October was Rae's favorite month. The last scorching traces of summer were long gone and the crisp cool breeze of fall was rolling in. She loved that the air smelt different in the fall. Everyone thought that spring smelt the cleanest of the seasons but to Rae it was fall. It was magical how the foliage changed from a lustrous green hue to a pleasant orange and red. She especially loved the way the leaves would crunch under her feet when she walked down the street. She would usually go out of her way if there was one that looked extra crunchy, like it was made just for her to step on. When she was younger, she would help her mom rake all the leaves in their backyard just to jump in the pile when they were done. She'd get a stern "Rachel Earl!" for it, but she never minded.

Fall meant warm cider and cozy sweaters that felt like a comforting hug from a friend. It meant bon fires and s'mores and pumpkin pie. It also meant Halloween, which was Rae's absolute favorite holiday, way beyond Christmas. It was the one day where you could eat all the candy you wanted and no one could judge you for it because they were doing the same thing. It was also the one day of the year you could be whoever you wanted. You could be a one-eyed, one-legged pirate with a hook for a hand and no one would bat an eye. Rae thrived on that as child, being able to escape her own mind for a bit to be someone else entirely. She didn't need to hide herself away behind a Halloween costume anymore but she still lived for the adventure of it.

Over the past month and a half, Rae, Chloe and Izzy really did become something like sisters. They laughed together at Rae's impression of her drama teacher. They cried together when Chloe's hairdresser decided he wanted to be Edward Scissorhands for the day (and not in the good way like Johnny Depp). And they squealed together when the boy in Izzy's "I Love Chocolate" society finally asked her on a date. Well, not so much a date as a "Come round to mine for a Halloween party me and my mates are throwin'." But still, it was a step in the right direction for the boy who it took four weeks to realize Izzy was flirting.

It was the day of the party and Rae still wasn't sure what she going as. Chloe was going as a sexy bumblebee and Izzy was going as Ariel. Rae would never be able to pull off anything like that. Not because she was afraid of looking bad, she no longer sees herself as the blob with a glob, she just doesn't want to answer "what happened to your legs?" a thousand times.

Rae told Chloe and Izzy on their first night of living together that she was in a mental hospital when she was 16 and they were gorgeous about it. They asked a lot of questions but for the first time, it didn't really bother her. She knew they were just genuinely interested in Rae's story and she loved that about them. Rae had no problem telling them but the thought of dozens of strangers asking over and over made Rae want to vomit. She needed an attractive costume that would hide her legs, but show off her girls. They are quite large after all. Gotta show 'em off somehow.

Rae was staring at her clothes in the closet trying to figure something out when Chloe hollered from the bathroom.

"Oi, Rae! Why don't you go as a cat?"

"Oh, that's a good idea!" Izzy piped in. "You could wear that low-cut black shirt you've wanted to wear!"

"Yeah, and we can paint your nose with make-up and give you some whiskers!" Chloe shouted.

"That's a really good idea, Chlo!" Rae agreed in excitement, reaching in the closet to grab the appropriate articles. "I can wear my black leggings under a black skirt! Oh, but I haven't got any ears…"

"Oh, babe," Chloe started as she walked out of the bathroom. "Don't worry about that. Halloween is my game. I got some ears for you."

Chloe pulled the trunk out from under her bed and opened it. Inside was an array of colored costumes, accessories, and character make-up.

"Jesus. Are you Mary Poppins or somethin'?" Rae asked in amusement rifling through the feathery boas and chunky jewelry.

"Of course not, silly," Chloe laughed. "But I did used to be in pageants so I've accumulated a lot of booty over the years."

"Yeah you have," Izzy smiled as she gave Chloe's butt a smack.

"Oi!"

Izzy had put some Spice Girls on the boom box and the girls danced and sang around their suite while they finished getting ready. Aw, this makes me think of mum. Mental note: Call home tomorrow.

"We look fierce, girls," Chloe admired the three of them in the mirror. "Iz, your hair looks perfect. Chop won't be able to look at anything but you all night!"

"You really think so?" Izzy looked skeptically at herself in the mirror.

"Iz, you look beautiful," Rae agreed. "We all do."

That's right, Rae. YOU look beautiful.

"Right, we should take a picture!" Izzy squeaked.

"How are we going to take it?"

"We can ask Chanel."

