Page 15

‘Prom night, baby!’

You have to be fucking kidding me.

The pillow hits me before the windscreen does.

I snatch it out of Chase’s hand and throw it back at him.

‘I swear to God, if you hit me with this one more time …’

‘All right, chill!’ He laughs, holding his hands up in surrender.

I reach up to touch my face, checking for injuries, but I seem to be completely fine.

So Kellen must be OK too, right?

Right?

‘Kellen!’ I shout, jumping out of bed.

I don’t even bother to put on clothes.

I run up the stairs two at a time, in nothing but my underwear.

‘Kellen! Are you OK? Kellen?!’

‘Zach!’ He appears at his door.

He’s still touching his face as if checking for injuries.

He looks me over too.

‘What the hell happened?’

‘We hit something,’ I say.

‘But there was nothing in the road.’

‘I know,’ I reply.

‘It was like … an invisible barrier or something?’

‘An invisible barrier,’ Kellen echoes.

‘That’s insane .’

‘All of this is insane! That doesn’t mean it’s not real.’

‘What are you two talking about?’ Rhys asks, appearing behind Kellen, towel wrapped round his waist and frankly ludicrous abs on display.

Kellen waves him away.

‘Just go back to bed.’

‘Not until you tell me what’s going on.’

‘All right, fine! I’ll tell you exactly what’s going on!’

Kellen snaps. ‘We’re breaking up, OK?

That’s what’s going on.’

He slams the door in Rhys’s face, and, even though I know this isn’t the first time he’s dumped him, it’s a shock to see it happen in real time.

‘Come on,’ he says, taking my hand and quickly leading me down the corridor.

Rhys starts yelling after us, but Kellen doesn’t even flinch.

It’s like he doesn’t hear him.

‘Do you not think that was a bit harsh?’ I say, once we find a quiet corner.

Kellen’s eyes go wide.

‘So you’re taking his side now?’

‘No,’ I say. ‘It’s just that –’

‘It doesn’t matter, Zach!

We’re just going to go round again tomorrow.’

‘I don’t believe that.

Not forever. There has to be a way to break the cycle.

There’s always a way out!

We should try stealing the car again.’

‘What’s the point?’

Kellen says with a shrug.

‘It didn’t work the first time.’

‘Well, that’s just Tom and Jerry logic,’ I say.

Kellen gives me a confused look.

‘ Tom and Jerry logic?’

‘The cat and mouse!’

Kellen rolls his eyes.

‘I know who they are, Zach … But what in the fuck is Tom and Jerry logic? What is it with you and cartoons?’

‘Well, Tom comes up with all these plans to catch Jerry, right? And some of them are actually pretty good. Some of them would even work if he just tried them a second time. But, whenever a plan goes wrong, he immediately gives up and tries something else. Stupid, really.’

‘Are you telling me you were rooting for Tom?’

‘Of course I was rooting for Tom.’ I don’t understand why everyone thinks he’s the villain.

‘He wanted to murder Jerry!’

‘That’s a very strong word,’ I say.

‘A lion doesn’t murder an antelope.

It’s the circle of life!

Did you not watch The Lion King ?’

‘Yeah, enough times to know that Scar is very much the bad guy.’

‘Scar did what needed to be done.’

‘He killed his own brother!’

‘He overthrew an unelected official!’

‘Oh my God …’

‘Besides, if Tom’s owners fed him properly, maybe he wouldn’t be so hungry.’

‘Wow, I bet you were such fun to watch cartoons with.’

‘Well, anyway, I’m telling you it’s a thing – Tom and Jerry logic!’

‘Is it a thing , or is it a Zach thing ?’

‘A Zach thing ,’ I admit.

‘But tell me I’m wrong.’

‘Why not Wile E. Coyote logic? Or the logic of Elmer Fudd?’

‘The Logic of Elmer Fudd sounds like a Netflix documentary where they dive into his tragic past and discover that he was just deeply misunderstood.’

‘For wanting to shoot Bugs Bunny?’

‘He’s a hunter; he’s got a family to feed.

And Bugs is massive .

He’s taller than Elmer Fudd!

Imagine the meat on him!’

Kellen laughs at that.

‘Well, this is ridiculous, but I see your point. Tom and Jerry logic. The logic of Elmer Fudd. Maybe we should try again …’ He looks us both up and down.

‘Though maybe we should get dressed first?’

‘Want to borrow an outfit?’ I offer, just as Harrington’s car alarm starts blaring.

‘So you don’t have to go back and face Rhys again?’

‘Please,’ he says.

‘Just make it something cute.’

We don’t waste any time.

We go straight back to Madzikanda’s office while everyone else is at lunch.

Kellen is wearing a pair of my shorts and one of my T-shirts.

