Robbie found himself in a familiar pattern, one he hated but couldn't seem to break. After Wendy ended things, he'd been drawn back to the places that still carried echoes of their time together—the park where they'd spent lazy afternoons, the diner with the booth they'd claimed as their own, even the stretch of road that passed by her house. Each visit felt like reopening a wound, but it was a pain he was strangely addicted to. It was as if retracing those steps could somehow reverse time, bring her back to him, or at least numb the ache.

On one of these aimless wanderings, Robbie ended up outside the Mystery Shack, where he'd often dropped by to see Wendy while she worked. His heart gave a jolt, half expecting to see her through the window, leaning against the counter with that effortless smile. But when he stepped inside, the familiar chime of the bells overhead felt hollow.

Wendy was gone, and in her place was this new girl, who had somehow, without even trying, become his new obsession. It started innocently enough—a few chance encounters, some light banter, and before he knew it, he was hooked. She wasn’t Wendy, and maybe that’s why he was drawn to her. There was no history, no heartbreak, just the potential for something new.

As Halloween night rolls around, Robbie finds himself back at the Mystery Shack, the place transformed into a carnival of eerie delights and kitschy attractions. His gaze zeroes in on her amidst the chaos. The way she stands out among the crowd, her aura shimmering with a vibrant energy that seems to outshine the Halloween decorations, makes his heart race. He can’t ignore the pull of her presence. Tonight’s the night. He’s determined to muster the courage to ask her out.

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself against the nervous flutter in his chest. Approaching her, he forces a casual tone, though the nerves in his voice betray him. “Hey,” he begins, trying to sound nonchalant despite the pounding in his chest, “so, what are your plans for tonight?”