Chanel was one of the girls that lived in the suite across the hall. Her two suitemates, Veronica and Rebecca, were hardly ever there because they both came to university with boyfriends so Chanel spent a lot of time in the "Chraezy" suite.

Izzy knocked a rhythmic beat on Chanel's door while singing her name.

"Oh, Chanelie!"

Chanel opened the door with a smile. "My dearest Izzy, I could never get tired answering the door to that."

Chanel was the kind of beautiful that didn't have to try. So was so naturally gorgeous on the inside that it radiated on the outside. She's similar in stature to Izzy but with a bit more meat to her bones. Her long black hair was pulled into loads of tiny braids and her clear milk chocolate skin somehow always seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. Tonight she was dressed in an adorable yellow dress with a blue belt wrapped around her waist and a red bow in her hair.

"And who are you supposed to be, foxy lady?" Chloe asked taking in her appearance.

"I'm Snow Black. Obviously."

"I love it," Rae laughed. "I absolutely love it."

"What are you up to tonight, Chanelie?"

"I'm goin' to a house party up on Merle Hill with Veronica and Rebecca. What about you lot?"

"Us too! Chop's party?" Izzy asked in excitement.

"Yeah! Veronica's boyfriend lives in the house with them all. Are you getting' ready to leave, then?"

"Yeah, we were just about to head out actually," Rae explained. "We were wonderin' if you wouldn't mind taking a picture of us first, though."

"Of course!"

Izzy handed Chanel her Kodak and said, "Alright, now on the count of three say 'Halloween.' Ready, one, two, three!"

"Halloween!"

"Gorgeous."

"You want us to wait for you, love?" Chloe asked her.

"Oh, I'm alright thanks. Rebecca just rang and said they were coming to get me in about 15, so I'll just see yas there."

"Perfect! Laters!"

"Bye!"

When they reached the top of Merle Hill, the girls could hear Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It," clear as day, from the house second on the left.

"That must be it then, huh?" Izzy asked sheepishly.

"Aw, Iz. Are you nervous?" Chloe asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"A little. I really like him and I'm just nervous I might embarrass myself or somethin'."

"You'll be fine, Iz," Rae reassured her. "And if you need to get out immediately for any reason, the safety word is highlighter."

"Highlighter?" Chloe questioned.

"Yeah, no one will question you casually droppin' the word highlighter in conversation at a university party, will they?"

"Whatever you say, Rae," Chloe laughed.

Izzy took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.

"You got this, Iz!"

"Right!"

Knock. Knock.

"Oi, Chopper! Someone's at the door!" They heard someone yell.

"Why don't ya answer, ya knobhead?" Someone, presumably Chopper, shouted back.

"I don't live here!"

"Oi! You fuckin' prick."

A tall boy with shaggy hair dressed as Michelangelo, the Ninja Turtle, answered the door.

"Izzy!"

"Hiya, Chop!"

"So glad you could make it!"

"Wouldn't have missed it." She was blushing. Well aren't you adorable, Izzy. "These are my suitemates, Chloe."

"Hiya!"

"And Rae."

"Thanks for letting us come!" Rae smiled at Chop.

"Course! Any friend of Iz's is a friend of mine," he said as he pulled Izzy into a side hug and led them inside.

Chloe and Rae exchanged looks of amusement before they followed the lovebirds inside.

Rae had never been to a party quite like this one before. There were people huddled around a keg holding one boy (dressed as a police officer) upside down while he drank from it. Interesting.

Off in the corner of the main room, two of the other Ninja Turtles were standing opposite of Mario and Luigi at an oblong table throwing balls into cups. Huh?

"Chlo," Rae whispered to her friend. "What are they playing over there?"

"Oh, that's beer pong, Rae. You and your partner throw ping pong balls in to the other teams cups. If it goes in the cup, they have to drink it."

"Sounds unsanitary."

Chloe was laughing. "Yeah, but it's actually a lot of fun. We should play a game later."

"Yeah, sure." Yeah, no.

"Chloe!" A girl Rae recognized from one of Chloe's lectures shouted.

"Clarisse! Oh, hold on, Rae. I'll be right back."

"Take your time. I'm going to watch this game a bit more."

Rae walked over to the table just as Raphael Ninja Turtle bolted upstairs.

