As much as I didn’t want to admit it, the costume was fire.

Miki had gone for a classic, dropping God knows how much on a replica of the uniforms from the first American movie we became hooked on after moving here four years ago. The green and yellow contrasted the orange peaking through the pleats on the skirt swishing around my legs. ‘Clovers,’ embossed in a bright yellow screen print on the chest, makes the look instantly recognizable. Considering the chill in the fall air, I didn’t know how well the bear mid-drift would hold up, but there was always a price to be paid.

Miki is the first to exit the Uber as we pull up to the sidewalk in front of the Sigma Chi off-campus house. It wasn’t officially their house, but Darius Fleur had opened it up for their use after purchasing it last year following graduation. Despite his unfortunate personality, he did throw a hell of a party.

Mirella waits for us on the lawn, greeting Miki, Dalila, and me with a hug when we approach the house. Nythia planned to join us a little later, wanting to head back to her place to scoop her girlfriend beforehand.

“Heads up, the idiot is on an idiot tear today,” Mirella warns. She’d donned a black leotard and a rich purple cape for the occasion. The red dot on her forehead stands out against her alabaster skin, completing the look. Her hair was a few shades lighter and far more lavender than the reference character, but otherwise, the costume was spot-on.

Miki brushes her hair from her shoulder. “What else is new?”

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad,” Dalila says.

As if on cue, Darius stumbles through the front door, whistling at the sight of us. Mirella pinches the bridge of her nose, annoyance carving stress lines into her forehead.

The idiot in question looked unexpectedly good for what I’m sure was a last-minute costume choice. He’d thrown on a multicolored striped shirt under a pair of overalls. His red hair was splayed around his head, a half-assed red line drawn from forehead to chin. I hoped he’d left the knife in the kitchen where it belonged.

He crosses the lawn, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. He smelled of beer and weed, eyes forced to focus on me. “Aki. Isn’t this a treat? Is this the lucky night I finally convinced you to let me take you to my room?”

Boy, was I glad I’d taken that gummy before heading over. It could not kick in fast enough. “That depends. How many STDs popped up on your test this time?”

“None that can’t be treated with a strong course of antibiotics.”

Mirella closes her eyes. “You’re so gross.”

“I’ll pass,” I reply, removing his hand from my shoulder and heading into the house.

He turns to Miki. She laughs hysterically before he can even get the question out, following after me with Dalila and Mirella in tow.

The inside of the house is bustling, music vibrating the walls. Most people are clumped together, half shouting over the music to one another. A handful of couples post up against the wall, hands on hips, mouths on lips. The ones that eager never lasted long. They’d need to get back to one another before long.

A baby-faced red-haired man joins us, dipping behind my sister to twist her around. He was dressed in a pair of slacks and a long black cape with a maroon emblem embossed on the front. He’d tied back his red hair, throwing on a pair of rounded spectacles that annoyingly suited him. Not unlike the freak volleyball brothers, he had a face built for editorial. The brown sand color of his skin only highlighted the marvel of his bone structure.

She giggles, twisting out of his grip and wrapping an arm around his head. Miki crashes into him, eyes fluttering closed at the touch. “Hi, babe.”

God, I was going to throw up.

He flicks his attention to me. “Hey, Aki.”

“Hello, Rahim.” He may have been good for my sister, but my patience with him was as long as the tide—it depended on the day.

“I expected you much later,” he comments.

Miki smiles. “Someone didn’t fight us this year.”

“Is that so?” Rahim wraps an arm around Miki’s shoulders, smiling at me. “You know, my cousin is coming tonight—”

“No.” I couldn’t dip out of this conversation fast enough. Whoever he was talking about, I wasn’t interested. I didn’t need a new relationship complicating my life. I’d already accepted a position as a research assistant at a lab on the East Coast next year. The last thing I wanted was someone anchoring me here. Besides, if his cousin was anything like him, it was a non-starter for me.

