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‘Why do you say Zach like it’s an insult?’

‘It’s a compliment!’

he says, laughing.

‘You’re Zach . You’re different to the other guys.’

‘Different how?’

‘I dunno. It’s like you’ve got this whole unthreatening boy-next-door thing going on.’

‘Me?’ I exclaim.

‘That’s exactly what I say about you!’

‘So you talk about me then?’

‘I used to.’

‘Cute.’ He smiles.

‘Maybe we weren’t as mismatched as I thought.

Good times, eh?’

‘ Good times? You make it sound like you’re reminiscing over a camping trip.’

‘Oh, I’ve had good times on camping trips too,’ he says, grinning.

‘You’re terrible.’

‘I am terrible,’ he agrees, turning the taps off.

‘You showered for, like, thirty seconds.’

‘Were you hoping for a little longer? Hoping I’d drop the soap?’

He throws a towel round his waist. ‘I’m in a rush.

I still haven’t decided what I’m gonna wear tonight.’

‘You haven’t? I thought you’d have figured that out weeks ago.’

‘Too many options! I’ve got, like, five outfits to choose from.

Though I was thinking I might do a quick costume change later.

Serve two different looks.’

Two different looks?

I think of the masked stranger.

I already know Josh has his jester outfit.

Could that sparkly outfit be hanging in his wardrobe too?

‘You don’t have anything gold, do you?’

‘Why do you ask?’

‘I just thought it would suit you, is all.’

‘Black and gold.’ He gestures to his skin.

‘I suppose they do say they go together.’

‘That’s really not what I meant …’

‘Course you didn’t,’ he teases.

‘Well, I’m not giving you any spoilers.

You’ll just have to wait and see.’

He winks and heads for the door.

‘Don’t spend all day in there now!’

‘Wait!’ I call, but he’s already gone.

Could that gold outfit really belong to him?

I’ve spent all year telling Chase and Bec that Josh and me was a one-time thing.

But maybe there is some chemistry there?

Maybe they were right?

Maybe they could see what I couldn’t?

I think of the vote for hottest boy.

The kiss last night at prom.

Could it actually be Josh?

‘Wow,’ I say, walking back into my room to find that Bec and Chase are already dressed.

Somehow they look even more incredible than yesterday.

I don’t even need to fake my reaction.

Everything felt like such a whirlwind the first time round that it’s kinda nice to get to live this moment twice, to pay attention to the details and savour these feelings.

It’s like going back to your favourite movie and noticing something different every time you watch it.

I hadn’t realized before how Bec’s earrings matched her dress so perfectly, nor how Chase’s belt buckle is shaped like a swirling dragon.

‘You guys look amazing.’

‘You should have seen Bec scaling the fire escape!’ Chase says.

‘That’s how you got up here?’

I feign surprise. ‘You’re like an Asian Lara Croft.’

‘That’s what I said!’

Chase gasps. ‘We really do spend too much time together.’

‘Yeah, that must be it,’ I say, and I have to admit that was kinda fun.

Maybe I can do more with this repeating-day thing than I realized.

‘You’re just in time for a selfie,’ Bec says, whipping out her phone.

‘Well, maybe wait till I’ve got dressed?’

I laugh, pushing her phone away.

‘Why don’t you get some pictures of Chase?

He needs to send some to his mum.’

‘Oh my God, please,’ he says.

‘Before I spill something all over myself. I overheard Harrington talking about brie and cranberry canapés. I don’t want either of those things anywhere near this!’

The memory of the pig’s blood plays over in my mind.

It’s not the canapés he has to worry about.

At least today he hasn’t made himself a target by hacking Tiffany’s rigged poll, but I’m still worried.

Even though he knows what the Hawthorn Elite are planning, it still feels like the night could very easily go sideways.

‘Actually,’ I say, interrupting them mid-photo, ‘why don’t you call her?’

‘Oh, you absolutely cannot call your mum right now,’ Bec says with a wicked smirk.

‘Huh?’ Chase says. ‘Why not?’

‘Because she’d lose her mind if she saw us drinking this .’

She reaches into her garment bag to pull out the bottle of Toxicquila.

‘The tequila can wait,’ I say, plucking the bottle from her fingers and giving her a look to say this is important.

Bec hesitates for a second and then smiles.

‘You’re right,’ she says.

‘Call your mum! I need to know what she thinks of my dress anyway.’

‘She’s gonna say it’s too short!’

Chase laughs, pulling out his phone.

‘Zach, can you hurry up and put some clothes on? My mum doesn’t need to see your nipples.’

‘All right, all right.’ I pull on my shirt and button it.

‘Better?’

