Max genuinely listened to his friends outlandish concerns as they made their way through the night, each turn of the pedal bringing them bringing them ever closer to the old abandoned house. Unlike most he didn't laugh or point out the ridiculousness of Jame's paranoia but instead, like always, he listened with his full attention until his friends frantic thoughts came full circle.  

	“Don't you worry bud-My big sis told me that this house isn't really haunted. Heck, she actually said when she was our age she even knew the family that lived there.” He let his words hang in the air momentarily before he spoke up again. “And besides, if there is a bear in there I'll punch em right in his big furry snout!” He threw a right hook with his long gangly arm mid bike ride, an act which made him momentarily swerve and almost crash. Luckily for Max he righted himself at the last moment and kept on riding as if nothing had happened. 

	Max had just finished telling James that he definitely wanted to come over and check out those new comics of his when they finally rode up upon the upper class kids that had been waiting their arrival. Max would quickly come to regret the next few moments. 

--

	Fright Night, as the local kids called it, was a special day each year when the more often than not troubled teenage youth of Craft High gathered for what had over the years become a fond hazing ritual for the next years freshmen. How successful each year was varied: some nights were remembered famously while others were completely forgotten-the one thing that never changed though was that the end goal was to completely terrify what few brave souls showed up. For those being hazed it was a chance to prove their bravery and get a leg up on the social ladder at highschool as well as a promised invitation to the first “party” of the year. 

	Max himself was here for both genuine curiosity and due to the hopeful belief that maybe doing this would lead to a better school experience for himself and James; if he were being honest though potentially going to a party felt more like a punishment than a reward...the abandoned house was scary but the thought of being around all those older kids doing who knows what, well, that was just terrifying. 

	Max had to remind himself that he was in fact [i]one[/i] of those older kids now as he rode his well taken care of Schwinn bicycle up to the small group gathered beside a rusted old blue ford truck that he immediately recognized as his neighbor Scotty's. Molly, a girl Max also recognized from town, had just flicked her cigarette to the ground as the boys skidded to a halt. Looking at her crazy style and hair from behind the handle bars of his bike immediately made him want her to like him. The insults she slung his way were nothing-a life with an older sibling having long ago hardened him from most verbal attacks. That was until she got to the  “You nerds like that stuff don't you?” part. Before he could object or defend himself she was already off speaking again. "No I'm not going to go with you! Don't be babies!"

	Max felt his cheeks flush and quickly found himself hoping the night still hid his features, opening his mouth he quickly retorted though without hesitation “Pfffft.” He exaggerated the noise with a wave of his hand at Molly as the three made their way up the creaky ancient steps of the house. “We wouldn't want you to come with us anyways, right James?” Folding his right arm into a wing he nudged his buddy in the side, their unspoken code for [i]go along with what I am saying. [/i]