Chapter 4

A week had gone by since the day Sidney came to see me and we’d at least texted each other every day if we didn’t talk. I’m not going to lie, I’d developed quite a crush on him, but I’m the last person to act on something like that. Especially when I’d really only hung out with him once.

Halloween was coming up the following weekend and our house was holding our annual Halloween party. We’d decided as a house to be police officers, but sexy ones of course. Just like every year, we’d have beer and punch, and admission for a bottomless cup would be $5. It had been a success the previous two years and I was looking forward to it again.

“Okay, I cannot focus on work right now. Are you up for some ice cream and a House marathon?” Hailey asked me stepping into my doorway. I looked up from my Mammalian Physiology paper and smiled.

“Rocky Road ice cream?” I asked. She smiled back at me and I followed her down the stairs to the living room. She picked up the remote and turned on the DVD player as I walked to the kitchen and grabbed the ice cream and some spoons.

“Hey, I was watching that!” I heard Kelly protest.

“Shut up, we’re watching House,” Hailey responded.

“I can handle that. House is sexy,” Kelly responded. I nearly choked on the bite of ice cream I just took when I heard her say that. “What? He is.” I shook my head at her and settled in to watch the show. Halfway through our third episode my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and saw Sidney’s name.

“You’re going to miss the diagnosis!” Lisa called after me as I left the room. She’d joined during the second episode.

“She’s a boy!” I called back since I’d already seen it.

“Shut up,” Hailey said in shock.

“Hey,” I said answering the phone as I walked up the stairs to my room.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Sidney asked.

“Not much, just watching TV. How about you?” I got to my room and collapsed down onto the bed.

“I just got back from the game tonight. We won, by the way.” I laughed since he knew I definitely hadn’t been watching.

“Good, I’m glad.”

“I’m exhausted and about to hit the sack but I had a question for you,” he started. “We have a team Halloween party on Wednesday and I was wondering if you wanted to come.” I thought for a minute and then scrunched up my nose in disappointment.

“I wish I could, but I have a major test in my Faith and Reason class Thursday morning at 8:30. I’ll be up all night studying. Sorry,” I told him.

“Oh, okay. No harm in asking, I guess,” he said sounding disappointed. I was really bummed because I really wanted to see him again. Then I had an idea.

“Well, the girls and I are having a Halloween party here at the house on Halloween night. If you don’t have a game you should come. Bring some of the guys,” I told him, hopeful. There was a pause for a moment on the other end.

“We have a game the next night, but yeah, I’ll see who wants to go,” he agreed. I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face.

“Great! I’ll see you Friday.” We said our goodbyes and hung up. I walked back downstairs and fell back onto my place on the couch.

“What’s up with you?” Kelly asked when she saw the look on my face.

“Sidney’s coming to our Halloween party,” I answered. The three of them squealed and I couldn’t help but giggle in excitement.

Friday came around and as soon as classes were over Lisa and I made a run to the store to buy the supplies for the punch and get the beers while the other three put up decorations and cleaned. My stomach had been upset all day as I thought about hanging out with Sidney tonight. Lisa didn’t miss a beat in making fun of me for it.

An hour and a half before we opened the doors I hopped into the shower and then began to get ready. I had a two piece, midriff baring costume. I’d completely cut out basically anything fatty or carbo loaded and worked out like crazy when Sidney said he would come so my stomach would look amazing in the costume. I did my hair and makeup and zipped up the knee high stiletto boots I had and walked downstairs.

“Girl, if he doesn’t think you look hot tonight, he’s crazy,” Lisa said to me when she saw me. I blushed and hoped she was right. We opened the doors at 8:00 and I chugged down a drink hoping to calm my nerves.










“I can’t believe we’re going to a college Halloween party,” Jordan said shaking his head as Sidney pulled the car up along the side of the street. They’d had to park almost a block away from the house, so Sidney figured the party must be packed.

“You didn’t have to come,” he said looking over at Jordan.

“Hey, personally I like college girls. Especially on Halloween in those tiny costumes,” Whit said getting out of the car.

Sidney locked the car once they were all out and he led them to Tanner’s house. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. Going to a college party full of people only had the potential for disaster. He was just hoping his costume would disguise who he was a bit.

He looked over at Jordan and Whit and couldn’t help but laugh at the costumes. Whit had been right on his assessment of Halloween. Girls dressed up in the tiniest outfits. On the other hand guys dressed in the most ridiculous costumes they could find. He was headed to the party dressed as a skunk while Jordan was the Easter Bunny, and Whit was dressed simply in his own clothes with a bow on his shirt and a name tag that said “God’s gift.”

“Hey guys, it’s $5 each for bottomless cups,” the girl at the door said to them. Jordan and Whit both looked over at Sidney with expressions that read “are you kidding me?”

“Grace? It’s Sidney,” he said to her. She did a double take and started laughing.

“Oh, wow, I completely didn’t recognize you. Go on in. Tanner’s in there somewhere,” she said to him and waved the three of them through.

