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‘Huh?’

‘While we’re stuck here, repeating.’

‘It’s only the third day.

I don’t think the signs of ageing are gonna show just yet.’

‘But do you think we’re three days older than we were?’

‘I don’t know,’ I say.

‘That would mean I’m, like, two days from turning eighteen.’

‘I’d forgotten you’re not eighteen yet,’ Kellen says.

‘July twentieth, right?’

‘Right.’

‘So let’s pretend we are stuck here for years.

Do you think we’d actually start ageing?

Like, we’ll suddenly be middle-aged men and our friends won’t notice?’

‘I dunno,’ I say.

‘But I really don’t want to think about being stuck here for years, Kellen.’

But Kellen isn’t listening.

He’s pulled forward the waistband of his shorts and is peering into his underwear.

‘ What are you doing?’

‘Just checking to see if it’s grown.’

He shrugs. ‘Maybe if we stay here, we’ll both end up really well hung.’

‘I can’t believe that’s where your mind went.’

‘You can’t say you hadn’t considered it!’

‘I really hadn’t.’

Madzikanda’s voice erupts in the distance.

‘Looks like we have our winners!’

‘I’m sure Tiffany is thrilled,’ Kellen says with a roll of his eyes.

‘Three–two to Sycamore!’

Both of our mouths fall open.

‘This is a joke, right? Sycamore wins when we’re not playing?’

I say. ‘Come on! We’re not that bad!’

‘This is what I’m saying, Zach.

We really kind of are …’

Kellen glances down at his phone again.

‘I think if we stay out of everyone’s way today, then everything will be fine.

It’s not like we’re missing anything – and it’s not like anyone’s missing us …’

‘Why would you say that?’ I bridle.

‘Of course people are missing us.’

‘They’ll get over it,’ he says.

‘I think we should hide out for a bit. It’s for the best. We’ve already had our prom twice , Zach.’

‘You aren’t seriously suggesting we skip prom?’

I say, amazed. ‘What about Rhys? You can’t stand him up without a date.

And what about the prank?

We can’t just sit by and let them do it again.

They’re gonna go after someone .’

‘Just send out a few warning texts. Put a post up on Instagram.’

‘But doesn’t that still count as interfering?

Even if we aren’t there?’

Kellen huffs in exasperation.

‘So don’t then. I don’t know …’

‘It just doesn’t feel right,’ I say.

‘Skipping everything. We can’t just opt out of life.’

Kellen thinks for a moment.

‘What if I told you we can keep an eye on prom without being there?’

‘Like secret cameras?’ I raise an eyebrow.

‘No,’ he says. ‘Not like secret cameras, you weirdo …’

‘What then?’

‘Do you trust me?’

‘Absolutely not.’

‘That’s what I thought.

Come on.’

‘This is ridiculous.’

We’re hidden behind one of the bushes that fringe the lawn out in front of the school building.

Everyone else is gathered by the fountain, admiring each other’s outfits.

Josh is doing twirls in his jester costume for Bec and Chase.

They seem happy, and it feels wrong to be hiding here rather than celebrating with them.

I sent a message to the group chat with a lie about having to leave due to a family emergency, then a follow-up to say it was a false alarm, but that I couldn’t make it back in time for prom.

This day very well may continue to loop, but I didn’t want them worrying about me and spoiling their fun tonight.

Even if tomorrow they have no memory of any of this.

‘I can’t believe he’s been secretly gay this whole time,’ Kellen says, pointing out Owen in the crowd.

‘He’s dressed like a Pride flag and somehow we didn’t see it.’

‘I honestly still don’t see it,’ I say.

I guess my gaydar wasn’t as accurate as I thought.

‘I just can’t believe he’s had feelings for me this whole time and never said anything?’

‘Is the pot calling the kettle black?’ Kellen raises an eyebrow.

‘It’s different with me and Cameron!’

I say. ‘It’s more complicated.’