"Oi, Finn! Where're ya going?" The Donatello Ninja Turtle shouted after his retreating figure.

"Gotta take a leak, Archer. I'll be right back!" She heard from the top of the stairs.

"In the middle of a game?" He shouted back. "Oh, for fuck's sake."

The boy, Rae just noticed he wore glasses, looked around the room and their eyes locked.

"Hey, you… Cat girl. Come be my partner for a minute."

Rae looked around her to make sure she understood him right. "Me?"

"Yeah, come over here."

"Uh, I've never played this game before."

"Oh, it's not that hard really. Just throw the ball and if it lands in a cup, you're golden."

His crystal blue eyes bore into hers.

Jesus. You're pretty.

"You think you got it?"

"Yeah, sure. Can't be too hard."

"Right, you shoot first then."

He handed Rae the ball and moved aside for her to take her shot. Rae brought her right hand up to eye level, closed her left eye to focus on the cup she was aiming for, took a deep breath and tossed it across the table.

Blop.

Right in the cup the ball went.

Who the? What the? How the?

"Holy fuck. You sure you never played before?" Donatello asked, amazement written all over his gorgeous face.

Rae was laughing her response. "I swear."

"You're a natural, then. I'm Archie, by the way."

"Rae." And the two shook hands.

"Well, Rae. I think I may have a new partner for the rest of the night, if you'll have me?"

Gladly.

"Won't Raphael be mad, though?"

"Oh, whatever. The dickhead took a leak in the middle of the game. Not to mention, he hasn't made a single shot like that all night," he added, giving Rae a wink.

Stop that now, sir, before I knock all these cups to the ground and take you on this table right here and now.

Just then, Raphael came bounding down the stairs. He looked from Archie to Rae and back to Archie before…

"Oi, what the fuck is this? I leave for ten seconds and you replace me?"

"Sorry, Finn, but Rae here is mint. Never played the game before and sunk the ball first go at it."

Finn looked at Rae like he was mildly impressed. It was then she noticed just how attractive this boy was. His eyes were the color of warm espresso. Rae could get lost in them if she let herself. They were soulful, warm, and mysterious. A spray of light freckles sprinkled his stunning, tight jaw lined face and his eye brows looked like they had a mind of their own. Just looking at the bulge of muscles underneath his costume, Rae could tell that his body was carved in the image of Greek gods. Bloody. Hell. Wait a minute. Did his eyes just linger on my boobs? Is he checking me out?!

"Right," Finn blurted out, bringing Rae away from her fantasy. "Where's that boyfriend of yours? Maybe someone in your relationship won't leave me for a girl he's clearly not going to shag tonight."

Archie was laughing. Why is he laughing? Why wouldn't Archie shag me? Did Finn say "boyfriend?" Oooooh.

"He's probably talking someone's ear off about the reason Hitler invaded Poland."

"Jesus, you two really are perfect for each other, aren't ya?"

Archie couldn't help but grin as he nodded his head in response.

"Right, well, I'll let you two champions get back to your game. See ya laters, then."

As he walked past them, his shoulder brushed Rae's and a bolt of electricity went down her spine.

What the hell was that?

She looked over her shoulder just in time to see him looking back at her with a small smile on his face.

Fuuuuuck.

"Rae!" Archie was shouting, trying to get her attention. "We've got a game to finish here!"

"What? Oh, sorry."Archie smiled at her knowingly.

"Fit, isn't he?"

"Uh, sure. Yeah. Whatever."Rae could still feel the heat on her shoulder from where Finn's had touched it.

Archie was laughing. "I think you and I are going to be great friends."

Rae matched Archie's smile as they continued with their game. And then their next game. And then their next game. They ended up "running the table," as Archie called it, for the greater part of the night. They only called it quits when Archie's boyfriend, Barney (the police officer from before), told Archie he was ready for bed, with extra emphasis on the word bed.

"Right," lust riddled Archie's voice as he spoke. "Rae. It was lovely meeting you. We should grab lunch in the common sometime this week!"

"Absolutely! I'd love that."

"Cool. Laters!"

"Bye!" And the two were off like a light up the stairs.

Periodically throughout the night, Rae would catch Finn looking at her. Whenever he got caught, he'd look away with a bashful smirk on his face.

You're an interesting person, Finn. Very interesting indeed.