"You're taking Petey Trick-or-Treating, go buy yourself and Liam a costume after school."

The last thing on my priority list today was taking my eight year old brother Trick-or-Treating, but I knew I didn't have too much say in the matter. My parents had already done a ton for me the last month and a half, and most of my life, the least I could do was take my brother out tonight when they both had to work. There really wasn't a need for my little brother to have to suffer the consequences of not having fun either.

I frowned, plucking the money from my mother's fingertips. "How early? Please tell me it won't be at like six with all those little babies."

"Yeah, I'm not a baby!" Peter appeared in the foyer, tightening the strap on his Ninja Costume.

I could see my mom chuckling out of the corner of my eye.

"Okay, Kiddos. Get to school." Mom ushered us out of the house with a nod, shifting Liam back and forth in her arms as she watched as jog down the steps.

My brother had gone all out with his costume for school. Taking into consideration he couldn't wear a mask on school grounds, he had asked me to paint one on him. I had actually done a decent job and had changed my profile picture on social media to the two of us after I'd finished. He had made Dad buy the most expensive of the Ninja get-ups because it was his favorite color, and it shielded his entire body with a black and blue robe.

The closest thing I could say I had to a costume was a lopsided ponytail and I hadn't cared enough to change out of my sweats. Petey had joked I was going as a girl in pajamas, and I was going to go along with it if anyone asked.

"Zane!" Peter exclaimed, startling me. I caught his arm before he could run any further down the driveway, my eyes widening a fraction. He was right, Zane had pulled up in a blue Beamer I knew belonged to his father.

His costume confused me a bit. He was wearing a blue jersey with his name and the number 11 stretched out across the back in big white text. His shoulder pads were slightly uneven, but I got the feeling he had done it on purpose. His shorts, a little longer than those the boys on the real team use during practice or when they were just hanging out, revealed a little too much leg for his liking. He kept reaching down and running his hand along his leg.

"Hey, buddy." Zane ruffled my brother's hair.

"Are you supposed to be a football player?" my brother asked, peering up at the older boy in curiosity.

I could tell by the bitter look that crossed his face that there was more to his answer than what he spoke. "Sure, kid. Just that."

"That's cool! I'm a ninja!" Peter laughed, making a sudden movement with his hands so he was in a karate like stance.

Zane opened the back door to the Beamer and grinned. "Bro, that's the coolest costume I've seen in years."

Peter, clearly pleased with the compliment, climbed into the back seat and pulled his seat belt on.

"Nice costume, sweetheart." Zane joked as I finally approached the car.

"Could say the same." I looked him over. "Is this some sort of joke? A jab at your brother?"

Zane snorted. "I'd never give him that satisfaction."

"Yeah? So you're suddenly cool with dressing as a football player? Cool."

I slipped passed him and walked around the car so I was sitting in the back with my brother. Peter kept the conversation going until we dropped him off at the front of the school. He kissed my cheek as he usually did before hopping out and waving at his friends on the playground.

Zane waited until we were out of the parking lot to speak up again.

"Why?"

"Why what?" I whispered, craning my neck so I could catch a glimpse of his expression in the rear-view mirror. He met my eyes with a cold look, his blue eyes hardening.

"Why is it you always jump to his defensive? That you get pissed when I try to make a joke here and there about him? Do you not remember what he did to you, Paige? He's a liar."

I leaned forward so quickly that my seat belt locked and started to cut into my forearm.

"Like you're any better, Matthew. You had a pretty good idea of who Liam's mother was this entire time and didn't say a word. You knew of Liam before I even-"

He turned the key in the ignition and let the engine slowly die as he glanced out the window and at the entrance to the high school. Swarms of strangely dressed kids were pouring in through the front doors; I honestly wasn't sure I wanted to see what was waiting inside.

"Stop!" Zane whirled around. "Stop this shit, Paige! Either you hate him or you love him, it can't be both. Even after years of torture and humiliation, you believe him the second he says he's loved you. Even when he's shitfaced and probably only wanted one thing from you."

