Halloween Dance [1]

"We shouldn't be here, man. Look at those cars; they're worth more than our houses."

Demitri stared at the supercars parked outside Max's house, unable to resist pointing out that they should probably leave.

Eli, standing just outside the house, muttered, "I wonder how Miguel knows someone like this and still hangs out with us."

"I wonder the same thing. Maybe he gathered us here to be the sacrifice before the dance," Demitri replied, half-seriously considering turning around and disappearing.

This neighborhood was known as the place where the wealthy lived, so the idea that Miguel's friend, who was supposed to take them to the dance, lived here felt unbelievable to them.

But before they could leave, a voice called out from behind:

"Aren't you coming in?"

"Max!"

Max appeared, accompanied by Devon, who, after much persuasion, had decided to join them for the school dance. "Come on, you've still got time to get your makeup done."

"Makeup?"

Max led them into the living room, where several others were gathered. Miguel was among them, dressed in a black suit with an intricately detailed catrín-style face painting.

"No way, you look amazing, man!"

"Do I?" Miguel felt a bit self-conscious.

"Way better than we expected."

"Do you guys have your costumes?"

"Of course."

From across the room, Ryan whispered to Max, who was sitting down to play video games with Devon, "Why are we hanging out with these losers?"

"They might be cool. Just give them some time to grow on you," Devon interjected, disagreeing with Ryan's immediate dismissal. After defeating Max in the game, she handed the controller to Ryan.

"Coming?" Devon asked Tory, who had been silent until now.

"Where to?"

"To get dressed, of course. You and I are the only girls here besides the makeup artists. We should get to know each other." Devon took Tory by the arm, and the latter could only glance back at Max before being whisked away.

Ryan, now playing against Max, murmured, "You've got quite the lineup, man. Damn, I should've brought Baja."

"You should stay away from her and heal. You only mess things up when you're mad." Max's words were directed not only at Ryan but also at himself, reflecting the lessons he had learned from his own mistakes.

"Are you serious?"

"You tell me. What do we have besides knowing how to fight and drive cool cars?" Max asked Ryan pointedly before gesturing around the room. "Now look at what we have when we stop being so selective."

Ryan's gaze shifted to the trio getting their makeup done. "I have more friends now. Way cooler ones."

"They're not your friends, Ryan. I am, and now, so are they." Max knew that the guys who usually surrounded Ryan only stuck around because of his legendary parties.

If Ryan ever truly needed help, only a few would step up. But now they had genuine friendships, Miguel and Devon had already proven that much—and those were worth valuing.

With this in mind, Ryan set down the video game controller and approached Eli, the most reserved of the group. "Hey, you. Everyone's going to be watching you tonight, so act like someone who belongs in our circle."

"What?"

"Starting tomorrow, you'll train at the Cobra Kai mixed martial arts dojo. I'll teach you how to bring out the man inside you and stop acting scared." Ryan walked over to a cooler, pulled out a beer, and handed it to Eli.

Eli accepted it instinctively but then said, "I don't drink."

"You do now. Let's go."

Max chuckled at the exchange. After some time, he found himself wondering what Devon and Tory were talking about in the other room as they chose their dresses.