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Chapter 22: Halloween Night Part 3

The party moved on throughout the night. Keanu, Hunter, and others visited the haunted maze outside the tent. It was made from cardboard, but the decorations were terrifyingly impeccable. They saw torture chambers, jump scares in every corner, wandering iconic slashers with fake weapons, monsters, demons, and ghouls from pop culture.

Keanu and Hunter made it out through the maze after five dead ends with a man in a hockey mask holding a chainsaw and following them.

There were screams, shrieks, and bestial roars and snarls echoing from the caverns of carboards of a maze behind them.

They waited for others to come out and saw Xerxes bursting through a cardboard wall panel and screamed, "GET ME OUTTA HERE!"

"Hey, what the fuck!?" said Freddy Krueger but was out of character. "You just fucking smashed a hole in the maze!"

"Shut up, Krueger, nobody fucking remembers you!" Xerxes shouted.

Krueger turned his back on him and now had to guide the wall from wandering "doomed victims" from getting out of this wall.

"Xerxes, what happened?" said Hunter.

"I saw the Mona Lisa looking at me a-and..."

"What, of all the scary monsters wandering in the maze, the Mona Lisa shitted you the most? She hardly made anything scary but smiling at you and then turn into a screaming demon."

"No! Let me finish!" He stood up from the ground. "Then I saw Jigsaw with his tricycle, asking me to play a game with him, and when I turned around, I saw a fucking spider hanging above the ceiling right in front of my face!"

"Dude, it's a toy!"

"Are you afraid of spiders?" Keanu curiously asked.

"I had a bad tarantula experience when I was ten. If only my uncle would have told me that our kind has thick skin from getting any poisonous bites!"

"Oh, that's awful."

Milagros and Broderick exited from the maze, laughing out loud from a good scare. "Hey, you guys made it!" said Broderick.

"I thought you guys got lost when we got separated," said Milagros.

"We were stalked by Jason Voorhees," said Hunter.

"Oof, we got followed by Lady Dimitrescu," said Broderick. "She was hot though!"

"She called you a wretched simp after you tried to woo her and pulled out her sharp claws," said Milagros.

The reindeer beamed guiltily. "Worth it!"

"You met Lady D?" said Xerxes. "All I encountered was Jigsaw, Chucky, Annabelle, Mona Lisa, and one freaking huge spider!"

Xavier came out from the exit with a satisfied look on his face. "Oh, you guys got out!"

"Hey, where have you been?" said Milagros. "We were in the torture chamber, and you just disappeared."

"There was a secret passage and it closed before I could have called you," Xavier explained. "I was alone with a chick who also fell into the passage, and she ran away from Anubis the God of Death, so I began on a journey scaring every monster wandering the maze." The parrot chuckled. "I decided to continue pranking on the staff members to see their reactions. I even scared Lady D!"

"Did you record it?"

"Yeah, consider it as a bonus for Sergio's next upload."

"Cool!"

Another scream came out from the exit. The guys looked and saw the cat ghost bride running out from the maze with her skirt lifted for better running. She collapsed on the ground but sat upright, the voluminous moth-eaten dress spread wider.

"Natasha! How was it?" said Milagros.

"It was awesome!" she cried; she was breathing hard. "I'm so tired." Despite that, she sat up and made to Xavier who was still holding the pizza box. "Man, I'm hungry. OH! Xavier, can I have a slice of pizzAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

Everyone could have sworn they saw a flying white blur from Xavier's position. It went up in the air and landed on a leaning palm tree.

Xavier stood there petrified at Natasha's incredible reflexes. She just opened the box and was cut off from view in seconds. Did he scare Natasha before? He did not think so.

Xavier tried to make sense. "Natasha?"

Looking at where she landed, the cat-girl was clutching the palm tree's elongated trunk about fifteen feet from the ground.

"Wow, did she just jump?" Keanu said. "Are you okay?"

Natasha responded with an angry hiss. "What was your big idea, Xavier! What kind of monstrosity did you order?"

"A Black Widow!" he opened the box to show the mutated spider. "This was Sergio's idea and asked me to do a favor."

"To scare me the shit out of me!"

