Happy Halloween! In case you guys were wondering where I've been at, I've been writing "The Sheriff's Daughter." Unfortunately, it is only summer in that story and I did not want to make the jump from June to October. So, I'm writing a short story for you guys here. I have written quite a few Halloween stories with Wilbur and Karena, but none for Diana, so we are going back... or forward in time to Diana's first Halloween of high school. There are also some tender moments between Wilbur and Diana here. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" or "High School Story." I only own Diana, Wesley, and Karena.

STORY #33: Trick-Or-Treat

STORIES OF REFERENCE: Diana's High School Story; Hope

NARRATOR: Diana

October 31, 2059 – WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, USA

"Diana Robinson!"

I closed my locker and turned to my right toward Maria Flores, a tall black-haired junior in high school who was walking towards me with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Maria," I greeted her with a smile. "What's up?"

"I just got the green light for a Halloween party tonight at my house!" Marie replied with excitement.

"Oh my gosh, that's amazing!" I squealed. "What time?"

"I didn't even ask if you wanted to come."

"Why wouldn't I want to come? I am so there!"

"The party is at seven after we all go trick-or-treating after school."

"Are we trick-or-treating as a group or individually?" I asked, uncertainty starting to kick in.

"I was hoping to invite you and some of your friends trick-or-treating," Maria explained. "I know I spent a lot of time with you and your friends at the homecoming dance, but I am always such a busybody. I want to know you guys more and open myself up."

"Those are amazing reasons to trick-or-treat with each other," I replied. "But I'm not sure I can go with you guys. I'll be at the party for sure."

"It won't be the same without you, Diana," Maria said with sadness on her face.

"I'm sorry, Maria, but it's a tradition for me to trick-or-treat with my family. My dad and my brother love Halloween."

"How old is your brother?"

"He's ten and a complete know-it-all."

"I don't envy you at all, Diana," Maria replied, the smile coming back on her face. "Why don't you ask your family if you can come with us, then? Hopefully your dad won't mind."

"I will definitely ask after school. My mom usually picks me up when I don't have cheer practice. Who else did you invite?"

"No one! I wanted you to be the first to know, and now I've got to run to invite more people!"

I watched Marie hastily walk away to ask some of our other friends to the party. I chuckled, heading to homeroom. I entered the room to see my blonde-haired best friend Emma Hawkins sitting down and chatting with my African-American boyfriend Caleb Mitchell.

"Hey, Diana!" Emma greeted me as I sat down next to Emma.

"Hey, you guys. Have you heard about the Halloween party Maria's throwing?"

"Maria's throwing a party?" Caleb asked with surprise. "Tonight?"

"Yes!" I squealed. "Maria wanted to invite more people, so I thought I'd help her out. I'm sure she'd love to see you two there."

"I'll be there," Emma replied with a smile.

"Same here," Caleb said. "What time?"

"Seven. Maria wants us all to go trick-or-treating together too."

"She read my mind," Caleb replied with a smile. "I was just about to ask you if you wanted to go trick-or-treating with me."

"If I get my mom's permission," I answered with confidence. "What are you dressing as?"

"I thought I'd dress up as a pirate," Caleb answered.

"And I'm going to be a witch," Emma chimed in. "What about you, Diana?"

"I'm going to be a black cat. I got the black clothes, the black gloves, the cat ears, everything. It won't take me too long to get ready."

"I'm sure Michael, Koh, and Morgan will want to come," Caleb told me. "They love Halloween, too."

"Maybe Maria will invite them?" I thought out loud.

"Or we could invite them ourselves," Emma suggested to Caleb.

The bell rang, and we stood up to cite the pledge of allegiance.

After inviting most of the school to Maria's party, I waited outside for my mom and my brother to pick me up. It did not take long before they showed up in their flying car.

"We need to hurry and greet your father home so we can get ready," my mother Karena Robinson said as I buckled my seatbelt.

"Mom, there's something I need to ask you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I was wondering if I could go trick-or-treating with my friends this year?" I requested. "Maria's hosting a party and wants us all to get together to trick-or-treat before the party."

"Are you sure?" Mom asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"I know it's tradition for the four of us to go trick-or-treating together but hanging out with my friends sounds more fun."

"Well, that's up to your father," Mom replied.

"Great," I mumbled, knowing my father Wilbur Robinson is a stickler about family traditions.

"You'd rather go trick-or-treating with friends than family?" my brother Wesley asked me with a frown on his face. "It's not going to be fun without you."

"Wes, you can have more fun with Mom and Dad than with me. I just… need to get out of my shell."

"What does that mean?" Wes asked.

"That means that your sister wants to explore the world without us," Mom answered.

"Gosh, Mom, that's a little dramatic, isn't it?"

"Talk to your father, Diana," Mom said with annoyance in her voice.

Mom parked the car in the driveway and I was the first to get out of the car and into the house.

"Hey there, princess," Dad, already dressed as Superman, greeted me with a smile. "How was school?"