‘Because you’re making it complicated,’ he replies flatly.

‘Just make it go away!’ Tiffany yells then, stomping up and down as she furiously begs her father to save Ethan from the humiliation of having his pictures leaked.

‘Do you not think he seems just a little bit too chill about this whole thing?’ Kellen whispers, watching him.

I look across at Ethan.

Just like the first time, and the second, he really does seem unbothered.

‘I hate to say it – like, I don’t wanna blame the victim, but …’

‘You think he might have leaked them himself?’

Kellen shrugs.

‘It’s possible, right?

All he cares about is boosting his social-media following.

And we know this will do that.’

‘Then why is Tiffany making such a big deal about it?’ I say.

‘Because she thinks it’ll ruin her reputation.

She doesn’t care about Ethan.’

‘That tracks,’ I say.

‘But I don’t know if I believe Ethan would do it himself.

There are other ways to grow his profile.

Those pictures are on the internet forever.’

‘I’m not sure he’s thinking that far ahead,’ Kellen says.

‘But if he didn’t do this?

And this was someone’s revenge plot?

I think it’s safe to say it’s backfired.’

We stay hidden, listening to Harrington’s droning speech, until everyone has gone inside.

Once the coast is clear, Kellen leads me through a side door, up a winding staircase and down a long, narrow corridor.

The last of the sunset disappears through the arched stained-glass windows as nightfall descends upon us.

There’s so much of this place I’ve never explored.

I guess I thought I’d get round to it, and now we’re out of time.

Well, sort of.

‘Do you ever think about how many secrets there must be within these walls? How many hundreds of people have studied here? And I bet every single one of them was hiding something.’

‘What kind of secrets?’ I say, struggling to follow Kellen’s train of thought.

Is he still talking about Ethan?

‘The usual kind,’ he replies, spinning round on his heel and walking backwards so he can face me.

‘Because humans are predictable. It’s always about love.

Think about it: you can go back thousands of years, pick literally any time, any place, and the stories are all the same.

Ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia, the first days of Babylon or the last moments of Pompeii.

People were still acting out their silly love stories while they were dying of bubonic plague.

Think about Hadrian: he’s the perfect example.

Did you know he was gay?’

‘The guy with the wall?’

‘The greatest Roman emperor to ever live, Zach. But yeah, sure, “ the guy with the wall ”. He was madly in love with a hottie called Antinous. So much so that when the poor boy drew his last breath Hadrian plunged the entire empire into a state of mourning. All that power and he used it to mark the loss of the man he loved. They say that love conquers all, but I don’t think it does.

I just think humans are hardwired to be unable to think about anything else.

The greatest battles, the greatest technological advancements, every single thing that has happened always comes back to one thing – the endless pursuit of love.’

‘OK,’ I say. ‘But what’s your point?

What does any of this have to do with us?’

‘I’m just saying that we could probably spend a decade trapped in this same day and there’d still be more secrets to uncover here.

We all think we’re unique.

Whatever love story we have going on, we convince ourselves we’re the first person to have ever experienced it.’

‘But we are the first people to experience this,’ I say.

‘There are literally no records, throughout all human history, of anyone ever being stuck in a time loop.’

‘Because anyone that ever told that story would have been written off as a whack job. In the past, they’d have probably burned them as a witch!’

‘So, wait, you think this has happened before?’

‘Yeah,’ Kellen says.

‘I mean, if it’s happening to us, why not someone else?

We’re really not that special, Zach.

In tens of thousands of years of humanity, you really think we’re the only two to experience this?

Do you know how unlikely that is?

You’d be more likely to be hit by lightning while holding a winning lottery ticket and standing on one leg.’

I frown. ‘I still don’t understand where you’re going with this.’

‘I don’t know,’ he says.

‘I just think this place has secrets.’

‘Like whoever leaked those photos of Ethan?’

‘Exactly!’ he says.

‘And I bet there’s at least one secret romance going on right under our noses.