"You are not the only one, you know, I scared about over thirty tonight, and... can you climb down?"

Natasha climbed a little further down until she reached Xerxes' height and helped her to get down.

The voice of Josephine via microphone spoke out from the tent. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're about to announce the winner for the best Halloween costume!"

Broderick gasped. "Oh, shit! Come on, they are about to announce the winners!"

"Why do you want to win an Xbox gift card?" Xavier asked.

"Because I want to!"

The parrot rolled his eyes and whatever-ed, "Lo que sea."

The crowd gathered up the center excitingly after casting their votes. Josephine stood there waiting for the results as several students were counting for the results.

"Remember, guests, there will only be three winners for best costume, so there is no sweat," she said. "And... this is taking a bit too long." She chuckled nervously.

Hunter asked Keanu, "Who did you voted for?"

Keanu could only vote three people as allowed. He replied, "I went for Sol and Broderick, and... Ermac."

"Aw, you didn't vote for me? I'm hurt." Hunter was playing but he liked to joke with Keanu as friendly he could.

"Well, I thought they looked cool and see all three fighting together, it's like a complete set, you know?" Keanu opinioned.

"I'm only joking, I understand." Hunter patted him on his shoulder assumingly.

Josephine finally spoke, "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, we have finally counted all of them. You all really want those gift cards, don't you all?"

Everyone laughed and chuckled.

"Very well, we'll be starting from third to first..." she read the envelope. "Uh, first thing first, the majority of the votes were for Lady Dimitrescu, but she is Coach Soto from the soccer club, so she doesn't count as our first-place winner."

Everyone groaned or was surprised at the unexpected outcome. Probably it was a joke, but everyone seemed onboard without thinking when they saw her. Good thing no one dared to slap her with a bug swatter on her behind.

Broderick was most mentally baffled. Guessed he indeed deserved to be called a wretched simp by his own coach...

His own coach!

He could not wait to wash his flirty tongue tonight.

Josephine continued, "So, our third-place winner is... Ermac!"

The crowd applauded and there came the maned wolf claiming his prize.

Hunter and Broderick then had the same thought, glancing at each other. "Where's Sol?" They both shrugged confusedly.

Broderick said, "Where is he? He should be here by now."

Hunter told him, "I last saw him with Topher."

Topher stood next to the hostess and won a small gift basket with some gift cards. He was smiling and happy to win.

"Now then, our second-place winner is... Scorpion!"

"Holy shit, I won!" Broderick totally forgot all about Sol and ran up to the center with the hostess and Topher. "Woohoo!" he cried with his arms punching the air. "Gimme the prize, baby girl!"

Josephine laughed and gave the gift basket with treats and gift cards. He saw that they were mostly restaurant gift cards, much to his chagrin. "Dude, what did you get?" he hoped he could trade.

"Restaurant gift cards, my friend," said Topher.

"Now, the first-place winner is..." cued the drum roll, "...Sub-Zero!"

The crowd cheered, apparently, they were the most popular costumes with the best spectacle they had seen. All three stood there like champions in a complete set... well, if Solomon would walk in there and claimed his prize.

The crowd quieted and all turned puzzled. Josephine called again, "Sub-Zero?" She turned to Broderick. "What's your friend's full name?"

"Solomon Stones."

Josephine called the leopard via her microphone, but he didn't come. She turned back to Broderick again. "Where is he?"

"Uh, I don't know, he should be here, but I'll hold his prize for him if that's okay. I'll let him know."

"Sure, why not." She shrugged and handed the first-place gift basket with treats and video game gift cards to the reindeer. "It seemed like Sub-Zero didn't expect that he will win and missed the bus. Well, thank you all for coming and enjoy the rest of the evening!"

The party continued, leaving the rest of the group wondering where Sol went off to.

Milagros spotted Sergio in one corner of the crowd and walked up to him. She noticed he was wearing his costume in reversed and... torn? "Sergio, where have you been?"

"I told you, I was pranking someplace else." He was breathing exhaustedly. He drank a bottle of water. "I'll show you later. I'm... gonna get another bottle." He turned around and Milagros saw the back of his hoodie shredded opened and the white undershirt had five peculiar markings.