"Dad, we need to talk," I replied, getting right to the point.

"Oh! Let's go up to your room. That way you can get ready while we talk."

"Just don't look at me, alright?"

"Diana, the first time I saw you, you were a baby who had just made her grand entrance without clothes on."

"Well, that's different!" I yelled unintentionally, then I groaned and took deep breaths. "Just come on."

My dad followed me to my room and I shut the door. I watched him sit on the bed as I got in my closet. I was already feeling uneasy at the thought of my dad watching me get dressed.

"Diana, it's okay," Dad assured me. "I'm not just some stranger who is stalking you. I'm your dad. You can trust me."

He paused, wondering what to say next.

"What happened at school that's got you tense?"

"Actually, it's more of Mom getting me tense than school. School was great!"

I took off my dad's Captain Time Travel shirt, revealing my black laced bra.

"Maria invited me to a Halloween party at her place, and she's also invited me to go trick-or-treating with her and our friends."

"Well, that sounds like fun!"

"Wait, what?" I asked as my blue jeans fell to the floor, shocked at my father's happy tone of voice. "Are you saying… it's okay for me to go trick-or-treating with my friends instead of you guys?"

"Of course, it's okay!" Dad answered. "Why would I say otherwise?"

"It's just that… I don't want to upset you and Mom by going trick-or-treating with my friends instead because it's a tradition. I know how stubborn you are when it comes to tradition."

I put on a long-sleeved black shirt.

"On the contrary, Diana, it's your mother who's a stickler. She had been dreaming of a family who does everything together for eternity long before you came into our world. But that's not how life works. You and Wes are growing up. After you two leave Westport, you won't be able to attend all of the family reunions that we would be hosting or even the ones Grandma and Grandpa will be hosting. Also, I learned that growing up doesn't only happen in adulthood. It happens now, Diana. You are a teenager destined to find yourself, your identity. I did my share of growing up when I was your age. Heck, I'm still growing up because I'm your dad. I learn something new every day."

I had put on my black pants and black boots when my dad finished talking.

"So you are totally okay with me going with my friends today?"

"Yes. If your mom doesn't like it, she will have to get through me. I'm not your father to raise you to be an adult and be sad about life. I want you to be the happiest and most content daughter I could ever have."

After I put on my black gloves, I walked over to my bed, sat on it, and gave my dad a hug. I felt my dad hugging me back.

"By the way, you are more beautiful now than you were as a baby," Dad said with a genuine smile. "Don't be ashamed of what you look like, because one day, your husband will love your body just as much as your soul, just like I do. I understand physical change is scary, but it's natural to be scared. I'm encouraging you to not be scared and just love yourself for who you are – body, mind, and soul."

"I needed this more than I thought," I replied, returning the smile. "Isn't this the kind of talk I should be having with Mom?"

"I think daughters need their fathers' perspective also, not just their mothers'. A wise man taught me that."

"I love that you are so open when talking about this. You really are fearless, Wilbur Robinson."

I saw my dad blush when I called him by his real name.

"Normally, I would tell you that you need to call me 'Dad,' but… thank you for the compliment. It means a lot hearing that from you."

We shared a smile.

"Now, you need to do your cat make-up," Dad prompted me. "Don't you have someone to meet up with?"

"Oh! Caleb promised me he'd pick me up. Thanks, Dad."

I kissed him on the cheek, and then I opened the door for him to leave.

My mother still wasn't happy that I wanted to go trick-or-treating with my friends instead of the family. But I was thankful my dad stood up for me and encouraged me to go have fun. My friends and I ended up trick-or-treating all over Westport before meeting back up at Maria's for the party. A Halloween movie was playing in the background for the partygoers who just wanted to enjoy themselves and eat their candy. There was a paint station open for anyone who wanted to decorate their white buckets full of candy so they could identify their own. There was a mock bar open, and Frank served as the mock bartender, making various kinds of non-alcoholic drinks for me and my friends. The gamers brought their own gaming consoles so they played their games in another room.

So, what did I do? I socialized with my friends and ate the various kinds of Halloween-themed food, such as Dracaroni-n-Cheese, Hocup Pocakes, and non-alcoholic Bloody Mary to name a few.

"Enjoying the party, matey?" Maria, dressed as a pirate, asked.

"I sure am, mate!" I answered. "You're the best dressed pirate here, even better than Caleb."

"How did your family take your going trick-or-treating with us?"

"To my surprise, Dad was extremely happy about my going with you guys. And he showed another side of himself that I did not expect, all the more reason to love him. My mom was… not so happy. Wes was happy too because, and I quote: 'I'm going to get ALL the candy this time.'"

Maria and I laughed.

"Does Wes usually share with you?" Maria asked.

"No, and there's a reason for that: our parents confiscate our candy after Halloween's over and they'll give a few pieces to us for dessert if we behave."

"Are they going to take it away from you, even though you're in high school?"

"There's a very good chance of that. And that's okay. I'd rather have more meat than candy."

