Much Better.

Ella didn't answer her cell all day Saturday. Calls from everyone was sent to voicemail, she had better things to do.

Namely get dressed - into the skimpiest little cat costume she could pull together. It involved a low-cut bustiest top and fishnet stockings, both of which enhanced her curvy figure. She slipped on her highest, blackest heels. She fluffed up her blonde hair into a sexy tousled mess, attached little kitten ears because that was what made it a costume rather than just slutty. And then, finally, after a quick nip of her mother's vodka, she walked out the front door.

As Ella walked quickly outside in the cold October night, her mind went through plenty of emotions. From nervous to scared, and back to being regretful. What was she doing? Ella tried to forget everything, feeling that everything would make sense if she could see his face, and those beautiful eyes of his that seemed to know her through and through.

Joe's house was sprawling prefab mansion transformed into a Hollywood-worthy haunted house. The lawn was lit by eerie flickering floodlights that cast spooky shadows on a front deck swathed with spiderwebs. Ella strutted past unmarked gravestones, disembodied mannequin limbs, and fake blood spatters on the walkway. Noise, hiphop, and laughter blared from the house. A smile creeped onto her lips, as she suspected, Joe certainly knew how to throw a party.

The front foor creaked open, leading Ella into a big foyer and an even bigger living room beyond. It was hard to tell exactly how big, since it seemed as if every teenager in Long Island was packed in there, all of them dress in elaborate costumes.

Ella made her way through the throbbing crowd. She dodged a beefy boy in an old lady's house dress and wig, who practically drooled all over her. She waggled her fingers at a football player who was now dressed as a classic 1930's mobster. She nodded hello's to the girl who greeted them, most of them dressed as girl scouts or something of that sort.

She enjoyed the faces they made when they got a closer look at how little she had on. Though her uniform restricted her during the day, she was delighted to remind them that, during off hours, she did, in fact, still have it.

Ella stopped steps away from the hoagie table, where a long sandwich was dressed to look like an undulating centipede.She saw a familar figure, in a French Maid costume she had personally picked out, straddling a guy dressed as a horse jockey on a nearby couch. It took her breath away. Ella was wrong, Joe was not planning on moving on from Ashlyn to her tonight. Ella Greenland, was beaten to a guy.

But just then, Ashlyn lifted her head and revealed that she was actually hooking up with the caption of the lacrosse team. Ella grinned and breathed a sigh of relief. Then she was back on the hunt, dodging and weaving through Darth Vader costumes and lip-locked couples in her search for the master of ceremonies. A fog machine purred out smoke, making it hard to see through the crowd. The Dj was dressed up as a mummy, and having the time of his life. But the party boy himself, was nowhere to be seen.

She finally found him over by the keg, dressed like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, all braids and stubble and dirty pirate swagger. Yummy. He flipped up his eye patch when he saw her coming. A slow smile stretched across his mouth, almost as if he was expecting her to show up all along.

"You are the hottest girl at my party. Without. A. Doubt." His voice was flirty. Ella smiled and gave a little twirl. "Why thank you," She joked as he offered her a beer. Joe growled, stepped closer and nuzzle his face into her neck playffuly. The prickles of his slight facial hair ignited in friction on her skin.

"I thought you said you were hanging out with some guys tonight," He said, stepping back passing her a foaming plastic cup. "Not that I'm complaning. This pirate feels like as if he just found his treasure." He winked, his sense of humor taking over his body. Which made Ella giggle.

"Plans change," She said carelessly, and smiled back at him. "I decided to make this party epic after all."

"Lucky me," Joe said. He nodded towards Marilee, who was now practically giving the guy a lapdance. "We're sort of over now, ya' know."

"Really," Ella said, tilting her head to one side and smiling. "I had to blow her off," Joe said moving closer. "I'm interested in someone else I think."

"Oh, yeah?" Ella teased him. "Who's that?"

"Someone I consider a friend." Joe replied. "Someone like me. I could tell we were alike since the moment we met." Ella smirked.

"Happy Halloween," Ella said with a grin, and titled her face up to his. Joe grinned back, and didn't wait one more second. He took Ella's chin in his hand and kissed her. His lips were demanding, and his arms that slowly snaked around her waist felt wildly possessive. Ella pressed right up against him, delighting in the feel of his muscular frame.

When they both drew back to catch their breath, they were smiling at each other in the same knowing , devious way. Ella was flushed with pleasure, and suddenly everything made sense again "Come on," Joe said, pulling Ella's hand up the stairs.

"Joe!" She giggled as he pushed her into his room, closing the door behind them, which blocked out the rest of the party from them. Like they were in their own little world, and she never wanted to leave. His lips were on hers in a split second, and she smiled into it, breaking it briefly.

"I love you," She whispered so lowly, her own eyes widening at what she had just said. Ella had never said that to a boy before. She has been in countless relationships, but it just didn't seem right to her. They were just fun, but Joe seemed to be Ella in his own sense. He was Ella, and that just made being with him so much easier. But as she looked up at his eyes, which were staring at her silently after she just told him how she felt, her stomach turned.

Sure Ella had felt that way about Joe, but Joe was the biggest player of all times. And sometimes, Ella had even worried that he was bigger than her, if that was even possible. When his perfect mouth had stayed closed, not returning those heartfelt words, Ella had felt like she was wrong along.

"I love you too," His smooth voice made her eyes open again, and meet his smoldering brown ones. "I don't need those other girls, El." He continues speaking, his hand securely around her waist, "You're much better." He whispered, his hot breath tingling her lips. His lips crashes down onto of hers, and thats when Ella had know; She was much better, with him.