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“Well, taking a little break at least. Is everything fine out here?”

“Quiet as always.”

The door opens and Lucas walks in with his dad, who waves to us and heads for the back game room. Lucas rushes over to Nathan and me. “All right, don’t try to distract me. What was going on last—” He pauses midsentence as Hoshiko comes to my side.

“I thought I might be missing out on all the fun,” she whispers.

“Oh, hi, Hoshiko. I’m, er, Lucas. If you didn’t already know that.” His cheeks have gone adorably red.

“I knew. Hi, Lucas.”

Hoshiko is calm but quiet, and I watch her furtively. It’s amazing how different she can be in different settings. She’s incredibly powerful and confident when she’s dancing or acting, but she often shies away from attention in everyday life. In fact, multiple times classmates haven’t recognized her onstage because she’s nothing like her usual humble self.

“You were saying?” Nathan asks Lucas with a grin.

“I…” He falters. Hoshiko’s appearance has sucked away all of Lucas’s thunder. “What was going on with you last night? Are you two—”

“No,” Nathan says.

I let out a breath. I’m really glad Nathan doesn’t want to lie to his friends about this.

“Definitelynot,” I add. “We’re just trying to make Sophia jealous. And I think it’s working.”

Lucas gapes at us. “Wait, so that was all an act? Are you serious?”

I share a look with Nathan and then quickly explain the deal again, brushing over the details about Paul.

“Isn’t it the craziest thing you’ve ever heard?” Hoshiko asks Lucas when I finish. “As if this isn’t going to blow up in their faces.”

Nathan and I roll our eyes. It’s not that big of a deal.

Lucas nods emphatically at her, clearly excited that she’s talking to him. “Right? That’s exactly what I was thinking! Dude, even if this works, she’ll lose interest as soon as she realizes that she ‘has’ you. And who even wants to be with someone if you have to trick them into liking you? You’re setting yourself up for failure.”

“You don’t know that,” Nathan argues. “I think as soon as Sophia and I start talking more, she’ll realize just how much we have in common and the rest will be history. This is going to be a funny origin story we tell everybody when we’re old and gray.”

The three of us groan in unison.

“That was sad,” Lucas says. “Like, I’m legitimately depressed hearing you say that.”

“So glad to have your support.”

“I’m a supportive friend who thinks you deserve better than Sophia. I can’t believe you agreed to this, Riley. I thought you had a better read on her.”

Secretly, I agree with Lucas, but I can’t risk having Nathan drop the deal before Paul is fully convinced. I raise my hands in surrender. “I’m a neutral player over here.”

“And I’m the casual observer who’s bummed she won’t get to see this craziness unfurl firsthand,” Hoshiko adds.

“You cantotallycome and watch it implode,” Lucas says immediately. “I’ll even bring popcorn. Come to our next game, you’re always welcome.”

“Yes!” I exclaim. “Hoshiko, come, please? You could even make a character—we could be bards together!” I turn to the guys. “That’ll be fine, right? We can’t have too many people.”

Nathan shakes his head. “Actually, we can—”

“We canneverhave too many people.” Lucas gives Nathan a sharp glare. “Consider yourself the newest member of the party.”

Chapter Ten

I should have been paying more attention. If I had been, then I might have seen Paul coming my way in the cafeteria during lunch on Monday. I could have casually turned without him realizing I was avoiding him. Or even rushed into the bathroom if necessary. Instead, I’m buried in my phone when I hear it.