That night we were attending the Halloween dance then going out trick or treating with Anna and Kate. Then we were going to the Halloween party at my place where there'd be drinking food and a séance.

We all arrived in school dressed in our costumes. Mandy was a flapper, amber was Etta James, puck was james dean. Lily my sister was of course a lily. Rebecca was fire. Alexa and tom were frida and Diego. Brittany was a duck Santanna was a salsa dancing tomato. Her sisters were guacamole. Finn was brad from rocky horror. Quinn was a '50's housewife and Sam her boyfriend a '50's businessman. Marie was Josephine baker. Rachel was grizabella from cats an overly dramatic costume of course. A few weeks earlier the girls and I'd gone shopping for long winter coats which we were wearing over our costumes.

When we got to school the hall was crowded with students dressed in costume. We saw everything from aliens to xylophones.

"omygod you look adorable," Mandy told me as we all crowded into the auditorium.

Dianna had lent me her glinda costume from when she was in wicked.

"Thank you. It's a little hard to move in though," I said.

The skirt of the dress was huge and poufy.

"And you don't look so bad yourself," I told Mandy.

"And look! I can even Charleston," Mandy cried doing the dance.

I looked down at her feet while she danced.

"Did you learn that just for Halloween?" I asked.

"No. I've been wanting to for awhile. It's so easy. No wonder the women in the '20's were so thin."

"Hey great job," puck said coming over.

"Thanks," Mandy said.

"I can't even do that."

He tried rather unsuccessfully to Charleston. We laughed.

"And I know Cory couldn't," Tina said coming over.

She was gorgeous in a purple silk kimono and her hair up. Her face was painted white.

We laughed at her remark.

"You're gorgeous," Mandy told her.

"Thanks so'r you."

I saw a trace of sadness in Mandy's eyes.

'You ok?' I mouthed.

She swallowed; 'yeah fine'

'If you…you know. Need to talk'.

'Later'

'Ok'

"You….you do know what a geisha is?" I said to Tina.

"mmm yes. It's an homage to my ancestory," she replied saying 'homage' dramatically.

"My princess I've found you," puck said taking my hand and dipping me.

Rachel cleared her throat clearly envious of the attention I was getting.

"And my prince," I smiled.

I stood looking at pucks black and white costume trying to figure it out.

"But….what are you supposed to be?" I asked.

"A guitar."

"Oh cool."

"Hey cool costume man," mike said coming over.

"Thanks. You look dapper."

"I'm confused. Who are you?" Brittany asked.

Mike stuck his hands down by his hips and walked a penguin walk.

"Oh, Bert," puck, Tina and Mandy chorused.

"From Mary poppins," Santanma said.

"No, actually. He's Chaplin," I said.

Mike looked at me; "that's right."

Serena came over dressed in a beautiful poufy pink yellow and blue gown.

"Hey what are you?" puck asked her.

"I'm a princess," she replied.

"We're all princesses love," I told her; "and actually I'm glinda."

"Oh from wicked."

"Yeah Dianna lent me her costume."

We made our way down the hall and into the gym where the cheerleaders performed. Santanna and her sisters salsaed Sam and Dianna did a duet. It was fun.

Once we finished there we made our way door to door to collect candy. I sighed.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked.

"I just…around this time of year I miss my mother."

"I completely understand dear. I lost mine too."

"I know. She was the one who. Um. Taught me about being spiritual."

"And speaking of….look at that gorgeous creature."

I looked ahead where he'd indicated. In the classroom along the back wall was a stunning young woman. She was afircan-american with tight black curls. She was wearing a black dress. On the windowsill behind her were lit candles.

"Who lights candles during the day?" amber asked.

"A certain kindof woman does," I replied.

"I know exactly what you mean," puck said.

"And you know that how?" Brittany asked.

"You'll find out soon enough."

We continued our trick or treating with the woman following. We then went up to the choir room for Halloween baked goods. We weren't having rehearsal but Mr. schue had invited us to his small Halloween party.

"This is great. No rehearsal just. Time to relax," Ben said as we entered.

"I know."

"ooh cupcakes," Mandy said spying them on the piano.

"How bout one for you, cupcake?" Sam asked Dianna.

"Hey I thought you were a '50's couple not a '40's couple," I said.

"Can't we be both?" Dianna replied.

In the backround I heard rocky horror playing.

"Of course this cuts into our rehearsal time…" Rachel muttered.

"Rachel. Would you relax?" Cory said.

"Well I want to win nationals."

"Yes we know."

"Halloween's not about winning."

Ben grabbed 2 cupcakes giving one to me.

"Thanks hun," I said sitting down and smoothing my dress.

He sat down next to me.

"ooh witches brew," Santanna said picking up a tall glass of something that had smoke drifting over the top of it.

"Or, you know in the words of miles Davis. Bitches brew," Dianna said.

"You'd know about that," Rachel said.

"Hey!"

"Ladies let's not fight," Chris said.

"Did you see the girl?" Ben asked.

"The one in black?" I asked.

He nodded; "uh huh."

"She is gorgeous."

"I know and she's been following us all morning. Wonder what she wants."

"I've a pretty good idea. Don't be surprised if she shows up at my house tonight."

"uh ok."

'Maya,' somebody whispered along my ear.

I looked behind me and noticed the young woman standing in the hall.

'Maya', she mouthed.

Puck had grown quiet.

"Hey. You alrite?" I asked.

"Yeah I'm just, kinda sad," he answered.

I sighed; "yeah, Halloween does that to people."