"I think it would be darling if your little friend sat on your lap for the portrait," he said to Claire.

"Do you think that will make me look like a ventriloquist?" Claire asked in her kindest voice. "Maybe I should just stand behind him."

"What-ever." Jules's smile faded. "Please look over there." He pointed his red Magic Marker at the big oak tree with the dangling mannequin. "And don't move." Jules's smile faded. "Please look over there." He pointed his red Magic Marker at the big oak tree with the dangling mannequin. "And don't move."

Five girls dressed as mice stood under the tree in a tight cl.u.s.ter, talking to each other with their hands over their mouths. Claire was trying to read their lips when she saw a cute guy with messy black hair, dressed as a soccer goalie, run past them. He was looking over his shoulder as if he was being chased. But no one was behind him.

"Maybe he's had too much sugar," Claire said to Nathan. But Nathan didn't respond.

"No talking," Jules snapped.

Claire wished Layne was around because she would have found that funny.

"Look straight at the tree, dear," Jules said.

Every time Jules looked down at his paper, Claire tried to spot Cute Running Guy without moving her face. Finally she found him. He was heading her way.

"Look out," Claire said to Jules.

But it was too late. Cute Running Guy slammed straight into Jules, sending him face-first onto his easel.

"Medic," Jules said. He lay flat on the ground, surrounded by Magic Markers.

"Sorry, man," Cute Running Guy said as he lifted himself off Jules. "I didn't see you there."

Claire and Nathan fought the urge to laugh for as long as they possibly could.

"Very funny," Jules said to Claire with a snarl. "I think I broke my hip."

"We should probably go," Claire said as she backed away. "Feel better."

Blossom, b.u.t.tercup, and the soccer player broke into a fit of hysteria as soon as Jules was out of earshot.

"Sorry I ruined your picture," the soccer player said.

"Are you kidding?" Claire said. "You saved my life."

"Good." He smiled. Claire liked his soft voice and had the sudden urge to hear him say her name the same way he just said "good."

"I'm Claire," she said. "And this is my brother's friend Nathan." She pointed to the ground, but no one was there. "Oh, well, that was was Nathan. Funny, I didn't see him leave." Nathan. Funny, I didn't see him leave."

"I'm Cam," he said. His black hair and red lips made Claire think of Snow White but in a total guy way.

"Who were you running from?" Claire asked.

"These two girls, Alicia and Olivia. But I think I lost them."

"Is that a good thing?" Claire asked.

Please say yes please say yes.

"Yes." He sighed. "I mean, they're cool and everything, but they're a little hyper for me, you know?"

"They are a lot of things. All of which are worth running from."

Cam chuckled. His eyes laughed.

"Are you having fun at my party?" Claire asked.

"This is your your party? I thought it was Ma.s.sie's." party? I thought it was Ma.s.sie's."

Claire fought the urge to sound bitter. "We threw it together," she said. "I live right over there." She pointed to the small stone house with the cutout cardboard ghosts taped to the door.

"Oh, no way." He sounded surprised. "So you're you're the new girl." the new girl."

"Yyyy-eah." She couldn't tell what he was going to do next.

But he didn't do anything except stare at her with his different color eyes.

"What?" Claire tugged at the hair elastic around her wrist until it pinched her skin.

"I heard about you, that's all," he said. "Don't worry, it was all good."

Claire was dying to ask him what what he had heard, he had heard, who who he'd heard it from, and he'd heard it from, and when when he'd heard it. But she didn't want to seem desperate. he'd heard it. But she didn't want to seem desperate.

"Nice," was all she said.

After an awkward silence Cam spoke.

"Ma.s.sie seems fun. I hung out with her at the benefit and I thought she was pretty cool-you know, for an OCD girl." He gently punched her arm.

Claire giggled.

"I was at that party," she said. "But you must have been too busy flirting with Ma.s.sie to notice."

Cam stuffed his hands in the pockets of his shorts and smiled shyly.

"Looks like someone has a bit of a crush on Ma.s.sie Block." Claire hoped he wouldn't pick up on her disappointment.

But she'd never know because he wiped a wavy ma.s.s of hair out of his eyes and changed the subject immediately. He looked toward the dance floor, where everyone was clapping and cheering for a half-naked chubby guy who was twirling his shirt above his head to the beat of the music.

"Wanna see what's going on over there?"

"Sure," Claire said. "But I can't promise I'll like it."

Cam laughed and Claire smiled. She was glad he shared her sense of humor and she wanted him to know it. In fact, she wanted him to know a lot of things about her, but if he liked Ma.s.sie, he probably liked girls who played hard to get. Claire decided to act slightly bored while they danced.

"Happy Halloween, everyone!" the DJ shouted. "Are you having fun tonight?" The crowd "woo-ed" and clapped. "I have one song left and I wanna make it count. Can you handle it?"

Fists shot into the air and everyone was throwing hand-fuls of candy around.

"I thought so." He flashed his cheesy DJ smile. "I've got two gift certificates to iTunes right here for the couple with the best moves." He held two white envelopes above his head.

"Those are ours," Cam said to Claire. He wiped his palms on his soccer shorts.

After the first beat of Nelly's "Hot in Herre" the crowd exploded. Their c.u.mbersome masks, tails, hats, capes, and shoes were tossed to the side of the dance floor.

Tired parents, stuck with the late night carpool shift, started to trickle in. They didn't dare drag their kids out before the final song had ended so they talked among themselves with their arms folded and their car keys in hand.

Claire, desperate to impress, threw in a few leaps from gymnastics and some b.u.t.t-shaking dance moves she copied from music videos. She was so focused she had to remind herself to look up and see what Cam was doing. When he wasn't looking, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and checked him out.

