Spooky Times the Charm Part 3
"Ah, what!" Cricket threw down the binoculars Vasquez let him use. "Dang it family!"
"Sorry Cricket." Remy patted his friend's back as Chip got called up to the stage for the judging line up. "But hey, there's still a chance someone else could win, right?"
Cricket forced himself to breathe. "Y-yeah, you're right. Who knows maybe-"
"And the winner is…." The judge accidentally sighed before reading out the name on the envelope. "Chip Whistler."
Most of the crowd groaned, but that didn't stop Mom, Dad, and Tilly from cheering.
Meanwhile Remy was tentatively eyeing Cricket. "H-hey Cricket you alrigh-"
Remy quickly quieted himself when he caught sight of the look on his friend's face.
"Cricket?"
Cricket didn't bother moving, continuing to stare down at the dock, his mouth pressed into a blank line. Then, Cricket suddenly shook his head.
"You know what?" Remy frowned for a second as Cricket stood up straight. "I don't even know why I'm freaking out so much, it's just a prank, and it's not like Chip doesn't kinda deserve it."
Yeah, yeah, like sure it sucked for him ,but…
Cricket shook his head. "Look, it's not like it's my doing. Plus, as long as we're there for him after, who cares right?"
"Uh," Remy's frown creased. "I mean I don't really like Chip ,but …I don't know wouldn't you want your family to stop a mean prank from happening to you Cricket?"
"I-" Cricket paused, realizing he actually didn't have a good response. "I mean sure, but…like what else can I-"
"Cricket?"
Cricket and Remy jumped as they spun around to see Gabriella and her brother- presumably looking for him-in the distance.
Cricket let out a frightened yelp as he nabbed Remy by the collar and hid them both behind a cheap decorative cauldron.
Cricket shushed Remy though he had yet to say anything.
They sat there crouched for a minute, then two.
"Phew, I think they left." Cricket shook his head in relief as he stood up.
"Hey Cricket," Cricket jumped as he spun around to see Chip standing behind them.
"Chip!" Cricket shook his head to make sure he was seeing right. "Aren't you supposed to be on stage!?"
"Hm? Oh, no they have to finish giving out prizes to the runner ups." Chip shook his head with a smirk. "I got like two minutes before they call my name and I uh, you know I just wanted to say thanks for helping convince everyone to come tonight."
Cricket's eye started to twitch under the stress as he turned a stiff grin towards Chip. "Heh, no problem."
"Yeah it's just," Chip coughed awkwardly. "I've actually never really had anyone to celebrate Halloween with, my Dad was never a big fan." The blonde laughed. "Heck he gives vegetables out to trick or treaters instead of candy."
Cricket couldn't help ,but cringe. The horror.
"So uh yeah tonight I'm actually pretty, uh what's the word…happy?" Chip shrugged with a snort. "You know especially compared to last year when I was homeless and probably in the worst head space of my life and I almost got eaten by mutant pumpkins-" The blonde shook his head as he realized he was rambling. "But uh yeah, thanks grasshopper."
With that Chip gave Cricket a few good natured head pats, completely unaware of the pure turmoil going on inside the ten year old's head.
Cricket could do nothing ,but offer a wobbly smile as he said, "Y-yeah, like I said no problem." which translated to 'AAAAAAAAAAAH!' in his head.
Chip sighed as he stood back to his full height and adjusted to the collar of his cape. "Whelp, I better get back to the line up." The blonde shot Cricket a pair of finger guns as he walked off, saying. "I'll let you have first pick of the candy when I win alright!"
"H-heh thanks, Chip." Cricket waited til the blonde was out of sight before he threw his head into his hands with a panicked groan.
He lifted his face a second later, a steely eyed look in his eye.
"Uh Cricket, you okay bud-" Remy cut himself off as Cricket yoinked him in by the shoulder.
"Remy we gotta stop the prank!"
"Oh okay." Remy shrugged nonchalantly. "How?"
"IIIII-have no idea." Cricket let his head drop with a sigh. "I can't tell on Gabriella and I sure as heck can't stop Chip."
