"I was so very afraid because y-y-you, you, you..." The words were stuck in her throat yet she kept trying to pry them out. "You-huhuhuhuhuuuu..." she moaned. "It's going to be okay, Maya." Jaja reassured her with a playful pat on the back and slide to her hip. "Besides, it's not just me who's okay because of you, y'know." Bridget sauntered over to them hesitantly, her arms tucked tightly behind her back and her gaze cast low to the floor. "Sorry..." she whimpered. "This is my fault..."

"If only I hadn't told you in the first place, then it wouldn't have happened...to be honest, I was delighted to finally have friends - being selfish like I was, though...I caused you trouble and you even got hurt. I was afraid that you will be scared to spend time with me now that you know about my family..." she coughed weakly. "Also, Kenta is not actually my fiancée...I want the Kurogae gang to believe that I'm already engaged to him so they wouldn't bother me."

Bridget sighed, as if shifting a large weight. "Obviously it's having the opposite effect entirely..." She looked down even further. "I'm a terrible friend...if you can even begin to call me that - you really shouldn't." Jaja stared at her blankly. "Girl...we're not scared of you because your dad is some mafioso...you're his daughter. Besides, isn't it scarier that you're friends with a ghost now? Come on...who do you take us for?"

Maya recoiled away in surprise. "Huh?! You think I'm scary? Really?" she asked. Loi and Kenta joined the conversation. "Yeah...she does have a point, Maya being a ghost and all that..." Jaja growled at the pair, "Shut it! This is GIRL talk! It doesn't concern you at all!" She turned to face Bridget. "What Maya and I are TRYING to say is that a true friend will accept you no matter who or what you are..." Bridget rushed the two of them with waterfalls protruding from her eyesockets. "Wuhuhuhuhuhu..." she wailed. 

"Stop crying!" Jaja reprimanded her sternly. Bridget sniffed, regained her composure and clapped her hands. Immediately, three well-dressed servants appeared with graciously bowed heads. Bridget raised her hand gracefully. "As a show of celebration and a token of my utmost respect.." she ushered to her newly gathered entourage. "Yes, Milady. How may we be of assistance?" Jaja was stunned. "W-where did they come from?" Bridget smiled warmly and looked over to Maya. "Your secrets are safe with me." 

Bridget's servants produced tray after covered tray as they stood in a line, each abreast the other. The girls partook of delicious foods and sundries, decadent desserts and puffy pastries. Bridget didn't hold back when it came to celebrating. These were precious friends after all. 'I can't believe my luck!' Maya beamed and tucked into a chocolate croissant, devouring the treat in rapid succession.

---

At school the next day, the instructor gathered Kenta and Jaja in the classroom alone. "I supposed you might be here..." he sneered. "You're wondering why I've gathered just the two of you here, yes? You two have failed the test!" Kenta and Jaja were stunned. "What?!" They flew to him and prostrated on the floor, begging him, beseeching him, "Please pass us, almighty teacher! We'll do anything we need to!" He adjusted his glasses.

"I see that the two of you are serious about passing and that's good...why don't you try studying..." They kept pleading with him. "Studying is a pain in the ass! We'll do anything that doesn't require studying!" The instructor raised his hand to his glasses once more. "Anything, you say..." 

---

"And so, now we've been assigned to make a haunted house for the whole school Halloween! This is all your fault, Loi!" Kenta groaned "Yeah, we failed because you didn't let us copy your work!" Jaja cried, despairing. "Eh? Are you guys stupid?" Loi huffed, throughly nonplussed. "It's your own fault for not studying!" he yelled. Kenta strode over and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder. "True friends..." he began, Jaja joining in, "Just these two words should be enough, no explaining or further reasoning..." 

Loi soured, a visible irksome clench present in his cheeks. "You guys are hopeless...but maybe Maya can help with the redemption project you've been asked to carry out." Returning home, Loi posed the question. "Hey Maya, do you have any time? We kind of need your help..." Maya pouted when the explanation was given to her. "Eh? You've gotta be kidding me. You know I hate scary stuff..." she protested. "You dare to call yourself a ghost with that ridiculous constitution?" Loi howled at her.

Kenta appealed to her with a somber look and clenched fist.. "Please Maya, you HAVE to help us...it is a matter of life and death..." Maya looked at Loi and raised a speculating eyebrow. "Loi, I thought you had taken out the trash already...what is this doing here?" Kenta froze. "I'm trash?" he squeaked, barely audible. "Please, Maya?" Jaja leaned toward her with joined hands of prayer. Maya scoffed and waved her away. 

