"Ta-da," said Mitchell, raising his arms in a sort of heroic pose.
Andrew exhaled through his nose.
He pressed his lips together and brought a hand to the bridge of his nose, as if trying to contain an emotional migraine.
As a superhero fan, someone who admired well-made cosplays even if he didn't dress up himself, he had a deep respect for the art of detail. He loved seeing the costumes at Comic-Con. Watching how some fans replicated iconic armor, capes, or suits with near-obsessive accuracy.
They used quality materials, hand-stitched, painted every detail to achieve a level of fidelity that bordered on craftsmanship.
And then there was this.
Calling it cosplay would be blasphemy.
It was a cheap costume bought from a seasonal party store, with inflatable muscles like airplane pillows, poorly sewn seams, and fabric shinier than a wet traffic light.
A dollar-store Spider-Man.
Andrew looked at him. Scanned him from head to toe. And finally, with a mix of resignation and horror, asked, "What the hell is that?"
"A Spider-Man costume. Don't you recognize it? One of your favorite heroes," said Mitchell, as if it were obvious.
Andrew tried not to grimace in disgust. "I know… I just… why?" he asked.
"What do you mean why?" Mitchell repeated, confused by the lack of enthusiasm. He thought his son, a self-declared superhero fan, would be thrilled to see him in costume.
"Yes, why?" Andrew repeated.
"Because it's Halloween…" Mitchell said, as if the answer explained itself.
"And?" said Andrew, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know… people wear costumes on Halloween, right?" Mitchell shrugged.
"Yes, but they dress up as things that fit the spooky theme… You know: witches, zombies, skeletons, Jason, Freddy… Not a superhero. And definitely not a Spider-Man that looks poorer than the original. That's: why?" Andrew said.
"Wow, picky much? It's just a costume," Mitchell said, growing defensive.
"On Christmas, people dress up as Santa Claus, elves, Christmas-themed stuff," said Andrew, trying to make his point. "They don't dress up as… I don't know, a pirate, an astronaut, or a banana. There are themes that need to be respected, you know?"
Before the argument could escalate, Cam jumped in, not wanting to be left out of the discussion, as he looked Mitchell up and down.
"Are you going to work like that?" he asked with clear disapproval.
"What's going on today? Is everyone in a bad mood?" Mitchell complained, raising his voice.
"Not me. I'm just being logical... And Dad's still mad about the prank from a few hours ago," Andrew replied.
"Oh, so that's it..." Mitchell said, sighing and shaking his head. "Who would've thought you'd hold such a grudge?" he muttered under his breath.
Then he turned to both of them, trying to explain why he had dressed up. "My new job is different. They're cool. Everyone's dressing up today. It's not like my old law firm, where everyone was boring. I don't want to look like the party pooper... I'm the new guy."
Andrew stared at him silently, analyzing him. He doubted the credibility of that story. A law firm where everyone had to be over thirty showing up in full costume in broad daylight? Unlikely. Still, it wasn't worth arguing about.
"That's great... I'm sure they'll love the cheapest Spider-Man costume out there," he muttered as he got up from his chair.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder, kissed Lily on the forehead goodbye, and headed for the door.
"I'm biking today," he said before his parents could ask.
"Why? Don't you want me to drive you? You're short on time," said Mitchell, glancing at the kitchen clock.
"It's better if no one sees me with you… and that," Andrew replied. And before they could answer, he opened the door and vanished.
Mitchell watched him leave, then looked down at his costume, uncertain, "Is it really that bad?"
Cam patted him on the shoulder. "It's… really bad and cheap. You know the level of quality Andrew sees in his nerdy stuff… But hey, you're Spider-Man. Let the villains mock you."
Mitchell rolled his eyes, resigned, and started eating breakfast quickly.
Andrew, who was biking at a slightly dangerous speed, managed to get to school on time.
After first period, he left class with his friends: Steve, Archie, Reggie, and Kevin. They walked through hallways decorated with Halloween themes.
But none of them were talking about costumes, candy, or parties that night. The only thing on their minds was Friday's game.
They were already qualified for the playoffs. That wasn't news.
But this game wasn't just another game.