You just know that somebody’s secretly in love with their best friend.

Someone else carrying a torch for an ex.

Even the teachers probably have their secrets.

Imagine what Harrington gets up to!’

He takes another left and we come to a dead end – there are no windows here, just a quiet corner in the shadows.

‘So what exactly are we doing?’ I say, looking at Kellen in confusion.

‘Everyone has secrets,’ he says.

‘And this is one of mine.’

He points up at the ceiling.

I hadn’t noticed it, but there’s a small hatch above us, and, as I lift my hand towards it, I can feel the faintest draught creeping through from outside.

It must lead out on to the roof.

‘How did you find this?’ I say as he reaches up to push the hatch open, a cool breeze rushing through the gap.

‘Honestly? I went looking for it. I’d always hoped that an old building like Oakbrook would have some secret dungeon or hidden door tucked behind a bookcase.

A place where a forbidden club used to meet in the 1850s.

A time capsule left behind and forgotten.’

‘And you do realize this is real life, not some fantasy novel? Secret dungeons don’t really exist, Kellen.

Every building has a blueprint – there’s no way you could hide something like that.

It’s like in Casper the Friendly Ghost when they “find” the secret chamber, and it literally has these gigantic windows that would be completely obvious from outside.

Did they never just think to take a lap round the building?

It’s ridiculous .’

‘Wow, remind me never to go to the movies with you, you killjoy,’ Kellen says.

‘Anyway, you’re wrong.’

He gestures to the opening.

‘Because here’s our secret door.’

‘It’s not a secret door ,’ I say with a laugh.

‘It’s just a maintenance hatch.

Somebody’s gotta get up there to clean the leaves out of the gutters.’

‘I could have shared this with someone else, you know …’

‘Fine. It’s a secret door.

You’re not really gonna go up there, though, are you?’

‘No, I’m not,’ he says.

‘ We are.’

‘There’s no way,’ I say as Kellen pulls himself up and scrambles through.

‘Have you got a death wish or something?’

‘Course not,’ he says, peering back down at me.

‘It’s not like we can die anyway.’

‘What?’ I say, taking a little step back from him.

‘Why would you say that?’

‘We’re stuck in a time loop,’ he replies cheerfully.

‘That doesn’t mean we can’t die,’ I say.

‘Where would you get that idea?’

‘It just makes sense,’ he says.

‘The day starts over no matter what. Besides, you drowned in the lake, didn’t you?’

‘I didn’t drown!’

I protest. ‘I was in the process of drowning.’

‘What’s the difference?’

‘I was still alive when the clock struck midnight!’

‘Are you sure?’

I hate to say that I’m not.

‘See,’ he says, noting my silence.

‘We definitely can’t die.’

‘We don’t know that!’

I protest. ‘We don’t know anything!’

‘Am I going to have to prove it to you?’

‘Don’t you dare!’

‘Well then, you’ll just have to come up and stop me,’ Kellen says, disappearing from view.

‘I’ll give you to the count of ten.’

‘This isn’t funny!’

I call back, but he ignores me.

‘Ten … nine … eight …’

‘Stop it,’ I say, and even though he can’t see me I cross my arms to make it very clear that I’m not playing his little game.

‘Seven … six … five …’

‘Kellen, this is ridiculous,’ I say.

‘Don’t even joke. You can’t risk your life just because of something you saw in a movie.’

‘Four … three … two …’

‘OK!’ I say, jumping up and trying to lift myself through the opening.

I struggle, and sort of expect Kellen to grab me and pull me up, but he doesn’t.

I scramble for a moment, and all I can see is the black slate of the roof offset against an endless canvas of twinkling stars.

I can’t see Kellen anywhere.

I start to worry he might have –

‘What took you so long?’ His hands grip me from behind and pull me up.

‘Don’t do that,’ I say, hitting him as I sit on the cool slate.

‘I thought you’d jumped.’

‘And miss the look on your face?’ He grins.

