We go home after that, Katie oblivious to the turmoil within me as she skips on the sidewalk. I catch a few other people from school whispering and pointing, but none of them are brave enough to approach like the first two girls.

    I keep my head down as I walk.

    When we return home I sit on the living room floor with Katie. She splits her candy in half giving me some to count. I finish before her and lean back against the couch. My eyes run over the living room decked out in Halloween garb.

      When mom goes, she goes all out.

      A smile forms on my lips at the thought, my eyes jumping from the cutout black cat on our white mantle place to the spooky mirror on the wall that shows ghosts in the room.

       She's even gone so far as to put up streamers.

        The black and orange things hang up around the room, some attached to the lamp and side tables while others simply hang down from the ceiling.

         "It's almost as if we're having a party 24/7."

         "What?" Katie asked looking up from her candy pile. I smile down at her and shake my head.

          "Nothing, just talking to myself. So, are you finished?"

          We finish counting the rest of her candy and I'm impressed with how much she was able to collect in two hours.

    "You, my little witch, are a trick-or-treating pro." I said as I ruffle her hair, the atmosphere around us light as she giggles.

    "Stop, Charlotte." She giggles and the magazine smile I'd managed to paste on falters at the name.

    Who's Charlotte?

    I asked my thoughts before forcing my smile back up the inch it'd lost.

    "Alright, you two." Our father said as he walks into the living room. A smile that I've grown up with is plastered on his face and any turmoil I'd been feeling lessens. "Pick the candy up. Katie, it's time for bed."

    Katie grumbles but complies, putting the candy in her basket one piece at a time. She stops when she gets to a packet of skittles. Her blue eyes dart up to me.

    "Here, Charlotte, I know they're your favorite." She said as she drops the candy into my open hand. I look between the candy and her before smiling, a storm raging in my stomach.

    "Thanks, little witch."

    She watches me with expectant eyes so I tear open the packet and toss two in my mouth. The sugar coats my teeth and it's the best thing I've tasted all day, but the only thing I can focus on is my thoughts.

    What have I done? Oh god, I'm never going to lose this.

    My sister just continues to watch me, both her and our father blind to my thoughts.

    "It's delicious." I said as I stand and stuff the rest of the packet into my back pocket. "I need to go to the bathroom. See you tomorrow, little witch." I hurry out of the living room without waiting for Katie's response.

    As soon as I get into the bathroom upstairs I close and lock the door behind me. My eyes scour the small white and blue room until they land on the white toilet beside the sink. My hand lifts and I grip the spot over my heart, wrinkling my shirt.

     Don't do it.

     I beg myself as my eyes heat up from oncoming tears.

     You're so much better than this.

     A sob lodges itself in my throat and I grind my teeth together, doing my best to stay quiet.

     Am I really, though?

    My stomach turns over and I rub my tongue over my teeth, that sweet coating of sugar still there. It's what does me in and before I can think twice on the matter before I can even try to fight my demon, I find myself on my knees bending over the toilet.

    Get out, get out, get out, get out, get out of me!

    I scream within my mind as my stomach convulses and I choke and cough and sputter into the toilet bowl. My eyes burn with tears that stream down my cheeks.

    The memories of people banging on bathroom stall doors have me squeezing my eyes shut.

    Go away! Leave me alone!

    'Come on out, Annie! You're not the only one who needs to use the bathroom, though I'm sure our needs are different.'

    Their laughter echoes through my mind and I sob silent tears crouched over the toilet. My face burns with shame at who I am and what I've become.

    "Charlotte, are you going out tonight?" My mother's voice floats through the barrier that separates her from the abomination her daughter has become.

    Who is Charlotte?

    I questioned in my thoughts as I push myself up from my seat on the floor.

    "Yeah, mom." A crumpling sound in my back pocket has me pulling out the skittles my sister gave me. I look from them to my reflection in the mirror.

    My face is red, my eyes sunken with dark circles under them. Brown hair sticks to my face where the tears traveled down. My stomach turns in disgust and I look away, unable to meet even my own eyes.

    I crumple the skittles packet in my hand and toss them in the trash.

    Who is Charlotte?

    "I am going out."

    I'm Annie.

#

I leave the house when I know both my parents are too preoccupied to notice me. It's well past time for little kids to be in bed which means the older siblings are freed from their leashes. Some head towards parties while others go to play pranks on unsuspecting people.

    No one pays me any mind, most likely because they don't recognize me in the dark. I enjoy the quiet and find a little bench to relax on out front someone's house, a street lamp illuminating it.

    "Oh, I didn't expect someone to rain on my parade."

    I jump, startled by the voice behind me. Turning around I find a guy standing in a black hoodie and some light brown cargo pants. Light brown hair falls into his vivid green eyes and looks slick like he's just gotten a shower. He wears a cocky smile and my eyes travel down to his left hand which holds a roll of toilet paper.

    "Sorry, I didn't know someone had already claimed the yard." I said as I stand from the bench. The last thing I want is to get in the way of this guys prank or, worse yet, be accused as a partner in crime.

    "Hey, hey, hey not so fast." The guy comes around the bench I'd been sitting on and plants himself in front of me. Too close for comfort.

    He'll be able to recognize me.

