AN: Did anyone miss me? Okay, the story right! Here you go!

HALLOWEEN

(CASSIE'S POV)

You know what? I now understand why Rachel used to keep shouting at Paul and Brady not to mess up with the house. I'm doing that since this week since, now, Rachel is advised bed-rest. We'll have the good news in some time soon. Paul rarely sleeps at night these days because he is usually on duty to look after Rachel when some minor contractions start and then, I too am woken up because Marley usually is outside their room and I have kind of trained him to wake me up if something happens. I was sleeping my dreamless, beautiful sleep when all of a sudden I heard Marley barking.

"Shit man!" I muttered but for the first time in many days, I didn't hear Rachel's voice. This did kind of scare me and I searched my slippers under the bed and ran downstairs.

"Paul, everything okay?" I asked him as I saw him coming out of the basement stairs.

"Yeah, why did you come downstairs? It's just 1 o'clock, kiddo. You seem as if you haven't had a good night sleep since a month."

"I thought…okay, I'm up already. What were you doing here, anyway?"

"Oh, it's Halloween today, saw the date? I'll be a bit busy and so will you, so I was thinking let's…" he was saying when I cut him off.

"I'll help you." I replied. "I guess I'm not sleepy anymore."

"But…"

"When did you get the stuff, do answer me?" I asked him when we were hanging the lights outside the house. Jeez, it was cold.

"A lot of stuff was inside and the other things, I bought when you were busy with Rach." He replied.

"You should've told me. I would've helped you."

"You are helping me, sisso." He replied.

It took us about two hours to get the exteriors done. Marley, my usually well-behaved puppy dog was creating a great deal of nuisance when it came to his kennel. It was 3:30 in the morning when it finally came to decorating the interiors.

"Paul, what all we're left with?" I asked him, rubbing my eyes.

"Candies. But don't take them out before Rachel or she'll kill me."

"And that too, why?"I asked him, tilting my head, confused.

"You know what happens when she's near candies?" This reminded me what happened last week.

*FLASHBACK*

I was searching my packet of candies that I had kept for Claire, Nessie, Eva (she doesn't have many teeth but still loves to suck on them), Hazel and the other kids. Rachel had bought these for herself because she was just too addicted to them. Last time, she had a packet of M 'n' Ms, she puked. In short, she should stay away from them. That is why I was disposing these candies safely into the tummies of the kids.

"Paul, you saw that packet of candies?" I whisper-yelled to him, so that Rachel doesn't hear it.

"I asked you to throw it, didn't I?" he raised an eyebrow, confused.

"I know. I was going over to Emily's to do that. Hazel loves those Cracker bars."

All of a sudden, Paul and I heard Rachel puking in the bathroom.

"I guess I know where they are." I replied and Paul ran over to help Rachel. So, that's exactly where they were.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

I didn't sleep because we finished with the stuff at 6 o'clock. Then, I remembered that Wayne has got his own apartment at the Rez and today, Louie and he have called us over to help with the shifting and stuff. Emily was there with Rachel as Paul had to leave for him own work and some university tests. I rung the doorbell of apartment no. 2-17 after hearing a lot of familiar voices and blabbering from inside.

"Hey, guys!" Amy said in her high pitched welcome note voice as soon as she opened the door.

"Hey Ames." I muttered tiredly.

"Seems you are actually getting worked up too much?" she asked as she ushered us inside. The apartment looked a lot like the pictures of the old house where they used to live with, well, Faith. The living room was painted royal blue and there was texture paint on one wall. There were a lot of family photos hanging on the walls that included me too and Amy's different modern art. There were a few weird looking urns in the corners that Amy had coaxed day and night to Wayne to buy.

"Hey, Faith!" Louie came out of a room in the corner.

"Hey, Louie!" I high-fived him.

"Tired, eh?" he asked me.

"Nah, not much." I answered.

"Do tell me who's becoming the mother? You or Rach?" Mark asked me.

"He he, whatever. It wasn't funny, dude." I retorted.

"You need some sleep, girl." Wayne said.

"Where's your brother?" I asked Mark.

