OH, SO THAT'S A
TRUNK-OR-TREAT
True to his word, Micah can crack two eggs with one hand. I seriously thought he was trying to mess with me.
I have a video of it on my phone for the sake of Tyler's reaction – it was overly dramatic, although I think he intended for it to be that way.
After we baked and iced the cupcakes, Tyler's mom returns to the kitchen with a bag of toothpicks that have paper Halloween pictures on the end of them. She tells us to the stick those in the cupcakes and then come on out for dinner.
We do as we're told, and then head out to eat. It's a lot quieter out now and it takes me a second to realize that it's because all of the kids are inside. They're getting dressed in their costumes while the parents get their trunks set up, along with the help of the few teenagers who refuse to dress up and get sucked into setting up instead. I almost laugh at one teen looking particularly annoyed. I know the feeling, bud.
There are tables set up by the grill where Tyler's dad put the hotdogs and hamburgers. I grab a hamburger and a bag of chips while Micah grabs a hotdog. He chuckles when I make a face at his dinner choice.
"What? Hotdogs are good," He tries to defend it, but it doesn't work.
"They're literally the most disgusting thing on the planet," I state seriously.
I grab a water out of the cooler and head over to the picnic table where Tyler and Taylor are currently doing more goofing off than eating. I smile slightly as I watch them, though. I like seeing her happy with someone. She deserves it.
I sit down opposite of Taylor and Tyler, leaving the seat next to me for Micah who arrives at the table a second later.
The dinner consists of Micah opening my water for me after he saw me struggling – even though I don't ask him to. I then wipe the bottle, soaked with condensation, across his cheek when he calls me a 'weakling'.
"Oh, god," Mic groans, wiping his cheek on his shoulder.
I laugh at him, taking a sip of my water. "You brought that upon yourself. Wonder Woman is never weak."
He laughs, his smile reaching his eyes. "Okay, Pipes."
The nickname brings an involuntary smile to my lips as I place my water bottle down in front of my plate.
The table is silent as we all become conscious of our hunger and start eating. I surprisingly eat all of my food, and some of the fruit bowl that Tyler's mom brings over halfway through us eating. She comments that the food must be good because we're all awfully quiet. It makes us laugh and nod in confirmation.
After we finish eating, Micah offers to throw away the trash as Tyler goes inside with his mom to get the tray of cupcakes. Taylor and I are alone at the table for a few minutes as Micah is caught up talking to Tyler's dad.
"So..." I trail off, giving my best friend a knowing look.
She returns the look with an equally knowing smile, propping chin in her palm. I watch as she flicks her eyes between me and Micah who is animatedly talking with Tyler's dad about God knows what. I roll my eyes, propping my chin up with my fist.
Tyler is back at the table quicker than expected which causes our knowing glances to cease. I'm so going to get her on the car ride home, though.
"You might have to go save him," Tay whispers to Tyler, referring to Micah with a nod. "I think your dad might've reeled him in."
"Nah," Tyler shakes his head, waving her off. "Leave him. He likes talkin' to dad. They have the same sense of humor."
Taylor nods, as do I, but I know the reason is deeper than humor.
Micah's dad left when he was young, after he found out Micah's mom was pregnant with Roxie. The fact slipped out during one of our late night conversations where Mic was obviously upset, and when I asked him what was wrong, apparently his mom had gone out on a date and he didn't really approve of the date. He said something about the guy rubbed him the wrong way, and then somehow we were talking about how Micah wanted Roxie to have a good father figure, but he didn't know if he wanted his mom dating who she was.
I told him to maybe talk about it with his mom, but he said it was fine and that he might try to. I haven't heard any updates since – it's been almost a two weeks, I think – so I hope everything is going okay.
"Hey."
I jump involuntarily – I swear it's an instinct or something – when Micah sits down next to me, his body facing outward. I scoot away from him a little, turning to almost face him.
"Wanna help me set up my trunk?"
I raise an eyebrow. "You're participating in this?"
Mic shrugs. "I decorated the bed of my truck a little. But I have to actually go set it up n' stuff. Wanna help?"
I breathe out a small chuckle, imagining the back of his trunk decorated with fake cobwebs and rubber spiders. "Sure."