‘I’m serious,’ I say.

‘If anything happened to you …’

‘Nothing’s gonna happen to me,’ he says.

‘But you must be at least a little bit curious? The rules of time and physics have gone out the window. Aren’t you even slightly interested in what would happen?’

‘If you died?’ I say.

‘No. Funnily enough, not even in the slightest.’

Kellen laughs at that.

‘Chill. It’s not like I’m suicidal or anything.

I just can’t help wondering what would happen if we pulled a Thelma and Louise.

If we “keep on driving” and both jump off the roof right now, this second?’

‘Kellen,’ I say, ‘don’t even joke.

Maybe you’re right; maybe the day would just start over.

But are you really willing to risk it?’

‘Well, what if it was just one of us? Then the day would still have to restart, right?’

‘I don’t want to talk about this,’ I reply, ‘and honestly you’re making me wanna get down from here.

The roof isn’t the place to discuss this …’

‘All right, all right. It’s not like I was gonna do it!’

‘Good,’ I say sternly.

‘Because I’d rather be stuck here indefinitely than see something happen to you!’

‘Aw,’ he says, smiling.

‘You like me.’

‘Oh, whatever! I’d feel the same if it was Tiffany!

I just don’t wanna see you splattered all over Huckleberry.

And what if the fall didn’t kill you?

It’d take forever for an ambulance to get here!

What then? You’d be stuck writhing around with two broken legs!’

‘You worry too much,’ says Kellen.

‘Here, chill out. Let me show you something.’

‘Where are you going?’ I say, watching him climb the pitch of the roof.

‘Just trust me,’ he says, disappearing over the top.

‘Can you slow down?’ I call.

‘You’re like Spider-Man.’

‘But which one?’ he asks, his head popping up over the ridge.

‘Miles Morales, obviously.’

‘Because I’m Black?’

‘No,’ I say with a laugh.

‘Because he’s the best one!’

‘Hmm,’ he says. ‘Well, you are right about that. I’m just surprised, honestly.

I would have pegged you for an Andrew Garfield kinda guy.’

‘Nah,’ I say. ‘Morales is the real hero.’

‘Well, I’m glad we agree.

Guess you’re not as basic as I thought.’

He disappears over the roof again as I nervously try to follow.

On all fours, of course.

I’m not risking anything.

‘Where are we going?’ I say, cautious with my footing.

‘Here,’ he says. ‘Look.’

I climb over the ridge to see what he’s pointing to.

It’s the giant skylight over the dining hall.

We can see right down into prom.

‘Wow,’ I say, marvelling at the view.

Tonight the hall is decorated entirely in blue and white – Sycamore’s colours.

It looks incredible.

Way better than the tacky red and gold.

‘This way we can keep an eye on everything, make sure nothing goes awry.’

‘And if things do go awry?’ I ask.

Kellen shrugs. ‘We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it,’ he says.

I see him searching for Rhys in the crowd.

He watches him longingly for a few moments: I can tell he wants to be down there with him.

Is hiding up here really the best course of action?

I look for my friends.

They’re by the yearbook, and Bec is already writing something.

Taylor Swift lyrics undoubtedly.

Even from up here, Chase’s reaction confirms it.

I can almost hear him just by watching his hand gestures.

‘ I just thought maybe you’d write something more meaningful.’

I watch her thrust the pen at him.

‘ Come on then, Plato, your turn. ’

Something about watching them act out this silly little play stings a little.

I should be down there with them.

I still have FOMO, even if I have done this twice before.

I look around the crowd again.

I can’t help but search for Cameron.

‘You really like him, don’t you?’

Kellen must have noticed me staring.

I don’t answer.

‘You know it’s not too late, right?’

‘I just don’t wanna get my hopes up again …’

I say. ‘Owen is my secret admirer. And Ethan said Cameron isn’t into me anyway.’

‘Ethan is full of shit.’

‘Then why did he say it?’

