Hello, my nightmare readers. Welcome back to another chapter. I hope I didn't keep you all waiting long enough; the daily upload schedule might change shortly, Angelica. We'll be uploading on Saturdays or Sundays, if not weekly. Thanks for understanding the chapter.

Chapter 5 Halloween Dance Part One

After her phone conversation with Miss Rosenthal, during which she learned the actual reason for Angelica's odd behavior during the second semester and why she ran out of the classroom in the middle of a math lecture, she instructed Susie to take as many screenshots as possible from the group chats involving Brianna, Mary, and Kate in case they attempted to blackmail Angelica again.

As Susie finished preparing a healthy breakfast for Angelica, she turned off the stove and walked over to the kitchen sink. She took the sponge from the holder, turned the faucet slightly to the left, and waited for the water to warm up. Once the water was warm, she used the sponge to clean around and between the stove with soap and water.

While cleaning, Angelica's phone vibrated again, showing Brianna's name on the caller ID. Susie felt the phone vibrating in her left back pocket, but she didn't bother to answer it and let it go to voicemail instead. She tried to hide her frustration and maintain her composure while cleaning the kitchen. She placed both hands over the sink and kept them close together as if forming a ball.

"Come on, Susie," she said, putting the sponge back down and resting both hands on the counter. Stay calm, she told herself, trying to control her emotions.

"Angelica is counting on you to save her from this blackmail nightmare. Running away won't solve the problem, and sitting around won't help either. I've waited long enough for this moment. It has come to this point because a few individuals got close enough to the truth, only to have their lives destroyed and be forced to move elsewhere. But there's no turning back. It's now or never," Susie said.

After finishing her pep talk, Susie took a moment to control her frustration. She carefully removed the cooking stain remover from the stove and stood up, relaxing her grip. Then, she returned to the stove and turned it off. Once the cooking pan had cooled to room temperature, Susie opened the drawer on the counter, grabbed a large spoon, and transferred the food to the counter. Afterward, she placed the spoon and the stain remover in the sink. Once the stove was clean and the sponge stored away, Susie grabbed the tray with the plant on top and carried her food to Angelica's bedroom. She could overhear Angelica, sounding overwhelmed inside the bedroom as she went to the stairs.

"Sorry for the long wait," said Susie, smiling as she entered Angelica's bedroom with her breakfast. "I hope I didn't interrupt your overwhelming moment earlier while making your food this morning. We only have a day left together before your mother returns from her business trip." She walked over to Angelica's left side, sat beside her, and carefully placed the food tray on her lap.

As Susie sat beside her, Angelica immediately pulled back and uncovered her face, revealing her flushed cheeks.

"Don't be sorry," replied Angelica, facing Susie. "Of course, she returns tomorrow morning. Sadly, our little get-togethers didn't last as long as last summer's vacation. Besides, you've been downstairs for more than a minute. Is everything all right?" She wondered why Susie had taken so long in the kitchen.

Susie gently placed her left hand on top of Angelica's hand. "Of course, Charlotte trusts me," Susie said calmly. "I promise you, don't focus on the negative and focus on the positive. The only thing that matters is putting a smile on your beautiful face. Now, come on, let's enjoy our breakfast," she encouraged.

Angelica couldn't help but smile and blush at Susie's words as they began sharing the food.

Meanwhile, Mary, Kate, and Brianna walked home from a secret meeting behind the school buildings that afternoon. Once the meeting concluded, everyone who intended to leave did so. At Brianna's house, she reached into her pocket, retrieved her house key, and unlocked the door. After entering, Kate and Mary headed straight to Brianna's bedroom. Frustrated, Brianna slammed the door behind her to keep the noise down. She leaned against the door, thoughts swirling: "This can't be happening!"

Brianna yelled in frustration, "This doesn't make sense! We've spent countless days, weeks, months, and years planning revenge against Angelica for taking what was rightfully mine. I should have been class president since middle school, and this year should have been no different! Before we were notified about the morning emergency meeting, she hadn't answered the phone or responded to our text messages, including our group chats."

