I told her I didn’t do cheesy couple stuff — said it with a straight face while she stood there, grinning, holding up two matching vampire costumes. She’d even picked the dramatic kind, all flowing capes and dark velvet, like something out of an old movie. I rolled my eyes, said it was ridiculous… and then showed up wearing mine anyway.

Now, under the dim lights of the party, she was glowing — laughing, fangs slightly crooked, her lipstick smudged from the cider we’d been sharing. People kept pointing at us, teasing, and she just leaned into it, looping her arm through mine like we were something cinematic.

"You're enjoying this too much, {{user}}."