It was about staying undefeated. About pride.
And honestly... because no one liked the snobs from Moose Ridge.
"I can't wait for Friday!" said Steve, walking ahead with clenched fists and eyes burning with pent-up energy.
"Yeah, we'll finally run into Nick again. Even though he's not even a starter," added Reggie with a lopsided, disdainful grin.
"He'll still brag anyway," Kevin chimed in, frowning as he recalled Nick Thorpe's eternally smug face. "He's gonna say they'll steamroll us or some other dumb crap like that."
Steve, who had lost his starting spot as wide receiver in game six a few weeks back, had just earned it back in the last game.
And not by luck.
Andrew's talk had snapped him out of it. From that night on, his attitude changed. He started training seriously again, like he used to. No more showing up late. No more excuses. It was only natural he'd earn his spot again.
He had talent. Andrew had been training him since they were kids. And Steve, when focused, was a key piece of the team.
First, he proved it by coming in off the bench. Doing a great job.
Then, in the following game, he returned to the starting lineup. The team had stuck with a two-wide-receiver formation since it was working so well.
"Oh, by the way," said Kevin, shoving his hands into his pockets, "Did you guys see that Nick started a YouTube channel?"
"Seriously?" asked Reggie, frowning at the news.
"Yeah, 100% verified. He's trying to copy Andrew. He uploads workout videos, 'pre-game vlogs,' slow-motion shots of himself lifting weights or throwing the ball. Only, well… with no charisma or talent. And his personality's somehow even more annoying than usual," Kevin replied.
"So how many subscribers does the prince of ego have?" asked Steve, curious.
"Last time I checked, he had almost five thousand. I bet he'll post something about the game against us in the next few days. Either he throws some subtle shade at Andrew or challenges him outright to get more views," said Kevin, shaking his head.
"The only way he'll get famous is by mentioning Andrew," said Archie, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
At that moment, the four of them naturally turned to look at Andrew, who was walking in the center of the group, as always.
But he didn't seem to be paying attention. He didn't smile, didn't mock Nick. He didn't even seem to be listening.
Andrew wasn't thinking about Halloween or Friday's game. He was thinking about Pippa. Since he arrived just in time, he hadn't seen her and didn't share first period with her.
"Hey, Andrew," said Reggie, snapping his fingers near him. Andrew snapped back to reality and looked at them.
"What?"
"Are you even listening?" Kevin asked with a slight smile, already knowing what might be on his friend's mind instead of the game. There was only one answer: girls. And only one girl had that effect on him, his girlfriend.
"Yeah…" Andrew said quickly, jumping back into the conversation. "You were talking about Nick, right?"
"Yes. He started a YouTube channel and he's copying you. Same kind of videos, similar titles," Archie nodded.
"Any comments? Are you afraid of losing subscribers?" Reggie asked with a smile. He knew that was impossible.
Andrew gave a small smile and shrugged. "I doubt he'll catch me. His playing level is pretty average. And with that awful personality, the only thing he's going to attract is haters."
"Strong words," said Kevin, though he fully agreed.
Without adding anything else, Andrew checked his watch, adjusted his backpack, and said, casually, "See you in the cafeteria. I'm going to find Pippa."
He turned calmly and walked off down the hallway. Behind him, his friends exchanged glances… and smiled.
"Who would've thought he'd end up so hopelessly in love?" said Steve, amused and genuinely happy for his friend.
"Never thought I'd see it," said Reggie, clearly surprised. Not in elementary school, not in middle school had Andrew ever had a girlfriend. His focus had always been 100% on football, and everyone had noticed back then.
"And here we are, lucky if any girl shows interest at a party…" Kevin muttered, feigning pain. "Love is poorly distributed."
"Oh shut up. You're the biggest flirt out of all of us," said Steve, punching Kevin on the shoulder. The others laughed and nodded in agreement.
Kevin couldn't argue. He just raised his hands in surrender.
The four of them kept walking toward the cafeteria, laughing and relaxed. With the comfort of knowing that, even though Friday's game would be tough, they had the best leader and quarterback in the entire state. And a love-struck one, too.