Brianna squeezed her hands tightly, gripped by frustration, as she realized that news of the blackmail might have spread around the school and downtown. She couldn't tell if this was a continuation of the old rules from middle school or something entirely different. To make matters worse, Branna continued, "Someone has eavesdropped on us for the fifth time this week, forcing us to change the meeting location again. They threatened to expose us to the public if we didn't obey their orders. We took action, damaging their reputation and forcing them to move after getting into our blackmail plans. Now, rumors about the blackmail were circulating in the town and the school. 'I'm not sure if any rumors are true,' she thought."

As Brianna reflected on the relentless rumors that had spread like wildfire for the past two months, her frustration with the mounting allegations grew. Inside her bedroom, Mary and Kate waited for Brianna to calm down, listening as she vented about the situation and the new problems it had brought.

Sitting at the edge of Brianna's bed, Mary rested her hands on her head and closed her eyes while Kate sat beside her, her hands in her lap and nervously twiddling her thumbs. She struggled to decide whether to offer helpful advice or remain silent. After taking a few deep breaths, she turned to Mary, who was still sitting beside her, and asked, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Mary remained in her position, her hands on her head and her eyes closed. After she left in silence, Kate said, "Come on, Mary! You haven't said anything since we left the school this morning to attend the meeting." Brianna was losing her mind; nearly half of the members, including the leaders, were frustrated that we had abandoned another location, ultimately ruining someone's life in the past five years. Kate commented that she was waiting for Mary to respond.

Mary opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to Kate, replaying, "What do you want me to say, huh, Kate?" Frustration seeped into her voice as she struggled to maintain her

composure. "This isn't something we can dismiss lightly. We haven't just ruined two lives and affected countless others over the past five years. The last thing we want is for our reputations to be destroyed, yet our names are dragged through the mud with endless accusations piling up." With that, Mary ended the conversation.

Once the conversation concluded, Brianna released her grip on the door frame and headed upstairs to her bedroom, where Mary and Kate waited for her/

As this unfolded, footsteps could be heard from outside the bedroom, growing louder as they approached. Brianna burst through the door, her footsteps echoing with anger. Mary and Kate listened as Brianna slammed the door behind her and yelled, "This doesn't make any sense!"

Brianna moved away from the door, pacing back and forth across her room. "She hasn't answered any of our calls or texts since last night, and to add insult to injury, rumors are spreading around town and at school about the blackmail allegations. I'm not entirely sure how or why this is happening. Wait, it's because some random student decided to stick their nose into our business, and now we have no choice but to take matters into our own hands."

She paused, looking at Mary and Kate. "You both have something to say because Mary here hasn't said a single word." Brianna glanced at Mary, urging her to explain the situation.

Mary started getting frustrated again by Kate's comment about them getting repaid again. She opened her eyes, shifting them towards Brianna as she knew what to say.

" What do you expect me to say, huh? Brianna Mary replied angrily; of course, she's not answering our damn calls or text messages, Mary commented as she continued, "Because her girlfriend Susie is probably behind this whole fucking thing for all we know, especially since unknown individuals overheard what happened yesterday and the day before that. Like I told Kate, the last thing we wanted was our reputation to be destroyed by those losers back in middle school," she yelled, pointing her finger at Brianna's face.

Nervously twiddling her thumbs, Kate watched as Marty and Brianna shouted at each other over past drama that seemed to be repeating from middle school. "Please don't start arguing again. The more we argue, the worse this situation will become if we don't fix it," she said. Standing up from the edge of the bed, Kate positioned herself between Marty and Brianna to prevent them from fighting. Brianna and Mary took a deep breath before releasing the air from their noses so that no one could say anything else.

"Fine," Brianna replied. "Besides, the Halloween dance is four and a half weeks away, which means Susie and Angelica will most likely be there since the costume contest is being held at a different location." She took a step back from Mary, folding her arms. "As for the incident in middle school, we didn't bring it up because we took action and solved the problem. I expect both of you to refrain from mentioning the past or anything that involves us. Do you understand?" Of course, Brianna Mary replied." the two lovebirds would be at the school dance, sitting back down on the bed while Kate did the same thing. What makes this situation worse is that we have two different rumors in opposite directions, we have no leads, and we don't know if the rumors are true or lies. What are we to do if things go entirely south? Time is slowly running out, she said.