“She’s already got her eye on someone,” Miki says. Knowing it was coming didn’t make it any more tolerable.

Mirella cocks an eyebrow. “Oh? How come this is the first I’m hearing of it?”

“There are no eyes,” I correct, walking away before we can delve further into the conversation.

The party is in full swing behind the house, pool water casting a reflection of waves over the walls that is strangely alluring. That, or the gummy was finally starting to kick in. I’d have my answer in ten minutes or so.

Partygoers hover around the beer pong table set up in the center. The weather was mild today, but that didn’t stop them. Mirella’s other brother, Lucias, is playing on one side. When I first met him, he’d struck me as the quiet type, but it turns out he was as wild as his brother. He was just more careful about hiding it.

Mirella deposits a drink in front of my face. That was quick. “You looked like you could use it.”

“Thanks.” Truthfully, I could use it. I knock back a large gulp of the sugary liquid that was undoubtedly going to fuck me up later.

“How are you doing?” Mirella asks. The two of us are alone—Miki and Dalila had run off to the other side of the patio, chatting with a handful of Rahim’s friends.

I nod. “I’m fine.”

She’s skeptical. She knew me better than that. “Just fine?” I didn’t know a better way to explain it.

My phone buzzing against my thigh cuts off any opportunity to answer. I pull it free, opening the text I received.

“You have to promise not to laugh when you see my costume.”

Oh, god. I could only imagine what that was supposed to mean. I glance back at Mirella. “Yeah, I’m good. Can you give me a minute?” I didn’t want her to see the look on my face when I replied to this.

She gestures forward, watching curiously as I make my way into the kitchen. There were still people here, but far less than those outside. I jump onto the corner of the counter, pulling up the text again. “That heavily depends on what exactly it is.”

Three dots. “My brother’s girlfriend is a bit of a weeb. She really latched onto the brothers with red eyes theme this year.”

That narrowed the suspects. Still, I had questions. “You let your brother’s girlfriend pick your costume?”

A read receipt. Dots. “Jealous already?”

I was not. “Curious. Not jealous.”

“Not that a girl like you would need to be.”

I was going to throw up. “That was corny.”

“Bet it’s got you smiling again, though.”

“What are you smiling at?” The words come out lighthearted. Jovial. Nothing that would serve as cause for alarm under normal circumstances.

My stomach drops into my feet anyway.

Tearing my eyes away from the screen, a familiar face greets me. He looked different. His tawny skin was paler than the last time I’d seen him, no longer possessing the toasted hue I’d come to know of it. The glasses were gone, revealing the unadulterated roundness of his monolid eyes. He must have replaced them with contacts, I could only assume. His emerald hair was swept from his face, cropped short instead of the waist-long locks I’d come to know. He was apparently leaning into the respectable doctor trope. I hated how good it looked on him.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

Kai flinches. “I suppose I deserved that.”

Yes. You did.

“Aki, what happened that day…I’m sorry. What I said wasn’t what I meant to convey, and by the time I realized what I’d done, it was too late.”

It was never too late.

Except for now. Now, it was too late. “I’d rather not ruminate on the past.” I slide from the kitchen counter, preparing to leave.

“Thank you,” he says as I walk past.

I stop. This fucker.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

He flounders. “Just… for everything.”

Oh my god. Did he think I would actually fall for this bullshit?

I couldn’t decide whether to be offended or impressed. How had two months at Harvard, of all places, turned him into this much of a moron? Did he think this was all it took? Did he have any idea how far under the earth my sister wanted to bury him? How I’d had to convince my mother and father not to make a call to God knows who? We’d long passed the part of this working.

It was fine, though. I would do the responsible thing and walk away. Something like that didn’t deserve a response.

Only problem is Kai had never been very good at picking up nuances. “You know, it’s been pretty lonely out there.”

Fine. I’d do this the direct way. “Don’t.”

He furrows his brow. “Don’t what?”