"Are those claw marks? What kind of prank you were doing?"

"Long story short, I picked the wrong victim tonight. I'm... I'm going back to the dorm, I'm tired."

"Okay, but have you seen Sol? He didn't turn up after the contest."

"I don't know, I had already left during the Clue game. I just came here now for some water." He walked out of the tent, he was sweating and really exhausted. That victim sure had wrath to chase him down. As Sergio walked away, she spotted a piece of gray tape clinging to his left trouser leg.

Milagros recalled Sergio pissing off people through his pranks and while many were harmless, some would not take it very kindly, and Sergio would just remove those clips who he had upset.

Broderick was puzzled, he asked Xerxes to hold his gift baskets and picked up his cellphone to call Sol, but it came out as voice mail. "Hey, you're calling Solomon Stones, please send me a message after the beep."

Xavier did the same and sent text messages. "Well, that is the politest thing Sol has ever said."

Nobody had received a response from Sol so far. Hunter started to wonder and walked to Topher who was about to leave. He fast-walked to reach him, grabbing his shoulder and Topher let out a quiet gasp.

"Hey easy, a tapping should be in order."

Hunter made a stern face. "Our friend is kind of missing and you were with him the whole time before and after we went for the haunted maze."

"Oh, yeah, about that... he said he's tired after we... uh..." Topher smiled with a reddened face than ever. "We kind of were fooling around outside in some bushes... if you catch my drift."

Of course, he would just go out and fool around with someone as appetizing as Topher. He could even smell some familiar scent from his breath as Topher spoke. But sometimes, Hunter could smell when someone had done it, especially from the times he had his escapades with Sol which he had come familiar with the smell of post-intercourse, usually from Sol. But as for Topher, he could not smell any of it, just the lips. Something was different.

"Look, if you're worried about your friend, I'm sure I saw him leaving to his dorm, believe me."

Hunter sighed. "Sure, sorry for rushing on you."

"It's alright, enjoy the party. I'm also heading back to my dorm, I'm tired." Topher left alone the rest of the group who followed Hunter behind.

"What did he say?" Milagros asked.

"He said he saw Sol leaving to his dorm after he screwed with him in the bushes."

"Ugh, really?" Natasha said. "That's so Sol."

"It doesn't make any fucking sense, he wouldn't miss this contest," Broderick doubted. "Just why?"

Xerxes smiled. "Maybe he went back to the dorm because he was dirty after screwing with Topher."

"Hmm, good point," said Hunter. "But I don't think they were screwing around in the bushes."

"What do you mean, Hunter?" Broderick was puzzled.

Hunter gestured to his friends to follow him. "Come on, let's go to his dorm."

Hunter, Keanu, Milagros, Broderick, Xerxes, and Natasha walked through the campus to the dormitories section. The Starfish Five building was barely alight as most students went out for Halloween.

They climbed to the third floor and stepped in front of door number 3-11. Hunter knocked on the door, but nothing. He pushed the door handle down and nothing, it was locked.

"Does Sol have a roommate, Hunter?" Keanu asked.

"No, he's alone this semester." Hunter kept knocking on the door. "Sol, are you there? Are you okay?" he shouted.

"Oh, let me try to open it." Natasha stepped in and pulled out an old beaten arcade card from her purse. "One time I accidentally locked my dad in the supply closet and there was no key for that door, so I had to watch a video tutorial on how to open a locked door with a card."

"He couldn't unlock it from the inside?" Xerxes said.

"It was a key-only door with no locking mechanism." She bent one corner of the card and dug it in the gap and slid down to press the locking mechanism and she pushed the handle down and opened it. "That door was cursed, so dad had to replace it with a new knob."

Hunter walked in first, turning on the lights, and looked around Sol's dorm. Only to think that a few days ago, he was here pranking on Robin with Natasha.

Sol was not here; the bed was empty and left untouched.

Broderick followed him from behind and searched around even in the bathroom. "He's not here!?"

"Should I call my dad?" Keanu suggested.

"No, not now, Keanu," Hunter said.

"Where he could be?" Milagros said.

Xavier asked, "Milagros, where's Sergio? I haven't seen him the whole party other than earlier."

