Halloween -  a night of candy, costumes, parties and pranks. Sheet draped figures posing as ghosts would haunt the streets, while pretty princesses and Hollywood icons, shining from head to toe bling, would wait for their “princes” to come. Yes, an innocent masquerade of painted faces and masked ghouls was supposed to occur. However, for the teenagers of Charlesville, this Halloween would end up being anything but innocent.
It was Friday, October 30, 2011,  the day before Halloween. Charlesville, a small town in Vermont, was buzzing with Halloween excitement. The town’s holiday committee had, of course, went overboard with the decorations. Main street looked like something out of a Halloween picture book. The lampposts looked like leafless trees, with mangled limbs reaching out toward the street. Spooky faced jack-o-lanterns were placed on every doorstep, while the locally owned shopkeepers draped dark shrouds in their store windows. Mr. Bigsby, the town’s barber, donned his door with the scene of a deranged zombie enjoying much more than just your typical, everyday trim. Charlesville was pretty serious about its Halloween. To attend the parade, go trick-or-treating, and be invited to the parties, you had to dress up in costume, and everyone did.
For best friends, Annabelle and Everly, Halloween had always been their favorite holiday. Every year since they were ten years old, the two girls had dressed up together. One year they wear both a box of M&Ms - one peanut and one plain. Another year, they decided to be salt and pepper. Those costumes were cute, but way to immature for their senior year. The girls wanted to find a more “grown up” duo. They wanted to stand out at the big party, the party everyone was invited to -  Wade’s Halloween party.  It was the talk going through the junior and senior classes, talk that senior Jane White heard but knew was not her formal invitation.
Annabelle had her heart set on dressing up as Marilyn Monroe. She definitely had the gorgeous, blonde hair, stunning blue eyes and fabulous figure to pull it off. She begged and begged Everly to be JFK, her sidekick, but Everly refused. She and Wade had already planned their couples costume - Danny and Sandy from Grease. Annabelle was disappointed, but could never be angry with her one and only best friend.
Jane White was a very quiet, mousey girl. She had worn glasses since she was two years old, and never seemed to have developed like the other girls. Jane had eyes that were a dull brown, and dirty, dishwater colored hair that always appeared greasy, straight, and flat to her head. She loved to read suspense thrillers and mysteries. Jane was an only child, raised by her spinster grandmother who believed blinds should be drawn, doors locked at all times, and people should keep to themselves. That’s why when Jane met Annabelle in kindergarten, she was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Annabelle glowed. Her rosy cheeks and beautiful blonde hair reminded Jane of her flawless, porcelain dolls. So, the day Annabelle asked Jane to play house during recess, Jane’s heart skipped a beat! After just a few days together, Jane and Annabelle were inseparable. Jane loved playdates and sleepovers at the Finch house. Their family dinners, family jokes and family traditions meant everything to her. The two girls spent birthdays and holidays together. They shared their secrets, their dreams and swore to be best friends forever.
During October of her fifth grade year, Jane’s world had been turned upside down. It was on October 15, 2003, the Burlington family had moved in to Charlesville, and Everly Burlington, a beautiful, bouncing brunette, took Jane’s place in Annabelle’s life. It was from that day to October 30, 2011, that Jane White became invisible to Annabelle Finch. 
The years had passed. Jane was always on the outside looking in - a periphery persona of what once existed. Over the years, Jane wished, wanted and watched every move Annabelle made. Jane tried to emulate Annabelle in attempt to get her attention. She dyed her own hair blonde, switched her spectacles for contact lenses, wore the latest fashions and adopted mannerisms to match those of the dynamic duo  - Everly and Annabelle. Still, she went unnoticed. Jane started growing angry. Her resentment of Everly had grown to pure hatred. Everly Burlington had stolen Jane’s happiness. She was living Jane’s life. Annabelle was Jane’s best friend, and if Jane could not have her, no one would.