‘To get into your head! To ruin your chances with his brother! He hates that me and Rhys are a thing. Imagine how he feels about the idea of you being with Cameron?’

I sigh.

‘I just don’t know what to believe any more!’

‘Well,’ Kellen says, ‘I don’t know what’s going on inside Cameron’s head.

But, for what it’s worth, I think you’re a catch.

He’d be an idiot not to like you.’

‘Wow,’ I say. ‘I think that’s actually the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.’

‘Well, don’t get used to it!’

He laughs, lying down on the slanted roof.

I lie down next to him, and we don’t say anything more for a moment.

We just stay there in companionable silence, looking up at the stars.

If you listen carefully, you can just about make out the music from the DJ below.

It’s muffled, like someone playing music in the next room.

‘What is this song?’ Kellen says as if reading my thoughts.

‘“Baba O’Riley”,’ I say, air-drumming along with the beat.

‘It’s a seventies song.

From one of my all-time favourite movies.’

‘Oh yeah?’ Kellen says.

‘Is it an animated movie by any chance?’

‘I do watch other things, you know.’

‘You could have fooled me!’ he teases, putting on a mock accent to mimic mine.

‘“The Fox and the Hound is the saddest film ever made! Pocahontas deserved more than one Oscar! Avatar ripped off FernGully!”’ He grins.

‘All you ever talk about is animated movies!’

‘Well, this one isn’t animated.

The Girl Next Door .

It’s about a teenage porn star.’

‘Of course it is,’ he says, rolling his eyes.

‘I’m just surprised it’s not The Boy Next Door .

That sounds more up your street, Zach.’

‘It’s not like that,’ I say.

‘It’s sex positive. It subverts the audience’s expectations.

But, more than anything, it’s beautifully romantic.’

I reach across and put my hand on his heart.

‘It gets you right here.’

‘Sounds intense,’ Kellen says.

I feel his heart quicken.

‘Yeah, well …’ I hesitate, withdrawing my hand.

‘Maybe you should watch it.’

‘Maybe we should watch it,’ he says.

‘It’s been a while since we had a movie night.’

‘Sure,’ I say, looking across at him with a smile.

The song rolls through its closing bars before shifting through to an eighties track.

I think the DJ is deliberately pulling music from all eras.

They’re obsessed with the past at this place.

Oakbrook is always about looking back.

Never about looking forward.

I glance back at Kellen to see that he’s shut his eyes.

His head is gently bopping from side to side as he listens to the music.

I shut my eyes too and breathe in the cool night air.

Kellen’s right. It is nice to take a moment of peace, away from everything.

I let myself enjoy it for a minute or two.

Even if we are going to have to go back round again tomorrow.

Right here, right now, it almost feels like everything is back to normal.

That is until I hear the sudden sound of a crack.

I open my eyes to see Kellen on his feet.

But he’s not just on his feet: he’s standing on the skylight.

‘Kellen?’ I say, scrambling to stand up.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I wasn’t sure if it could hold my weight,’ he says, taking another tentative step forward.

‘But I think it can. Look, it’s fine.’

‘I heard it crack,’ I say.

I can’t see anything, but I definitely heard it.

‘You worry too much,’ he says, walking along the glass.

Who knows how thick it is?

But it’s the only thing between him and a twenty-metre drop.

I’m not the only one who’s noticed either.

Some of the students below are looking up now and pointing.

‘Kellen, come off there!’ I say.

‘What happened to not interfering with prom? This is definitely interfering with prom!’

‘How is it interfering?’ he says with a laugh.

‘Zach, it’s fine, look –’ He jumps, and I feel my heart stop as he bends his knees and lands.

His eyes go wide as we both hear the distinct sound of another crack.

I expect the glass to break beneath him, but it doesn’t.

It actually seems to be holding his weight.

He blows out his cheeks with relief.

‘Told you,’ he says, taking another step forward just as the whole thing shatters.

