Not That Bad #Wattys2018

Chapter Twenty Eight

Halloween

Even if I was high and hallucinating, a couple months ago I'd never picture myself doing this. Well, maybe. But I definitely would've called BS if someone told me that on Halloween night I'd be with Skylar, Chase and Eli in his truck driving through a strange neighborhood. Well maybe not so much Chase, but definitely Skylar and Eli. These were too people I couldn't stand and now I can't even imagine life without them.

"Her house is that one." Eli says, pointing to a mansion with the front yard decorated like a grave yard. Imogen's house. Appropriate decorations. Eli parks two houses away and turns off the engine. "What's the plan again?"

There was no plan in the first place.

Skylar scoots so her head is between the two front seats. She's dressed like Nefertiti, and if it weren't for my unexpected expertise in doing winged eyeliner, she'd be going for a Nefertiti got punched in the eye then fell down the stairs look. Then again, if it weren't for her, (actually, very expected) prowess with hair, my whole badass Buttercup from the Power Puff Girls thing I wanted, would look like Buttercup was growing her hair out. My too short green and black dress wasn't going to cut it. Skylar pinned my hair up (I swear with about a million pins) so that my hair looked short. In fact the end product was so good Eli whispered in my ear that he'd be Mojojojo (is that how you spell it?) any day just so I could be rough with him.

Wink, wink.

So, thanks Skylar. You're not that bad, after all.

"So." she says, "I was thinking I'd knock on the door and pretend that I need Imogen's help with my splits, even though I don't, and then you guys can climb through her bedroom window, steal the trophy and then BOOM!, revenge."

I know Skylar is smart and whatever but there's just no way you can forget the cheerleader in her. Even Chase laughs. "No." he says, pulling Skylar's head against his bare chest. He says that Skylar begged him to be a Pharaoh for the night but I'm convinced he just wanted to show off his abs. Who would blame him? He looks great. "Babe, that's a terrible idea."

Skylar pouts. "I don't hear anything better. Who says she'll be home anyway?"

"Oh, she's at home alright." I say, "Probably watching reruns of the Addams Family."

Eli looks at me with wide blue eyes. "It's scary how right you are." he says. I shrug. What else could she be doing? It wasn't like she was a party girl. It wasn't like she was one of the many teenagers headed to Declan's epic annual Halloween party. We think in silence. I startle when I hear Skylar snap her fingers.

"Here's my idea. I can disconnect the mains to the electricity and when the lights go out, Rori and Chase can scare her while Eli steals the trophy from her room. That way you get double revenge."I really, really, really like the sound of that.

I have to stare at Skylar for a while. I don't think I'll ever get used to the way she keeps surprising me with these ideas. Then I grin at her. "Perfect." I say. I rub my hands together and make my voice deep and creepy. "Let's do this."