Free Got Thrills? A Boxed Set (A McCray Collection) by Carolyn McCray Page A

really had planned for the night. And sure, he could do it himself—he’d done it before. But tonight, he wanted an audience for his adventure.
    “Come on, Evan, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event.” Jeremy grabbed his backpack—filled with everything they would need tonight—and headed for the window. “You in?”
    “We head home at midnight, though, right?” His friend asked as he inched closer to the window. “I can’t break curfew.”
    “Sure,” Jeremy reassured Evan. However, it was a complete and total lie. Midnight was when all the action began. But his friend did not need to know that.
    With a sigh, Evan followed Jeremy through the window.
    “You know, I really should have listened to Mom and hung out with the chess club.”
    “Yes, dude. You probably should have,” Jeremy chuckled, as they slid down the roof shingles.
    * * *
    Cecilia pulled the last glass from the dishwasher. Finally, the dishes were done . Okay, so she had thrown out the pan with the charred chicken. But besides that, the kitchen was back in shape.
    As she washed her hands, she caught sight of the neighbor kids running out their front door, in full costume. One was a ballerina, while the younger boy appeared to be a pirate, with a zombie face. Kids.
    Kids so like she and Jeremy used to be. Cecilia could still remember her dad carrying her in his arms when she grew too tired to walk home. Halloween was the family’s favorite holiday. For her parents, it seemed to be for all the pictures they took, but for Jeremy and her, it rained chocolate candy.
    As the sun began to set, it seemed everyone had someplace to go. Down the street, the Levarti twins were piling into their car with a bunch of their friends. The costumes? Well, as low cut and high hemmed as they were, they definitely would not meet the Our Lady of Sorrows dress code.
    Speaking of which, she had better go turn over the laundry before her shirt got too wrinkled for the dryer to “press” it out. As she turned toward the laundry room, the back door burst open, and her two friends rushed in. Dressed in black, with heavy eyeliner, they looked ready to party.
    “Ta-da!” Helen announced. “The cavalry has arrived!”
    Francesca grabbed Cecilia by the wrist and tugged her toward the stairs. “Get out of those tired clothes! We are going to a party.”
    But Cecilia balked. “You guys, I can’t.”
    “Bull-pucky,” Helen announced and grabbed her other wrist. “You can and you will.”
    Cecilia dug her heels in, though. “I am not going to that stupid concert!”
    “Who said anything about that?” Helen retorted. “We’re heading over to Paula’s.”
    “Paula’s?” Cecilia asked.
    Francesca nodded vigorously. “Yeah. Her parents are letting her throw a party, with a live DJ and everything.”
    “Paula?” Cecilia asked again. “The queen of frump is having a party? And we’re invited?”
    Helen tugged on her wrist again. “Yes. Will miracles never cease? Now let’s get you cleaned up.”
    “Guys, I can’t .”
    Unfortunately, Cecilia’s mom chose that moment to come out of her room. “Cecilia, did I hear voices?”
    “Yes, Mom. It’s just Helen and Francesca.”
    “Oh,” she said, pulling the collar of her robe tighter around her neck. “I didn’t know we were expecting company.”
    With a look at Helen, Cecilia answered, “We weren’t. They were just leaving .”
    But Helen only took up the challenge. “Mrs. Knight, we are trying to drag Cecilia out to a party. Can you help us convince her?”
    “Please?” Francesca begged. “She deserves a night out.”
    To Cecilia’s surprise, her mother nodded. “You should go, Cec.”
    “Mom, look, just go back to your room and give me and the girls a few minutes, okay?”
    “No,” her mom said, sounding like she used to. “Go with Helen and Francesca. You do need a night out…  away from here.”
    Great. Now it was three to one. Not the odds Cecilia liked. Why could no one but she see the