    I take a step back from him and amusement flickers in those green eyes.

    "Ummm, can I help you with something?"

    His cheeky smile only grows as he holds out a toilet paperless hand.

    "Why yes, you can with your name."

    I raise an eyebrow at this Casanova and cross my arms over my chest giving a clear sign that, that's not happening. He chuckles a nice sound to my ears and lifts both hands in the air. I eye the toilet paper suspiciously.

    "Sorry, I've been told that I'm a huge flirt. I mean no harm, really." He lowers his hands before continuing. "We actually go to school together. I've seen you around. Your name's Annie, right?"

    No, my name's Charlotte.

    I snort and look away, towards a group of people our age walking down the other side of the street. My eyes cast downward at my hands.

    But, who is that anymore?

    I look back up at the guy standing before me and wrap my arms around my stomach as I say,

    "I guess you could say it is." His smile drops a few notches.

    "What do you mean?"

    I smile, bitter as I look at the tree beside us.

    "Who knows." We fall into an uncomfortable silence and it's not until I see movement out of the corner of my eye do I look back at him. Once more, his hand is outstretched and a cheeky grin finds its way onto his face. The street lamp beside us highlights his features and I notice that he's actually pretty cute.

    "Well, my name's Ray."

    "Ray? Who name's their kid Ray? Is it short for something?" I asked, my brows furrowing in confusion. Ray just shakes his head, his smile growing wider.

    "Nope."

    My lips twitch upwards because I'm starting to find this amusing.

    "Then, I'm calling bullshit. That's not your real name."

    Ray's eyes get a glimmer of excitement and mischief. It must be contagious because I find myself being pulled right along with it. I barely notice my hands falling away from my stomach.

    "Then I'd say you're not just another pretty face but also pretty smart." Ray chuckles as my cheeks burst into flames. "So, how about this miss Not Annie, you tell me your real name and I'll tell you mine."

    I look from Ray's outstretched hand to his face. Outside of the mischief and amusement, I find a sincerity I haven't seen from anyone outside of my family in a long time. That does me in and the inch of a smile I'd given earlier turns into a full one as I slip my hand into Ray's. Meeting his eyes I say,

    "Pleasure to meet you, Ray, the name's Annie."

    Ray chuckles at this and releases my hand as he takes a seat on the bench.

    "So that's how it's going to be. I'm starting to get your number, Annie."

    I take a seat beside him, tucking some loose strands from my ponytail behind my ear.

    "I don't think you are, Ray."

    If you were, I doubt you'd be sitting here beside me. I doubt your eyes, filled with mischief and amusement and sincerity, would be filled with anything but disgust.

    My stomach turns at the thought because I know it's true. He wouldn't see the me that sits beside him now, he'd see the hideousness that is Annie.

    Ray leans forward, resting his arms on his knees, pulling me from my mind. He looks at me with a determination in his eyes. It makes his face light up and I can feel my own growing.

    "How about we play a game? Let's see if we can guess the other's name. Whoever guesses correctly first, wins." His smile only grows as I raise an eyebrow, intrigued.

    "Is there a time limit to this little game you've thought up?"

    Ray shakes his head and says,

    "Nope. Since we go to the same school we'll have an unlimited amount of time to figure it out."

    "And clues? Surely we get some of those."

    Ray holds up two fingers, his cheeky smile only increasing.

    "Two clues, no more than that." I think about the game and my eyes roam over Ray's features.

    Who is Charlotte?

    It sounds fun and there's really no danger in it.

    Who is Annie?

    I'm sure that, by tomorrow, Ray will have forgotten about our little game.

    Maybe Ray will tell me.

    I meet his eyes as I say,

    "You're on. I'll knock that cheeky smile right off your face with my inevitable win."

    "That sounds like a challenge, Annie. I like a good challenge."

    I lean back, relaxing on the bench and looking at the people out and about. A soft breeze blows by and the colorful leaves beside us start to sing. A chill from the cool air races up my spine, but even so I don't feel the least bit uncomfortable. It's the complete opposite of my raging thoughts and emotions from earlier are quiet now.

    "You go first with the clues." I said and Ray is quiet for a moment, no doubt thinking about his clues.

    "I'm named after a really famous artist and my favorite color is orange."

    I crinkle my nose at that before a light goes off in my head. My eyes scour his features before looking away.

    Oh, I see. It's almost too easy, but I guess that's because of my own addiction to the show.

    My eyes go to my hands and I study them. The front and then the back before curling them into fists.

    I won't say anything yet.

    "Alright, you next."

    Tell me who I am, Ray.

    "I'm named after a really popular kids book and I love piglets."

    Charlotte or Annie? Just call my name.

    Ray contemplates my clues for a while, the both of us just sitting in silence. Eventually, he stands up startling me. When he turns and holds out his hand for me to take, I furrow my brows in confusion.

    "Well, we're not going to sit here and contemplate the others name all night. I say, let the hints sink in and we'll go from there. So, how about we have some fun while we wait?"

    I warily place my hand in his as I ask,

    "What kind of fun?"

    Ray pulls me up with enough force that I bump into his chest. My cheeks warm as I look up into his enticing, green eyes.

    "Why, the kind you can only have with toilet paper on all hallows eve."