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him and not because he was being pressured by Derrick. He assured me the decision was all his.
     
    “Did he seem okay?” I asked.
     
    My father nodded and adjusted his tri corner hat. “Your mother made sure to ask him several times.”
     
    “You say that like it’s a bad thing to worry about people.” My mother lifted her chin defiantly. “People can be…” She paused, looked around, and then whispered the rest. “People can be assholes.”
     
    “Yeah, I know.” I was thinking about Max, the last person Paul had told before coming out at work. I’d offered to be there for it, but Paul thought it should be a private discussion like it had been when he told me. I hadn’t been able to get many details out of Paul, but he said Max had been angry and Max wasn’t returning my calls.
     
    “I’ll head over to the park now.” I kissed my Mom on her cheek and gave my father’s arm a squeeze.
     
    “Are you staying at the house tonight?” he asked.
     
    An image of Chloe walking towards the door, casting a seductive smile over her shoulder with her hair bouncing and her hips swaying, flashed through my head. 
     
    “No, I’m going home tonight.”
     
    “Well, stop by the house before you go. I have a pie for you and Chloe,” my mother said.
     
    As I walked towards the park I found myself wishing Chloe was here. Costume or not, I wanted to experience this night with her. It was brisk out, but with the air thick with the aroma of spiced cider and roasted nuts, it was impossible not to feel warm all over. I took a deep breath as I walked by booths selling caramel apples and cotton candy. At the entrance to the park, right behind the gazebo, there was a jack-o-lantern carving contest underway. I noticed my neighbor, Fred McCarthy, was judging as usual. He took his job seriously and I felt sorry for the contestants. Mr. McCarthy noticed me too and waved.
     
    I spotted Paul as I approached the line for the hayride. He was in line with a tall, thin man with red hair. They were both wearing dark wizard’s robes with burgundy and gold scarves. Paul was sporting black-rimmed glasses and a fake lighting-shaped scar on his forehead. I greeted Paul with a hug and turned to Derrick.
     
    “This must make you… Ron Weasley?” We shared a laugh and a handshake. I stood in line with them as they waited their turn. We made small talk about the parade, the weather, and my upcoming callback audition. When Derrick offered to go for a refill on cider, Paul and I were able to talk about the giant elephant taking up space in our thoughts.
     
    “Have you heard from Max?”
     
    “Not yet. You know, part of me understands his anger, but there’s another part that’s angry as well. Friends since childhood and this is what I get?”
     
    “It’s going to take time.”
     
    “I know, I know. It’s just that we’ve known each other so long. I’d be lying if I said I thought he’d react like you had, but I didn’t expect this. You think you know somebody and—”
     
    “That’s funny.” The voice came from behind us. “I was thinking the same thing.”
     
    We turned to find Max stumbling towards us, dressed as Buzz Lightyear and unquestionably drunk.

Chapter Eight

When the Masks Come Off, Part Four
Chloe
     
    “You haven’t had sex yet?” I thought Crystal’s eyes were going to pop out of her head.
     
    “No, settle down.”
     
    She scooted a few inches down the couch, putting some distant between us, and looked me up and down. I did a mental rundown of all of my sexual partners, trying to figure out why the revelation that Patrick and I hadn’t had sex yet was so shocking to my cousin. Did I have a reputation I didn’t know about?
     
    “Why not?”
     
    “I told you. We’re taking it slow.”
     
    “Ha!” Crystal cackled. “Girl, there’s taking it slow and then there’s standing still. And you two are going in reverse.”
     
    “Stop laughing. Don’t make me sorry I told