Meanwhile…
Andrew walked with purpose through the other wing of the building. He knew what class Pippa had today. He turned down the west hallway and spotted her a few meters ahead, already a good distance from the classroom.
She was walking with Cara, chatting casually, her back turned.
Andrew sped up, approached from behind, and without saying a word, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground in a tight hug.
"Wha—!?" Pippa let out, startled. "Andrew!" she added, turning her head once she recognized him.
"Hi," Andrew greeted with a smile. He held her for a second and then set her down.
"Hi…" said Pippa, looking at him with that smile she reserved only for him, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"I was just thinking of coming to find you. I missed you," Pippa said sincerely.
"I missed you too," Andrew replied, and the two of them stared at each other for a moment.
Cara watched them with her arms crossed, letting out a mock dramatic sigh.
"Ugh. You two can't survive a single period apart, can you?" she said with a teasing half-smile.
They both laughed, not denying a thing.
"Well, I'm heading to the cafeteria. I'll leave you to your personal soap opera," Cara added as she turned away with amused resignation. "If you two get married before graduation, I better be front row."
And without waiting for a reply, she walked off.
"Her sarcastic comments are getting more and more creative," Andrew noted, watching Cara disappear down the hall.
"Yeah, she really needs a boyfriend or she's going to get worse," said Pippa with a giggle.
"Oh right! Look," said Andrew, pulling out his phone and showing her the photo of Cam lying on the bathroom floor with the giant fake spider on his face. Of course, Andrew had gotten the photo Mitch had taken.
"You really pulled that prank on your dad… You're evil," said Pippa, trying to hold back her laughter.
"It wasn't entirely my fault," Andrew defended himself, with zero remorse. "I just came up with the fake spider idea… with Howard's help."
"I can't believe Mitch actually went through with it," said Pippa.
Andrew zoomed in on the photo and said, "Well, you know how he is. Super vindictive. He did not take it well when someone said his sense of humor was boring."
"Yeah, that's true," Pippa admitted with a smile. "Cam really should've seen it coming."
They kept walking down the hallway until Andrew lowered his phone and looked at her. "By the way… are you coming over today? After practice?"
"Today's the third acting class with Willa, right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Let's see if I survive," Andrew replied with mock drama.
The prank he had planned for Claire on Halloween was pretty simple: fake a heart attack when she pulled her prank on him.
But for that to work, his acting had to be believable. That's why he'd asked Willa for some crash-course acting lessons, she was a professional. The goal was to fake a heart attack so realistically that Claire would actually believe it and panic, thinking she'd killed her nephew.
Willa, of course, had agreed enthusiastically. She loved intense pranks. And teaching her craft, especially to Andrew, was fun for her. Even if she was strict and grumpy.
Sometimes Andrew thought she was worse than his football coaches. If he were a weaker guy, he'd probably have quit by the second class with his confidence in ruins.
Knowing how it might look to spend hours alone with an older girl, even if it was just two years, Andrew had casually asked Pippa to be there too, just to avoid any misunderstandings. Pippa, of course, noticed.
And she appreciated it more than she let on.
"I'd love to go," Pippa said. "I had so much fun watching Willa make you repeat the scenes ten times. And besides… I want to see how your great masterpiece ends."
"But…?"
"But I won't be able to," she added quickly. "I have two important exams tomorrow, and if I don't study today… with the Halloween party and everything, I won't even have time to breathe."
Andrew nodded, lowering his gaze slightly. "Then I'll cancel," he said naturally. "No point doing the class if you're not going. It'd be weird being alone with her at home."
Pippa looked at him. Her expression changed, not out of jealousy,
but out of tenderness.
"Andrew…" she said, her tone softening, "You don't have to do that."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure. I'm not a toxic girlfriend. I'm not going to freak out over it. I trust you. I'm not bothered by you having that class with Willa. And it's a prank you've been planning for a while, you want it to be perfect and beat Claire in that twisted little game you two have going… I don't want to ruin that," she added with a slight smile.
"Okay," Andrew nodded. It was a nice feeling, to have that kind of trust from your partner.
After that, they kept chatting and walked together to the cafeteria, where they sat down with the rest of their friends.
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