To Purity, Halloween had always been one of those pointless holidays. You get dressed up in a costume and then go around asking for candy. That seemed pretty pointless to her.
Purity’s family had never celebrated Halloween, as they all pretty much thought the same as her. Except for Payton, Purity’s twin brother. Payton had loved the idea of Halloween ever since he was a kid. He used to beg their parents to let them celebrate it, but they always said no and that it was a pointless holiday.
But this year was a little different. Purity was going to the Halloween dance for the first time. She had never had a reason to go before, but this year she had a date.
Purity really couldn’t believe it when Daniel asked her. It’s not that she wasn’t pretty, or a loser, or anything bad like that, it’s just that she was sort of invisible. She thought no one had even noticed her.
Daniel wasn’t popular, but he wasn’t invisible or a loser. He was a bit closer to the top tier. He played baseball last year but had to quit after hurting his arm. Now he was on the A.L. News commitee, their school newspaper. Purity had joined the committee this year in hopes that she would meet new friends. And it worked, now instead of going straight home after school she was going to the park, or the deli, or even someone’s house. She was hanging out with people, and that was a first.
For the halloween dance Purity and Daniel were going as Frankenstein and his bride. Purity wasn’t a big fan of this idea at first but Daniel talked her into it. He said that it was the perfect couple costume, which of caused Purity to grin like an idiot because he called them a couple.
Now Purity was modeling her costume for her family and her parents were both trying their best not to make a face.
“You look great,” Philip, one of her dads, said. Purity could tell he was trying hard to be nice, maybe a little too hard since he looked pained.
Her other dad on the other hand wasn’t so nice, “you look insane.”
“Dad!” Purity said, “I look like the bride of Frankenstein.”
“And she looks crazy,” he said.
“David, don’t be so mean,” Phillip said.
Purity sighed and turned to Payton, “what do you think?”
Payton grinned and gave a thumbs up. Purity smiled, a thumbs up plus a grin meant great.
About a year ago Payton was in an accident and ever since then he couldn’t talk. At first he was distressed. He locked himself in his room for most of the day, refusing to interact with anyone. But after a while their parents talked him into learning sign language so he can talk to everyone. He doesn’t use it much though, preferring to use obscure hand gestures.
Payton opted out of going to the dance. Even though he loved Halloween, he was never a fan of school dances.
“You look great, honey,” her dad said finally, after Philip talked him into it.
“Thank you,” Purity said, “now I need to go change back into normal clothes. TTYL.”
Purity skipped up the stairs. She was extremely excited, this was her first date ever. Carefully she changed out of her costume and into some comfortable clothes.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the dance, it was all that was going through her head throughout dinner, all the way till she fell asleep that night. She imagined dancing with Daniel. Everyone would complement them on their costume and then he would take her home and maybe, just maybe, kiss her on her doorstep. Just like a movie. That’s all she wanted.
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