Remy tapped his chin in thought. "Hmmmm-"
Cricket accidentally tuned his friend out as he happened to catch sight of a random guy in a Gorilla costume. For a second he almost thought it was Carlos, only to realize it was literally just a random dude.
Huh, must be a popular costume this year-wait a second!
"Remy, you have your weekly allowance on you?"
Remy perked up, pausing his contemplative humming. "Huh, yeah of course." He took out the wad of cash only to yelp as Cricket grabbed his hand and sprinted him towards the other end of the pier.
"'Kay looks like we're just about ready." Gabriella told her brother she came to crouch with him behind the stage.
"You remember to distract the old lady?" Carlos asked as he gave a sour frown at the smell of his Gorilla head, probably about time to buy a new one.
Gabriella nodded. "Told on her for bringing a sword to the contest. She's bickering with security as we speak."
"Yeesh." Carlos said as they both broke into a round of chuckles before they were both cut off by the announcer.
Gabriella sighed a second later. "Too bad Cricket's not here."
Carlos slouched a bit in reply, throwing a comforting arm over her shoulder. "Eh, don't worry about him, tonight's our night right?"
Gabriella smiled at that. "Right."
"Yeah," Carlos sighed good naturedly as he gave one last brotherly pat on the back. "Sides he's probably just goofing off somewhere, he'll probably try to find you later."
Gabriella sighed. "Probably, thanks bro -"
"Alright, hope you enjoy that glazed ham, second place winner."
"Actually my name is-"
"And now,"
"Guess it's show time." Carlos took one last deep breath before he took the plunge and slipped his Gorilla head on.
"-if the first place winner will kindly make their way to the stage."
Gabriella saluted her brother as he turned around and began edging out from behind the stage.
"ah I see you're, already here Mr. Whistler, ahem anyway please enjoy this-Oh my!"
Gabriella's eyes widened as her mouth quirked into a confused frown.
That's weird, that tended to happen, after Carlos pushed Chip off stage.
"Ho boy, this was a hasty decision." Remy said as he stood atop Cricket's head, holding tight to the candy goblet they literally snatched out of the announcer's hands before taking off into the crowd.
"What the-" Cricket vaguely heard Chip shout after them. The country boy paid little mind to it though, just kept blindly sprinting for all his worth, relying on Remy's directing them so they didn't run off into the water.
In all fairness, the plan had seemed a whole lot better in his head, if there wasn't a prize to take the winning picture with then, Chip couldn't get himself pushed off the stage and humiliated.
In retrospect they probably should've expected Chip to not give up that easily.
"Oh no you don't!" Cricket heard Chip shout behind them before the sound of someone jumping off stage and chasing after them ensued.
"Should I have Vasquez paralyze him again?" Remy asked, sounding way too nonchalant. "Also, side note we're kinda about to run off the pier."
Cricket's eyes widened as he abruptly ground his feet to a halt.
He heard Chip shout again, followed by Gramma's battle cry after probably telling the security guard bugging her to eat crow.
But that was the least of his concerns when he realized he'd accidentally leaned too far forward and Remy was catapulted off his head almost immediately.
A round of gasps were heard, no one moved.
At least Cricket didn't, too frozen in the act to know what to think.
He forced out an embarrassed sigh before eventually, turning around to face, just as he expected Gramma and Chip.
Gramma was the first to move, lowering her sword with an eye roll. "Y'all making this too complicated for me, I'll be in the Kludge."
Chip meanwhile was, very clearly looking for something to say.
"I..you..how did.." Chip frowned lowering his head to his closed fist. "Like, why?" He eventually managed.
Cricket cringed. "Uhhh"
'Uh oh, okay brain, a last minute explanation would be pretty nice right now..'
A brief stint of awkward silence settled over everyone as they waited. Cricket could feel the sweat start to trickle down his forehead as the gears in his head started turning faster than a steam engine's.
"I uh-" Cricket closed his eyes as he blurted out the first thing to come to mind. "It's me! I'm the evil Gorilla man!"
"...what?" Chip asked as he stood there looking more than a little confused. "Cricket that doesn't even make sense." He argued. "Our rivalry didn't even start til-"
"It was never about our rivalry!" Cricket interrupted with a shout. Chip raised a skeptical brow.
