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CORY
Cory posed in front of the full-length mirror that hung on the back of his dorm room door, admiring his last-minute Halloween costume: a burgundy blanket tied around his neck like a cape, a white button-down shirt over jeans, and a cheap set of glow-in-the-dark fangs.
"I vant to suck your blahd!” He hissed, showing off the fangs in the mirror. He gave himself a satisfied smile. “This should be more than enough to get me into that party!”
The door swung open and Cory jumped back. He was suddenly face-to-face with a beautiful brunette wearing a blue velvet mini dress and sheer stockings.
“Veronica!” Cory gasped. His fangs popped out of his mouth and onto the floor.
“You dropped your teeth,” the brunette said with a smirk and an airy, gentle voice.
“Veronica Wasboiski,” Cory repeated, picking up the fangs and wiping them on his cape. “As I live and breathe.”
“Yeah, well,” the be-wigged Shawn stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “When I was digging around for a costume I found this, and I thought, why not?” He turned toward the mirror to fluff his bangs and check his dress for lint.
“Just found it, huh?” Cory removed a dry cleaning tag from the back of Shawn’s dress. “You’ll have to give me the name of your cleaner then, ‘cause they work fast!”
Shawn snatched the tag from Cory's hand. “I wanted to look nice,” he pouted.
They both looked at the reflection of Veronica in the narrow mirror. “You do look nice,” Cory said. “You look beautiful.”
Veronica responded with a bashful smile.
Suddenly aware of himself, Cory stepped away from the mirror. “And I look like an idiot!”
“No, you don’t!” Shawn tried to encourage him, but the lie was obvious in his tone. “You’re clearly a… a…”
“A vampire,” Cory finished. He held up the plastic fangs. “Remember the teeth?”
“Right. Very spooky.” Shawn reached for the door. “Are you ready to go? They’re gonna throw pumpkins at the dean’s house and I don’t wanna miss it.”
“Pumpkins? Don’t you mean eggs?”
Shawn chuckled and shook his head. “It’s not Easter, Cor.”
Cory popped the fangs back into his mouth and followed Shawn out the door.
VERONICA
It was surprisingly easy to slip back into being Veronica after keeping her hidden under the bed for so many years. The feminine lilt and glide reemerged with the outfit. Pumps weren’t the best choice for walking all the way to the off-campus houses, but besides the blister forming on her ankle, Veronica felt comfortable. If Cory noticed the changes in her voice and stride, he didn’t say anything. And when they arrived at the party, he held the door for her.
As soon as she stepped into the chaos, though, she started having second thoughts. A costume party was the perfect excuse, wasn't it? But if this was just a costume, wouldn’t people expect her to walk and talk like Shawn? Maybe this was a bad idea.
“I’ll go grab us a couple of drinks,” Cory said before shuffling into the crowd toward the kitchen.
Veronica found a spot in the hallway to lean against the wall between two flirting couples. Here, she would be in the action enough to seem comfortable, but out of it enough to avoid attention.
It worked for the length of two Sugar Ray songs, until a mass of football players stampeded through the front door. Four went straight for the keg, but the fifth fell behind and gawked at Veronica.
“What the hell, Hunter,” he snorted.
Yep, this was definitely a bad idea. What was taking Cory so long?
“You’re crazy, man!” The jock gave her shoulder a jovial slap and went on his way, joining his teammates for beer.
That… could have been worse. But a few more people turned to look.
“Oh my god, Shawn?” a pretty girl dressed as an angel approached Veronica, looking her up and down. “I didn’t realize that was you! You look amazing! Where did you get this dress?” She ran her hand across the velvet sleeve.
Before Veronica could answer, Cory returned with their drinks. “Paws off, Heather,” he snarked, “she’s with me.”
Heather cocked her head. “...What?”
Cory blinked. “I don’t know, it just came out.”
Heather gave Cory the same elevator-eyes she’d given Veronica. “What are you supposed to be? An unemployed magician?”
Cory took his fangs out of his pocket, popped them into his mouth, and hissed. Heather was not impressed.
“Okay, well, guess I’ll see you guys!” She spun around, returning to her gaggle of girls hovering around the boombox.