"He's back in Louie's room. You gotta take a look up there. It's fucking awesome!" he exclaimed. "And is the only room which is totally done."

"Which one is it?" I asked.

"One down the corner." Mark said. I walked towards the door that had a 'DANGER! STAY OUT' board on it. I entered the room and there was a comfortable blue couch. There was no one in the room, so I thought it better to push myself down on it and close my eyes.

"Cassie?" I heard Brady's voice but I really didn't want to get up. I was kind of tired and irritated and sleepy for that case. Rachel was becoming a pain in the butt since a few days.

"Lemme sleep." I replied, with my eyes closed pulling the cushion to my face.

"You know, we have to…" he was saying when I heard the door opening.

"WHO THE HELL CALLED VERONICA TO THE PARTY?" this was Mark's loud voice. I wouldn't have budged, I tell you but I fell straight on the floor remembering that it was me who had called her there. Actually, not her exactly. Her boyfriend was supposed to be there and of course, it was couple. It isn't hard to get known to people in such a small place, you know.

"What happened?" I groaned rubbing my eyes.

"I…YOU…ARE YOU STUPID?" he was still shouting.

"Dude, give it a rest. My head's already aching." I answered.

"What's wrong?" Brady asked him.

"She's coming." He answered.

"So? What's the big deal? Grab her hand and ask her for dance." I replied.

"You're really sleepy, remember?" Mark told me. That's why I was giving him such stupid replies. I get it now. And here I thought something was wrong with him.

"Now what?" I asked sitting up on the couch.

"Well, basically it's Halloween today and…" he was telling me when it hit me that Brady had told me that the party was supposed to be next week i.e. this week.

"So, it was a Halloween party." I said, shaking my head to wake myself up. Anyway, I stood up and looked up to see Louie.

"I'll be a vampire. So, no one cheat my idea." I heard him say.

"Huh?" I asked my head tilted which showed I was confused.

"It's a costume party, Cass. And if you remember, it's Halloween today." Brady replied.

"Kill me already." I muttered under my breath.

I decided not to go and stay with Rachel at home. C'mon, she was pregnant. She needed someone with her because Paul was going to a party with Jared and Sam and a few others. Emily decided to stay with Rachel because Kim was going to her old place. And Amy was coming with us, and Hayley had no mood of listening to my 'excuses'. So, first of all she got me a cup of coffee that I had no mood to gulp down.

"Are you shoving it down your throat?" she demanded.

"No." I replied, clearly. Well, the look on her face i.e. her eyes turning large and her cheeks rounding more and turning red, the angry red I mean got me an idea that I should not mess with her or I'm calling my death to me. She towed me down to her place where Ashley and Sonny were already sitting in the living room and Hayley's mom, Annette, was talking to the other two.

"Hey Cassie! Honey, long time you came and saw me." she said. So, in short, Hayley had told her that when I was away for five months, my real dad had kidnapped me. Last we met were when her aunt had a sale on her bookshop two months ago.

"Yeah, I know. Been a bit busy." I replied. "Rachel's actually in the ninth month almost, so yeah."

"Don't worry. Relax right now." She said. Seriously, I tell you, how sweet is Annette and for the time, Hayley is such a bitch.

So, Hayley first showed me what she was wearing. She was, in short, becoming Minnie mouse. Then she showed me a thousand options what I could wear. Honestly, I didn't care as long as I was lying on her soft bed but she threw me off the bed and asked me to choose. So, I was stuck between choosing from a Dark Angel or Demigoddess Levine whoever that was. According to Hayley, she is the daughter of a Demon girl who preferred love and the fire god who preferred hatred in whichever Scripture that was but I felt it could be near Greek or something of that kind. She showed me a few pictures of girls wearing some pink one shoulder off dresses with a tiara for Demigoddess Levine and a tight black dress with a hood for a dark angel.

"I don't know. You choose." I replied and reclined back. I didn't care what to wear as long as it is comfortable and easy to doze off in. "But seriously, what has a demigoddess gotta do with Halloween?"

