The Scraps

08 | diwiwiti

diwiwiti {Javanese} >> a beginning,inexperienced,starts

08.

Halloween is a Winchester family favourite pastime.

When we lived in Rosewood Close, Mom and Dad would decorate the house in the ghoul-iest way possible from the beginning of October. Lena and I would do a Halloween movie marathon – one scary film every day until the 31st of October. Dad would be hiding all our candies from Mom, of course, and I would be helping Mom make costumes for Chloe.

It's drastically different this year.

As the leaves started to turn brown into October, only Chloe dragged the plastic pumpkin Jack-o-Lantern from one of our unopened boxes, putting it on our kitchen countertop. I looked up from my cereal bowl to my goofy yellow-haired sister when she successfully managed to prop it up.

"Happy October!" she grinned up at me. "We're going to start making my unicorn costume today!"

I nod, slowly. "Right, because it's spooky month."

Chloe ran again into the living room to find more Halloween decorations.

"Happy October!" Lena shouted next to me. As she sat on the counter, giving the same identical cheery grin Chloe gave me earlier, I knew she wanted something from me. "I need you to cover for me tonight."

"Are we not doing Halloween movie marathons as usual?" I asked, munching my cereal again.

"I have a date tonight."

Of course, Helena Winchester has a date.

"With whom?" I asked again.

"Logan Crofton," she smiled much more largely at me, "and don't tell Mom."

"Do I need to prop the side ladder again? Like the last time?"

"...Please?" she pouts, batting her huge brown eyes at me. I wanted to say no. However, I want to keep the peace inside the house—Mom didn't need to know of Lena's whereabouts as of lately. One cheerleader suspended kid is enough.

"Will you bring me back fries from McDonalds?" I asked in turn, as I got up to put my now empty bowl of cereal to the sink.

"Thank you! Thank you!" My older sister yelled, going back upstairs. "I will bring back fries later!"

She probably won't. it's the thought that counts. Plus, the blackmail.

Speaking of blackmails, the one looming in the horizon is due soon. Nick and I cannot agree on a topic, and both of us had used up a lot of our time in the library to not talk to each other. Or bicker constantly about nothing. Not like anyone cares of our secret plotting. I heard they're still busy talking about the new Homecoming Kings, with Mireille sulking in the corner with her date.

Chloe came back to the kitchen again with her unicorn drawing, again. She looked so happy at the prospect of treat or treating and making up a night of make-believe. With that, she inspired the issue I would bring up in the Gazette.

"Unicorn. Costume. This. Year."

I nodded at my younger sister's impish grin. "You got it."

----

"I want to re-write my story," I told Nick at his seat in the library that afternoon, his flask on his hand. "Throw out our ideas of fashion and artistic editorial pieces, anything that is something outside the school. Pick my story."

He eyed me up and down, and took a swig of his drink.

I took the flask away from him. He sighed, finally looking at me with the same seriousness.

"I'm serious. For the Gazette."

"You don't have a really sad story and you're suspended," he said plainly. "Can I-?"

"Yes, I know. I mean," I took a pause, "I want to take back the event through third person, in my name."

"That's a bit conceited."

"Not conceited. It's smart," I poked his head. "It maintains my anonymity. It also makes a great opinion editorial piece on high school cheerleading and the rumour mill. It's like clickbait. You open up an article expecting a piece bashing on me, Haley. But really, it's a work of art on how people really couldn't get the bottom of it. Because everything surrounding it is still a mystery."

He puffed his cheeks.

"That...is not a bad idea."

"I can type up a draft by tomorrow. You can start designing it by tomorrow," I sat next to him.

He cocked his head to the side. "You know we're not obligated to do a great job at it."

"I want to do competitive school cheerleading," I shot back, "but I'm not obligated to become its captain."

"You're not their captain," he corrected.

"I was," I argued, despite knowing my term ended early. "And I can."

"You know, next time, it's going to be my idea," he reminded.

I rolled my eyes, getting back to my lunch. "Sure, Nick."

----

"This is Valerie Symons," Miss Birdie introduced Nick and I to a gangly girl with a purple streak on her dark hair after Advanced English, "she's the one uploading the work on The Gazette's website. She is also an avid photographer, but her design skills are much suited for the website."

Valerie gave me a half wave, revealing an earbud that popped in her left ear. I could tell we would get along quite nicely. I gave out a kind smile.

"Once you and Nicholas finish the article for the month, you can find her. How...far along are you with it?"

Nick and I stared at each other. We were just talking about it during lunch. He was looking expectantly at me for an answer.

"We are almost done," I lied smoothly. "Almost."

My teacher nodded. "Alright, can't wait to read it with the rest of the student body. Oh, and we needed a name for the column, as well."

"...right."

We never discussed that. Once Valerie and Miss Birdie said their goodbyes, we went on our separate directions. Or so I thought. My mind was racing at how I was to finish the draft and follow-up with Chloe's costume, and maybe telling Valerie to keep ourselves anonymous.

"Hey," Valerie caught up with me, "The Bird told me that you guys wanted to be anonymous."

I turned to her. "Oh, yes. If that's not a lot of trouble. I feel like it would...not go well if Nick and I made articles in The Gazette."

"I heard about what happened to you. Gee, Jana did a number on your Gazette article," she crossed her arms. "Have you read it?"

"No, actually," I bit my lips together. "I don't really read the Gazette. It probably brings down my self-esteem again."

She snorted. "Good choice."

"I try," I smiled wryly. 

AUTHORS NOTE:

Hello, people who read this. Thank you for the votes and reads and comments so far, and I am incredibly grateful you are all as patient as I am in this journey of Nicholas and Haley in the Scraps.

Love, Ken.