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given up on you,” Emma said. “He wouldn’t have if he really liked you.”
    I looked at Matt. “What do you think?”
    Matt shrugged. “Maybe Talia asked him, and he figured, why not? He could still like you.”
    Then the song “Monster Mash” came on over the speakers. Katie grabbed my hand.
    â€œI love this song! We have to dance,” she commanded.
    â€œDance? In this clown costume? I will trip over my own feet!” I protested.
    â€œWe’ll all dance,” Emma said, and I let Katie drag me into the middle of the room. She started doing this dance, where she waved the rubber chicken over her head, and then George came up and started break-dancing (which was impressive, considering he was wearing a hot dog costume). Then other people started joining us, like my friends Lucy and Sophie, and Eddie Rossi, whois taller than anybody in our grade, but he didn’t look goofy at all when he danced.
    Pretty soon I forgot about Chris and started having fun. Everyone was talking and dancing and hanging out. Then I got thirsty.
    â€œI’m going to get some water,” I told my friends, heading toward the dining room.
    That’s when my big clown feet bumped right into Chris! He turned around, and for a second he didn’t recognize me. Then I saw him blush underneath his vampire makeup.
    â€œOh, hi, Mia,” he said.
    I looked behind him, but I didn’t see Talia. “I thought you were here with Talia Robinson,” I said, trying to sound like I didn’t care, but I could hear my voice shaking.
    â€œWell, yeah, I am, but uh . . . she’s outside.” Chris shifted back and forth on his feet. This whole situation was Awkward with a capital A .
    I took a deep breath. “Listen,” I said. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you in the cafeteria the other day. I’m entering this big fashion design contest, and it’s kept me busy for every second.”
    Chris nodded. “Yeah, okay.” Then he kind of looked away from me. “I guess I thought you were just blowing me off.”
    â€œI didn’t mean to,” I said. I wanted to say, I like you—why would I blow you off? For some reason I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. “Anyway, you could have asked me before you asked Talia.”
    â€œThat’s not what happened,” Chris said. “It was— Whatever. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”
    â€œMe too,” I said, and then there was just awkward silence.
    â€œOkay, then,” I said finally. “Happy Halloween.”
    â€œYou too,” Chris said, and I grabbed a bottle of water and got out of there as fast as my floppy feet could carry me.
    When I got back to the living room, Katie, Emma, and Alexis were all staring at me.
    â€œWhat did he say?” Alexis asked.
    â€œHe said he was sorry,” I reported. “It was kind of awkward. Can we just forget about it for now?”
    â€œOf course,” Katie said, grabbing my hand again. “George says he’s bobbing for apples on the front lawn. I have got to see this!”
    So I let Katie drag me out into the night, and because I was with my friends, and because Katie and George are hilarious, I had a good time, no matter what was happening with Chris.
    And how lame is it to dress like a vampire, anyway? I mean, vampires are so last year!

CHAPTER 10
From Bad to Worse
    A fter I washed off my makeup that night, I climbed into bed, exhausted. I was glad I was so tired. Otherwise, I might have had trouble sleeping, because my mind was full of thoughts about Chris and Talia, not to mention that the contest deadline was only days away.
    I woke up groggy but with a weird energy coursing through me—it was now or never. I’d heard people use the expression “adrenalin rush”—when you’re really nervous or excited and get a sudden burst of energy—but it had never