They’re a bit tight on him, and I can’t really explain it, but I kinda like seeing him in them.

Chase was a bit confused when we came back together, but he didn’t ask too many questions after Kellen told him he’d broken things off with Rhys.

He just gave him a hug and left us to it.

This time, I decide I want to take a turn at breaking down the door.

Kellen must be stronger than he looks, though, because I have to ram it a good five times before it finally bursts open.

The bruise to my ego hurts more than the one on my shoulder.

‘You drive this time,’ Kellen says, fetching the keys from Madzikanda’s desk.

He twirls them round his finger before tossing them over, expecting me to catch.

My hands slap together pathetically as they drop to the floor in front of me.

‘You know I can’t do sport!’

I groan, leaning down to pick them up.

‘Ah yes, competitive key-catching: goes all the way back to the first Olympics.’

‘They used to wrestle naked in Ancient Greece,’ I say.

‘I think I’d be better at that.’

‘You really think so?’ Kellen says, raising an eyebrow.

‘Depends who I’m wrestling.’

‘All right,’ he says, pulling his T-shirt off in one swift motion.

‘Right here, right now.’

‘You wouldn’t stand a chance.’

‘Wouldn’t I?’ He goes to take off his shorts.

‘OK, OK,’ I say, covering my eyes.

‘You win. Put your clothes back on.’

‘It’s cute you pretend you don’t wanna look.’

He smirks as he puts his T-shirt back on.

I suppose he’s not entirely wrong.

He does look good topless.

‘Can you imagine if Madzikanda walked in to see us wrestling naked on her carpet?’

Kellen laughs.

‘I think it would be enough to force her into early retirement.’

‘I sometimes feel kinda bad for her. Can you imagine having us as your year group?’

‘I don’t know,’ Kellen says as we exit her office.

‘I heard she was pretty rebellious when she was a student. You know Harrington was headmaster even back then?’

‘That can’t be right,’ I say, following him down the corridor, trying to do the maths on my fingertips.

‘He’d have to be, like, a hundred years old.’

‘He was a young headmaster. Apparently he used to be less miserable then.’

I snort.

‘I find that hard to believe.’ I’m pretty sure that man came out of the womb scowling and ready to give out detentions.

‘Besides,’ Kellen says, ‘I’m sure we’re not the worst she’s had!’

‘Kellen, we’re literally about to commit grand theft auto.’

‘You don’t need to be so dramatic,’ he says, laughing.

‘It’s just one little vehicle.’

I unlock the car.

‘Petite theft auto then?’

‘Petite theft auto it is.’ Kellen grins, climbing in the passenger side.

‘I’m glad I get to play passenger princess today.’

He drums on the dashboard like an excitable child.

I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

Kellen driving was bad enough, but me?

As I just proved with the keys, I have zero hand-eye coordination.

I can’t even win a game of Mario Kart with the difficulty set to easy.

At least we don’t need to worry about getting caught this time.

Everyone is still inside at lunch.

We can take it slow.

There’s really no need to rush.

‘What the hell are you two doing?!’

‘Shit!’ Kellen says, turning to see Madzikanda running out of the building.

She must have gone to her office and seen we’d swiped her keys.

‘Drive!’

‘I’m not ready!’

I say, fumbling with my seat belt.

‘Forget the seat belt!’

‘What do you mean forget the seat belt ?!’

‘Just drive! She’s coming!’

‘Don’t rush me!’

I shift the car into gear and slam my foot down on the accelerator.

The car lurches forward way faster than I expect, crashing straight into Harrington’s.

The alarm blares noisily.

That’s the second time today.

I try to reverse, but that’s when Madzikanda pulls open the door to stop me.

‘Have you lost your damn minds?!’

‘I can explain!’ Kellen says.

‘Save it,’ she snaps.

‘I know exactly what’s going on here.’

‘I don’t think you do,’ I mutter.

Madzikanda scoffs. ‘There’s only one reason you’d be doing something this stupid.’

She glances back and forth between us.

‘Could it be that you’re stuck in a time loop?’

Miss Madzikanda doesn’t say anything else until we’re inside her office with the door closed.

Except it doesn’t close properly because I smashed it in while pretending to be masc.

‘So which one of you is it?’ she demands, looking back and forth between us.

‘It’s … both of us,’ I say meekly.

I’m still in shock. I can’t believe she knows about this.

What else hasn’t she been telling us?

‘Interesting …’ She drums her fingers on her chin.

‘But how did you know, miss?’ Kellen asks.

Madzikanda takes a deep breath and sighs.

‘Every prom night something happens that doesn’t make any sense.’

‘But time loops, miss?’ Kellen says.

‘No offence, but isn’t that a bit far-fetched?’

She raises an eyebrow.

