Morning.

Time for school. 

How exciting. I don't look excited at all though. 

Sure, I made plans with Kai last night that we'd hang out. We'd eat outside. With Luhan. Then after eating, he'd send us home. Not my typical halloween night, I know. 

Going to school on halloween is normal to everyone, or at least to all students in my school. This is my second year spending halloween without a costume party waiting in class. Back on my freshman year, we had the day off for halloween. The next year, the dean held a costume party for everyone. We were all having fun scaring each other until an accident happened. The dean had a heart attack when he saw Sehun's head on my hands, covered in blood (spicy ketchup). I was wearing a really long black cloak that time, secretly sitting on Sehun's shoulders with my legs in between his neck when we decided to surprise the dean by showing off his head from inside the cloak. The dean thought Sehun's head was cut off. The dean was sent to the hospital after that, fighting for his life. Sehun cried because the ketchup on his face was super hot and spicy and it went to his lips. Third year, halloween party in campus was banned. No costumes allowed and scaring people became a sin. Then it became the school's rule and whoever tries to break it gets kicked out. 

I sigh, walking up the stairs slowly and flowingly, imagining zombies in school for halloween to play with us, so my day won't be as boring as I already expect it to be. Anyway, if a painting came to life as sweet and innocent, what more a zombie from the television coming to life? They'd probably be sweet and innocent too. 

If not, at least let Kai be there to keep his word. He'd protect me until the zombies return to their home at 12 in the morning. That is exactly how I imagined my halloween to be like. 

Not a halloween with Rita screaming at my face blatantly. 

"Uhm? What is wrong with you?" I ask, attempting to knock on her precious forehead until she spits on my face. "Wha-"

"You flirt!" Rita spits out unexpectedly. I blink my eyes innocently while wiping her spittle off my face. As I try to process the rest of her tirade in my head, my mouth drops open and I drool absentmindedly. 

Well, the first thing that came to my mind when she called me a flirt was her blue shirt date (the original one). 

"Why? Is this about Nicholas? Or Nikolai- whatever his name is! I'm not even interested in him!" I say as to defend myself. The term 'flirt' was a little bit too much. If there's one person I want to flirt with, it would be Kai. 

"Who the is Nicholas?" Rita grabs her own curls, seemingly frustrated. "You ing flirted with my boyfriend! You flirted with Kai!"

Silence.

"Oh," is all I say as I drop my gaze and widen my eyes at my shoes. Maybe I'm hearing things wrong, or maybe she said the wrong name. 

"What do you mean Oh?! Oh my gosh, Morae. Do you have any idea how much I trusted you? You are a ing and-"

"Rita," one of her friends cuts in. "I thought you and Kai are over already?"

Another silence. 

I look and listen to them. Rita is grumbling, her friend is trying to calm her down and her other friend is smiling on a phone. And I, I've been standing in silence for like...forever. 

"For your information, we are not over. It's called a cool off." Rita snaps at me. "And don't you go telling me that a cool off means we're heading to the break up part, because we're not. Now listen, Morae, if you don't want me to tell mom and dad that you let a monkey friend with soar throat sleep in your apartment for free, then you better stay away from my boyfriend. In short, do not flirt flirt with him!"

"Can you like say it again from the start?" I ask, still not getting everything to be very honest. Boyfriend? Cool off? Stay away from Kai and don't flirt with her boyfriend? I don't get it. "I mean, what did I do? How did I flirt?"

"Why are you acting like you don't know you just had a lunch date with Kai?! You were laughing with him in the restaurant, how could you flirt like that to a man who is already taken?! Ugh! You are frustrating!"

She's getting on my nerves, which means I'm starting to understand the situation more now. "What can I do if he lets me flirt with him-" I accidentally blurt out. I promptly cover my mouth after realizing what I just said. "I did not flirt with him okay? H-He lead me on! To grab a free lunch with him..."

SLAP! A stinging feeling on my right cheek caused by Rita's not so precious hand.

Well, that escalated quickly.

"Say that again?" Rita threatens.

I just received a good slap, didn't I? That was a first. I never thought it would hurt. I'm not gonna cry. this tears of cheek pain pricking my eyelids. Don't even dare. 

"What are you two doing here?" A voice asks. My inner self immediately blames the owner of that voice because it did not want to blame myself but others instead. Kai, of course. Boyfriend or cool off or ex, it's all the same to me. He lured me. He lied to me. Well, he didn't really lie, but something close to that. He knew Rita is my stepsister and he didn't react when I told him that.

I stay silent, frozen with my hand still touching my abused cheek.

"It's