~*~

Chapter 1

"Happy Halloween!" Erin announced joyously as she sat in one of the squeaky padded auditorium chairs.

She received a few nods and a couple of smiles from the surrounding occupants. No one was really awake yet, and being some of the first to school didn't help brighten their moods. The general energy being emitted from their newly arrived friend was just plain annoying; but it was Halloween, and no one dared to challenge Erin's emotion about Halloween.

It was her favorite day, of all 365; everyone knew it.

"Happy Halloween!" Sadie beamed, taking a seat next to her auburn haired friend; she emitted the same electric energy.

Skittery groaned. "It's gonna be one of those Halloweens again in't?"

Sadie turned to him in mock horror, "Skittery! This is the BEST holiday of the year...don't you dare try to spoil it!" she pointed a warning finger at him.

Erin just smirked, "You know you're gonna have to dress up, and you're coming to my Halloween party of course."

Skittery frowned, "Since when?"

"Since every year you've been dating Leila!" She replied, laughingly, "besides you always have a good time...you drink, dance, eat candy, and..."

"Get scared my little plastic bats!" Racetrack laughed, plopping in a chair belonging to the row behind the quickly growing group.

"That was one time!" Skittery shouted defensively.

Racetrack raised and lowered his shoulders in a shrug.

"You bettah watch it Race, he might just soak yah one of these days." Jack added, sitting down next to his gambling friend.

Racetrack shrugged again. "So Erin, party at your house this year?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course!" She replied, beaming, "always."

"What are you dressing up as?" Sadie asked the group.

"Ugh," Skittery replied, "I can't take it no more, you'se is all too happy this mornin' i'm heading to class."

Skittery stood up and walked out.

Evie rolled her large blue eyes at his back, "Leila will pick yours out...no worries!"

The group gathered every morning, everyday of their high school lives, before class in this auditorium. It was built back in the '70s and boasted maroon cushioned seats on an upward sloped floor and a petite stage that was better suited for Shakespeare's then the larger productions.

They had all gotten the nickname newsies; they were the first to know the news of the school, were usually the creators of said news, and were generally in charge of distributing the stories around. It helped that most of them were on the newspapers staff too.

"Well if it ain't our one and only editor!" Jack boasted, shaking hands with the newly arrived boy, "How's it going Davie?"

"Fine," he replied, not enthusiastic, but not depressed, just very david-esque.

Sadie's brown eyes sparkled, turning to Erin, "Have you finished the capes?!"

"Ages ago!" Erin replied, giddily, "and i've found the perfect accessories!"

Sadie suddenly looked worried, "Am I going to be carrying around a vacuum?!"

The boys turned and looked at their holiday obsessed friends, suddenly distracted from whatever conversation they were holding.

"What are you'se ladies dressing up as?" Specs asked curiously.

"You'll see," Erin winked.

"What are you boys wearing?" Sadie asked all of them, but her eyes focused on Jack.

"I'm going as a Cowboy!" Jack proclaimed. Eliciting a row of sighs, and "of courses"

"Pirate" Blink said, proud of his decision.

"Charlie Chaplin," Specs announced.

"Gangster." Racetrack said.

Evie frowned, "Race! That's barely even a costume for you..."

He laughed, "exactly, little tah no work!"

"Where's the effort? The pride in the costume? The creativity!"

"Alrigh' alrigh'" Racetrack threw up his hands in surrender, "I'll think of somethin' good...i dunno, maybe a zombie...or somethin'"

Erin shrugged, "Better I guess."

He smirked.

"I'm goin' as Dracula!" Mush said proudly.

"That doesn't suit you at all!" Racetrack laughed.

"Yea Mush," Blink added, "That guy was some serious scare material."

"No, no," He pleaded defensively, "Think about it...he got all tha women he wanted, jus' by lookin' at em."

David snorted "He sucked their blood Mush; he killed them all."

"Well," Erin said, tuning into the conversation again. She and Sadie had been secretly conferencing off to the side about their costumes. "Except for Mina."

"Exactly!" Mush shouted.

"He didn't get her in the end though Mush...dude have you even read the book?" Erin asked.

"Nah - who needs books?" He waved her off.

"Apparently you." David said snark-ily.

"What are you goin' as Davie?" Jack asked, diverting the conversation before it came to blows.

He shrugged, adjusted the newsboy cap he wore, "I dunno, I haven't given it much thought yet."

Sadie gasped, raising a hand to her mouth in mock horror.

"Don't worry," He replied, "I'll think of something good by tonight."

Sadie turned to see a medium height brunette sauntering into the room; travel mug of tea in hand.

"Leila!" She shouted enthusiastically.

"Happy Halloween!" Erin and Sadie said simultaneously, wide smiles plastered on their faces.

Jack laughed; they really took this day a bit too seriously. They were normally such mellow girls.

"Where's Skittery?" she asked, looking through the group.

"Took off the moment we started talking about Halloween," Mush informed her.

"Ugh," She rolled her vibrant blue eyes, "Typical."

"What'd yah get for your costumes?" Erin asked her cousin happily.

Leila smirked, "We're going as Maid Marian and Robin Hood. I just read the book and I think it'll be absolutely perfect. He'd make a good Robin Hood, don't you think?"

Sadie smiled, "Sure."

"What's so funny?" Racetrack asked a quivering Erin; she looked about ready to bust.

"With...the...tights?" She squeaked, holding in laughter.

The other boys suddenly realized the potential costume for their friend and wide smiles spread across their faces.

"Of course!" Leila said, "I want it to look authentic."

Erin burst into laughter, accompanied by the other boys.

"He'll nevah agree to that," Jack warned her.

She frowned, "Well it's his own fault!" she spat, angered by some memory the other were clueless to, "We were supposed to be Indian Jones and Marion but he didn't pick up the costumes in time."

The bell rang.

Leila, still angered at her lost opportunity huffed off to class.

"I'll walk yah," Jack offered, linking arms with Sadie.

She ducked her head so he wouldn't see her blush.

The other boys filtered out in their respective directions.

"C'mon," Racetrack said, grabbing a still giggling Erin, pulling her out of the seat, "We'se don't wanna be late for newspaper."

Erin just nodded as another burst of laughter struck her. Skittery in tights was going to be priceless; it was perfect revenge for the guy who tried to ruin her favorite holiday of the year.