"I saw him at the party when they were announcing the winners, he said he was tired and went back to bed."

"Oh, good, for a moment I thought Sergio was missing too."

Broderick picked his cellphone, telling the others to pipe down and listen.

Anyone with good hearing listened carefully, but nothing. No ringtone nor buzzing.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Hunter heard it, his ears stood up and move closer to the wall, and leaned his ear on it...

There it came, a rumble of thumping. "What is that?"

"Is someone banging on the wall?" Keanu heard it too. "I think is coming from outside."

"Really?" Natasha stood up. "But... wait, I think it's coming from the corridor!" she walked out of the room into the corridor. She listened carefully and Hunter followed her behind and it was getting slightly louder. "No way, I think I know where it is coming from!"

She made it all the way to the last door on the right, the abandoned dorm. The thumping was getting louder. "It's coming from here!"

The unnumbered door was unlocked and swung the door opened smoothly with no noise from the hinges. The room was dark and empty with very little worn-out furniture. The source of the sound was coming from here and there was something moving in the dark.

Hunter turned on his phone's built-in flashlight and shone it to the movements. "Sol?" Hunter and Broderick called.

The lights revealed a startled coyote-man.

"HOLY SHIT!!!" Hunter yelled. "Sergio?"

"AAAHH! I can explain!" He rose his hands up in the air.

"Sergio what are you doing here!?" Milagros shouted in shock.

"I-I-I I was going to help him! I found him like this!"

Keanu and Milagros gasped. The others could not believe it and were unsettled at what they were seeing next to Sergio.

Lights shone on the subject, and it was Sol. The leopard was covered with duct tape and taped against the wall with his feet over a foot from the ground. He was muffled by a piece of duct tape on his muzzle and his eyes were covered with tape, and his tail was the only thing that was free from its grasps and kept hitting on the wall for help.

Xavier had the guts to speak up. "Wow, and I thought this kind of stuff only happens in movies."

Everyone carefully helped to unwrap Sol from the wall. Xerxes was tall enough to reach his face and pulled the tape from his mouth which resulted in Sol screaming in pain and spat a ball of rolled sock from his mouth. They freed his arms and legs first, so he could hold onto Xerxes when they removed the rest of the tapes and nearly fell away from the wall right away.

It turned out he was naked behind all that painful duct tape removal. He refused to let them rip one tape in particular as it was wrapped around his privates. His Sub-Zero costume and underwear were found right below him where he was originally found.

They all went back to his dorm room and Sol began to tell his ordeal with a blanket around his lower body as he rested exhaustedly on the bed. He removed the last tape between his legs underneath the blanket. Keanu tried to look away, aside he was impressed by his musculature physique, he didn't want to imagine the pain of removing the tape with all that fur being pulled.

"After you guys left, I stayed with Topher, and he was very into me, and he offered a quickie with me outside in the bushes before the contest. You guys know what place I'm talking about, right? It's like a make-out point for couples. So, we started making out and..."

"Get to the point," Xavier interrupted. "We're not here to listen to a detailed sex scene!"

"Pfft, don't worry, birdbrain, we barely had taken our costumes off. I had him against a tree and I think two guys assaulted me from behind. They put me a sock in my mouth and sacked my head from seeing anything and Topher was the one who pushed me down and got a hold of me as they tied me up. Oh, I ripped someone's shirt blindly as I tried to fight off. Man, I was really outnumbered. They took me somewhere, and they took off my costume and made me stand up on a stool against the wall and wrapped me up with duct tape. They left me alone in the abandoned dorm, was it? I thought I was gonna spend the whole night glued on the wall until Sergio found me and then you guys. So, tell me guys, what did I miss?"

"You won in first-place for best costume, I came second and Topher in third," answered Broderick.

"We asked Topher where you went off to and said you went back to your dorm after your session with Topher," Hunter said. "Broderick and I knew something wasn't right because he said that you wouldn't miss the contest and the fact that Topher appeared alone without you."

Sol laughed, despite his ordeal, he kept his spirits up. "Wow, you guys know me well."

"Seriously, why did you decided to fuck with Topher earlier?" Broderick said.

