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‘Sure, just let me know.’ We’re at my house now; I point it out by the cars outside, and Max jolts up on to the curb, engine idling as I unbuckle my seatbelt. Just as I’m about to thank him one last time for the lift, hesays, ‘I can’t make next Wednesday by the way. I’ve got some stuff on.’

‘Oh! You do?’

Yes!YES!!!This is the best thing he’s said all night! I’ll have a full evening alone with Jake atlast. Maybe we can even sack off watching any new episodes and actually talk, actually spend time together like we haven’t been able to do for the last couple of months. That’ll be so nice. Even though I’ve only just seen him, even though we talk most days, Imisshim.

And maybe next week we can finally get that kiss it felt like we’d been leading up to tonight.

Max nods, hesitates, and I’m not sure if he’s being purposely elusive or simply doesn’t like me enough to bother telling me. I guess he must decide he looks rude by ignoring my prompt, though, because he finally mutters, ‘Just some family stuff. But I look forward to hearing your play-by-play breakdown of the next couple of episodes.’

That’sdefinitelya dig, because I’m sonotforthcoming about any debrief and dissection of the episodes we’ve all watched together so far.

‘Believe me, my thoughts will be every bit as riveting as the books themselves,’ I quip, and throw open the car door. ‘Thanks for the lift,’ I say one last time, and then mutter, not quite under my breath, ‘Rascal.’

It’s really the only word for him. He’ssucha pain. Causing trouble and stirring up best laid plans and just – just –UGH.

He’s laughing when I slam the door shut.

Shut up in my bedroom a little while later, I decide to bite the bullet, book the Comic Con ticket – which thankfully is not much more expensive than a trip to the cinema with some popcorn – and send a screenshot to Jake via text.

He replies almost instantly, first with a string of party emojis and then:

Jake

WHOOP! A full convert! You’re officially one of us now! You going to cosplay? Max has tried to persuade me, and I am kind of tempted. I’ve totally got the good looks to pull off a Daxys costume, right? Or maybe Roach …?

Me

Maybe Rogdan …? Grizzled and a bit like Fagin from Oliver Twist, very you

And you DID smash your glasses that one time …

Jake

You wound me, Cer

He makes his point with a broken heart and knife emoji, and I laugh.

Me

Or Devon would be an easy costume?

Which, fine, maybe is only an idea I put out there because if I’m going to be strong-armed into cosplaying too, then I can be Lady di Silver and we can go as Silversmith, a bit of a couple’s costume, and that might just be cute enough to mitigate the general weirdness of wearing a set of rubber elf ears out in public. And it’d definitely fit in with The Plan. It might even be romantic?

Jake

DEVON! Yes, that’s a shout! I’ll keep you posted!

Although thinking about it, Max has said he’d help me make some wings for a Daxys cosplay … I’ll see!

Also, really sorry but got to bail on next week and the week after Thomas is visiting (he’s looking at some houses and thinking about moving back here!! How awesome would that be?!) so can’t do then either

Maybe you can go ahead and watch the next few eps without us? You could probably finish season two easy before Comic Con, and even s3 if you’re not waiting around to watch with us!

Me

Exciting about Thomas maybe moving back this way! I know you’ve been missing your Dungeons and Dragons stuff with him

How come you can’t do this week btw? But no worries, will go ahead and watch! I’ll keep you posted on all my reactions can live-text them to you to make up for it haha