Meanwhile, in Angelica's bedroom, Susie and Angelica enjoyed breakfast together while engaging in a pleasant conversation. Susie reached for the napkin on the food tray near the plant on the left-hand side and carefully wiped Angelica's mouth before placing the napkin back on the tray. Angelica allowed Susie to clean her mouth without any hesitation.

Soon, the robot butler entered the room to check on the girls and ask if they needed assistance, such as getting something to drink. They noticed the robot butler enter and asked if they needed anything else.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Robo said as he approached them. "How are we this lovely afternoon? I hope my services are more than enough. Also, Mrs. Pickles, I wanted to remind you that your mother arrives tomorrow morning. She left a voicemail just as we were speaking," he added, turning his head to face Angelica and Susie.

"Hello, Robo," Angelica replied. "Susie and I are wonderful this afternoon. Thanks for asking!" She smiled. "Of course, your services have been more than enough. I couldn't ask for a better butler. Thank you for the reminder about my mother's return," Angelica said, handing him the bowl and food tray from her lap.

"You're very welcome, Mrs. Pickles," Robo replied, taking the food tray and bowl from Angelica's hands. "Anyway, regarding duty calls, I shall take my leave immediately. If you both need anything else, call for me," he said, making his way to the bedroom door and heading straight to the kitchen.

Once Robo exited the bedroom, he entered the kitchen and cleaned the dirty dishes, putting on gloves to protect his robotic hands. Meanwhile, Angelica hugged Susie for making her breakfast.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Susie!" Angelica said with joy. But you didn't have to waste your time making me food. I could have done it myself. Watch. I'm grateful you decided to come over almost every weekend, minus sneaking in through the back door to spend time with me."

Susie felt Angelica's arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her closer. She returned the favor by hugging her back. Both Susie and Angelica hung each other. The sudden change surprised Susie, almost like her true self was attempting to break free from its chains. She wasn't sure if the changes were fundamental or temporary due to her act. Susie came up with a solution that would solve her problem without hesitation.

"You're welcome," Charlotte replied. Susie continued, "Yeah, you could've done it yourself." She paused and added, "Without my help, you wouldn't be this good at cooking. Watching you cook is unique—minus sneaking through the back door since it's the only way to enter the house without your mom catching on. You haven't forgotten, have you? The Halloween dance is just around the corner, fitting since September is nearly over and October starts on Monday.

"That's only because I get very nervous around you," Angelica replied, breaking the hug from Susie and feeling shy. She commented that those moments when Susie sneaked inside were a dream come true, but she hadn't forgotten about the dance. "I still haven't found the right person who would be brave enough to ask me to the Halloween dance yet," she admitted. She mentioned that September was nearly over, and there were only three months left in the semester before winter break. Standing up, she stretched at the edge of the bed.

Susie broke the hug and watched Angelica stand up and stretch her arms and legs. While Angelica wasn't paying attention, Susie attempted to grab the phone from her pocket, carefully taking it out with the tip of her right pointer finger. Then, she pulled the phone into her hand and held it tightly.

"I mean, we started this school semester on Monday, September 4th," Susie said as she watched Angelica stand up. Most students had either failed, passed, or been left behind, but that didn't stop Susie from wanting to spend time with her favorite person. She continued, "Don't get me wrong; we only had a short time to look for Halloween dates, so I thought we could shop for Halloween costumes together. How does that sound?" Susie shyly asked Angelica if she would be willing to be her Halloween date.

Susie carefully tucked her cell phone under the pillow as she waited for a reply, hoping Angelica wouldn't notice. Once the phone was hidden, she quickly placed her right hand back on her lap. Angelica took a moment to answer Susie's question about being her Halloween date. With a smile, Angelica exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, Susie, yes! Of course, I'll be your Halloween date!" There was excitement in her voice. "That sounds wonderful," Angelica continued, facing Susie. "Spending the whole afternoon Halloween shopping with my favorite person—who would've thought September would fly by so fast? We better get ready before most of the customers arrive," she added.