"Because he thought it would be thrilling if we fight against time before the contest starts. I gave it go; it was thrilling though."

Milagros concluded, "So, he lured you into his trap."

"The guy was a terrible flirter, I thought it was cute, so I gave him what he wanted."

Hunter asked, "So, aside from Topher, do you know who else did this to you?"

"This whole thing is starting to get suspicious, Sol," Xavier said. "Do you have any idea why you were a target?"

Sol shook his head. "I have no idea nor clue, but..." he turned at the shredded clothed coyote.

Xavier looked at his old costume. "Sergio, what happened to my old costume?"

"Hey, is there a reason why you both switched costumes?" Sol asked seriously.

Xavier answered, "Sergio convinced me to give a go on pranking people with this," he opened the box to show a mutated black widow, "I scared about thirty people and the staff who haunted the maze. And Sergio told me he was going to use my costume in reverse for some prank he was planning to do tonight, right?" He looked directly at the coyote.

Milagros looked at her brother and everyone else did the same. Sol did mention he ripped someone's clothes with his claws. Sergio was standing there sweating nervously, trying not to make a face but failed at every single eye staring at him.

"Luis Sergio Primeras Cortez, is there something you want to tell us?" Milagros demanded.

"W-well, let me tell y'all where I have been a-a-and--"

"Was _this_the prank you were talking about?"

Sergio tried to keep a toothy grin, but the situation was already weighing on his shoulders every second.

"Dude, why the fuck did you targeted me of all people?" Sol said.

"Because, because..."

"We're gonna be here all night if you keep stuttering."

"But w-would you all just listen to me?"

"Come on, we got classes tomorrow!"

"IT WAS ROBIN, OKAY?" Sergio boomed.

"Robin?" everyone said.

"Your secret admirer, Sol?" Xerxes said.

"It was a revenge prank, h-he b-blackmailed me to help him with the prank!" Sergio hastily said.

"That little coon set me up?"

Milagros rose her voice sternly. "Oh my god, this is the exact kind of thing that I was worried about, you messed him with the feelings he offered, and you decided to play with him with that stupid prank you made."

"Jeez, who knew he was capable of duct tape me on the wall like that."

"Well, he didn't act alone, did he?" Hunter said.

"Y-yeah," said Sergio, still shaking. "He met someone from the baseball club and was willing to help. That was where he got Topher to join in the prank."

"But why you could not get out of involvement?"

"Because he was blackmailing me! I have a new personal secret and Robin found out and threatened me that he'll upload it online for the whole world to see."

"He found out what you're up to?" Milagros cried.

"Yeah, and keep it to yourself, sister, because I'm not telling nothing!"

"Okay, let's see what we got so far," Xavier said. "Robin came to you, and he threatened you by revealing something personal of yours, right?"

"Well, yeah, but he first offered money to help him with the prank, but I rejected him as far as one-fifty."

"Pfft, one-fifty, and how much you make online?" said Sol.

"Uh, it's not much but--ah, okay, okay, we're getting off track here! Let me talk, okay? After I reluctantly joined his scheme, he sought Topher to join with us as he acted as the bait for the prank. Topher would pursuit you at all costs, no matter what."

Sol somehow wasn't affected by the reveal. "No surprise there, he really is charming, and his enthusiasm is very infectious to be around. No wonder he was a terrible flirt, I kept my cool and see where this was going but you can all guess where it ended."

"Yeah, and then Topher texted us and we followed you from behind, I was wearing the costume in reverse, so it won't show its glow and all."

"Wait," interrupted Milagros, "so, the guy I saw you talking with was Robin in a black space suit?"

Sergio nodded. "Yeah, then we followed you and waited for the signal, and yes, we were watching you both sucking faces. Robin socked you, then I sacked you and you nearly clawed me on my back and chest, man! That really hurt!"

"Well, sorry, I was defending myself from being assaulted." Sol crossed his arms and pouted.

"Then we duct-taped you and dragged you to your dorm and you know the rest. I ran back to the party and avoided being seen but Milagros spotted me, I lied to her that I was attacked by one of my victims I was pranking tonight and decided to go back and help you. I was going to come up with a story that I saw you with those two kidnapping you and followed them to the abandoned dorm room and here I am caught in the act..."