On Halloween night of 2011, Wade’s parents left for the Bahamas. The scene was set for the perfect party. The masked guests started streaming in around 8:30 pm. Ghosts and ghouls, kings and knights, fairies and butterflies danced, talked, laughed and celebrated. Sandy and Danny were the perfect party hosts. They kept the food supply up and all kinds of drinks flowing. Around 9:15, Marilyn Monroe strutted through the front door. The likeness was astounding! Some of the guys whistled and girls flocked to her side to ‘oooh’ and ‘ahhh’ over Annabelle’s costume. She was the perfect replica right down to the pretty pearl earrings and the signature mole. By 9:45 pm, the party was going strong. None of the party goers seemed to notice there were two Marilyn Monroe look-alikes milling around, as the music blared, friends danced and Wade entertained whomever would listen.
Around 11:00 pm, Wade remembered his parents had planned to call him when they landed in the Bahamas, and he did not have his phone. He leaned over to Everly to tell her he would be back in a minute, and then ran upstairs to look for his phone in his room. At that same time, Annabelle and Everly were singing and dancing to their favorite song and Annabelle spilled bright, red punch down the front of her practically perfect, white dress. She hollered to Everly that she would be right back, and ran to the kitchen for a towel and some cold water. As Wade clumsily searched under his bed, on his desk and in the pocket of the pants he wore earlier that day, he did not see Marilyn Monroe slip silently into the room. Giving up his search, Wade turned around to leave and was accosted by a girl with blonde hair wearing a white dress. She kissed him hard on the lips and clinged to him despite his every effort to push her away. With the blaring music, Wade did not hear that Everly had called his name. As Wade struggled to break away from the girl’s clutches, Everly flipped on his light to see him lying on his bed kissing Marilyn Monroe who laid on top of him. Upon seeing her best friend and long time boyfriend in that state, Everly bolted downstairs and out of the house.
Distraught and disgusted by what she had seen, Everly walked through the darkness of the wooded yard behind Wade’s house. She could barely see the ground in front of her as tears blurred her eyes and streamed down her cold cheeks. Everly sobbed as she tried to navigate the wet, tangled roots on the ground. She had no idea she was being followed. All of a sudden, Everly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and thought she would see Wade. Instead, Everly’s throat was slashed by a butcher knife before she even had time to make a sound.
Back at the party, Wade searched the house for Everly, while he cursed Annabelle’s name out loud. He could not understand why she would have set him up the way she did in his bedroom. He was furious with Annabelle, but knew he should explain himself to Everly first. Wade ran to the backyard as he thought Everly may have decided to take the shortcut home.  He called Everly’s name, and scanned the wooded lot looking for her shiny, pink coat. Wade suddenly tripped over what he knew must have been one of the awful, gnarly roots and landed on the dew covered dirt, in a pool of Everly’s blood. 
Hours later, detectives combed every inch of Wade’s house, inside and out. They interviewed every student detained at the party, as Annabelle shrieked in horror and Wade sat blood covered in the corner, surrounded by deputies. Everly’s body still laid on the ground as police worked to find a shred of evidence for a case. There was no sign of a murder weapon, but it was obviously foul play. With so many varying footprints of similar size, detectives could not distinguish one from another. What they did discover, stuck to the cuff of Everly’s Pink Lady jacket, was a small, pearl earring.
After questioning students about the earring, a suspect was named - Marilyn Monroe, otherwise known as Annabelle Finch. Annabelle was taken to the Charlesville police station for questioning. Devastated and distraught, Annabelle could not provide definitive, solid answers to the questions thrown at her during interrogation. She just continued to repeat that she could never kill her best friend. As the detectives continued their onslaught, a custodian, an older, worn looking woman, came to the door with her head c***ed to one side. In a weak, strained voice she remarked, “I apologize for interrupting, but this girl, this Marilyn, is wearing both of her earrings. My Marilyn Monroe lost her’s tonight at a Halloween party. So sad that she lost it. It was such a pretty costume. My Jane was so excited to be invited and get all dressed up. Why she  was still giddy with excitement this morning while she was washing my dishes and knives. Such a sweet, sweet girl. I just hope she made a friend or two.”