Sally grumbled loudly as she pulled her coat tighter around herself. Again he'd cut her trick-or-treating short so he could make her wait with him for his so-called Great Pumpkin. I know I'd do anything for my Sweet Baboo, but this is too much! Whoever said true love comes first must've never trick-or-treated before!

"He's coming, Sally, hold onto your hat!" Linus announced, that stupid blanket draped over his arm like always as he checked his watch. I wish he'd get rid of that stupid blanket and snuggle me for a change!

"If this is another fakeout and you've made me miss the rest of Halloween for nothing, I'll clobber you!" she snapped.

"I swear, he'll be here!"

The last seconds to midnight ticked away on his watch, and she waited. Three, two, one.

Nothing. As usual. Sally glanced woefully at her half empty trick-or-treat bag and punched him in the arm.

"You jerk! Sometimes I dunno what I even see in you, how dare you make me-" Her tirade was cut short, however, by a rustling in the distance, and she yelped, grabbing onto his arm. "Aaah! It's a ghost! Or a witch! Or a werewolf!" she cried. "See what you got us into?!"

"No, wait!" Linus pointed left. "Sally, it's him! It's really and truly him!"

The large pumpkin-shaped shadow came closer, seemed to study the pair, and then walked away. Linus was grinning ear to ear, and Sally thought she would faint.

"See?" Linus cried. "I told you he'd come this year! Now do you believe me?"

"I...I-I-I-I-I-" She shook her head briskly to get her voice working again. "Of course! In fact, I believed you all along! I was just kidding when I called you a jerk, Sweet Baboo!" she said. Linus chuckled nervously, not quite convinced.

"Sure...um, mind letting go of my arm now? It's getting numb."

She loosened her grip, but didn't let go. To her delight he didn't seem to mind, and the two grabbed their treat bags and headed back to the Van Pelt house. Their friends wouldn't believe them when they told their story, but Sally almost didn't care.

Looks like I got my free candy and my true love after all!