"I'm surprised you didn't go as Wonder Woman," Emma chimed in, standing next to me. "You look so much like her, even though you have brown eyes instead of blue."

"I have gone as Wonder Woman before," I replied. "Many, many years ago. But maybe I'll take up the crown again in the near future."

I laughed.

"It's funny you mention Wonder Woman, because my dad's going as Superman."

"Wilbur does have the cowlick for that," Emma replied with a chuckle. "What's your mom going as?"

"Lois Lane. Wes is going as Superboy."

"So how come you didn't go as Supergirl or Lana Lang, Diana?" Michael Harrison, also dressed as a pirate came up and asked me.

"First of all, Supergirl is a blonde. I'd have to wear a wig. Second, I'm going for different here because that's what the Robinsons are all about. Who's Lana Lang?"

"How have you not heard of Lana Lang?" Emma asked in shock. "Lana Lang, Clark Kent's girlfriend after high school."

I gave Emma a confused look.

"How have you not seen Smallville? That is one of the best series of all time!"

"Well, I wouldn't call it the best," Michael replied. "But it is a great show."

"Guys, I'm not that into superheroes, alright?" I chimed in. "I have my dad as my hero. What else could I want?"

"Diana, don't you ever wonder what your superpower would be if you had one?" Caleb asked.

"Besides being the perfect cheerleader?" I replied teasingly. "I never really thought of it."

"Well, there's flight, psychic ability, super strength to name a few," Michael suggested.

"Well, reading minds would be amazing," I answered. "That way I would know what everyone is thinking before jumping to conclusions. On the other hand, the ability to create a rainstorm would be amazing, too."

"You could get California out of their drought," Michael teased. "Southern California never gets rain."

"I do know of one power that I already have: martial arts."

"Nah, I don't believe that for a second," Morgan, also dressed as a pirate, chimed in.

"No, really, it's true. I'm actually a cheerleader because of my dad training me in martial arts."

"Who are you, Kim Possible?" Morgan asked sarcastically. "Try me."

"Morgan, no."

Before I knew it, Morgan threw a punch and I quickly got out of the way. Morgan threw quite a few punches and kicks my way, and I was stuck on the defensive side, dodging and blocking her.

"Go, Diana!" I heard Caleb cheering me.

"Come on, Morgan!" Michael cheered. "Show Diana who's the master!"

Not too long after, everyone gathered around Morgan and me as we continued our martial arts battle, and everyone took sides. There were times where I had gone on the offensive to throw Morgan off guard, but the battle continued. Eventually, I could tell Morgan was starting to get tired, but I kept myself energized, remembering everything my dad taught me.

"How are you not tired yet?" Morgan asked, throwing a weak punch my way.

"I've been training since I started to crawl," I answered with confidence. "I know when to use my energy and when not to."

"How about a peace handshake?"

"Now that, I will allow."

We stopped fighting each other and shook each other's hand. Everyone surrounding us cheered.

"You said your dad trained you?" Morgan asked, and I grinned in response. "Your dad is one heck of a teacher. Maybe he can give me some pointers."

I laughed.

"I'm sure he would be happy to give you some."

I walked back to my friends who cheered wildly for me.

"I'm all about planning parties," Payton Saunders, dressed as an angel, told me. "But I think you just made this party so much better."

"Yeah, you were awesome!" Sydney Kym, also dressed as an angel, chimed in.

"Thanks, girls. You two look adorable!"

"Aww, thank you!" Payton and Sydney replied at the same time.

"Mia's around here somewhere," Sydney said. "The three of us dressed up to be Charlie's Angels."

"Sydney, I think you missed the point of Charlie's Angels," I replied with a chuckle. "Charlie's Angels are three women fighting crime in Los Angeles. They're not literal angels with wings."

"That is ironic," Mia Warren said behind me. "Well, girls, we tried."

"You three still look amazing though."

"One piece of advice, Diana," Mia said. "When you fight, lose the tail. It can get in the way."

"But I still have my—"

I looked at my behind to notice the tail my mother made was gone.

"Ah well," I said out loud. "I don't normally fight dressed up like a cat."

"Not even the Black Cat has a tail," Caleb told me, and I gave him a confused look. "Let me guess: you've never heard of Spiderman?"

I shook my head and bit my lip.

"Diana, here's what we're going to do after the party," Emma proposed. "I'm going to drag you over to my house and we are going to watch the animated Spiderman series from the 1980s. I'll even throw in a few episodes of Smallville so you get to know that universe more."

"So wait, you know what Charlie's Angels is, but you don't know the DC or Marvel universe?" Michael asked with humor in his voice.

"Okay, first of all, the Marvel universe is so highly overrated," I shot back. "Everyone talks about it like God created it. Secondly, I'm more of a Lord of the Rings and Star Wars person."

"I guess not all hope is lost," I heard Michael say to Emma.

We all laughed as Maria turned on some Halloween-themed music, and we continue to dance for the rest of the night. We all ended up being so tired that we fell asleep in Maria's living room and started the month of November together.