‘Says the boy quite literally stuck in one?’

‘No, I know,’ he says.

‘But how on earth did you work that out?’

‘Because I was stuck in one too.’

‘What?!’ we say in unison.

She can’t be serious!

‘At the time, I thought I was the only one,’ she tells us.

‘But then, after I graduated, I started hearing stories. Other things that didn’t add up.

And I knew – I just knew – that there must be more of us.

I had to find out so I applied for a job the next year.’

‘Wait, wait, wait,’ I say.

‘Slow down, miss. I have so many questions.’

‘This whole situation –’ she gestures to the space around us – ‘it happens every year. Or at least most years anyway. Usually there’s something that gives it away, but sometimes it’s harder to tell.

Sometimes the day is as plain as the nose on my face.’

‘So you’re trying to tell us we’re at a magic school ,’ Kellen says.

‘That’s ridiculous.’

‘And yet here we are.’

‘So now we’ve found you, and figured it out, does that mean this is it then?

You know the way out of this?

Time will carry on normally now?’

‘I should bloody hope not after you smashed up my car, Zach. Honestly, I’ve only known of one other student to do something so stupid!’

‘It’s not that stupid …’

‘It’s incredibly stupid!’

she says, getting up to pace around the room.

‘Can either of you idiots even drive?’

‘We learned from TikTok,’ Kellen says.

‘It’s surprisingly informative.’

She looks at us with utter disbelief.

‘It’s so strange, knowing I won’t remember this conversation tomorrow.

I know I’ve been in this situation with students before – they’ve told me about it afterwards, but I can’t remember any of that.

All I ever remember is the day that finally sticks.’

‘Is it really the time for a mid-life crisis, miss?’

‘An existential crisis , Kellen. This has nothing to do with me being middle-aged.’

‘What’s the difference?’

‘A mid-life crisis is when a straight white man runs off with his secretary. An existential crisis is … well … this .’ She looks back and forth between us.

‘So how many days then? How many loops? What are we talking here?’

‘Five,’ I say, counting on my fingers.

‘It’s been awful.’

Madzikanda laughs.

‘Sorry, what’s so funny?’

‘One hundred and eighty-six,’ she says, sinking back into her chair.

‘That’s how many days it took me.

One hundred and eighty-six.’

I feel the breath rush out of me.

I groan. ‘I can’t do this a hundred and eighty-six times.’

‘One time, a boy looped closer to five hundred. Said he lost count in the end. Another student did it in just three – though she always was a bit of an overachiever.’

‘So what did you have to do to get out, miss?’ Kellen asks.

‘I had to make up with a friend I’d fallen out with.’

‘That’s it?’

‘That’s it,’ she says.

‘Though it didn’t seem that simple at the time.

World-shattering, actually.

Teenage emotions are a lot to deal with.’

I try to think who Kellen and I have fallen out with.

Ethan and Tiffany perhaps?

Surely this doesn’t have anything to do with them?

They’re literally monsters.

We can’t be expected to buddy up with them.

Not after the heinous things they’ve done.

‘It’s always different, though,’ Madzikanda continues, almost like she could hear my thoughts.

‘Sometimes the solution is about friendship. Sometimes it’s romance.

Sometimes it’s about reconnecting with family or self-realization.

One year it was about overcoming addiction.

I’m glad I don’t remember the many iterations of that one.’

‘So you’re saying you don’t know what we need to do?’

Madzikanda shakes her head.

‘Nope. But this is the first time I’ve seen it happen to two people simultaneously.’

She glances between us as if something has occurred to her, but she doesn’t want to say it out loud.

‘Some years I don’t even notice anything unusual, and it’s impossible to say whether the day looped or not.

Other years the students talk to me afterwards – tell me that I helped them – but obviously I don’t remember.

Sometimes I wonder how many times I’ve looped round, year after year.’

‘Maybe that’s why you’re such a wise old owl,’ Kellen says.

Madzikanda frowns. ‘That’s the second time you’ve called me old.’

‘It was a compliment!’

‘I’m sure you thought it was a compliment …’

‘But how long has this been happening?’ I ask.

‘This school is ancient .’

‘Hard to say.’ She shrugs.

‘But you should read the yearbook – there are some very cryptic messages. Somebody in 1926 wrote about the prom they “ never thought would end ”. But perhaps I’m reading too much into it.

Maybe it was just a particularly rough night.’

‘Wait, I saw that!’ I say.

‘It was the first entry that jumped out at me!’

‘What about the other teachers?’ Kellen says.

‘Is Harrington in on it?’

‘He doesn’t have a single clue.

None of them do. I’ve hinted at it over the years, but they’re all completely oblivious.

It’s frustrating, really.

