirring his soup. "I sent the rest of the team over to investigate. Riley's got me on speed dial in case anything happens."

"Did anything happen?"

"Not yet," answered Jordan.

"Do you think that after this, we could go check it out, too?" I said. "I'd love to get some juice for the B Side blog."

Jordan grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that. I wanted to go, too."

We finished our meals and stood up to leave.

"I remember when I used to go trick-or-treating," I said, watching a group of elementary kids pass by the restaurant's window, decked out in costumes and holding plastic buckets for candy.

"Same," said Jordan. "I went last year, actually. I know I'm too old..."

I laughed. "I had that same thought."

We were quiet for a little while. Then Jordan leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Sorry," he said, looking down.

"No, it's okay," I said. "It was great, actually."

I went forwards and kissed him again. And even with all the kids gaping in through the window, it felt pretty great.

The team was currently at the Larkin household, crouching behind a bundle of prettily cut shrubs.

"Jordan!" said Riley. "I was just about to text you. A Side came, but C Side was heavily armed. They chased them away with squirt guns and water balloons, but one of the A Siders threw something that exploded in the driveway."

"I think," said Victoria nervously, "that it was a firecracker."

"What?" I said. "Is that even legal?"

"Who knows? But they might come back," said Riley.

We waited there in the garden for a few more minutes. Luckily, these shrubs were large and were easily able to conceal us behind them. Suddenly, a group of kids snuck through the darkness and back around the house, talking in excited whispers.

"What are they doing?" I whispered.

"No idea," said Jordan. "But I'm guessing that's A Side."

"Do we follow them?" asked Diane irritably. "I'm bored just standing here!"

"Not yet," answered Chelsea. "We shouldn't follow anyone armed with firecrackers."

We heard loud popping sounds from inside the house, and then somebody—it sounded like a girl—screamed from inside.

"Go," said Jordan, nudging my shoulder. "Go. Now. Run!"

"Why?" Jackie demanded.

"We can't be seen hiding here at the scene," he answered. "Now come on!"