Page 44 of A Very Happy Halloween

Ah.

“Yes, well, I’m separated, and my boyfriend is a cage fighter.”

“I see.”

“Do you? Do you realise why Harry said that? It’s because he keeps getting bullied. Maybe before you start accusing him of lying, you should look at tackling the bigger issue?”

When Harry got home, I asked him about the cage-fighter-dating thing, and he told me he was “eleven, not stupid.” Apparently, he and Alfie had been talking, and they figured it would be okay if we all went to live at Twilight’s End because who wouldn’t want a swimming pool and a movie theatre? Perhaps for the first time in my thirty-one years, one of my problems had resolved itself.

“Liam swapped his shifts around so he can come to the party,” Marissa said. “We can stay at Mum and Dad’s house overnight. Air the place out a bit before they get back.”

“I’m hoping we won’t have any medical emergencies, but we will have plenty of wine.”

“Should we bring anything?”

“Just yourselves and your costumes.”

“I was going to be a cat, but then Liam’s sister said she had loads of old costumes from her theatre days, so now I’m coming as a witch. Serena’s friend is a make-up artist, and she offered to help with the tricky bits.”

“Why don’t you invite Serena and her friend too? The more, the merrier.”

“Are you sure?”

“Eis has ordered enough food for two hundred people, and that’s not an exaggeration. Invite anyone you want.”

“Liam’s brother’s staying with us for a few weeks before he goes travelling.”

“Excellent—bring him too.”

I’d never held a party where I didn’t have to organise every little thing, and the lack of control was oddly terrifying. What if someone forgot the paper plates? Or there was a problem with the music?

The upside?

I was so busy worrying about the party that I forgot to worry about my driving test. And the two extra days of practice had helped, together with Eis’s tips and his “who gives a shit if you prang it?” attitude.

I passed.

I finally passed!

Marissa hugged the breath out of me, and we both squealed in the car park. Strangers gave us a wide berth. Over my sister’s shoulder, I saw the look of relief on my driving instructor’s face, although no doubt her joy would be tinged with disappointment that I didn’t need to pay hundreds more pounds for lessons.

“I knew you could do it!” Marissa said. “No more L-plates.”

“Now I graduate to P-plates. I’ll probably keep them on forever.”

The first thing I did when Marissa released her grip was message Eis.

Me

I passed!

Then I opened a text from Harry.

And the bottom dropped out of my world.

Harry

Did you see this? He’s such a jerk.

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