‘Much,’ he says, hitting dial on FaceTime.

His mum answers almost immediately.

‘I thought you’d never call!’

she shrieks from the other end of the phone, holding it way too close to her face.

‘Let me see! What are you wearing?’

‘Hi, Myra,’ Bec says, waving into the camera.

‘Here,’ she says, taking the phone from Chase and stepping backwards so his mum can get a full view of his outfit.

‘Oh my God,’ she says, her smile faltering.

‘Is that … my dress?’

The smiles disappear from Chase and Bec too.

I swear my heart temporarily stops beating.

I knew today could go sideways, but I didn’t think this would be the cause of it.

There’s an uncomfortably long silence and then …

‘ It looks incredible! ’ Myra says, joy rushing through every muscle in her face.

‘Let me see closer!’

Thank God for that.

Their smiles return as Bec works all the angles.

‘You’re not mad?’ Chase says after a few moments.

‘How could I be mad?’ his mum says.

‘I have my alarm set for 11:11 every day. To wish for my son to be happy. And look at you. It looks like all those wishes came true.’

I see a wash of relief run through him.

All his worries now replaced with a smile.

He switches to Mandarin, and they exchange a few more words.

I don’t understand the specifics of what they’re saying, but I know they’re having a moment .

A moment they never had yesterday.

‘Now let me see Bec,’ she finally says, and Bec dutifully does a twirl for her.

‘Not bad, not bad,’ she says.

‘Though that dress is a little … short .’

‘Told you,’ Chase says with a laugh.

‘Zach, put your jacket on.’

‘Oh,’ I say, quickly pulling it on so Myra can take a look at my outfit too.

‘Handsome,’ is her final verdict.

She looks like she might have some further critiques that she graciously keeps to herself.

‘OK, have fun,’ she says.

‘Call me in the morning.’

‘Will do,’ Chase says.

‘Love you, Ma.’

‘Love you – don’t kiss too many boys,’ she replies, and hangs up.

‘She’s so sweet,’ Bec says.

‘She’s just on her best behaviour because you’re here.’

Chase laughs.

‘He’s right,’ I add.

I’ve got to know Myra quite well over the past couple of years, and sweet isn’t the first word I’d use to describe her.

I’ve always been so surprised at how open her relationship is with Chase.

There’s nothing they don’t talk about.

She even knows what happened between me and Josh.

I’d never talk to my own mum about that.

She probably thinks I’m still a virgin.

‘So are we ready?’ Bec finally says.

She retrieves the tequila from where I’d stashed it, the loop snapping back into place.

‘I haven’t got shot glasses so it’ll have to be straight from the bottle.

Some Dutch courage to start the evening!’

‘You look great,’ Josh says, scanning me up and down.

I’m giving Huckleberry a good rub.

Something I didn’t do yesterday.

I don’t really believe in superstitions, but then I didn’t believe in time loops either.

So who knows what else I’m wrong about?

‘You look good too,’ I say, looking at him.

I was hoping he might have switched to the gold outfit, but he’s still wearing the jester costume from yesterday.

‘Well, aren’t we just the complimentary couple!’

he jokes. ‘Though I do think you looked better earlier. Without the clothes, that is.’

‘Wait,’ Bec says.

‘Have you two been at it again?’

‘No, we haven’t been at it ,’ I say, squeezing the bridge of my nose.

‘Zach tried it on with me in the shower,’ Josh says.

‘But I had to rebuff him.’

‘That is not what happened.’

‘Then why are you blushing?’

‘He’s right, you are blushing.’

Chase laughs. He’s giving Huckleberry a rub now too.

‘Why didn’t you mention this earlier?’

Bec demands. ‘Why so secretive!’

‘Because there was nothing to mention!’

Josh gives them a big dorky grin, enjoying this way too much.

‘It’s all right, Zach.

Plenty more fish in the sea!’

He gestures to the crowd around us.

‘I reckon one of these fishies is a secret closet case. I’ll be damned if I’ll let this evening end before I find them.’

‘Well, the clock’s ticking,’ Bec says.

‘You better get to it.’

‘Patience,’ he says.

‘Here’s one of my suspects now.’

‘Huh?’ Owen says, looking bewildered as he approaches.

‘Suspects for what?’

‘We were just saying that you’re probably secretly gay.

Hanging around with me all the time?

Kinda seems like you might have a crush.

It’s starting to raise suspicions.’

‘Oh,’ Owen says.

‘Shit, you caught me. Been fantasizing about you this whole time. And now you’re dressed as the Joker ?

I’ve always had a secret Batman kink.’

‘I knew it!’ Josh teases.

‘Boathouse in ten minutes?’