“You know her?” Jordan asked glancing back at Tanner’s housemate as they walked through the door.

“She lives here. I met her when I drove down the other week,” Sidney replied scanning the packed crowd for Tanner.

“So where is this Tanner chick? If she’s not as hot as you’ve been saying I’m leaving you here and ridiculing you for a month in the locker room,” Whit told him.

“I don’t see her,” Sidney said continuing to look.

“Well, what’s her costume?” Jordan asked.

Sidney stopped and looked at him, completely dumbfounded. How had he forgotten to ask her what she was going to be for Halloween? Jordan and Whit both started laughing at him and shaking their heads. Suddenly they heard a girl yelling and turned to see her getting up on a table. The girl was wearing a barely there cop costume with boots up to her knees and rocking an amazing body. It wasn’t until she took off the aviator sunglasses that Sidney realized the girl was Tanner. His mouth dropped as he listened to her speech.

“Hey, I need everyone’s attention! While the girls and I hope you have an amazing time tonight there are some rules. Rule number 1: Do not hook up with anyone in the bedrooms unless it’s with the girl that lives there. Rule number 2: Do not fight in my house. I don’t care that someone smudged your fake blood. You better take it outside or you’ll find this nightstick in a pretty awful place. Rule number 3: No puking anywhere that’s not a toilet or the grass outside. If I find someone vomiting anywhere else I will post the ridiculously embarrassing pictures I will be taking throughout the night all over the internet with your name plastered to it. Rule number 4: Have fun and happy Halloween! Cheers!” she called out holding up a drink and then chugging it down before hopping off the table.

“I’d take her down. In fact, I might go try,” Whit commented and began to walk in Tanner’s direction. Sidney reached out and grabbed his arm.

“I don’t think so, Whit,” he told him.

“Come on. Let him have his fun. In fact, I might join,” Jordan said ogling Tanner standing in the middle of the living room talking to some people. Sidney glared at them both.

“No, you won’t. That was Tanner,” Sidney explained. They both turned to look at him and started to laugh.

“I get it now,” Whit said and clapped Sidney on the back. Sidney made his way over to Tanner with Jordan and Whit in tow.










“Hey, Tanner,” I heard a male voice say.

I turned to see a skunk standing in front of me smiling. It took me a minute to realize it was Sidney. When I realized who it was my smile grew. The alcohol I’d already had took effect, and I threw my arms around him in a hug.

“Hey, Sid, I’m glad you came!” I exclaimed pulling away. “Here, let me get you something to drink.” I led him into the kitchen and noticed an Easter Bunny and a guy whose nametag read “God’s gift” follow us in.

“Tanner, this is Jordan and Ryan,” Sidney introduced us. I held out my hand and shook both of theirs.

“Hi guys, it’s nice to meet you. We’ve got beer and punch. Can I get you either?” I asked.

“What’s in the punch?” Jordan asked. I waved a finger at him.

“Uh-uh, it’s a secret recipe. Trust me, the punch I’ll give you is the good stuff instead of the cheap shit we give all the other people,” I told him winking.

“Punch it is,” he replied smiling. I pulled a bowl out of a cupboard and filled a glass and looked to Ryan and Sidney and they told me the same thing.

“For a mystery concoction, this isn’t so bad,” Ryan told me and I laughed as I refilled my own glass and put the punch bowl back in the cupboard.

“Nice speech you gave not too long ago,” Sidney told me with a smile.

“Thanks. It’s something we’ve gotta do every year. It keeps people in line,” I joked. I hung out with the three of them for a bit, chatting and joking around.

“So, the girl at the door,” Jordan started but trailed off. I smiled and laughed.

“That’s Grace. She’s single,” I told him. He smiled and excused himself as we all laughed at him.

“So, do any of your housemates watch hockey?” Ryan asked. I shook my head as I finished off a cup of the punch.

“Nope, none of us do,” I told him.

Not long after, Ryan parted ways with us, presumably to chat up some girls at the party. I didn’t mind, I wanted to spend time with Sidney. Eventually tired of having to yell over the crowd we made our way upstairs to my bedroom.

“We need to get a picture of us in costume,” I told him grabbing my camera off my desk.

“I thought you were using that to take ridiculously embarrassing pictures of people at the party,” he said. I laughed.

“No, I just say that to scare people.”

I sat down next to Sidney on the bed and pointed the camera at us, taking a picture. I looked at the result and found that it wasn’t bad. We talked for a while before making our way back down to the party. This time I brought my camera down with me and did start snapping pictures of everyone.

“Hey, I think I’m going to head home. Morning skate is going to come way too soon,” Sidney told me. I was a little sad, but knew it had to happen.

“You’re okay to drive, right?” I asked him. He nodded and I walked him to the door where he met up with Jordan and Ryan.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said before he turned and walked down the stairs. I watched them walk away before turning and walking back into the house.

“Omigod, Tanner, Sidney’s friend Jordan is so cute!” Grace exclaimed when she saw me walk in the door. I couldn’t help but laugh.