"I need an alibi for Halloween," I told Sunday and Dan the next day.

They both looked at me in incomprehension. There hadn't been much of a context for my request; I'd just sprung it on them out of nowhere between classes, because the sooner I had this whole thing figured out, the better. "Felicia invited me to this big Halloween party," I explained, "and I need a reason why I can't go. Brandon will kill me if I don't find one," I added with an apologetic half-smile. "He wasn't happy about that sleepover already."

Dan gave me a long look. "And you're still dating him?"

"I…" Suddenly I felt unsure of myself, of everything. "We're not dating, really," I said. "At least, I don't think we are? We've never had that conversation."

Dan stared.

"It's been a month," he said. "And you guys are still, what, just hanging out? And you let him tell you who you spend your time with?" He flung a disbelieving gesture at me. "Dude!"

I shook my head. "It's not like that," I insisted. "He just wants to spend more time with me…and he's going to be worried about the party. He doesn't like me talking to other guys—"

"Jealous much?" said Dan, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"It's not about jealousy!" I replied. "He's worried I might run into a creep, or someone who hurts me. I know how it looks like to you, but I promise he just cares—"

"Enough to still not call you his girlfriend," Dan retorted, chewing, "and treat you like a dirty little secret?"

I jolted. "Felicia would never let us see each other if she knew—"

"Nah, man." Dan crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Trust me, I know a creep when I see one. You're making excuses and he sucks."

Sunday rolled her eyes. "You're just jealous of him," she said.

Dan took another bite. "I wouldn't mind him if he was a decent human being," he replied. "I'm not jealous, Sunday, I'm worried about Pearl and I'm kinda shocked that you're not."

She just shrugged and turned back to me. "So anyway, you wanna use us as an excuse to give Felicia and then go hang out with your Prince Charming?" She winked, and I laughed.

"Maybe," I replied. "I haven't actually thought that far. As long as I don't go to that party, I guess it's fine?"

Sunday's eyes lit up. "Come celebrate with us for real then," she said with an unsettling glee in her eyes. "Halloween is the best day of the year! It's gonna be so much fun!"

I thought about that for a moment, wondering if Brandon might have any problem with me hanging out with the two of them. Probably not as much as with Felicia. Plus, celebrating Halloween with friends…it did sound tempting.

"I have to talk to Brandon," I mused. "But if he's okay with it, I'd actually love to!"

Sunday opened her mouth, and Dan shot her a warning look. "You are not inviting that guy to the party," he said sharply. "Putting my foot down. Don't you dare."

She made a face. "Okay, okay. Don't worry, I don't want my Halloween party ruined with you guys and your fighting," she said. "Just us three. Does that sound fun, or does it sound fun?"

I grinned back. "Awesome!"

"Hell yeah, free candy," said Dan. "As long as you guys take care of my costume. And don't paint my face."

Sunday made a face. "You let me do it last year!"

"And it took me two hours to get that sticky stuff off again," he replied, grimacing. "Just give me a mask or something?"

I laughed. "Don't worry, Sunday," I said, "you can still do my makeup!"

Sunday's whole face lit up in a way that promised either trouble or the most brilliant costume I'd ever see. "Really?"

I hadn't even asked Brandon, but I was already looking forward to it.

~ ~ ~

Brandon, as it turned out, didn't really have a problem with it.

"Sure, do what you want," he said with a shrug. "I'm not celebrating Halloween anyway."

"Really?" I asked, baffled. "How come?"

"It's just lame." He stuck his hands into his pockets and stared ahead into the distance. "Everybody puts on cheap costumes and acts like they're having the time of their life, but really they're just following the rules again. Act normal when people say so. Be weird when it's allowed, and only in a way that's allowed." He scoffed. "What's the point? Playing dress-up is for kids."

Personally, I didn't think so, and my heart sank a little. I knew he wasn't trying to discourage me from having a Halloween party with my friends, and I knew he wasn't trying to judge me, but I still couldn't help feeling like he thought less of me for disagreeing with him. It was like—maybe he was right, I thought. Maybe this whole thing really was for kids, and a cool, mature girl would see that and ditch the Halloween party just like Brandon himself would.

And sure, it was probably silly. But I still couldn't help feeling like I should apologize.

"What are you going as?" he asked after a pause, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I blinked, startled. "Sorry, what?"

"Your costume." Brandon smirked. "Got one already?"

Does he have something in mind? I couldn't help wondering, but didn't ask. "Sunday's going to help me pick one out," I said. "She's doing my makeup too, she's good at that stuff."

"Hm." Brandon crossed his arms, raising an acknowledging eyebrow. "Then maybe you're actually gonna look spooky instead of tacky."

Personally, I didn't have a problem with cheap, tacky costumes. A really good costume took time and money and, most importantly, lots of skill, and most people didn't have all of these. I knew that, without people like Sunday at my side, I certainly wouldn't.

But I didn't say that either. I just took the support where I could get it and thanked my lucky stars that the Halloween party was apparently a go.

~ ~ ~

"Pearl!" Felicia greeted me as I joined the girls at our table, smiling that winning smile I never quite knew how to feel about. "We've been waiting for you, sit down!"

Puzzled, I slid into my usual seat across from her and was met with an expectant smile from Louie. "Waiting for me?" I asked. "What's going on?"

Louie beamed from ear to ear. "Costumes," she chimed.

It took me a second to realize what she was talking about. "Wait!" I said. "I never said I was going to that party!"

Louie's smile faded a little, and Felicia furrowed her brow. "Not?" she asked. "Do I have to, like, talk to your parents or something?"

"What? No, no!" I shook my head. "The thing is, well, Sunday asked me to celebrate Halloween with her, and she doesn't have anyone else. Well, except Dan." I smiled apologetically. "So I think it's better if I go there instead of that party, you know?"

Felicia pursed her lips, clearly thinking.

"Sunday," she repeated. "Sunday Fontana?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but—"

"Don't worry about it." She gave me a smile that promised nothing good. "I got this."

~ ~ ~

"Wait," I said, certain that I had misheard, or at least misunderstood. "You got invited to the big Halloween party?"

Sunday looked like she couldn't really believe it herself. "Me and Dan," she said.

That didn't make it any less baffling. "And you said yes?"

"Sure?" she replied. "Don't give me that look, Pearly, I said no at first. But then they brought up the costume contest and there's no way I'm gonna miss that."

Costume contest. I hadn't heard of that before; Felicia hadn't mentioned it the other day. Still, with Sunday's skill, it sounded like just the thing for her.

"I'm sure you'll win," I said, smiling weakly. "But it's, uhm…are you sure you still need me there?"

"Yeah," said Sunday. "Why, got a change of plans?"

"Not really, but…this party, it's a bit…"

"Yeah, yeah, popular kids there and stuff." Sunday rolled her eyes. "Who cares? We're much cooler than the cool kids anyway!"

"Sure," I said distractedly. In my mind I was already circling to the things to say to Felicia—and how to explain this whole dilemma to Brandon.

"…Pearl?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not thinking about ditching me, right?" Sunday bent down to regard me from below. "C'mon, you can't leave me alone with the in-crowd, I'd die of boredom!"

That was…a pretty solid argument, I had to admit. But that didn't get rid of a very important problem.

I would have to talk to Felicia.

Although I had no idea what I was going to say, since the truth still wasn't an option.