And Boyfriend Makes Three ♡ One Year Spin-Off

15. Trick or Treat

Halloween. A holiday for spooky hijinks, costumes and candy. What isn't in that description is a day full of stressful classes that make your head feel like it's been turned into mush but that's how I spend most of my holiday. 

I'm sitting in my final class of the day, Chemistry, and I feel as if my head will literally explode if my professors try to put anymore information into my brain. I glance down at my phone and smile as I find a text from Molly. Discreetly I open the text and find a picture of Leah wearing the bunny costume that Jason had decisively bought her a couple days ago. I chuckle, shaking my head in amusement. My girls were adorable. 

"Something catch your eye?" I turn around in my seat to face Cadence and shrug my shoulders in nonchalance. We hadn't talked much since I found out she was dating Troy since we didn't have much to discuss. Clearly any friendly connection I thought we had was all in my head if she was dating the one person who thought Molly wasn't worth my time. "Are you going to ignore me forever?"

"Maybe" I reply softly. We had about three minutes left in class so I don't know what I thought would happen if our professor caught us talking but I hated confrontation. 

"Can I at least explain myself?"

"I don't need an explanation Cadence; your motives were made quite clear when you showed up with Troy on your arm."

"But-." The bell rings and I immediately jump out of my seat and start gathering my things to leave. "Elliot" she sighs, grabbing onto my arm. My eyes widen as I look down at where she's touched me. "Give me two minutes and then you can go home to your family. Please."

I release a deep sigh, collapsing back onto my chair and looking at her intently. "You have one minute."

"Thank you" she smiles, removing her hand from my arm and placing it in her lap. "Look, when we met in the church I had no idea you were the Troy's friend. The advice I gave you was genuine."

"How? Troy hates Molly and you love Troy."

"I don't agree with everything Troy does and says just because we're together" she protests. "I think the way he treats you is wrong. It's your life and you're allowed to make whatever decisions you want and I don't believe that you should be ridiculed for them. You deserve happiness."

"So you're dating someone whose values don't align with yours in any way, shape or form?"

She chuckles. "Elliot you're doing the same thing. You're dating a woman whose the complete opposite of you yet it works because through all the differences the one thing you have in common is the love you share. Love is complicated and messy but it's unbelievably rare and beautiful and you shouldn't let my boyfriend ruin that."

I purse my lips, taking in her words. She didn't actually seem all that crazy. She was actually making some sort of sense. "Okay."

"Okay what?" she asks confusedly. 

"Okay you're forgiven" I reply, standing up and grabbing my things. "And tell Troy I won't be coming over tonight for the movie marathon, I'm going trick or treating with my girls."

She smiles, nodding her head. "I'll let him know. Have fun."

"I plan to" I reply before turning around and leaving the classroom. 

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I'm walking up to our front door when I see him. I knew he'd be joining us tonight but I was unsure how it was going to go. It wasn't that I didn't like Jason or that we didn't get along but there was still that little tinge of awkwardness when we were forced to hang out. "Hi Jason" I greet him, pulling out my house key. 

"Oh. Hey Elliot. I knocked but I don't know if she heard me" he chuckles. I nod, unlocking the door and pushing it open. It's easy to hear Leah's cries as soon as you walk inside and within seconds Molly is walking down the hallway with the little girl in her arms. 

"Oh. Hi guys" she says, looking past me towards Jason. "I wasn't expecting you yet" she tells Jason but he shrugs, walking towards her and grabbing their daughter from her arms. 

"I was already in the neighborhood and figured a little extra time with my girl wasn't a bad thing" he smiles, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "Trick or treat starts at six, right?"

"Yep" she nods, glancing at me. "How was school?" she asks conversationally. 

"Long" I reply, fixing my backpack on my shoulder. "I'm gonna go change." She nods and I walk off down the hallway to put down my stuff and change into something more appropriate for the weather rather than my comfort. I'm in the middle of pulling on a flannel when the door opens and Molly walks in. 

"I didn't know he'd be here yet."

I shrug. "He's allowed to get here early. It's fine babe" I assure her, abandoning my buttoning task and moving towards her instead. She smiles as I encircle her waist. "I missed you today."

"Oh? I bet I missed you more" she coos, wrapping her arms around my neck. I chuckle, leaning down for a kiss that she quickly deepens while dropping her hands to my naked torso. "You should really button this" she murmurs, stepping back from me and I chuckle. "You make it so hard to control myself."

"Oh and the other night when you climbed into my bed half-naked made it totally easy to control my urges" I fire back causing a blush to rise on her cheeks while I button my shirt. "We're both getting a bit too good at teasing."

"So it seems" she agrees, biting into her lower lip. "Maybe we should get back out there before Jason thinks there's something going on in here."

"Oh he definitely already thinks that" I laugh. "But come on" I add, taking her hand and leading her back out to the living room. 

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"Mom's turn" Jason announces as we stop in front of another house. We had all been taking turns walking Leah up to houses to get candy (that she couldn't even eat) and it had cycled back to Molly's turn. 

"Come on bunny" she coos, cradling the baby in her arms and walking up to the house while Jason and I hang back and wait. I glance over at him and quirk my lips to the side. I wish we could find some similarities that would make hanging out any less awkward. 

"So, you're in med school" he says conversationally and I chuckle, nodding my head. 

"Yep."

"How's that going?"

"Fine" I reply vaguely. I'm not trying to be short with him but I just don't know what else to say. I was in med school and it sucked most of the time. Since I started dating Molly every single second I'm away from her all I can do is think about her which was starting to make class very difficult. Not to mention, my friendships were crashing and burning. 

"Cool." Molly walks back finally and we keep walking until we stop in front of another house and Jason takes is turn with Leah. I lean on the stroller while we wait and Molly looks down at me worriedly. 

"Everything okay?"

"Just tired" I reply, forcing a smile onto my face. "Long day."

"I know" she nods. "But I appreciate you coming with us. I really wouldn't have wanted to celebrate her first Halloween without you."

I smile, reaching up and catching her lips in a kiss. "I wouldn't have missed it. I love you Molls."

"I love you too El" she agrees, kissing me once more. 

"Alright, time for the next house" Jason interrupts, walking back from the house. Molly and I pull apart, blushing profusely while we head to the next house.