He breathed in and out. "Are you all happy?"

He kept breathing, he looked awfully guilty...

Everyone saw his eyes shimmering. Was he going to cry?

"I'm... I'm really sorry, Sol, I didn't mean to hurt you like this."

"All because of a secret you want to keep to yourself?"

"Yes! I'm sorry!" Sergio fell on his knees and sobbed. "I-I'm sorry!"

Milagros walked up to him, kneeling to face him, and hugged him. Sergio returned the hug and sobbed.

"There, there, you did the right thing to tell us." Milagros comforted.

The mood turned from merry to gloomy sadness that night. No one said anything bad about Sergio, they got the message that he was under mercy by Robin for exposing him.

"Hey... where's my phone?" Sol said. Now that he was naked, he felt nothing on his right hip. "Could someone get my costume? I think it's still there."

Natasha ran back to the abandoned dorm and picked up the full set of his costume from the floor and found his cellphone intact.

Milagros lifted her brother up who was shaken by his heavy regret. "I'm going to take him to his dorm. Xavier, come with us."

Xavier obeyed and followed the coyotes. "Que noche..." he mumbled. What a night as they left Sol's dorm.

Natasha came back with the ruined costume and phone. "Your phone looks good, Sol. Nothing broken."

"Thanks, Natasha, and thank you guys for saving me. You can all go now if you want."

Natasha smiled and said, "My bed is calling me, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Xerxes yawned, then Broderick followed. "Dude, your yawning is contagious!"

Xerxes said, "Sorry, it's getting late." He yawned again. "Get well, Sol! Goodnight."

"Get well? He's not sick!" said Broderick as they left the room. "Oh, wait! Here."

Broderick gave Sol the gift basket. Sol looked through the treats and the gift cards. He raised an eyebrow confused. "You said I won first place, right? Where are the video game gift cards? These are restaurant cards."

"Uh... well, they lied to us and gave us those instead."

"Haha, very funny, you switched them, didn't you? I can see one Xbox card sticking out from your basket."

Broderick flushed and gave him the real prize he won fair-and-square in defeat. "Sorry..."

Sol rolled his eyes. "Tsk, just take one and go nuts."

Broderick burst a big beaming grin and ran out from his dorm. Xerxes followed and waved at the three.

Hunter and Keanu were the last to leave but Keanu asked him to be sure. "Are you going to be okay, Sol?"

"Yeah, I'll live, my dick and balls still hurt though." The pair of wolves chuckled. "And besides," he raised both of his arms and flexed, "I'm a strong leopard that can handle any assault!" Then he placed his hands on his hips and bounced his pecs.

Keanu flushed and chuckled, he did not expect that. "I'm... I'm very glad that no one got hurt."

"Sol, stop it, you're making him uncomfortable." Sol stopped but grinned. Guilty as charged, Keanu was staring at him curiously, so he gave him a show.

Hunter continued, "So, uh, I'm surprised you're not affected by everything that happened to you; how did you handle it?"

Sol shrugged but admitted, "Well, yeah, I was scared, but I was more concerned that I would spend the whole night in there until someone notices my absence. I'm glad that you guys found me sooner."

"How long you were stuck?"

"I don't know, but it wasn't that long until Sergio came first."

"Well, I guess you can rest now. Take care, Sol."

Sol laid comfortably on the bed. "Yeah, goodnight, guys. Oh, and Keanu?"

"Y-yes?"

"Come here." He gestured with his hand.

Keanu shyly but puzzledly stood closer to his bed. Sol held his hand, eyes shimmering like a cub, and spoke in an ill manner, "If I die or live, please ask Hunter out to the park."

Keanu had no response to that and all he could do was make a new color on his face.

"Please~?" Sol begged with a toothy grin.

Hunter had heard it, but he kept quiet. It was Keanu's decision on what to do with those tickets.

Keanu was too distracted on what to do when he would turn to face Hunter, but his cellphone rang. He picked it up from his pocket hastily and looked at the caller, his father.

