[b][i]Chapter Six: Pumpkin[/i][/b]

"You're doing it wrong, Jake." He did little more than glance at her, but she could see the annoyance in his eyes. She was a bit miffed. He didn't [i]have[/i] to come if he was going to act like that.

"I simply want it to look this way," he replied. Oh, yes, he was seething and she repressed an amused smile before pushing his buttons further.

"You want it to look like . . . what is that? It looks like it had a stroke and fell down a hill where a hobo in a bath-salt-induced-high decided to gnaw on its face."

Somehow, they had gotten to this point. It was now October. Months had passed since graduation day. She still wasn't sure why she had agreed to this. At first, she thought it hadn't mattered because he had not shown up, and surely, despite his declaration, she was rid of him forever.

Then, to her surprise and dismay, one month after, he showed up on her doorstep. Not even sure how he'd gotten into the building, she was wary of letting him into her apartment. As soon as he held up the bottle of tequila and Battle of the Sexes, she changed her mind. She loved when she beat his ass half-drunk.

It didn't take long to realize that even though her heart ached for him still, it lessened slightly when he was actually next to her. His presence made the pain slightly more bearable, so she allowed him to stay in her life.

She was still wary, and she wouldn't say they were close, but she'd forgotten how much fun it was to irritate him.

Her attention turned back to the pumpkin that he had mangled with his inexperience. "Have you really never done this with me?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't reply to her last comment.

He only shrugged by way of answer. Still annoyed. She grinned. "Why did you decide to come?"

Another shrug. "Curiosity."

"Liar."

---

It took all of his practice to hide the shock he felt and to prevent the widening of his eyes. Could she really see through him so easily? He didn't even know why he was here. This wasn't the first time she'd invited him over the years, but it was certainly the first time he'd agreed.

He knew that she loved Halloween more than any other holiday, Jake knew why this one called out to her. The desire to wear a physical mask, to be someone else for a day was a temptation she could not resist. To let go of who she was, it was all she'd ever wanted even if she'd never admit it to herself.

The opposite could be said for him. It was Halloween that he could be his true self. The boy who cared nothing for anyone around him and saw their worth in only how they could please him. On a day when monsters came out to play, so did he. This was why he'd refused to spend the holiday with her every year.

For some reason, though by now she must have known the monster he was, he didn't want her to see that side of him. More than that, he did not want to see her pretend to be someone she was not.

But, somehow, he was here carving a damn pumpkin when he should be at some bar getting drunk and prowling for his next victim. It had been her eyes. Every year she had held some hope that he'd say yes. That was, except for this year. It was obvious that she had expected and accepted his answer as no, and so he'd given her the opposite.

His brow furrowed in concentration. He could not allow a lifeless fruit, vegetable, whatever it was, best him. He would try again. She barely protested as he grabbed the pumpkin she'd planned to carve herself.

He did not see the softening in her eyes and the smile that formed. It was probably a good thing too, because it would only anger him. Prove to him that it was indeed a bad idea to spend that damned holiday with her.

The words were so quiet and unexpected that he could easily pretend that he hadn't heard them. He could pretend, but unknowingly, the beginnings of a smile tugged at his lips. The words repeated themselves in his mind before he decided he were truly going crazy.

"I forgive you."