"Yeah, this month did go by faster than you could blink," Susie replied, pausing momentarily. "Anyway, I'll start cleaning around the room while you get yourself cleaned up."

Angelica hugged Susie tightly and excitedly before breaking the hug. Susie watched as Angelica walked out of the bedroom door. Once Angelica exited the room, Susie noticed her cell phone was full of unread messages and missed calls from Brianna, Mary, and Kaite. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Susie exhaled slowly.

"I'm surprised Angelica didn't realize I had taken her phone without her knowing it was missing, especially while I was busy talking to her math teacher, Miss Rosenthal," Susie thought. She continued, "It's only a matter of time before she finds out about my interference in the blackmail situation. She would hate me for meddling in what she believed would resolve the problem. Let's face it: her mother isn't any help at all, and to make matters worse, no one we know is willing to say a word. They're either too scared or afraid to speak up about the issue, just like other victims who tried and ended up with their lives destroyed and forced to move weeks later after telling the truth, which nobody believed.

"Angelica will discover the truth soon, and I'm not prepared for that," Susie paused, contemplating the situation involving Timmy, Chuckie, Kimi, Phil, Lil, and Dil and realizing their involvement was questionable. "Once I figure out the truth behind the blackmail situation and the allegations I've been hearing around town about odd behaviors and their reasons, confronting the others might shed some light on the matter. They are also caught up in their issues with Angelica over the Thanksgiving drama. Either way, I'm sorry to say that a group meeting is necessary for everyone's health. Even if they don't like it, it has to be done."

Brianna stood back with Mary and Kate, pacing slightly as she addressed them. "This began in the middle of my first year of middle school since we left all those pathetic losers who thought they had the upper hand and failed in the end," she said. "I've asked a few people to serve as our eyes and ears throughout the semester we have left, just in case we need a backup plan. In exchange for valuable information about upcoming events, we can promise them support if I win the class president election. "Makes sense," comments Kate. "But, like Mary said, what will we do if things go south?

Brianna suggested, "We should stick with the original plan to swindle those mindless idiots like we did all those years ago, plain and simple. However, she added, "We couldn't decide on our next move because of the mixed rumors that spread throughout town and school grounds. So when the next secret meeting happens on Monday morning, we will play it by ear for the time being," she said. Once the conversation with Mary and Kate was over, they both decided to walk home since they hadn't gotten much sleep after the meeting. After Mary walked Kate home and dropped her off, she entered her house while everyone was still asleep. As Mary walked toward her bedroom, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket while she was walking Kate home and wondered who could be texting her this early morning. Mary took her phone from her pocket and looked at the text messages.

Messages were exchanged between Mary and an unknown individual.

February 9th, 2009, six years early, between locating, searching, and packing, gathering any remaining information before being transferred to Jim Jr. Junior High. Monday

Unknown individual: Hello again, Mary. If I'm not mistaken, I hope you're managing your issues since the middle school allegations have been circulating for months. However, you didn't waste any time reaching out, correct? Also, you mentioned that things are getting out of hand.

Mary: If I hadn't dealt with enough issues since the allegations, we wouldn't have had private conversations without specific individuals catching on when some should have minded their business. Instead, they paid the consequences of their actions. A few individuals did; the rest were crossfire watchers, which was out of our control, so that's on them. I am not paying the price for what those idiots got themselves into. But to answer your question fully, yes, I've been managing these issues to the best of my ability since the incident began and the day we transferred to Jim Jr. Junior High. I don't know how much time I have left before we get moved, but I'll try to keep you updated as much as possible. If you haven't heard from me, you already know what happened. And it isn't easy regarding the reaching out part—more on that later.