"Duh, you know, she was more of a demon. She burnt the bad settlements that seemed to attack the good ones but the thing is that got her a bad image considering that she killed even the innocent people." She replied.

"Where do you get this stuff from?" I asked her.

"It's a collection since childhood." She said. She opened a large box that sat next to the footboard of her bed. It was abnormally large and crème in color with golden carvings. She threw three dresses at my head and I winced.

"Hayley, you needa learn some throwing manners." I complained.

"Here's your dress. It's just your size. Dad got this from Milan last to last month. He had a trip and I haven't worn it yet. I want you to wear it, now!" she ordered. You know, Hayley takes me as her own Barbie doll which is sometimes annoying but after all I know, she's never had many friends before us and I feel proud when she doesn't turn me into a clown, and helps me choose my dresses.

That dress was red and golden colored. It was as expected one shoulder off and had a chiffon cloth hanging to one strap and the other end was attached to a ring. It was tight and kind of uncomfortable. I didn't zip up but looked into the mirror. I looked kind of sexy considering that it was about 4 inches above my knee. But it didn't matter looking a bit sluttish once in a while.

"So?" I asked coming out.

"Whoa, ho, ho. I swear if Brady doesn't die tonight, you should change my name." she replied, excited.

"Is it looking a bit…sluttish?" I asked self-conscious.

"Who cares? It's Halloween." She replied, zipping it up.

"Hayley, I swear you need a psychiatrist." I muttered.

"Something's missing. Oh, I forgot, I didn't even do your make-up!" she said, ignoring my comment. She herself was wearing a Dark Angel dress which I suppose suited her well. She didn't look like a Dark Angel but she looked like a baby good angel dressed as Dark Angel for Halloween like mothers usually have to do for their 6 year olds on Halloween. She asked me to put some body-glitter which I refused.

"You know, Paul will have my head off if he knows I'm wearing this to the party. He'll never let me go to any party after that." I said.

"Oh, do it. You attend an all-teen Halloween party at the age of 14, with your boyfriend as the host, once in your life. Cut yourself some slack and for god's sake, relax." She said. Okay, not totally logical but true. I am having an abnormal life since practically the day I was born. I need a normal break for once in my life.

So, Seth was supposed to take us to the party and he was downstairs. I knew that Seth was supposed to be a Frankenstein but seriously, he looked more like a five year old kid painted green. Oh, by the way, Seth had got his driving license and Paul had given him his keys to drive us both there which actually was weird.

"You kids let me have some photos!" Annette said, excitedly and got her digital camera. Seth and Hayley posed in front of the camera looking a cute couple of little babies who tried to dress up for Halloween. I had some group photos with both and some solo pictures.

I miss Brownie.

Hayley was looking at the photos while we were still there. Seth was trying to coax her to get out of the house when all of a sudden, she squealed:

"I know what's missing in your dress!"

"No, honey, Cassie looks pretty." Annette said.

"No mom! Her tiara! What do we do?" she said.

"It's in my jewelry box back at home." I muttered.

We need to get it!" She screamed.

"Okay Hayley, I swear I'm not going to go back home in this dress. I told you about Paul. He'll kill me!" I said.

"Wait a sec." she said and ran back to her room. She got a black coat dress for me and a pair of zero lens glasses.

"What?" I asked her.

"Wear it." She said. I wore the coat and buttoned it up. Seth, till now was trying to suppress his laughter.

'Seriously Seth, I'll laugh at you like that when your imprint is pregnant.' I thought, squinting my eyes at him.

"Why these glasses?" I asked her.

"Do you read Cosmo?" she asked me. Honestly, I've just heard the name once before from Ashley and Sonny who keep talking about it day long. "Well, like I said, I cannot let go my master piece in waster and I cannot make Paul think that something's wrong since, the lipstick you've used is red. So, I make you wear these glasses, which are totally in-fashion with the red color."

I stared at her, not getting a word she said. Then, I looked at Seth who was way more confused than me.

'You get a clue of what she'll be like when she'll have your bun in her oven, bro!' I thought and laughed at myself.

We climbed into the car, with Hayley on the passenger's seat and I was at the back.

