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“Nah” I shake otta do this on my own”

“But I can help If you don’t want to work at Biggie’s, I can—”

“It’s alright, you don’t have to worry aboutsos I could le one of my ideas They’re horrible They’re laest to hi up a new afterschool Arts club at Spruce High,I could talk to some of the teachers Find a sponsor Oron ”

The look on Toby’s face says it all He sees right throughand clueless Yet still, he puts on a sreat, Vann”

Soood at all “I guess, without the play, I kinda just wanted to … find a thing onright out ofproductive”

“I’ll be the first one to sign up for that club or studio,” he says at once, ser

I shrug “And sure Let’s go to the Strongs for Halloween But I’”

Toby scoffs at me “What? Yes, you are! And I have the perfect idea for us, too”

I eye him suspiciously

Of course, Toby refuses to divulge his incredible genius totime in the dark while he works on his costume idea in private And each day, he seeer, inspired, and excited beyond words

And each day, I pass Hoyt in the hall between first and second periods as he replaces lish class My dark eyes are on his, and his sue as I kiss Toby before leaving hiuy I can’t stand who has no redeee in the locker rooms, I have to s bile as Hoyt struts by with his two duym

I’uy’s face before I put soh it Preferably my knuckles

It’s theof Hallohen Toby tells et there extra early on my bike, pull it around to his backyard, then step into his shed And Toby’s whole diabolical couples-costuether

And I still don’t get it “Are we … post-apocalyptic knights …?” I ask, picking up a set of fingerless gloves, then glancing down at a toy sword on his bed, painted black

Toby sighs “You’re totally hopeless! Let’s get dressed Then it ought to make more sense to you”

With his guidance, I strip out ofme about He was able to borrow several parts from the costume department, which hasn’t put on ato Ms Joy He built a few pieces using randoe, touched up with paint A connection of the Strongs in town named Harrison who apparently builds furniture as a side job constructed the swords, which Toby then also painted After stuffing reaves”—with th mirror and take it all in I’m shirtless except for a piece of breastplate armor that covers my pecs, with leather straps that wrap around my back and over my shoulders, my abdomen exposed A set of shiny pauldrons on my shoulders, a sword that fits into a sheath attached to the straps on my back, and a dark purple belt complete the look I look like a warped barbarian out of sohtmare

“A dark paladin,” Toby explains as he starts donning his own costu ht You’re a bit of an anti-hero who strives to do good despite the dark h your veins and keeps you alive Which is a lot like all of the derunts as he pulls on his own set of stylish boots “You can’t bring the sword to school, even though it’s just a lightweight wood and a bit of dulled s And now …” He clicks a s himself to my side He’s in a simple dark purple tunic cinched at the waist by a black sash, the tightest pants I’ve ever seen with tears across the thighs and knees, and two tall, dark boots that are bound to his legs with cord “I’m your half-demon, half-elf familiar, which you can summon at any tirins, proud of himself