"C'mon guys, you know I hate scary stuff..." Jaja perked up. "Don't worry, Maya...all you have to do is scare them, not the other way around!" 

---

"Ta-da!" Kenta exclaimed with showmanship woven into his voice. "I'm Frankenstein's monster!" He gestured to painted scars and coloured cardboard bolts. Maya frowned deeply. "Nah, you still look like the same trash to me..." she griped. 'Still...trash...' Kenta moped. Jaja chuckled and addressed Bridget, who had joined them unceremoniously. "Thank you for the costume, Bridget..." Bridget grinned. "It's no big deal...hehe." Loi flourished his black cloak and cape, drawing it across his torso theatrically. "How about mine? Looks good, no?" 

Maya shot him an approving wink. "Not bad..." Bridget turned to Maya and raised her hand. "I have a costume for you, but must promise not to look in the mirror...okay?" Maya pouted precociously. "Just show me! It's a simple costume, right? Like something so basic would scare me, psh." Bridget bristled. "Okay...if you say so...there you go..." 

From behind her back Bridget produced a gaunt, wizened, cachectic mask with putrid eyes oozing inky black and a dreadful smile composed of giant gritted teeth. Atop its head was a contradictory pointed hat, a single crook in the tallest end and a dainty bell, rounded animal-like ears pointing outward from either side. Maya pouted, opened her eyes and... "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed, flying backwards in sheer horror. She cowered behind Jaja. 

Jaja stroked her head lightly. "It's okay Maya, you're cute anyway..." Maya was not amused. "I don't want to even wear that scary mask! I hate scary things... I hate Halloween... Curse the inventor of Halloween!" Bridget and Loi looked on. "Is she really a ghost?" Bridget quizzed him, unconvinced. "It's quite silly, right?" he replied, rolling his eyes. "Maya, you can scare people without a costume...you're a ghost, right?" 

"Right! What a relief! No scary costumes..." she sighed with her own. Loi stared her down. "Are you sure that you're up to this?" Maya smoothly pulled her lips into a long smile with rosy cheeks. "You can count on me!" Loi kept looking at her, doubting her high appraisal. Kenta stood in place, muttering "Trash..." quietly.

---

The planning group reviewed the schematic layout for the haunted house with determination. Jaja would greet entrants near the opening, Kenta in the middle of that corridor and Loi would be posted just before the bend. Near the far end of that corridor, Bridget's opportunity to frighten festival goers arose, and just before the exit, Maya would terrify them completely. It seemed airtight. "I'm so excited!" Maya cried, clasping her hands together in front of her body.

"Good luck to us..." Loi sighed. "That's the spirit!" Jaja added, with a cheery grin. Maya looked at the crowd gathering, growing anxious when she couldn't easily count them. "So many people..." she whined. "What do you expect? This is the haunted house and it's Halloween..." Loi said flatly. Maya, hesitant, asked "Is okay to quit while we're ahead?" Loi shook his head vehemently. "No!" 

"Hey guys! We're getting ready to start!" Jaja called over to them. She shuffled to the entrance and harkened to the crowd. "Welcome to the haunted house! If you're ready to enter, please come in! Groups of two only!" Two students entered first, boy and girl. "It's so dark in here..." the boy whispered. "I'm kind of scared..." the girl replied, gripping his blazer. "Welcome to the haunted house...please press the play button..." Kenta droned, holding a large screen in front of him.

"Uh...okay..." The boy pressed the button on the screen. Large cracks materialized all over. "What have you done to my tablet?!" Kenta demanded. "I just pressed the play button..." the boy replied meekly. "You need to pay for it now! If you don't, He's going to kill you..." Kenta breathed, dangerously. The couple stood there for a beat. "He's here..." Kenta whispered fearfully at them. Loi slinked around behind the pair and hissed a resounding "Boo!" right into their ears. "Aaaaaaaahhhhh!" they bellowed, terrified and shaking. 

---

Down the far hall, Bridget appraised the various echoes between each encounter. "They're doing good...I hope Maya is holding up okay..." She popped out of a wall to scare another group, lest they be ambushed further. "Huhuhu...I'm scared...can I come with you guys?" Maya slowly popped up from the table she was ducking behind. "Kiyaaaaaaa!" the pair screamed, horrified, dashing for the exit. "Wait! Don't leave me behind!" she cried after them, forlorn. "I-i-it's too dark in here for me to see...huhuhu..."