“You jealous?” Veronica teased.
Cory rolled his eyes. “Oh, drink your punch.”
Veronica couldn’t help but chuckle at Cory’s expense. He did look kind of silly, but she knew he didn’t really care. He was just happy to be at a cool party. And after the boost in confidence from Heather, Veronica was, too.
CORY
After nearly an hour of mingling, candy-eating, and Monster Mashing, Cory and Shawn found themselves back at their post in the hallway with fresh cups of jungle juice.
“Ishn’t thish great, Shawn?” Cory spat.
“I can’t take you seriously with those things in your mouth, Cor.” Shawn gave him a pitying look, and for the first time, Cory noticed just how blue his eyes were.
He pocketed the plastic fangs. “Isn’t this great? It’s nine o'clock on a Sunday, and we’re at a party. And you know the best part?”
“No class tomorrow!” Shawn grinned and raised his drink.
“Unfortunately, no. There is still class tomorrow,” Cory corrected him.
“I thought they always cancel classes after big parties like this. It’s like, a rule.”
“That is definitely not a rule,” Cory said.
“Really?” Shawn was genuinely surprised. “Huh. I’ve never gone to class after a party.”
Cory laughed. “Of course you haven’t. But, no. The best part is that we’re together.”
He put his arm around Shawn, resting his hand in the space between Shawn's shoulder blades. Was that okay? Wait, of course it was okay, he and Shawn did that all the time. But this time felt different. Cory took his hand back. He sipped from his plastic cup and grimaced. What was even in this punch?
“It was tough at first, you know,” he finally continued, “Topanga going to Yale. But it's been really nice spending quality time just us. Living in the dorms, hanging out in the student union, the library–”
“The library?” Shawn interjected.
“Well, not the library,” Cory conceded, “but you get my point. We’re doing it!” He gestured to the bustling party around them. “College. And we’re doing it together. Some days, I don't even miss Topanga!”
“Really?” Shawn raised his eyebrows.
Of course Shawn didn’t believe him. Cory had spent their entire lives obsessing over Topanga. But he meant what he said, and now he was feeling self-conscious about how many times he had said her name. It suddenly didn’t feel right to bring up his ex-girlfriend in front of Shawn.
“Really,” Cory said. “We’ve agreed to go our separate ways and broaden our horizons. She’s dating other men, and I’m dating other girls.”
“And how’s that been going for you?”
“Not great!”
Shawn laughed and shook his head the cute way he does when he’s calling out Cory’s false confidence. He never missed a beat.
Cory continued, “But I think I’m starting to see why that is.” He felt his heart beat a little faster. He couldn't ignore the way Veronica made him feel. She was beautiful, but it wasn't just the dress, or the wig, or the (admittedly sexy) stockings. Cory was sure that when he saw Shawn tomorrow, wearing jeans and a flannel, that he would still feel like this. It was like a curtain had lifted, and Cory was finally able to see his best friend for everything that he was.
“Oh yeah?” Shawn pressed.
“Yeah.” Cory looked around at the other partygoers. “These Pennbrook girls are nice and all, but I don’t know them. Not like I know Topanga or, well, like I know you.”
Shawn gazed into his cup of mystery liquor for a moment before meeting Cory’s eyes. “You could get to know them,” he offered, though he didn’t sound convinced.
“What if I don’t wanna get to know them?”
Shawn smiled, just a little. He knew. Of course he knew.
“Hey, Cory?” He said.
“You know, you say my name all the time. How come tonight it gives me goosebumps?” Cory couldn’t believe how cool he managed to sound, given that at this point his heart was beating out of his chest.
Shawn set his drink on a nearby table. “I think this party’s run its course, don’t you?”
One of the football players barrelled past them carrying a fresh keg and shouting, “THIS PARTY’S JUST GETTING STARTED!” Cory and Shawn didn’t take their eyes off each other.
“What about throwing pumpkins at the dean’s house?” Cory asked.
Shawn shrugged. “I can do that any day.”