"Why do we need to go back, Hales?" Seth complained.

"Seth, I swear, a word of complains from you and she and I get down from the car." Hayley said pointing towards me and her.

"Um...no, of course not, Pumpkin. I'll drive you there." Seth said like a loyal driver. I swear Hayley, on some parties like these, becomes Cruella De Vil. You cannot say that for her on normal days because she looks so much like a little cute lost puppy. It took us not more than five minutes to reach back home and I went to the door. I rang the doorbell that unfortunately was opened by Paul.

"I thought you left for the party." We both said to each other the same time.

"Yeah, I needed to get something." I replied. He looked at me, pissed off and awkwardly. Shit, I knew I was so busted. I walked inside, past him when he didn't say anything.

"Isn't that a color a bit too red?" he asked me. Rachel was on the couch looking at me and smirking. By that look, I knew that she knew that I was wearing the real dress inside.

"No, Paulie. It's just perfect." Rachel said to him.

Thank you! I mouthed to her.

You're showing me the pictures of the real dress after this. She mouthed back.

I love you! I replied.

Go and enjoy. She answered. I walked upstairs carefully in the red stilettos I was wearing. Fortunately, for me, I had kept my red converse sneakers in the car for after the party. I searched for my tiara and then, I found it in its royal case where I had hidden it.

Under my bed, in my guitar case. As soon as I touched it, the rubies and diamonds sparkled. It was indeed magical and way too pretty for a girl like me. I put it on for the second time in my life and adjusted it well. Somehow, my head had always suited to it or it had to my head because whenever I wore it, I never felt I was wearing anything on my head. I looked in the mirror.

Ah, sexy!

I hid it under my dress and walked down.

"Be back before 12." Paul told me.

"Oh c'mon Paul. She needs to enjoy normally once for her lifetime." Rachel interrupted. I swear I love my sister so much!

"Okay, okay. Don't be much late." He told me. With that, the three of us set off for TMFC. I took my coat off in the car and set it down on the back seat.

Brady wasn't in sight when we reached. It was so annoying, I tell you but we met Mark (dressed as a zombie) who was freaking out to see Veronica to see dressed as Cleopatra. He couldn't shut up telling me about how beautiful she looked. Keyword was beautiful. Mark, in his lifetime, had never used that word meaningfully. I was so happy when all of a sudden; I spotted my worst nightmare – Shane.

"Oh shit. Who called him here?" I said in a low voice to Mark.

"Why? Something wrong?" he asked me.

"Where's your brother? Let me go and kill him first." I changed the topic.

"Oh, don't worry. He and Sonny are giving a performance in a few minutes. I asked him to ask you but he told me that you were really stressed up because of Rachel and all, and you need some rest." He said, giving me a glass of fruit punch.

So that's where he used to disappear these days. Anyway, Cole was something like a pirate; Meggie was in a dress like Raven from X: Men, Louie was a vampire hunter from the movie Blade, and wait…do tell me what do you call girls who have tails like fish and are really pretty? Aren't they supposed to be Mermaids? But according to Ashley, she, who was wearing the same dress, was a siren.

"Seriously, what do you mean by a siren?" I asked her. I saw Mark trying to hook up Louie with some girl who wasn't bad either and looked too hot for Louie.

"You remember the Water song series by Amanda Hocking?" she asked me. Shit, I had asked her to read it.

"Oh, that. I get it now." I replied. I got a text all of a sudden and the name that flashed on the screen caused a smile on my face. Yay, it was Brady!

U r lukn…

What? I texted back.

Um…Sexy, hot…

Where r u?

Behind the curtains.

Come to the stage already.

Learn 2 b patient, princess.

Can't. Isn't in d genes.

AN: Special thanx to my faithful reviewers!

Rosellathegirlonwings: Well, tell me what you feel about this chapter and thanx to stick up with me!

Sierra: Um...I think I would have Rowan Blanchard as Veronica...Stay tuned...

Lana101: Ah, here's the party started...Now, u have a bigger shock in line.

Jacobdraco:Thanx and please stay tuned!