“Do that. Play dumb, like you think I’m dumb.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb, Aki.”

“Oh, I’m flattered.”

He wrings his hands together. “That’s not what I meant either.”

This was going nowhere. I wasn’t interested in exploring further.  “It was good to see you, Kai.”

“I came here to see you.”

I didn’t believe in God, but He was testing my patience anyway. The gummy had started to kick in. I could tell from how the anger swirling in my chest was radiating over my forehead. “You didn’t come here to see me. You came here because you don’t have anyone else. I know you better than that, Kai. Come on.”

“It’s not just that. I miss you.” He sighs. “I thought I needed to do this alone. You’re incredible, and I’m average. I wanted something that would let me stand on your level.”

Don’t punch him. Don’t punch him.

I clench my fists. “You know what I want, Kai? I want you to pretend I never existed. I’ll do the same.”

My face felt fuzzy. The drink in my hand was empty. I suddenly wanted to get out of this party. In the past, he’d insisted these events weren’t worth the effort. They were beneath me, and I wasn’t built for them anyway. I guess he’d been right about that in the end.

I leave the kitchen, making my way down the hall. Miki and Mirella are chatting with Rahim and Darius when I walk by.

“Akina, where are you going?” Miki calls.

“Aki, wait a minute.” Kai reaches out to grab my arm, but I shrug him off.

I hear a thud over the music, watching Darius fold at the waist in my periphery. “Why the hell is he here?” Mirella demands. “Did you invite him?”

He coughs. “He was in the area. What was I supposed to do?”

“Why are you such a colossal asshole?” I hadn’t seen Mirella this angry in a while. She reserved a special fury for her brother.

It was fine. I wasn’t going to stay much longer anyway. “I just need some air. I’ll be back later.”

“I’ll come with you,” Miki says, stepping forward.

I wave her off. “Don’t bother. I won’t be gone long enough for it to matter.” That was a lie, of course, but it would take her a minute to realize.

My footsteps pound over the steps as I continue my way out, ignoring the sound of Kai’s as he trails after me. I wasn’t going to indulge him today. Whatever he wanted, he could find it somewhere else.

I’d forgotten about Cassius until I catch sight of him on the front lawn, surrounded by a sea of heads. I start to question why he hadn’t texted me, but realize I hadn’t checked my phone since running into Kai. He must have just arrived. I should walk over and say hi. I was the one that invited him. It would be rude to dip out without saying anything.

However, my head was spinning. The edible is kicking my senses into overdrive and heightening my anxiety. I’d come here to forget about Kai, and here he was, spouting whatever nonsense he felt like.

What did my feelings matter?

“Hey. Hey. What’s going on?”

Hands press gently into my shoulders, stopping me before I reach the sidewalk. I meet Cassius’s gaze. He’s confused, unsure how to address the frustration written all over my gait. There’s a sincerity there that calms the frantic pace of my mind, though. He was much more open than I’d thought the first time I saw him. This docile side of his personality didn’t fit with his rough and tumble physique. I wondered which side of him was the bigger front.

Kai’s footsteps stop. “Who’s this guy, Aki?” Holy shit, I wished he would just go away.

I look at Cassius. He’s concerned, waiting for me to give him some signal as to what to do. A thought crosses my mind. It was one that I wouldn’t usually entertain. It was too out of character for me.

But fuck it, this night was already going to shit. I didn’t need Kai to choose to go away. Not when the key to making him leave was standing in front of me.

I slip my arms around the hitter’s neck, lips meeting his. They’re soft, with nothing on them but a hint of leftover chapstick I imagine he applied before coming over here. He’s tall enough that I have to stand on my tiptoes to reach; I hadn’t had to do that since seventh grade.

I half-expect him to pull away. We’d only met hours earlier, and here I was, shoving my face into his without even bothering to ask first. He’d be well within his right never to want to speak to me again. But he doesn’t. Instead, he pulls me in closer, looping an arm through the exposed skin on my waist, and tilting his head to deepen the kiss. The move makes my head spin more; the edible I’d taken drawing the air from my lungs faster than I can regain it.