It was 10:10 of the evening. "Oh no, It's past my curfew!" Keanu cried and answered the phone. "H-hi, Dad!"

"It's ten minutes past ten of the night, where are you, son?" said his father calmly, but firmed.

"Sorry, Dad, I lost track of time."

"Is it really fun out there?"

"Yeah, I had fun, Hunter and I are heading back home now. Are you home now?"

"Yes, I'll be waiting for you at home, take care."

"Sure, bye." Keanu hung up.

"You have a curfew?" Sol sneered. "Man, I recommend you should try and stay in a dorm for one semester."

"Well, you know I live close by and it's easier for me," Keanu excused. "I should be going, Sol, take care."

"Take care, you two." Sol waved them goodbye.

Everyone had called it a night. While the villains got away with it, they were glad that Sol was okay from his ordeal in the end. Everyone could confidently go back home and relax.

Keanu and Hunter boarded their train to Oasis Boulevard. At this time there were fewer passengers onboard.

"I wonder what November will bring?" Keanu softly said as he held his prize basket in his hands.

Hunter smiled at him as he sat next to him. "Oh, you know," he shrugged, "third-term exams, Black Friday, Thanksgiving, and No Nut November."

Keanu burst a laugher. "Do people really do that?"

"I don't know, I never done it. You?"

"I don't think I can do it; I have my needs!" Keanu laughed. "Well, Jack claimed he had done it last year, but I don't believe him."

"What makes you so sure he cheated?"

"Crystal told me she found tissues in the trash bin in the kitchen." Keanu tried to keep it sane, but he was laughing. "I-I don't know why we're talking about this?"

Hunter laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, it's only a stupid challenge."

"Did you have fun?"

Keanu smiled widely and nodded. "I have, I even won this." He shook his prize, rattling its contents.

The train stopped and the wolves stepped off the vehicle before the doors closed. Hunter kept Keanu in company longer until he escorted him to his home apartment door. Just so he was sure Mr. Winters wouldn't get his head.

"Thanks, but you shouldn't have come all this way, Hunter," Keanu said.

"Just to be sure, I kept your father's promise."

Keanu held the basket in one hand as he picked up his keys. "Don't worry, I got this." He unlocked the door and opened it. "Goodnight, Hunter, take care."

Hunter smiled. "Goodnight, your royal highness."

One last burst of laugher, Keanu closed the door and locked it.

He walked into the living room; his father was sitting there waiting for him. "Dad, I'm home. Sorry for coming a little late."

"It's alright, son," said his father. "I'm sure you had fun there, but you have class tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, I know." He sat next to him on the couch. "Look at what I won, Dad, this was from a game contest I participated in," he showed his gift basket, "and I won two tickets to Sunshine Park."

Kendall smiled. "Really? That's great, Keanu. So, who are you taking?"

"Umm, I don't know..."

"Is it Hunter?"

"Well, maybe... I-I I didn't dare to ask him..."

"Listen, son, if Hunter turns down your offer, there will always be plan B. You could always invite one of your cousins."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, don't you like that boy? You seem very fond of him every time you come back here; I have seen you very happier than usual. I'm... very glad to see you like this, but... isn't Hunter... or maybe straight? What happens if he doesn't return your feelings?"

"Dad... Hunter is gay."

That woke Kendall. "For real? How did you know?"

"Remember that one time I hung out with him and his friends at his apartment? Well..."

Keanu talked about how he came out to his new friends by playing Truth-and-Dare. One question led to another, and Keanu openly came out to them. To his surprise, he learned that Hunter and Sol were gay too.

"Sorry if I didn't mention this sooner, Dad."

"Oh... I see, they all welcomed you with open arms?"

Keanu smiled and nodded.

"Keanu, you're so fortunate to have people like them. I'm so happy for you."

Kendall leaned closer to his son for a hug, Keanu hugged back. It was a very warm father and son moment, celebrating a small milestone of Keanu's wellbeing. Kendall patted his son's back before separating their warm embrace.

"So, do you like him?"

"Um, well, I..."

"If your mother were here, she would know. Do you?"

Keanu quietly thought longingly, but not too long. His white-furred face turned red. "Yes, Dad, I do."