Unknown individual: Your statement primarily influenced everything. Specific individuals should have avoided it as they faced the consequences of their actions. This also includes others who were caught in the crossfire. Can you provide more information on this? Who were these individuals? Why did they have to face the consequences of their actions? Additionally, you mentioned that things are getting out of hand. How did that happen, and why?

Mary: As I mentioned, I don't have much time because I am busy cleaning my secret hiding area within the library and grabbing my personal belongings, including information that nobody knows about. Perhaps we can meet somewhere private while you keep your end of the deal.

Unknown individual: We can make a deal here. Let's meet somewhere private to discuss our agreement. If you bring the information and allegations, I will follow up with my questions. If you deliver them, I promise to erase your involvement. Do we have a deal, Mary?

Mary: yes, we have a deal

Unknown individual: our official meeting will be at the Halloween dance next school semester.

April 17th, 2009, three months later, new locations and blackmailing plans. Wednesday

Mary: Hi, it's Mary again. I apologize for not responding to your calls and for the three-month delay in providing the information I promised. I got caught up in a personal situation. As promised, I'd like to share my findings. Over the past three months, we have faced numerous challenges clarifying our names since the allegations spread throughout the town. We have used various methods, strategies, and advice from others who have been through similar experiences.

Unknown individual: Hello again, Mary! I'm pleased to hear from you. Thank you for your updates over the last three months. Since the last time we talked, it seemed challenging. Will you try to clarify your names with different methods, strategies, and advice from others who have experienced similar things? Do tell.

Mary: We made several attempts to clarify our names by using various methods and strategies and seeking advice from people who had faced similar situations. For example, I spent days and weeks scouring the internet for helpful information to address our problems. I also discreetly contacted professionals while reading countless articles. After all this effort, I discovered some valuable information. While researching articles about our situation, a few individuals responded to my email about what happened in my old middle school. They wanted $100 in cash, including the advice, which increased to $400, culminating in 1,000 dollars.

Unknown individual: and did you take that offer?

Mary: I didn't accept that offer; it seemed pointless. Who would spend $1,000 for information? It has been two long months, and I haven't had a moment of sleep because of the rumors circulating in town. On top of that, I'm dealing with Kate at the same time. As I mentioned, the offer was too expensive, so I opted for option B.

One of the articles talked about a teenager in the sixth grade who had been experiencing similar issues for more than 18 years with a small group that called themselves the "Unknown Shadows." Nobody believed his story because those around him had to lie to protect themselves from others who knew too much about the group. This backfired 18 years later when someone from within the group revealed everything, bringing to light countless information, videos, and research in a notebook. The group got in trouble with the law and had to pay millions of dollars in damages and suffering, including time served.

Unknown individual: While searching for help and dealing with Kate, I wouldn't put it past you to be overwhelmed. You've faced much stress over the past two months, especially after receiving a request for $1,000, which sounds like a scam to me. But before we end our conversation, could you tell me what's so essential about Kate that it's causing you to lose sleep?

Mary: What is it about Kate that keeps me up at night? Dealing with her parents is incredibly difficult; they argue monthly over trivial matters. These are supposed to be responsible adults, yet somehow, I get dragged into their conflicts. I've been taking Kate to therapy sessions twice a week and walking her home because of her anxiety. She struggles to control her emotions, which makes things even more challenging, so I must always be by her side. It's been a lot to manage, and I'm starting to feel exhausted. However, the only way to resolve this situation, despite the allegations, is for us to find a way out. This is the real reason I reached out in the first place.

Unknown individual: I apologize for your challenging experience over the past two days. I understand your feelings, and I appreciate you sharing this with me. Our meeting at the school dance is still on, so please be on time. That's understandable. Did the professionals you reached out to give you this advice?

Mary: I understand. I'll explain the whole story once we meet in person and after we settle on a deal.

Mary scrolled through the messages from her conversations with the unknown individual she had been in contact with while Angelica was away at summer camp with Susie. The year after that, Angelica ended up in the hospital. Among the messages, she found one more that read:

Unknown individual: "Hey, Mary. I heard the news about Angelica's hospitalization the other day. Could you provide any information on what happened?"

