"Listen, why don't we go back to Laurel's for a little while" Lucia said. "I want to fix my hair and make up."
"Okay. Right. So let's head over to Laurel's" Erin agreed.
Erin brought a lantern to the ritual to help guide us back through the trail from the Courtyard. Rowan and Lucia followed behind us.
"Laurel, this looks different walking through the trail at night. It looks creepy," Erin whispered.
"I'm used to it. I come here all the time."
We made our way through the Courtyard and past the grove, the massive oak tree waiting for us at the end of the trail. As we emerged from the woods, we could see the porch light coming from my house. Trick or treaters were shuffling about the street. The air was crisp and Rowan lit a cigarette, the smoke drifting upward in a cloud. He reached over to offer me one without saying a word, and we stood outside the front of my house smoking when Erin flashed me a strange look.
"Laurel, I thought you quit."
Rowan answered, "She smokes whenever she feels like it" winking at me. I smiled, nodding at my friends and thinking about what we were in for tonight.
Everyone went inside, collapsing on my living room couch. I turned on my fake Jack O' Lantern illuminating the fireplace mantle.
"Does anyone want a fire?" Rowan asked.
"No - we've had enough fires for one night. That bonfire smoke is all in my hair!" Lucia complained.
Lucia and Erin fixed their hair and make up upstairs as Rowan and I waited. They finally emerged, and we all made our way to the door.
"We can take my car tonight. Let's head downtown" Erin said.