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“Yeah, but look at my garden.” I squeeze her hand back, watching my pale fingers dance across her golden amber skin. I’ve spent all these years not allowing myself to touch her like this, to not even think like this, and now it’s like I can’t stop thinking about it; she’s flooding my brain, and there’s little I could possibly do to stop it.

Felicity rolls her eyes, cheeks warm, and tugs me with her inside the house.

Mrs. Waters isn’t exactly an over-the-top host—90 percent of the time that we come to Odelia and Lawson’s house, it looks the same—but on Halloween, she goes all out.

Every surface is fully decorated—fake cobwebs stretch across the ceiling corners and paper bats are taped mid-flight along the walls, little plastic pumpkins line the entryway’s spiral staircase. She’s even gone a bit overboard with orange and purple lights, glowing and flashing in a rhythm that matches the very loud base of “Monster Mash” playing from the speakers.

“I always forget how much she loves Halloween,” Felicity shouts over the music, and my eyes widen as I nod.

We curve around the house’s entry to meet everyone else in the backyard, slipping through the fully packed living room where all the adults (my parents, Riley, Rowen, and my uncle Miller included) are talking over each other, laughing way too hard with red Solo cups in each of their hands. Mrs. Waters herself is in the middle of it all wearing a witch hat and standing by the tall fireplace with a firm face, a lifeguard on duty.

In the kitchen, kids race by us like pinballs, masks pushed up to their hairlines and their hands all sticky. A little girl dressed as a fairy barrels past us clutching three iced brownies, and a lady, also dressed as a fairy, calls after her, “Slow down! You’re going to get sick with all this sugar!”

She does not slow down—if anything, she kicks it into gear and hightails it through the living room to the other adults.

We head to the dining room, dodging sugared-up kids and loud adults, where the sliding glass doors to the back porch come into view. Felicity pushes it open, cool October air rushing to meet us.

The backyard is still full and lively but a whole other world compared to inside—quiet enough where we can actually hear each other, but not so quiet that we couldn’t hear the booming music inside or the frequent laughter of kids around the block.

In the usual spot, a fire pit glows with all of our friends gathered near it.

Someone shouts, “Flick, look at you!” but it’s too dark to tell who. We both go down the porch steps and meet them halfway.

Lottie, dressed as Roxanne, and Walker, as Max, are attempting to take a good picture by the fire while Ada directs them with the energy of someone’s unpaid photographer uncle at a wedding.

Odelia pulls my girlfriend out of my grasp and gives her a tight hug. “I knew you would look so beautiful in this. Isn’t she beautiful, Knoxy?”

I smile as Felicity gives me the “you don’t have to answer that” look.

“She’s perfect.” I wink at her, and the light blush on her cheeks deepens. “You look nice too, Odie. Joy fits you.”

“Thanks.” She pulls at her yellow dress. “It was Lottie’s idea.”

We grab a couple foldout chairs and sit by the fire, the warmth of the flames licking at my neck.

“Is everyone here?” Ada asks. “We need to get a group pic.”

I glance around the fire. Lottie and Walker are still wrapped up with each other, Felicity and I are sitting by Odelia, Lawson has his arms crossed in his own chair with a plain white shirt that says THIS IS MY COSTUME, so that just leaves…

“Where’s Ledger?” Walker asks, and as he says it, the sliding glass door to the inside opens and Ledger steps into the firelight. Everyone stops and stares up at him.

In full Legolas gear—I’m talking the cloak, the boots, the bow strapped across his chest, down to the long, bright blond wig flowing in the breeze—he looks like he is about to ride off into battle with the Orcs.

Odelia freezes beside Felicity. “Oh my,” she whispers faintly.

Ada, green-faced and fully committed to her Disgust costume, crosses her arms. “You didn’t.”

Ledger takes in the stares slowly, his eyes going right to Odelia. “I heard we were going all out.”

Odelia sits down hard on a hay bale near the fire, fanning herself. “I think I need a moment.”

“I can give you a moment.” Ledger wiggles his brow, and Lawson stands up.

“Nope. Nope. Nuh-uh, no way, Legolas, you sit your ass down.”

Ledger gives Odelia a “call me” gesture, and judging by her bright red face, I think she just might.

Felicity giggles beside me, her head resting against my shoulder. We feel so easy like this, two spoons resting in a drawer, curve to curve, naturally fitting, her soft hair against mine.