"Uh okay, what is it about then?" The blonde asked, patiently crossing his arms.
Cricket blinked. "Uhhhhhhhh well I uh," He coughed to give his brain time to think. "Okay the truth is…is..I was jealous!"
Chip looked taken aback. "Jealous?"
Cricket mindlessly nodded. "Yeah I uh, I've never won a costume contest before and..you just make it look so easy, I couldn't help ,but be jealous." Cricket smiled guiltily blindly hoping Chip would buy it.
Chip's eyes widened for a few seconds before he groaned, pinching the space between his brows. "Cricket… why, didn't you just tell me!?"
Cricket's eyes widened as Chip threw his hands out in exasperation. "We could've entered the partner costume contest they have at six!?"
Cricket's eyes widened as he pursed his lips into a straight line. "I uh..didn't think of that."
"Urgh, okay well, there's always next year I guess." Chip surmised with a scoff. "But like, seriously kid work on your communication skills."
Cricket nodded with a blank stare. "Sure thing Chip."
The blonde seemed satisfied with that as he shrugged and began walking off with Gramma and his well earned candy goblet.
Cricket sighed, letting his shoulders slouch as they left his line of sight. Nailed it.
"You did good Cricket." Remy comforted as he patted his back.
"Thanks Remy." Cricket sighed, letting his head droop as Remy walked off with Vasquez.
"So," Cricket about shot ten feet in the air as they realized Gabriella was standing behind them.
"G-gabby I-" Cricket swallowed as he desperately tried to find the right words. "I…"
"Woah, you're good, you're good." Gabriella placated. A brief awkward silence fell over them for a few seconds then, "So, I guess you already knew Chip."
Cricket winced before nodding guiltily. "Yeah, It's a, long story."
Gabriella nodded.
Cricket frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Basically it all started when he chipped his tooth-"
"Woah that's…complicated." Gabriella replied when Cricket finally finished.
"Heh, you got that right." Cricket agreed with an awkward chuckle. "...Sorry I had to ruin your prank."
"Aw nah, don't be." Gabriella replied.
Cricket raised his brow. "Huh? But, I thought.."
Gabby shook her head. "I mean the whole reason I decided to start doing this with Carlos was so I could stick up for my brother. I'm not gonna blame you for sticking up for yours."
Cricket's eyes widened as Gabriella smiled at him. A light blush dusted his face.
"Heh," Cricket looked down at the dock, awkwardly holding his arm. "Thanks Gab…"
"Don't mention it dum dum." Gabriella playfully punched his shoulder as they both started to chuckle.
"Well, guess I should go help Carlos take down the decorations." Gabriella shrugged as she turned the other direction. "By the way this doesn't change anything, me and my bro are totally coming for y'all next year."
"Us?"
"Well yeah," Gabriella laughed with a knowing look. "You said you'd be his costume partner next year didn't you?"
Cricket's eyes widened as he remembered. "Heh…right."
—-
"Okay we gotta start planning for next year." Chip said as he hopped into the Kludge beside Cricket.
"Alright hear me out," The blonde was already scrolling through Plinterest on his phone. "I go as Cruella DeVil, and you can be one of the dalmations I'm trying to skin."
Cricket sighed, already groaning about next year.
"We'll come back to that." Chip said as he looked back at his phone.
"Hmm, that's strange where's Gloria?" Dad raised his brow as he looked back over at his passengers.
Just as he said it though, everyone jumped with a shout as Gloria slammed her scratched up face against the window.
"What happened to you?" Gramma asked as Tilly leaned over to open the door for Gloria.
"Alley cats." Was Gloria's only explanation as she crawled to the back seat.
Everyone simultaneously winced.
"Uhhh, hey wanna hold the candy goblet Gloria?" Cricket asked in sympathy as he held it out for her.
Gloria shot him a tired glare. "Don't pity me."
Cricket shrugged, lowering the goblet, only for Gloria to take it from him anyway.
Chip meanwhile was still perusing costume ideas. "Okay how about this, Ratueouie; I'll be Linguini and you can be the rat."
Cricket groaned.
Chip hummed as he stared at his phone. "We'll save that to the maybe folder."
Hey, still better Halloween than last year.