I could feel my hands clenching into fists on my lap. "If he wanted sex, he had every opportunity to have his way the night I found Liam."

Zane's anger drained and was quickly replaced by hurt. "What do you mean? That video was-"

"The beginning of the video was real, Zane. I asked Mark to take my virginity. Everyone in the town thinks he did years ago, so why not? We made out for a bit, but when I went into the bathroom to take another birth control pill, he had disappeared and Liam was in his place."

"Get out." Zane whispered.

I could feel my heart sink into my stomach. "Zai-"

"Get out!"

I threw my backpack strap over my shoulder and climbed out, gripping the door as I contemplated whether I should close it and let him do something stupid after he drove off, or try and convince him to come into the school with me and forget everything I'd just said.

"I still don't get it. How you can still be so in love with him after all this time, after everything he's done?" a hushed breath of words came from the driver's seat.

"You can't control love, Zane. Sometimes we have no say in who we love or why we love someone. It's just there and it won't go away, no matter how antagonizing the pain they inflict on you might me." I responded quietly. He slowly turned his head and met my eyes, his own distant.

"Believe me," he started the car again. "I know."

With that, he reached back and yanked the door shut before speeding out of the parking lot.

*

For the first time in my life, I sat alone for a majority of lunch. I could feel McKenna's worried gaze from across the room, but she never made any attempt to stand and cross the room to join me. To my surprise, it was Mark who dropped his tray across from me about ten minutes into lunch. He was dressed as a nerd, an obvious poke at his younger brother.

"All alone?" Mark smirked. "Where's my idiot brother?"

"Dunno." I shrugged.

I jumped back when I felt Mark's hand rest on top of mine. "Wow, there. Calm down."

"Don't touch me."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "I take it you're going to turn down my party invite tonight too, right?"

"I'm not going to your Halloween party, Marcus. I know how those end." I muttered, hoping he'd take the hint and go back to his table.

"Come on, Paige. Live a little for once." he reached out and brushed a loose strand of caramel colored hair out of my eyes. "Where's the Paige Banner that asked me to take her virginity at my house a month ago?"

"She's gone." I snapped. "Try again later."

Mark leaned over the table and took my chin between his index finger and thumb.

"We need to talk about Friday night." he breathed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He shook his head, anger flaring up in his blue eyes.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Paige." he inched closer until his lips were brushing against mine. "And you're going to be at that party tonight."

*

Mark's words played on repeat in my head the rest of the day. By the time it was time to take Peter to go Trick-or-Treating, I had changed into a cat costume that would be considered fairly slutty if I wasn't wearing a jacket over it. I had bought Liam a cute Stitch onsie that Petey was giggling over the entire way down the block.

I knew deep down that Mark's words had been meant as a threat. If I didn't go to the party and explain everything, he'd probably make my life a living hell as he had done every time he didn't get what he wanted.

"Are you okay, Pai?" Petey tugged at my sleeve. I took one hand off the stroller and ran it through his messy brown hair.

"I'm fine, bud. Go join those kids over there." I ushered him away with a forced smile. He didn't seem to notice the forcefulness, or if he did, kept it to himself. He nodded and hurried up the driveway and made his way to the front door.

As if on cue, Liam started crying. I walked around the stroller and picked him up, rubbing his small back in hopes of comforting him.

"Paige?" Shit.

"Hey, Cody." I spun on my heel and turned to face one of McKenna's new friends. The same guy that had asked me out a week ago.

"So, uh, babysitting, huh?" he joked, nodding toward the toddler continuously pulling at the sleeve of his plaid button up.

I laughed nervously. "Yeah."

"Cody! Paige! Hey!" I didn't have to turn to know who the voice belonged to.

Marcus.

***AN***

Hope you guys enjoyed! 

What do you think of Zane's attitude and reaction? Is it justified? And how do you feel about Mark finding out about Liam? Good or bad? And do you think Paige will end up going to the party? 

Let me know what you guys thought/think! 

I hope you had a great Halloween!! 

~ChasingMadness24