Mary replied, "I heard about that last weekend. If you want more information, I suggest searching the town for answers. If that doesn't help, she might have a journal or diary that could provide some insight into your questions. You should try looking around her bedroom, as it's likely located there. I'm not sure what else to suggest.

"Unknown individual: I'll keep that in mind, just in case. Thanks, Mary, once again.

current time

Mary finally received a new message from an unknown sender. The sender mentioned that the location for the Halloween school dance might have changed. If this is true, Mary should buy her ticket for their meet-up. Once she finished reading her messages, Mary placed her phone on the nightstand and closed her eyes, hoping to rest after a long, stressful day.

Back in Angelica's bedroom in the afternoon, Susie picked up her cell phone from the nightstand and began texting Lil about a group meeting about Angelica's behavior during the Thanksgiving drama two years ago. She mentioned that the meeting would occur at Tommy's house, and everyone would be present, hoping to end this madness.

Susie received a message on Lil's phone. Afterward, she left Angelica's room, carrying a pile of dirty clothes, and placed them in the washing machine. That same afternoon, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Kimi, and Dil gathered in the living room, reminiscing about the good old days. 'Hey, remember that giant playhouse your dad built when we were kids said Phil. 'The play-palace 3000 Tommy replied. What about it? He questions Pil about his dad's playhouse and the aftermath of the invention.

' Whatever became of that contraption, Phi asked Tommyl; the last thing I remember was us scaring Chilly and Slush in the snow world, Junior. Mama and Big Daddy are in a river fun run, as are Herman and his hermit crabs.

"Oh yeah, that fantastic multi-level play set for children!" said Lil, chiming in. "I remember when Angelica stole Tommy's lion, Kimi's super thing, Chuckie's Wawa, and a can of worms from Phil and me. We shared so many great memories playing with that set. But back to Phil's question: whatever happened to it? I miss it." Lil added that I wished he had kept the Play-Palace 3000 longer.

"What became of the contraption, you ask?" Tommy replied. He paused for five to ten minutes before continuing, "Well, like typical old-fashioned ways, my dad eventually shipped off the product along with his other inventions, including the Reptar car. Supposedly, that car didn't get shipped after we took it out while Grandpa was fast asleep, and it ended up being half destroyed. I wish it had stayed a bit longer than it did." Wait a minute; Dad built a Play Palace 3000 in the backyard when we were kids—dil comments on the subject. Dude, I've been missing out he added.

"Technically, you haven't mentioned Chuckie at all," he said. "Ever since you were a baby, you've been involved in adventures with us, including trips to Paris and even experiences around the house."

Before anyone could respond, Lil's cell phone vibrated, bringing silence to the living room. She reached for her phone, checked the caller ID, and saw Susie's name on the screen. Lil remained quiet while the others looked at her with concern.

"Lil," Kimi said, looking at her and the others, unsure what to say. "Who are you messaging on your phone, taking your attention away from us? Please don't tell me it's her. This can't be happening right now. We can't waste another year dealing with her problems. It's unnecessary." KImi added, thinking that Angelica was texting Lil to start another argument with them all.

"It's Susie," Lil replied in a scared tone. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before adding, "Who do you think was on my caller ID, Kimi? Huh? It's not Angelica or some cute guy from the football team. Yes, her problems have been unnecessary over the past two years, but they have led to countless arguments that haven't solved anything; they've only added more fuel to the fire." Lil said she had finished talking and was waiting for someone to respond.

While you were distracted by your conversation with Susie, Chuckie asked what she wanted and why she only contacted you instead of us.

Where are you about to find out? Lil Replied to Chuckie. She opened her cell phone and checked the message to text Susie back.

Susie: Hey, Lil. I'm sorry to bother you during the evening, but do you have a minute? I must address something before I attend to other situations that require my attention.

Lil: Of course, I have a minute. What's up?

Susie: I understand the drama surrounding Thanksgiving in November and the numerous arguments that have taken place. However, I may not fully grasp the situation based on my learning. We will have this group meeting during winter break, as it's time to move past this issue. I want to emphasize that I am not pointing fingers or placing blame on anyone. Please inform the rest of the group about the upcoming meeting.