This man really wasn’t fair.

Finally, he releases me, slowly lowering me to the ground. He smiles, hand stroking the hair on my head as he leans down to whisper into my ear. “Who are we pissing off today?”

He was clever, too. I liked that.

I flick my gaze behind me. I can see the confusion and disappointment written over Kai’s face. The expression only pisses me off more. Had he expected me to wait patiently for him?

A hand slides under my chin, pulling my attention away from Kai as lips connect with mine again. The world blanks, leaving nothing but the sensation of Cassius’s touch and the scent of his cologne.

“I can’t leave you alone for two seconds, can I?” The words come out as a tease, loud enough for anyone around to hear.

I would have found it embarrassing if I’d been capable of thought at that moment. Damn, he was captivating. I’d thought his face was the only thing that drew me to him, but his self-assured aura was equally alluring. Between the edible and the liquor flowing through my veins, I was thoroughly outclassed. I wasn’t too proud to admit I wanted more of him.

He straightens, throwing an arm around my shoulders as he extends the opposite arm to Kai. “Cassius. Good to meet you, man.”

“Likewise,” Kai answers sheepishly. He extends an arm to grip Cassius’s shaking it quickly before turning to retreat into the house. “I’ll chat with you later, Aki.”

I hoped not.

Cassius raises an eyebrow at me as soon as he’s gone, smirking. “Already reaching the point that you’re using me?”

Now I was embarrassed. “Sorry. It was a spur of the moment decision.”

“I don’t mind. You can use me however you’d like.”

Did he know how suggestive that sounded? Judging by the casualness with which he said it, I wasn’t so sure that he did. Then again, anyone able to kiss like that couldn’t exactly have been naive.

“As a fake boyfriend, I mean,” he corrects. I didn’t know if the beat it took him to say it was intentional or not.

I finally calm my mind enough to get a good look at him. A dark purple button-down opens to a black shirt underneath. I could see the faintest hint of a tattoo poking up from the neckline of his shirt. Curious. I’d have to ask him about it later. A familiar red-and-white fan looped on the silver chain around his neck matches the black circled ring on his middle finger. While his hair could have been longer, whoever had styled his bangs had done a great job. He matched the character to a tee.

Aside from the extra foot of height and the racial ambiguity, that is.

“So, was that guy an ex or a hopeful future one?” There’s no accusation to the question. He was impressively easygoing, I was learning.

“An ex,” I answer. “One that I wasn’t expecting to see tonight.”

Understanding blankets his expression. “Explains why you were in such a hurry.”

“Sorry about that.” I felt guilty every time I was around this man.

He throws a hand in his pocket, nodding towards the road. “Do you still want to go?”

Truthfully, I didn’t. This was my last Halloween party—one of the last times all of us would be able to spend time together like this for the foreseeable future. I didn’t want to pass up on that because my shitty ex decided to be shitty and show up to ruin it. But the thought of walking back in there made my stomach do flips.

His arm is back around my shoulders. I look over at him. He smiles. “We’ve already established you can use me. Might as well take advantage of the rent-a-boyfriend service while you can.”

My head falls to the ground, my hair falling to hide the upward tilt of the corners of my lips. He was full of surprises. I didn’t realize my thoughts were so easy to read. “Thanks.”

He shrugs, walking us to the door. “I’m not cheap, though. You’ll have to pay me back later.”

“Do I want to know what that’s going to entail?”

“At least one free ass grab, for sure.” The request is accompanied by a rascally smile.

I can’t help but giggle. “Fair enough.”

The door opens as we clear the last step, my sister’s silver head of hair poking through. Her neck is craned behind her in exasperation. “I told you, I’m not leaving her to walk home in the cold alone.”