‘Kellen!’ I yelp, rushing forward to try to grab him.

‘Zach!’ he calls as his hand slips through my fingers.

I hear the deathly screeching of students below as glass rains around them.

The sound of a table breaking.

Looking through the broken skylight, I see the yearbook on the floor.

Kellen lies beside it.

‘Kellen!’ I scream down at his motionless body.

It’s OK. He can’t die.

He said so … He’s fine, he has to be.

And that’s when I see a Sycamore banner go up in flames.

One of the candelabras has been knocked over as people run in all directions.

Flames begin to engulf the room, chaos ensues and –

‘Zach?’ Kellen says, shaking me awake.

‘Are you having a nightmare?’

‘Huh?’ I say, disorientated.

We’re still on the rooftop.

‘What happened?’

‘You fell asleep.’ He chuckles.

‘You were out for, like, an hour and a half.’

‘I was?’ I say, rubbing my eyes.

‘But that all felt so real.’

‘What did?’ he says, tilting his head, intrigued.

I look across at the skylight.

‘You weren’t planning on standing on that, were you?’

‘On the glass?’ he says.

‘Zach, that’s like a twenty-metre drop – do you think I’m insane?’

‘No,’ I say. ‘Good, I mean … I’m just glad you’re OK.’

He smiles. ‘You missed the crowning ceremony. Tiffany and Ethan again.’

‘No surprises there,’ I say.

‘So nothing’s gone awry ?

The pig’s blood?’

‘It’s still hanging,’ he replies, searching it out.

‘So far so good.’

But then he looks down at his phone again, as if expecting something.

He’s been doing this all day.

There’s something he’s not telling me.

I decide to face it head-on.

‘What’s up? You seem kinda distracted.’

‘Huh?’ He looks back up from his phone.

‘Distracted how?’

‘You keep checking that like you’re expecting something.’

‘Oh,’ he says, clicking his phone to lock it.

‘It’s nothing. I guess it’s just this whole situation.

Sometimes I think I wouldn’t mind if we were stuck here forever.’

That takes me aback.

‘Why would you say that? What could possibly make you want to stay here? We should already be graduates!’

He pauses for a moment.

‘You know how people say love is unconditional?’

‘Yeah?’ I have no idea where he’s going with this.

‘Sometimes I wonder if that’s really true.’

He leans back on his hands and stares up at the sky.

‘Because life is full of conditions, isn’t it?

And when those conditions aren’t met?

People leave, people walk out, people change their mind.’

‘Is that something that happened to you?’ I ask as delicately as I can.

‘Nobody walked out on me,’ he says.

‘But Dad’s no longer with us.’

‘I’m sorry,’ I say.

He’s never spoken about this before.

‘I never had a dad. My mum adopted as a single mother. Rare at the time. Rare even now. But she did it.’

‘What was that like?’ he says, turning towards me.

‘Honestly? Mum was more than enough. I guess I never knew any different.’

‘I was too young to really remember much about my dad. But he definitely left a hole. I still miss him. And that’s what I’m saying.

Maybe it’s better to be stuck here because, whatever happens, we won’t lose anyone we care about.’

‘You’re not gonna lose anyone, Kellen.’

‘But what if I am?’ he says, his voice cracking.

‘Look.’

He hands me his phone.

There’s a new message.

I see the words It’s not you, it’s me and don’t need to read anything more.

‘Rhys?’ I say.

Kellen doesn’t say anything, just nods, barely holding back his tears.

‘This isn’t the first time this has happened, is it?’

‘I just thought if I could stay out of his way, not give him any reason to leave.’

‘That’s why you wanted to avoid everyone today?

You thought you were going to do something that would make him want to break up with you?’

‘The whole proposal thing? He said I embarrassed him in front of everyone. I know it was cringe, but I didn’t think it was reason enough for him to leave me …’

‘And yesterday? After you got your crowns? You looked so happy.’

‘We were,’ he says.