‘See you there.’ Owen’s deadpan delivery is impeccable.

‘Honestly, Owen.’ Chase grins.

‘You better not come out as gay. You’re our token straight guy.

We need you for diversity points!’

‘It’s true,’ Josh says.

‘I explicitly forbid you from kissing any boys!’

‘I’ll try my hardest,’ Owen says.

I catch a glimpse of Ethan out of the corner of my eye.

I’d almost forgotten what’s about to happen to him, but now, knowing that moment is coming, it’s hard to focus on anything else.

In just a few minutes, he’s going to find out that his private pictures are all over the internet.

It feels wrong to just stand here, knowing it’s coming, and do nothing.

Maybe I should do something.

My gaze drifts across to Kellen.

Maybe we should do something.

I know I said I was gonna stay out of his way and do my own thing, but this feels important.

This definitely warrants calling a temporary truce.

I excuse myself from the others and head over.

Rhys is loudly talking about tax breaks, and Tiffany and Ethan are hanging on every word like he’s their actual messiah.

I hadn’t noticed before, but Kellen has toned down his look from last night.

He’s swapped the bare chest for a plain white shirt, and he’s swapped the heels for flats.

His suit still has a little sparkle in it, but that feels like just about the only part of his personality still showing.

He’s clutching Rhys’s arm maybe just a bit too tightly.

And Rhys’s body language seems off.

As if he wants Kellen to let go.

‘Can we talk?’ I ask.

Tiffany scowls as if disgusted by my presence.

‘I’m kinda busy,’ Kellen says dismissively.

‘It’s important,’ I say.

‘It’s about … you know .’

‘OK, fine,’ he says, breaking away from the others.

‘I’ll be right back.’

Tiffany looks at him as if to say don’t hurry.

‘OK, what is it?’ he says as soon as we’re out of earshot.

‘I think we should talk about what’s about to happen.’

Kellen sighs. ‘I already know what’s going to happen, Zach.

I messed up yesterday.

Now I’m gonna fix it.

That’s it. I don’t know why you’re caught up in this too, but I need to focus on myself.

I want this night to go perfectly, and right now you’re messing with it.’

‘By talking to you?’

‘By interrupting me,’ he says.

‘I was in the middle of a conversation.’

‘About tax breaks,’ I reply.

‘Do you even know what those are?’

‘I’m not an idiot, Zach.’

‘I’m not saying you are.

I’m just saying you’re not a part of that world.’

‘Because I’m on a scholarship?

You sound just like them.’

‘I’m just saying you don’t belong with them.

You’re better than they are.’

Kellen scoffs. ‘This is nothing to do with Ethan or Tiffany or the rest of Hawthorn. What you’re really saying is that I don’t belong with Rhys.’

‘No, I’m not.’

I definitely am.

‘If you’re gonna say it, say it with your whole chest.’

‘OK, fine,’ I say.

‘I don’t think you belong with Rhys.

There. Happy now?’

‘Thrilled.’

‘You’re infuriating.’

‘ I’m infuriating?’

He laughs. ‘You’re the one who’s dragged me over here for this meaningless conversation.’

‘It’s not meaningless!’

I say. ‘Someone is about to leak Ethan’s photos.

Shouldn’t we be doing something to stop that?

He’s meant to be your friend, right?’

‘What are we supposed to do?’ Kellen says.

‘It takes time for something to go viral. Those photos were probably leaked hours ago. It’s too late to do anything about it now.’

He’s right, I realize, but that doesn’t stop me.

‘We could still figure out who it was … Expose them, get some justice.’

‘Justice? You hate Ethan, Zach. Why do you suddenly care so much?’

‘Why don’t you care?’

I say. ‘I mean … it wasn’t you, right?’

‘Of course it wasn’t me!

How fucking dare you?’

‘Well, it was someone .’

‘And that someone wasn’t me,’ he growls.

‘So why don’t you run along and play Sherlock Holmes on your own.

And while you do that I’m gonna go enjoy prom.

With my boyfriend. If that’s OK with you?’

‘Whatever,’ I say, stomping away.

I can’t believe I’ve actually missed hanging around with him.

He’s as insufferable as ever.

‘Just make it go away!’ Tiffany screeches into her phone, right on schedule.

I guess I’m too late.

‘I don’t care, Daddy!

I swear to God, if I see anything about this in the Herald …

!’

She hangs up and glares around.

Her eyes land on Chase for a moment, and you can see her scrutinizing him.

I think she’s about to charge over and accuse him like yesterday, but then she glances away and continues scanning for suspects.

It looks like taking the heat off Chase by making sure that he didn’t hack the results might actually have worked.

At least I did something right.