“She clearly wanted to be alone—” Whatever Rahim intended to say, he drops the subject as soon as he lays eyes on Cassius and me. “Or not. Hello, Cousin.”

Cousin?

Cassius grins, embracing the red-haired man in a hug. “It’s been too long, Cousin.”

I could see the family resemblance now that they were standing side-by-side. Cassius was taller, but they had the same slope to their nose and the same angle to their chins. I wondered which side of the family they owed the relation to.

Miki shuffles over to me, grinning like a hyena. “Just like a wild fox, huh?” She was intolerable.

“You didn’t tell me that you were coming. I’d have made sure to get a few bets going on the pong table if I’d known.” Rahim slaps Cassius’s back playfully. I could feel the giddiness radiating off of him. They must have a close relationship if his reaction to Cassius’s arrival was any indication.

Miki perks up. “You play?”

“Once or twice.” I seriously doubted that was the extent of it if Rahim was ready to place bets on him.

“Let’s go play now, then.”

Before I can protest, my sister loops an arm through mine, dragging me through the hall and into the backyard. Cassius trails after us, amused at the scene even as Rahim chatters excitedly beside him. Just as they had at the gym, curious glances follow him all the way to the pool, whispers breaking out among the women gathered in clumps around the living room. It had to be uncomfortable at some point, being gawked at every turn. I’d grown sick of the stares by high school after developing early in seventh year. My RBF was a natural consequence of that annoyance, warding off most would-be suitors too intimidated to chance what might amount to a soul-crushing rejection in their minds. Even I’d been impressed with its effectiveness. I still owed Father a thank you for teaching me through years of observation.

The table was being reset, the previous match having ended as we made our approach. There didn’t seem to be anyone waiting. Miki releases my arm, jogging over to the table. Feigning nonchalance, she adjusts the cups on our side. She always put the slightest gap between them. According to her, it was virtually indistinguishable from a regular rack, but it made tossing more challenging for our opponents. I didn’t think it mattered much for a low-stakes game like this one, but Miki hated losing.

“I take it we’re going to be your opponents?” Cassius asks.

Rahim chuckles, holding up his hands. “Not me. I’m not crazy enough to do that.”

“I’ll play.”

I hadn’t noticed Dante’s approach. He stands behind Cassius, a blue pacifier clenched between his teeth. He’d thrown a purple tunic over a pair of yellow pants. A red scarf looped loosely around his neck blows in the breeze. Isse leans in the doorway in the distance, smiling at the sight with a drink in his hand. I spot a pair of black and gray gloves poking out from the blue and yellow overcoat he’d donned. The white mask pushes his twists from his face, emerald eyes twinkling from the pool reflection. I’d only ever seen my mother and father look at one another the same way Isse looked at Dante.

Cassius smirks. That self-assured aura of his had returned. I didn’t know why, but it pissed me off just a bit. “Are you any good?”

“No, but you seem confident enough for the both of us, pretty boy.”

I join Miki on the other side of the table, picking up one of the hollow orange balls to twist around in my fingers. As bad as I was at other drinking games—flip cup and I had serious issues—pong I could handle. My sister and I were the undisputed champions on the volleyball team, in fact. He may be coming into this confident, but I had no problem knocking him down a peg or two.

God, he brought out the worst in me.

I flick my wrist, sinking the ball into the front cup with a twirl around the rim.

Cassius’s gaze settles on me, the same mischievous grin from earlier accompanying it. “Well, alright then.”

He lobs his own shot in answer, sinking it into the first cup on our side without so much as a bounce.

Motherfucker.

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A/N: Thank you so much to everyone reading this far. Bonus points if you can identify all of the costume characters in the comments below. Extra special points if you can guess the “wild fox” reference.

By way of update, new chapters may be a bit more sporadic over the next month while I work on finishing the first draft of my second full-length novel. After that, I should be back to posting regular updates. Thank you for your patience, and I sincerely hope you’re enjoying this little spinoff.