Lil froze when Susie revealed she knew about the Thanksgiving drama and arguments back in November. She couldn't understand how someone like Susie could learn about the situation in less than two days or more. Just then, her older brother Phil walked over to his twin sister and asked her about it. Lil said Phil, what's the matter he asked her. You have not said a single word for the last five minutes. What did Susie want?

Lil replied, "Susie is fully aware of our Thanksgiving argument from last November, including the numerous disputes we had with Angelica." She added, "Our group meeting is in three months, so our parents won't be around when this conversation begins." The others listened intently to Lil's statement about Susie's awareness of the Thanksgiving drama and the arguments. No one spoke as Lil closed her phone after realizing Susie already knew.

Kimi replied, "Is Susie fully aware of the Thanksgiving drama and our arguments with Angelica last November?" She added, "Also, she scheduled a group meeting for three months from now. Since September is almost over, how does Susie know this information when no one mentioned it?"

Chuckie then chimed in, suggesting, "Maybe Angelica told her, or perhaps one of her friends did." The group exchanged sideways glances at Chuckie, contemplating his comment.

"Maybe her friends? What friends does she have? Chuckie replied, Lil now facing him. Because if you ask me, the last time I checked, nearly half the people she befriended didn't like her. Susie is the only person Angelica has, and nobody else.

"I don't want to deal with this anymore, especially with Susie involved. What else could she be hiding that none of us know about?" Kimi said, frustration evident in her voice.

"Well, if you ask me," replied Tommy, "the only way to find out is to ask Susie when this meeting takes place during winter break. I'm sorry, everyone, but this is for the best. We don't have much of a choice here." Tommy added as the rest of the group collected their thoughts on the situation.

Later, Susie and Angelica were in the Halloween store downtown, searching for costumes together for the Halloween dance almost upon them. After a minute of browsing through the clothes costumes, Angelica selected a few costumes while Susie stood nearby, watching her to ensure nobody made her feel unwelcome while shopping. As Angelica picked out the costumes, she caught sight of Susie watching her, which made her blush slightly. She then walked over to Susie with the costumes in hand and said,

" Everything is all right?" Angelica asked Susie. Since we walked inside, you haven't stopped staring at me for the past two hours. Is something wrong, or do I look good enough for this much attention?" Angelica asked Susie with a grin.

'Yeah, everything's all right Susie replied to Angelcia's question. She took a few minutes before saying, " I wanted to ensure my favorite person enjoyed herself while we searched for our costumes. Susie continued, saying, "Looking good enough for me is more than enough, caressing Angelica's cheek out of comfort.

Angelica felt Susie caress her cheek with the softness of her smooth skin. She couldn't help but blush from Susie's touch, looking away to hide her embarrassment.

"It's incredible how the simplest touch of my soft skin can make you feel this vulnerable, enough to hide your beautiful blush from me," Susie said with a teasing smile. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but during visiting hours at the hospital, weren't you the one who wouldn't let go of my hand? You even asked me to stay longer after hours."

Angelica was talking back to Susie's words, knowing that she was correct, "Who wouldn't?" Angelica replied. "You're the only thing close to life that I have left in this world. Leaving me in that untrustworthy hospital wasn't the best plan. I don't enjoy being bothered with unnecessary problems and questions; I was just sick of it."

"Untrustworthy hospital?" Susie questioned. "Look, I didn't have the option to leave you alone in a hospital. I rushed over when I heard you collapsing at work during busy hours. No matter what, I apologize for any distress I caused, and I only want to show you love and care."

Once Susie finished her confession, something profound inside Angelica began to snap, as if her genuine emotions slowly started to surface. Susie noticed the same reaction as before but remained quiet for now.

End of chapter 5, part one.

Hello, my nightmare. First, I sincerely Apologize for the lack of uploads as promised due to life getting in the way of my stuff outside of writing. I hope I haven't kept you all waiting for things alone, but do see you at party two without further ado. See you guys then?!.