I stick my tongue out at Taylor when she raises her eyebrows at me, causing her to break and laugh. Tyler gives us a weird stare before breaking into his own bit of laughter.
Micah and I walk to his truck in silence, his hands stuffed back into his pockets. He has done that a lot, so my eyebrows furrow as I think about it.
My thoughts are quickly taken off his hands as he pulls the gate of his truck down, revealing exactly what I had imagined in the bed of his truck.
Fake cobwebs are strung from his back window, down to the bed, and to the gate. He has spiders – I need to mention that the spiders have neon paint on them – placed all around the web, and...
"Is that a rat?" I point toward one spot in his trunk, next to the cauldron filled with candy.
Micah nods, swinging his body up into the bed. He reaches down and grabs the rat, waving it around. "It's rubber, but yeah. Rox put him in here."
I tilt my head to the side, pursing my lips. "Why does that not surprise me?"
He laughs at my comment, tossing the rat back in its place. He jumps down from the bed, reaching forward to pull the cauldron toward the edge. I watch him with a smile as he rummages through the candy, tossing out the ping-pong balls decorated as eyeballs and rubber witch fingers.
I lean forward, grabbing one bit of the web. There's a...lightbulb?
"Hey Mic." He hums in response, still going through the cauldron. "Are these lights supposed to be on?"
"I knew I was forgettin' something!" He laughs, jumping back into the bed of his trunk. I swear, he's like a monkey.
A second later, the purple lights are on, strung all throughout the web. He actually got into this. I have to admit, though, it does look cool.
"How's she look?" He asks, standing up in the bed of the truck, hands on his hips. He gazes down at me with raised eyebrows, waiting for me to answer.
"Good," I reply with a smile, then letting my eyes trail down his body and over to a rubber spider next one of the cauldron's feet. "Really good. You went all out, huh?"
He shrugs, sitting down on the gate with his legs dangling over the edge. He reaches back and grabs the cauldron, dragging it forward so he can get to easier when it comes time to hand out the candy.
"I normally don't, but Rox wanted to help decorate it this time."
Tentatively, I hop into the bed of the truck, sitting on the gate with my legs hanging over the edge. The cauldron sits between us, and I glance at it, momentarily shocked by the amount of candy he has in there. I see a Kit-Kat almost immediately and grab it, hiding it on the other side of my leg.
I look back to Micah to see him looking at me with one eyebrow raised. "Did you just steal a Kit-Kat?"
I smile sheepishly, nodding. "They're my favorite."
He chuckles, looking down into the cauldron. "Well take all you want. I think I have more than enough."
I laugh, opening the Kit-Kat and taking a bite out of it.
We sit in silence for a while, eating candy and occasionally toss M&M's at one another – for the record: he started it. When the sun begins to set, a few people start playing music from their cars, letting us know the kids are about to come around.
"You know..." Mic trails off, eating another handful of M&M's. I swear he can eat them until he gets tired of chewing.
"No, I don't," I laugh. "Enlighten me."
He snickers, shaking his head. "Okay, so you're Wonder Woman."
I raise an eyebrow, glancing down at my shirt. I thought we already established this? "Yeah?"
"Then I guess that makes me Steve Trevor."
Oh, good God. How did I not see this coming? Also: hello butterflies.
I try and play it off by rolling my eyes, but Lord knows he can see my face going red. "You have to be by far the cheesiest person I have ever met," I laugh. "You been wantin' to say that all night?"
"Yes, actually," He says seriously, but then laughs afterward, opening another packet of M&M's.
I breathe out a sigh, leaning on my hand. "You know that means you die, right?"
He nods, glancing over at me with the cutest smile. "Yeah, but it also means I get to spend time with you until then."
I can't help it this time. My face breaks into what's probably the stupidest grin ever known to man. He's so annoyingly sweet.
Thankfully, my spinning mind doesn't have to try and think up an answer to that because a little boy dressed as a Ninja Turtle is at the bed of the truck, saying 'trick-or-treat'.
+++
When the sun has fully set and the street lamps come on, we call it quits on the trunk-or-treat. Everyone starts packing up and kids head to their parent's cars to see what candy they got. It's all winding down.
