A/N: This is just a "short story" written in our last trimester's Creative Writing course. I'm an overachiever, hehe. So it came out to be either 12 pages or 22 pages...


"You didn't get a card!?" Melissa popped beside Trinity's locker, pulling the old 'I'll pretend to care' look on her. Replying with only an agitated sigh, Trinity stood on her tiptoes to pull out her Calculus II textbook from the top of her locker shelf. Melissa flipped her blond Barbie-hair, ignored her, and continued rummaging through her GUESS ® brand purse. "Ah, I'm so sorry. I can't seem to find anymore invitation cards. Poor baby…" The golden-curled girl turned a puppy-dog look onto the other girl before smirking as she pulled away, only to stop Trinity from closing her locker.

"He has a date, already, you know," Melissa smirked while caressing one of the pictures Trinity had taped to the inside of the locker door. "So when he obviously couldn't go with me, how do you think you're getting there? Some best friend," the cheerleader snorted, haughtily walking away. "Pathetic loser…" Trinity heard, despite the crowd of noise surrounding the speaker. Frustrated, the light-brown- eyed 5'7" female raced through the crammed hallway, flying blindly to her next class with tears stinging behind her eyes.

"I don't care about some stupid Halloween party!" she cried out, mostly to remind herself.

A hermit goldenrod leaf meandered, passing Trinity, perhaps from the open hallway that was actually a bridge between the two mounds the school was built on. Wiping a leaked tear, Trinity halted on the middle of the decrepit wooden bridge that overlooked a cackling creek heading down a steep slope. The cool zephyr was blowing northbound, messing Trinity's silky black hair around her face. He already has a date you know,' Melissa had said, gossiping about Edward, Trinity's childhood and best friend. For the longest time in high school, Trinity began harboring more than friendship with him but was insecure of what could…would happen. She adored everything about him: how caring and sweet he was, his humor, their seventeen years of inside jokes and especially his pale blue eyes that seemed like they could read your mind…and at times, he seemed like he could as he knew her so well. With seven minutes left to spare, Trinity inhaled deeply, filling her lungs and nostrils with the scent of ground and bobbing crabapples. Pennsylvania during October's ending usually carried an eerie atmosphere of colorful leaves swirling about and just that feel of colonial spirits settling once more in their afterlife.

The young woman looked at her metallic watch, dull with time –four minutes to go. With a small step, Trinity started pacing about until she tripped "on air" –as her friends put it—and landed into the warm hands of a young man.

"Trin! Stop. Tripping. On. Air!" Edward grinned, helping her set to her feet and picking up the fallen belongings. The way his grin always made him look like a toddler –it always fluttered Trinity's heart as well. He would smile with his whole heart out and yet bit his tongue at the same time –Trinity found it addicting and reflected it back to him. Along side him, Trinity also kneeled, picking an assignment before the wind blew it to the creek. "Here you go. Let's walk to class," Edward handsomely smiled, only to see the stained pathway of the tear on Trinity's face. His face fell. "Trin, what's wrong?" he gasped, only for Trinity to wave it away, narrowing her eyes.

"Who are you going with?" she demanded.

With a puzzled look at first, Edward chuckled. "Yeah…Melissa told you, eh? Well, it's not settled but with …you!" Trinity's face was still set with her narrowed eyes.

"I'm not allowed to …" Trinity meekly said but was interrupted.

"Nuh-uh-uh!" Edward waved a finger in front of Trinity in a tantalizing way. "You're not allowed to, but my date is! So there! I win! Wasn't that fun?" Edward joked and his messily spiked hair waving about.

Trinity softly smiled at him before comprehending what he said. "Date?" she asked wide-eyed. They had both reached the classroom door before they stopped, staring at each other earnestly.

"Erm, uh…friends. We'll be going as the best friends we are!" Edward started to stutter, before giving out once last deep laugh to her for the day. Feeling worthless once again, Trinity nodded her head numbly, but forced a smile.

"Then you better pick me up early evening tomorrow in my fairy costume!" Trinity giggled.