Summary - Lisa needs a costume for a party, and she decides to steal one her sister made. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea...
Author's Note - Thanks again for all the kind comments and emails; it really means a lot. Sorry I'm so bad at updating stuff... really hope that you enjoy this story, since Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year :) Again, if you have any suggestions or complaints, please, I'd love to hear them; I want to get better!
The characters portrayed meet and surpass the age of 18.
*****
"But Lexie... "
"No buts, Lisa!" My twin sister glared at me, and then gave me an insufferable sigh. "The last three times I've loaned you outfits, you've ruined them! I don't care about this dumb Halloween party, or this guy you're trying to score with, you are NOT going to take my costume there! I worked really hard on it."
I tried to resist the urge to grind my teeth in frustration; I really needed that costume. "You're not even using it tonight! You're going to be going to the stupid library, studying for a dumb magic test!
Lexie gave an irritated sigh, tossing her long blonde hair over shoulder like she always did when something was bothering her. "I have a big exam on charms and potions coming up this weekend; you do too, Lisa. And don't make me write home to mom and dad about how you're slacking off on studying to go out chasing boys."
I threw a pillow at her head, but the stupid dork ducked under it, and it knocked a lamp off my desk with a crash. Lexie gave me a condescending
tut
before she whipped out her wand. In an instant, the lamp was fixed. "Besides," the know-it-all added, "If you were focusing on studying, you would know how to make a costume. I made mine and it only took a few days."
"For what?!" I shot back at her, looking for more pillow weaponry. "Like a geek like you has any Halloween plans!"
Lexie turned beet red, and I knew I had scored a direct hit. "I'll have you know, that costume is going to be for a very special night with Roy."
I gagged at her, rolling around on the bed in mock agony "Roy?! He's a bigger nerd than you! Have some standards, Lexie!"
She stuck her tongue out at me, the model of maturity. "I not only have standards, I have a costume. And you aren't getting it, so there." And with a huff, she grabbed her backpack and stormed out of the dorm.
Bleh... why did I think sharing a dorm with my sister would be a good idea?
- - -
Hours later, and my mood had gone from bad to worse. Every costume store in the area was closed on Sunday, and my attempt at making a cute nurse outfit had ruined two of my tops.
I threw the ruined clothes in the trash, grumbling to myself. This was going to be the biggest party of the year, and Chen was going to be there, handsome, funny, perfect Chen... and he didn't have a date! This would be the perfect time to flirt with him, but I would look like a total loser if I was the only one there without a costume!
Royally ticked off, I kicked the door of Lexie's closet, and it rattled open a bit, revealing a few shirts on hangers. I stared at them for a second, then threw a suspicious glance at the dorm door. A moment later I was buried under clothes, tossing them on the floor as I dug through the shelves. Finally, I found the dumb thing, hidden under some tissues in the bottom drawer.
I hadn't actually seen Lexie's finished costume, and she had seemed a little secretive about it. Now I knew why... it was some kind of dorky looking cow costume, made out of what looked like black and white felt. There were even mittens and boots shaped like hooves, a pair of plastic horns, and an honest-to-goodness cowbell on a big leather collar. I stared at the thing in shock as I held it up; it looked like a first grader had pieced it together!
"This was that loser's big secret?" I muttered to myself in disbelief. "And a special night with this costume... ewwww, Lexie, I take back what I said, you're waaaay weirder than Roy!" But beggars could definitely not be choosers, and heck, I might be able to accessorize this outfit in a way that Lexie never could; I
was
the cute one, after all. As I unfolded the costume over the back of my chair, though, a little yellow post-it note on one of the legs caught my eye. I tore it off, reading Lexie's ooh-so-perfect handwriting
" 'I mean it, Lisa, don't you dare wear this outfit, or you'll regret it'!" I read out in a dramatic voice, crumpling up the note and tossing it back in Lexie's closet. "Yeah, maybe if the fashion police are there." Looking at the clock, I quick began to change, wiggling into the costume. I had to admit, it was a lot more comfortable than it looked; the fabric felt surprisingly nice wherever it touched my bare skin; it had to be a softer material than felt, even if it looked a bit rough. I thought for a moment, shrugged, and decided to go the whole mile with the cowbell too, putting the collar around my neck. The bell clanked and jangled as I cinched it on, and I admired myself in the mirror as I pulled my hoof mittens and boots on.
"Aw jeez... " I actually blushed a little looking at the outfit, shivering a bit as I felt a warm rush of heat travel through me; the stupid thing looked so bulky, almost too big, totally hiding my trim figure. Plus, it was just so unbelievably dorky; I didn't want Chen thinking I was a total loser weirdo like Lexie. Still, a lame costume was better than none at all, and I could play it off like a joke or something.
Another glance at the clock shook me out of my stupor; I didn't want to miss my chance with Chen! I took a few awkward steps towards the door, fumbling in the strange, heavy black boots I had on, and pawed a little at the door knob. With the stupid mittens, it was a chore to try and grip anything, and they were so thick that I couldn't even feel through them.
"Stupid Lexie and her stupid gloves," I muttered, trying to grip the knob clumsily with my wrists, but the dumb thing was too slippery.