Taylor and I help carry tables inside while Tyler and Mic handle the food. With us helping, we get everything packed up in fifteen minutes.
"Thank you so much, again." Tyler's mom hugs Taylor and I tightly, her cheeriness still with her, despite it getting late. "I was really surprised when Tyler said you two were going to help as well. He didn't threaten you or anything, did he?"
I chuckle nervously at her joke.
Taylor speaks for us both and assures Tyler's mom that no, we weren't threatened and yes, we'd do it again if she wants or needs us to. After one more hug, Tyler's mom retreats into the church to find her husband.
Taylor swings her arm around my shoulders as we head back to her car. I smile, leaning my head on her shoulder.
"Did you have fun?"
I nod, lifting my head. She removes her arm so we can walk better. "I did. Did you?"
She nods back, a huge smile crossing her lips. "I did." She lowers her voice. "I'll tell you more on the way home. There's a Micah and Tyler waitin' for us."
I furrow my eyebrows, but when I look toward Taylor's car I see, sure enough, Micah and Tyler standing beside it, joking around. Granted, Micah did move his truck to a space two over from Taylor's, but Tyler is just blatantly waiting for Taylor by her car.
I chuckle at the sight, and at my best friend immediately gravitating toward him.
But then my smile falls. Do I...Do I just go to the car or do I talk to Micah? I don't...
"Hey."
Well, looks like that debate is solved for me. Christ.
"Hey," I smile. I can't help it.
Mic smiles back, then presents me with two full-size Kit-Kat bars. "I stole these for you."
I accept them warily, furrowing my eyebrows. "Please don't tell me you actually steal them."
"No, no," He laughs. "They were in one of the bowls inside. Tyler's mom said we could have whatever, so I got them for you."
"Well, thanks," I smile, nodding slightly. "They definitely won't go to waste."
"I know they won't," He chuckles, again stuffing his hands in his pockets. Nervous quirk, I'm guessing? He's doing it a lot lately.
"So this was fun," I comment, causing his eyes to trail back toward mine. "Halloween still isn't really my thing, but...this was nice."
"Yeah," He nods, stepping forward a bit. "It was, yeah."
I swallow thickly. Please don't come closer. I bite the inside of my cheek nervously, glancing down at the Kit-Kats in my hands. They feel so heavy. He takes another step. I don't know if my heart has stopped or if it's beating incredibly fast, but I wish—
"Ready to head out, sis?"
I let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding, my head lifting to see Taylor standing next to me with a sheepish smile. Micah has retreated and leaned against the car behind him, crossing one ankle over the other. He's staring at the ground.
Was he going to—
"Yeah," I breathe out, nodding again. "Yeah, it's gettin' late. Mom's prob'ly wondering where I am."
"Mine too," Taylor nods, sighing. She turns to Tyler and gives him a hug around the neck, again kissing his cheek. "See you tomorrow," She smiles.
I glance over at Micah for a moment. His eyes are still fascinated with his shoes.
"Bye Micah," Taylor calls out, getting his attention.
He looks up and waves. "Bye Taylor."
My head hurts.
"Bye Mic," I say quietly. I wave a little when he looks up at me, my chest tightening when he only waves a little back, but doesn't really smile. It's a half-smile, and I can tell it's forced.
I get into the car and immediately shut the door, placing the candy bars in my lap before buckling. I pull my phone out of my back pocket and let mom know I'm headed home. She says okay.
I breathe as I lean my head against the headrest, suddenly realizing we're already on the road.
"You okay?" Tay asks softly.
I nod, but truth is, I'm not sure. I don't know what's not okay, though. Me, or Micah, or the whole 'us' thing we've got going on. I don't know.
Taylor gives me a hug when she drops me off at home, not bothering to come inside because she knows she won't leave for another hour if she does. I wave from the front porch as she drives away.
When I get inside, mom and dad are already in bed. Dad is fast asleep, but mom is reading a book. I tell her I had fun, but that I'm super tired and ready for bed because I have school tomorrow. She doesn't question me.
My mind is jumping to the worst case scenario right now, but I silence it with music. I don't know what else to do.