VERONICA
Veronica breathed a little easier once they were out the door, but she still had a lot of feelings and questions swirling around her head. She knew Cory found her pretty, he made that obvious the first time she’d gotten dressed up, but this felt like more than that. The way that he looked at her, she’d only ever seen him look at Topanga. It reminded her of the way Gary had looked at her, except nicer. Much nicer. Gary looked hungry. Cory was… ensorcelled. And it felt good being looked at that way. As Veronica. By Cory.
When they’d made it to the end of the block, Cory broke the silence. “So Shawn, what do you wanna do?”
Veronica’s breath caught in her throat. “Cor, do you think… when it’s just us, could you call me Veronica?”
“Oh!” Cory put his hands in his pockets. He’d been so cool about everything else, but was this too much too fast? “Are you still, y’know, you?”
“Yeah, I’m still me.”
“Then… sure. I don’t see why not.”
Veronica remembered to breathe.
“Veronica.” Cory looked up to the star-speckled sky. “It’s a pretty name.”
“Remember when you wanted to call me Janet?” Veronica laughed and nudged Cory with her elbow.
“Hey, there’s nothin’ wrong with Janet!” he defended.
“There’s not. But I like Veronica.”
“Then I like Veronica, too.”
They reached the end of the student housing neighborhood and stopped at an intersection.
“So, Veronica,” Cory tried again, “what do you wanna do?”
“Same thing we always do?”
Cory untied the blanket from around his neck. It had served its purpose. “Sounds perfect.”
CORY
“I guess I’m still addicted… to murder!"
Cory and Veronica sat squished together on Cory’s twin bed, gorging themselves on the candy that Veronica had smuggled out of the party in her Miracle Bra™ while Addicted to Murder 2 came to a close on the 13-inch TV perched on the dresser.
When the credits began to roll, Cory reached for the remote and turned off the TV. The dorm room fell silent, except for Veronica crunching on the last of the Skittles.
“Do you think they’ll make an Addicted to Murder 3?” She asked, turning the candy bag upside down and coming up empty.
Cory shrugged. “They have to! I mean, the guy’s addicted!”
Normally at this point Veronica would head to her room for the night. But she stayed where she sat, playing with the hem of her dress. Cory felt his heart rate start to pick up again. And it wasn’t because of all the sugar he’d just eaten.
“So,” he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. “The party was fun, huh?”
“Yeah.” Veronica stopped fiddling with her dress and concentrated on her fingernails. “The whole night’s been… really amazing, actually.”
Cory waited quietly, sensing there was more to come. In the silence, he remembered to hit the rewind button on the VCR remote. He couldn’t risk his reputation at the rental store. Once he set the remote back on the bedside table, Veronica continued.
“I feel like a whole world of possibility opened up for me. I think… I want to try being Veronica, not just on Halloween.” She finally looked up at Cory, awaiting his reply.
He smiled. “That sounds really great, Shawn. Veronica! Sorry,” he clenched his teeth. “That’s gonna take some getting used to. But I’m here to support you, one hundred percent.”
She placed her hand on top of his. “Thanks, Cor. I know you are.”
Shivers ran down Cory’s spine and his voice cracked when he said, “There are those goosebumps again.”
He turned his palm up to interlace his fingers with hers. She started to lean closer, and he did, too.
The kiss was slow and soft, but electric. Cory’s heart was vibrating.
When they pulled away Cory waited a beat, then smiled. “You didn't go 'eeyuuchh!’” He twisted his face into a cartoonish grimace.
Veronica laughed through her nose. “Why would I go ‘eeyuuchh’?”
“I dunno, because I'm a guy? Because I'm your best friend?” Cory frowned. “Oh, no. I'm your best friend! What have I done?” He clutched his hair. “I’ve ruined our friendship forever!”
“Cory, stop. You didn’t ruin anything.” Veronica pulled Cory’s hands away from his head and held them. In a near-whisper, she added, “I wanted to kiss you.”
Cory took a deep breath and Veronica squeezed his hands. He made a mental note to call a cardiologist in the morning.
Veronica continued, “And I know that whatever happens, we’re best friends first.”
“Best friends first.” Cory nodded. “So, then…” His lips curled into a goofy grin. “Is it okay if we kiss some more?”
Veronica couldn’t help but grin, too. “Yeah, we can kiss some more.”