ONE CHANCE, kotlc

Chapter 10: You and I

Months passed, and she still got teased mercifully by Stina. Thanksgiving had flown by, and everyone spent the day together with their family. Halloween started to creep closer, only a few days away, and Sophie still didn't have a costume. She and her friends were competing for the Best Costume Award.

She spoke with Edaline, and later that afternoon, they were on their way.

Sophie and her family had driven down to the local Halloween shop. The store's exterior was decorated with witches, spiderwebs, posters, and a few other creepy items. With the orange banner hanging at the front, you couldn't miss it.

"Okay, Sophie," Grady said as they began to walk in. 

"Yeah?" She asked him.

"We're going to get you the best costume ever. We need to cream those people!" He pumped his fist with a teasing smile.

"Dad!" Sophie moaned.

"Grady," Edaline scolded, but even she was smiling as they walked around the store. It had everything from princesses to zombies, goblins to ninjas, and animals of all shapes, sizes, and colours.

"Wow," Sophie breathed. "What should I dress up as?" 

"There are so many options," Edaline agreed as she swept some strands of her auburn hair back. "The peacock is quite pretty." 

"It won't win any prizes," Grady had to point out as he looked around.

"I'm not trying to win, but it'd be nice," Sophie mumbled, trying to hide behind her hair from the onlookers who'd been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Well," Her adoptive mother sighed. "We'll need to find something for you." 

"Oh!" Grady dug through some clothes and pulled out a pineapple costume. "Will this work?"

"I'm not Spongebob's house Dad," Sophie complained as he put it back on the rack.

Suddenly, her phone rang, and Sophie stepped away to talk as she answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey! Sophie! It's me, Biana! I need you to go to the Halloween store and find a better costume than Marella!" Biana hissed as if someone was spying on them.

"Okay, perfect timing," Sophie nodded, hoping Biana had a good costume in mind. "I'm there right now. What costume should I wear?" 

"I don't know, but we have to beat her! Find something better!" 

"I'm not so sure—" Sophie started. 

"Okay, thanks, bye!" Biana hung up on her, and Sophie threw her phone in her pocket and sighed. 

"Who was it?" Grady asked, staring her down intently.

"Oh, no one," She muttered.

"You could be Little Red Riding Hood," Edaline offered, holding up a red-hooded costume. 

"Now that is a winning costume," decided Grady.

And a few days later, Sophie looked in her mirror at her in her costume. It was surprisingly pretty cute, even if it included a skirt. She wore a lace skirt and a black and white corset with a red ribbon around her waist. She was dressed in black flats with the iconic red cape on top. She clutched her basket, which held only a checkered handkerchief.