Page 6 of Stranger Danger

“Y-yeah,” I whisper. “I dropped my contact on the carpet.”

He winces. “RIP. Seriously, man. It’s not worth it. Are they the disposable kind?”

My vision is perfect. How the hell am I supposed to know whether or not contacts come in disposable?

All I can do is nod.

“Thanks for the ramen, by the way,” he says, grinning. “I was starving.”

“Sure.”

He plops down on the couch and turns his jacket pockets inside out. Candy rains down on the cushions like someone punched a piñata. Picking up a handful, he stuffs it into a small clear plastic bag, tying the top with pumpkin-print ribbon.

For a frat dude, he’s really into the Halloween shlock. Everyone here is kind of into it, but he’s invested.

“You coming tonight?” he asks without looking up.

“Maybe.”

I was planning on playing my favorite game of “Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo” again, but normal shit could be fun, too. Between classes and my new hobby, I keep forgetting I’m supposed to be having “regular” fun.

Worst case scenario, I get bored in ten minutes and leave.

Best case…

Maybe my new friend shows up, and I can thank him in person.

The party’s already going by the time I come outside at nine. It smells like smoke and s’mores from the giant fire pit in the center, and almost everyone is gathered around it. Monsters of every kind are here: vampires, mummies—even the big yellow bear with the honey pot. Someone rented a costume head.

I want a costume head.

I could replace my bunny mask with it.

How cute would that be on the news? I could be the “Costumed Killer” instead of the “Sunny Bunny Killer.”

I’m still workshopping names.

I wander closer to the drinks table, and someone thrusts an old-school vampire cape into my hands.

“Put it on,” he slurs. “Costumes are like man… fuck. You gotta wear ‘em.”

“Mandatory…?” I offer, eyeing him like he’s going to internally combust. The party just started, man. Leave some booze for the rest of us.

He points the red Solo cup at me. “Yes.”

It’s still held out after I snap the cape around my neck.

I don’t know if he wants me to take it or what.

Peace offering?

But he pulls the cup back to his chest and smiles.

“You’re so smart.”

I learned the word in middle school.

Bro, what do you want me to say?