He looked like an outlaw from the old Western movies her father and Todd liked to watch. His hands were out in front of him and his fingers were pointing straight ahead like guns. Each time the music pulsed, Cam would "fire" the guns with his thumbs. He moved to the beat without ever lifting his feet off the ground.

Todd and Nathan were running around, pushing each other into pretty girls. As soon as one of them slammed into someone, they'd take off before the girl or the guy she was dancing with could spot them.

Dylan, Alicia, and some blond girl Claire had never seen before were on the opposite end of the dance floor surrounded by a group of gyrating boys. Claire saw them glance at her a few times and point to Cam. She could tell they were impressed by her partner, which inspired her to dance even better. If only Ma.s.sie had been around to see her. But she was nowhere in sight. Hopefully Dylan and Alicia would spread the word.

The music stopped and the parents looked relieved.

"And the winner of tonight's When h.e.l.l Freezes Over dance contest is-" The DJ played a drumroll sound effect. "The soccer player and the Powerpuff Girl."

The disappointed crowd applauded politely.

Todd and Nathan looked surprised but flattered as they made their way toward the DJ booth to collect their prize.

"What are you you doing here?" Claire asked her brother. doing here?" Claire asked her brother.

"I've come for what's rightfully mine," he said. Nathan reached his tiny hand across Cam and grabbed at the white envelopes the DJ was holding.

"Get away from me, you little rodent," the DJ said. He held the gift certificates above his head and out of Nathan's reach.

"Leave or I'm not doing your math homework," Claire whispered to Todd.

"Hey, Nathan, look! There's candy all over the ground," Todd said.

And off they went.

Cam was so happy he hugged Claire in front of everyone. He was even more grateful when she gave him her gift certificate.

"Are you sure?" Cam asked as he took the piece of paper from Claire's clammy hand.

"Positive. I don't have an iPod." But Claire knew she would have given it to him even if she did. She would have done anything to make him smile at her that way.

"Well, I'll make you a killer mix of all the songs I download." Cam stuffed the envelopes deep in his pocket. "I should go," he said. "Thanks for the party. It was fun."

"Cool," was the only thing Claire could think of to say. She reached into the side of her kneesock and pulled out her digital camera. Cam was already a few feet away, and his back was to her, but she quickly snapped his picture anyway.

Friends hugged each other goodbye while their parents roamed the yard, picking up familiar costume parts.

Ma.s.sie was at the gate saying "good night" and "you're welcome" to her guests, who all praised her for hosting such an incredible party. No one stopped to thank Claire. But she didn't let that put a damper on her night, which had ended up perfect thanks to Cam. She couldn't wait to tell Layne she was no longer a "Mopey d.i.c.k."

When everyone was finally gone, Claire took off her red wig and started heading toward the guesthouse. She couldn't wait to take a shower and crawl into bed.

"Where do you think you're you're going?" Ma.s.sie called after her. She was putting on a pair of yellow rubber gloves and holding a big green garbage bag. "My mom said we have to throw out the food so the racc.o.o.ns don't invade." going?" Ma.s.sie called after her. She was putting on a pair of yellow rubber gloves and holding a big green garbage bag. "My mom said we have to throw out the food so the racc.o.o.ns don't invade."

"Now I'm a co-host?" Claire said. The crisp wind dried the sweat on her body and she felt cold for the first time all night. I'm a co-host?" Claire said. The crisp wind dried the sweat on her body and she felt cold for the first time all night.

"Landon was supposed to take care of this, but she's gone," Ma.s.sie said. "We must have run out of coffee or something."

Claire sighed. She slid the elastic off her wrist and put her hair in a high ponytail.

They walked across the lawn side by side, picking up smushed chocolate, crushed cups, and costume sc.r.a.ps. When Ma.s.sie bent down to pick up a rubber nose, Claire stole a quick glance at the picture she took of Cam. She didn't get a shot of his face, but his calf muscles looked cute. She couldn't wait to e-mail the picture to her friends back in Florida.

"So what'd you think of that guy?" Ma.s.sie asked Claire.

"I really like him," Claire said. She could feel herself turning red.

"I'm not surprised," Ma.s.sie said. "You guys have the same taste in makeup."

"Huh?"

"And it looked like Layne and Eli totally hit it off too," Ma.s.sie continued. "I saw them trying to kiss each other good night, but their costumes kept b.u.mping, so they never made contact."

Claire realized Ma.s.sie was talking about Tristan, not Cam. She decided not to correct her. The less Ma.s.sie knew, the safer Claire would be.

"What about you?" Claire asked. "Any crushes tonight?"

"Nah." Ma.s.sie shook her head vigorously. "I was busy making sure my friends didn't kill each other. I spent half the night on the phone listening to Kristen cry over some doof who wears shorts in the winter. I even missed the dance contest."

Claire was about to blurt that she'd won but stopped herself at the last minute.

"You're so lucky you don't have friends," Ma.s.sie said. "Sometimes they can be so depressing."

"I have tons of friends in Florida, you know," Claire said. But Ma.s.sie didn't respond. She was too busy peeling a smushed marshmallow off the treats table.

"I can't believe Alicia and Olivia left without saying goodbye to me," Ma.s.sie said as she tossed an empty bottle of Pellegrino into her garbage bag.

"Who's Olivia?"

Ma.s.sie seemed too wrapped up in her own thoughts to explain.

"Oh, well." She sighed. "You know, friends are like clothes-they can't be in in forever." forever."

"That's the saddest thing I've ever heard," Claire mumbled to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing, I was singing."