It's Only Temporary by Sally Warner Page B

grass as Pip came toward her, his wig jammed low on his head and his temporarily enlarged chest leading the way.
    Pip turned and regarded the Berrigans’ porch for one long, considering moment. “It looks like a craft store exploded,” he finally said. “But Amanda likes it. And I definitely don’t wanna have to start again.”
    â€œI know,” Skye said, laughing. “If we say anything, we’ll
never
get to eat.”
    Pip tilted his head and looked at the porch again. “Maybe you can’t go too far this time of year,” he said, obviously struggling to turn his artistic opinion around.
    â€œMaybe not,” Skye agreed. “So let’s tell Amanda it looks fine, and then we can–”
    â€œBoo,” a voice behind them said. “Trick-or-treat!”

14
Trouble
    S kye whirled around, her heart seeming to leap into her throat, but Pip turned more slowly, as if he knew that the only thing awaiting him was trouble – because the jeering voice had belonged to Aaron Petterson. And looming behind him in the dark were Danko, Cord, and Kee.
    â€œWhat are you guys doing here?” Skye asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.
    â€œI live a block away,” Aaron told her. “Not that it’s any of your business.” He leaned forward and took a closer look at Skye. “It’s that girl from Mexico,” he told his friends. “That Skye-chick. And she’s gone all retro and Goth for that fat chick’s party.”
    â€œSkye’s from
New
Mexico,” Kee said quietly, reluctantly.
    â€œI’m supposed to be Georgia O’Keeffe,” Skye heard herselfobject in a quavering voice. “And Amanda’s not fat.”

    This was just too bizarre, Skye scolded herself instantly – and silently. She could not believe she was arguing with an eighth-grader about her Halloween costume and Amanda Berrigan’s weight, of all things – in temporary Sierra Madre, California, on a cold Saturday night in October. What had happened to her nice, ordinary life in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the real people lived?
    And where were Amanda, Jamila, Matteo, and Maddy? Or Amanda’s parents, for that matter? Inside, probably, eating hamburgers and chips, and guzzling soda.
    â€œWhatever,” Aaron said, already losing interest. He shifted his attention to Pip, whose identity was still hidden by the darkness, by the blond wig that covered his hair–and by the two large and prominent bumps underneath his polka-dotted dress. The blond hair and the bumps were obviously what had attracted Aaron’s attention. “Who’s this?” Aaron asked, teasing, and he reached out to lift Pip’s chin a little so he could get a better look.
    It was obvious to Skye that Aaron thought Pip was a girl – because a guy wouldn’t dare touch another guy’s face that way.
    Pip swatted at Aaron’s hand and turned his head, but the unexpected result of this was that Aaron’s hand grazed Pip’s fake mustache.
“Eee!”
Aaron squealed, jumping back a little. “It’s a dude!”

    â€œNo way,” Cord said. He reached forward, grabbed the end of Pip’s mustache, and gave it a tug.
    â€œGive that back,” Pip roared, reaching for the twirl of stiffened hair that Cord’s paw was now gripping. “I made that!”
    â€œHey!” Cord shouted, shaking his hand as if Pip’s half-mustache was the world’s longest centipede. And seeing this, Skye couldn’t help but giggle.
    â€œShut up,” Cord yelled at her.
    â€œâ€™
I made that
,’” Aaron Petterson mimicked, concentrating on Pip, and he gave Pip a shove that sent him staggering back a step or two on the Berrigans’ lawn.
    Skye automatically reached out to grab Pip’s arm, but Pip brushed her away. “Leave me alone,” he shouted angrily, but Skye couldn’t tell whether he was