I hate Halloween. I hate holidays, really. They suck. They're stupid.
They are just sucky excuses for stupid people to drink and be... well, stupid.
So, I was very much grateful that Mom had to work tonight-Halloween. I knew that if she were home, she would make a big stink about how we need to make our own traditions now, and we shouldn't let a bad past ruin a great future.
AKA we shouldn't be traumatized by the fact that my father drank double his body weight and stumbled around when 'taking me trick-or-treating'. So much so that Mom usually made him stay home. And then he would be horrible to the neighborhood kids and everyone would give my mom and I dirty looks the next day.
We especially shouldn't be traumatized by how many times Mom had to pry his car keys from his hands after all those drinks so that he didn't go get into an accident while children were out walking the streets.
Nothing to see here.
Anyway, I was not so grateful when there was a knock on the door. Rather than some kid in a cheap costume, though, it was Callie.
I had to open the door, it would be rude if I didn't.
"Happy Halloween Liv!!!" Callie had two giant bags of candy in her hand, as well as a huge bag with a big poofy thing sticking out of the opening at the top.
I closed the door behind her.
"I hate Halloween. My mom is working." I told her.
"I know she is, I didn't want you to spend the holiday alone!! Here, some candy!" She opened up a bag, setting the rest of her items on the counter. "I didn't know what you liked so I got it all. Any allergies?"
I just shook my head a little.
"Cool. Want a snickers?" Callie offered.
I shrugged. I really wasn't in the mood.
She placed it in my hand, smiling at me.
"Let me guess- Mom didn't want me to be alone?" I knew Mom probably sent her. Why did she always do that? Usually it was Teddy or April, but now Callie, too.
Callie's eyebrows scrunched as she popped a Skittle into her mouth. "No. She told me she was working, so I asked what you were doing. She said nothing, and I think doing nothing on Halloween is pretty boring."
"It's fine." I shrugged. I didn't really want to do anything.
"None of your friends are having parties? When I was in high school there were always parties."
"I didn't ask." I mumbled.
"Why so sad?" She ate another Skittle.
I shrugged again. "Holidays are dumb."
"What?!" Callie looked shocked.
"What?" I didn't get it. Holidays were dumb- why was she so surprised.
"Holidays are fun!" Callie exclaimed.
"Not when you had my dad as a Dad." I laughed sarcastically. I knew Callie knew about him- I could say a little around her.
She frowned. "Well, he's not around. So, why don't we change it up, make Holidays fun again?" She looked hopeful.
"You sound like my mom. Did she give you a script?"
Callie laughed, "No! But, she's right. So am I!! Come on, I brought costumes! We can put them on and pass out candy to the little kids!"
"Costumes?"
"Yup!" Callie pulled the big puffy thing I saw when she first came in out of the bag, along with some other puffy things. "Do you want to be the pink fairy or the blue fairy?" She laughed a little, "Sorry. All I could find. But, they came with wings!!" She held up the wings.
I bit my cheek. I could either sit here and be miserable- like I would have been if my Dad was around. Or, I could make the most of it in the stupid fairy costumes.
"Blue. Pink is gross" I said, making Callie's smile grow big.
She pulled pink and blue fabrics apart and then tossed the blue parts at me. "Go in your room and get changed!! I'll change too." She picked up the pink fabric pieces.
I did so. I can't say I enjoyed the poofy blue skirt- or the tight blue leggings. Or the cheesy blue tank top. I especially did not enjoy the wings that were far too tight- I realized this costume was definitely my size. Hopefully it didn't rip. That would be horrible.
Despite the slight discomfort, I couldn't help but giggle when I came out of my room and saw Callie waiting, cheesy wings dangling from one of her arms.
"Help?" She asked through a laugh. "I can't reach the other side of the wings!"
"Are these children's costumes?" I asked, walking over and tugging until the strap reached her hand.
"Thanks. And, no! I found them in the young adult section."
I shook my head in amusement.
Callie smiled, "They were just the smallest size." She walked over to the counter, where the candy was. "It's totally fine. This is what I get for being last minute!" She laughed.
I shrugged. "I think you got lucky, at least they aren't meant for toddlers."
She smiled, clearly glad I was coming around.
"Do you guys have a big bowl we can put the candy in?"
I nodded. "Yeah. It's..." I looked up at the top shelf of one of the cabinets and sighed. "Up there. Usually I would climb on the counter to get it. I think my tights will rip if I do that."
Callie laughed, "Maybe I can reach it! Let's see..." She walked over to me, and I opened the cabinet for her.
"Right there!" I pointed.
"Oh, yeah!" Callie stood on her toes, grabbing the bowl. "This is perfect."
"You're so tall." I said, simply because I can barely see what is on that shelf without standing on the counter. Same for Mom.
She smiled, closing the cabinet. "Ok, I'll put one bag in here, you can keep the other bag. Which one do you want?" She held up the two bags of candy.
"That's ok, I don't need it." I said quickly. I didn't want her to do that.
"Don't be silly, I bought it for you! Which one?" She wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"Uh, this one." I pointed to the bag with Reese's, Three Musketeers, Starbursts, M 's and Skittles. A lot of those were Moms favorites, too. She would be able to enjoy it, that way.
"Good taste." She nodded her approval, dumping the other bag into the bowl. "Turn on the lights near the front door, that way people know we have candy to hand out." She glanced at me.
" 'Kay!" I did so, then looked at her. "Now what?"
She laughed, "Now we watch a Halloween movie in our puffy fairy skirts and eat this-" she grabbed the other bag, "bag of candy until someone rings the bell!"