AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Elijah stands on the other side of the door — at least I think it’s him. He’s wearing a full-faced werewolf mask, the cheap rubber kind that doesn’t exactly look real. It’s also not part of our costumes tonight.
“Trick-or-treat,” he says, his voice like warm honey on a summer night.
“We don’t give candy to weirdos,” I say, rolling my eyes as I step back to let him inside.
“You make a really cute Jasmine.” He says it so softly I almost don’t hear it. My throat feels like it’s full of cotton, so all I can do is shake my head like he’s full of crap, because he is.
As if by some kind of daughter-protection magic, both of my parents appear. Mom’s wearing her signature witch costume, complete with green hair and a pointy hat. “Hi,” she says a little too cheerfully. She holds out a hand. “You must be Elijah.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says, shaking her hand. “That’s me.”
Dad does not dress up for the holiday, but if you didn’t know any better, you might think he’s wearing an award-winning Overprotective Father costume.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Dad says, extending a hand. “I’m Luke Clearwater.”
“Elijah Delgado.” He shakes Dad’s hand and then points to his hidden face. “I found this at the gas station on the way over,” he says, the werewolf’s mouth bobbing as he talks. “Three bucks. I couldn’t help myself.”
His little icebreaker seems to set both of my parents at ease. I grab his elbow. “That mask does not match your costume.” Still, I give him a look that I hope he interprets as gratitude. This mask, silly as it is, hides that one part of Elijah that I’ve been scared to reveal to my parents.
“Your costume is in the guest room,” Mom says. She scratches the place where her gnarled witch nose is glued over her real skin. “Can’t wait to see you two together! I always loved when Raquel and Sasha went as a matching couple. It’s nice to see part of the tradition continue.”
Dad snorts. “They’ll match even better if one of them isn’t a shape-shifter.”
I get the hidden meaning behind Dad’s comment. He wants to see the boy who is taking out his daughter tonight. I figured it would happen, but it still sucks. Elijah chuckles and pulls off the mask, revealing a head of messy hair and those gorgeous, gorgeous lips.
Mom inhales sharply. She punches at Dad’s arm. “Those eyes,” she murmurs, putting a hand over her mouth.
Elijah glances at me, his expression unreadable. Dad draws his brows together, little lines forming in his forehead as he studies my Halloween date. “What’d you say your last name was?”
Elijah’s Adam’s apple bobs. “Delgado, sir.”
“Hmm.” Dad looks like he’s about to say something else, but I begin the damage control as soon as possible.
“We have to hurry,” I say, taking Elijah’s arm and pulling him into the hallway. I shove him into the guest room, where I’ve already laid out his costume, and then pull the door closed behind him. To my stunned parents, I say, “We’ll be back before curfew, don’t worry.”
Dad nods, getting lost in the television again. Mom just stands there in the foyer, a quizzical look on her face that only goes away when our first trick-or-treater arrives a few moments later.
Elijah emerges dressed as the sexiest Aladdin in all of existence. I was right about the abs. I was so right.
“How do I look?” he asks, cocking his head. “Like a real-life cartoon character?” His poufy satin pants hang low on his hips.
“Better than a werewolf,” I retort, turning toward
the front door. I can’t let him know how much seeing him shirtless affects me. I mean, that’s Dating 101 right there.
“You think your parents made the connection?” Elijah asks as we step outside into the cool October air. Anthony’s car is parked on the curb, and I realize he probably borrowed it to make a better impression on my parents.
“They noticed the resemblance, that’s for sure.” I resist holding his hand as we set off on the three-block walk to the park. At least until we’re far enough away from my house. “They’ll think it’s impossible that you’re related to her, but no one could miss that you have Sasha’s eyes.”
His jaw flinches. “Maybe I should have left the mask on.”
“I’m sorry Sasha is keeping you a secret.”
He reaches over and takes my hand. “Let’s not talk about sad things tonight. This is a date, after all.”
I look over at him and he winks. “Do you go on a lot of dates?” I ask playfully. As much as I want to know the answer, I kind of don’t.
“This will be a first.”