‘But then he ended it when the night was over. While you were out by the lake. Said I was suffocating him. Not giving him enough space.’

‘So that’s what this is?

Giving him space? But what about this morning?

When I walked in on you guys, you seemed to be, um …

enjoying each other’s company?’

‘He’s been pressuring me into, you know, doing it .

I just thought if I could keep him happy …’

‘Oh,’ I say. That part doesn’t sit right with me.

How dare Rhys make him feel that way?

But I can’t go on the attack; he’s not ready to hear that yet.

‘You know you should never feel you have to –’

‘I know,’ Kellen says.

‘I was honestly glad you walked in on us. It gave me a reason to stop. It’s not that I don’t wanna have sex with him, I’m just …’

‘Not ready yet?’

‘I don’t know,’ he says.

‘I think it’s more than that.

I saw this TikTok about guys who don’t like to top or bottom.

Guys who just prefer to do other stuff.

It’s called being a side .’

‘And you think you might feel that way?’

‘Maybe,’ he says.

‘I don’t know. I just want to experiment at my own pace.

Not be rushed into it.

I feel like the second you come out as gay, you have to choose your team.

What if I don’t want to do that?

What if I don’t know where I fit in yet?

I feel like everyone looks at me, sees the nails and the heels, and just thinks bottom .

They don’t give me a chance to figure it out for myself.’

‘Well, I never thought that,’ I say.

‘And, for what it’s worth, it wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for me.

Top. Bottom. Side. I don’t care.

I’d be fine with doing whatever.’

‘You say that now …’

‘I mean it,’ I say.

‘You don’t need some meathead pressuring you into doing something you don’t wanna do.’

Kellen bristles.

‘Don’t call him a meathead.’

‘Sorry,’ I say. Dial it back, Zach.

‘All I’m saying is that sex is supposed to be fun.

Don’t let him or anyone else ruin it.’

‘I know you’re right,’ he says.

‘Sometimes I honestly don’t even know if I wanna be with him anyway.’

‘You don’t?’

‘It’s like there’s two versions of him.

When it’s just me and him, he’s kind and funny, and he makes me feel as if the only thing that matters to him is keeping me safe.

But then there’s this other side of him.

The one that never texts me back, or notices when I’m sad.

The one that gets angry when the smallest thing doesn’t immediately go his way.

It’s like I mean the whole world to him, until I don’t.’

‘If you feel that way, why on earth did you propose to him?’ I really can’t get my head round that.

‘Because I could feel him slipping away from me … and I wasn’t ready for that.

I thought if I could just keep him, for a little while longer, that we could work things out.’

‘But you deserve better than that,’ I say.

‘You deserve someone who treats you like you’re the most important person in the room, not just some of the time but all of the time.

If Rhys really loves you, that’s how he should make you feel …’

‘You know he’s never said it?’

Kellen admits. ‘That he loves me?’

What?

!

‘Really?’

‘Never,’ he says with a sigh.

A screeching sound startles us then as a firework shoots up into the sky.

The night has flown by and prom is almost over.

‘I don’t wanna do this again, Zach.’

‘Then we’ll fix it, we’ll find a way …

I promise.’

‘OK,’ he says hopefully.

‘And what if this is it? What if we wake up tomorrow and it’s actually tomorrow tomorrow?’

Kellen looks down at his watch.

‘One minute.’

‘Then I guess I’d be grateful for this,’ I say.

‘Sitting here with you. It’s not exactly the prom night I imagined, but I have to admit this was pretty special.’

‘I think so too,’ he says, the fireworks reflecting in his eyes as he stares intently into the night sky.

They look even more incredible from up here, illuminating the school grounds around us.

‘Ten seconds.’ He checks his watch again and sighs.

‘You ready?’

‘Do I have a choice?’

‘I guess we’ll find out.

See you on the other side?’

He offers me his hand.

‘Yeah,’ I say, taking it.

‘See you on the other side.’