They’re teaching fractions while the fabric of reality tears down the seams on a regular basis.’

‘And yet here you are teaching PE, miss,’ Kellen says with a twinkle.

‘Do you really think that’s why I’m here?

To watch you lot puffing around the playing field?

I’m here because there’s something special in these walls.

Something that’s never been documented.

I want to stick around and see it.’

‘You should make a Netflix documentary!’ I say.

‘I’ll help you with it.

Just wait until I graduate from film school.

Imagine the money we’d make!’

She chuckles at that.

‘It’s a nice idea, Zach.

But who’s ever going to believe us?’

‘We can find proof,’ I say.

‘Interview everyone who’s been through it!

Find receipts to back up their stories!

There has to be a way to prove it, right?’

‘I’ve yet to find one,’ she says.

‘But I’m open to ideas.’

‘And it’s always prom night?’

Kellen asks.

‘It’s always prom night.

Just be glad you’re not stuck in the Covid year …’

‘Oh my God,’ I say, imagining endless days of social distancing and wearing masks.

And not the fun masquerade kind.

What a terrible prom that must have been.

‘Shaaba Singh,’ Madzikanda recalls.

‘Always said she wanted to be a doctor. She actually convinced herself that the way to break her loop was to stop the pandemic.’

‘You’re joking!’

Kellen gasps.

‘I’m one hundred per cent serious.

Eighty-six days she spent trying to find a solution.

Apparently everyone around her thought she was insane .’

‘And did she help to stop it?’ I ask.

Was she the secret mastermind behind Pfizer?

Madzikanda nods. ‘Yes, she single-handedly created the first vaccine.’

‘Really?!’ Mine and Kellen’s jaws drop in perfect synchronicity.

‘Of course she bloody didn’t!

She was seventeen, Zach.’

‘Well, I don’t know!’

I say defensively.

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

‘She realized she wanted to be a dancer,’ Madzikanda explains.

‘That was always her true passion, deep down. It was calling her parents to tell them that finally did it.’

‘That’s all it took?

A phone call?’ Kellen shakes his head.

‘And she was busy playing scientist? Actually trying to stop Covid?’

‘It always sounds easier than it really is,’ Madzikanda says with a comforting smile.

‘Maybe I should call my mum?’ I say.

I haven’t spoken to her once through all this.

‘I’m sure she’d appreciate that, Zach, but you can’t just try to copy someone else’s solution.

What happens here is always unique to the individual.

Or individuals …’

Kellen groans.

‘I still have so many questions!’

‘Well, don’t go trying to steal any more cars, OK?’

‘So you’ll give us the keys then?’

I ask cheekily.

‘No, I’m not giving you the keys.

You can’t leave. The loop won’t let you.’

‘The barrier!’ I exclaim.

Madzikanda’s eyes widen.

‘You stole my car already, didn’t you?’

‘ Maaaybe ,’ says Kellen.

She shakes her head.

‘So you already know you can’t leave then.

You’re stuck here until you do whatever it wants you to.’

‘“ It ”?’ Kellen says.

‘What’s “ it ”?’

‘The loop, or whatever causes it,’ Madzikanda replies.

‘Believe me, I tried everything . There’s no way out.

The second you breach that perimeter, you wake up back at the start of the day.’

‘But what if there’s another way?

Something you didn’t think of?’

‘Such as?’

‘Going through backwards!’

‘Tried it.’

‘Tunnelling under?’

‘Tried it.’

‘Flying out by helicopter?’

‘Do you have a secret helicopter hidden away on the school grounds that you’re not telling us about, Zach?’

‘No.’

‘And do you know how to fly a helicopter?’

‘No.’

‘Then I think we can probably put a pin in that one then, can’t we?’

Madzikanda folds her arms.

‘What if you got a helicopter for us?’ Kellen suggests.

‘I’m not getting any helicopters!

You make it sound like ordering a pizza …’

‘I could go for a pizza right now,’ he replies.

Madzikanda squeezes the bridge of her nose.

‘Listen, just trust me, OK? You can’t cheat.

You can’t escape. You’ve got to do whatever it wants you to do.

The only way out is through.’

I puff out my cheeks in frustration.

Beside me, I sense Kellen is just as annoyed.

‘So how much longer do you think we’ll be stuck here?’

‘I don’t know, Zach.

But I’m always here if you need me.

Just say the codeword.’

‘The codeword?’ Kellen asks.

She’s acting like we’re in a sci-fi movie.

‘Huckleberry.’

Kellen scratches his head.

‘Like the dog?’

‘Like the dog.’

‘You said that to me before, miss,’ I say, remembering.

‘Though I didn’t understand why at the time.’

‘I did?’

‘The very first night, after I threw fake pig’s blood all over the yearbook.’

‘You did what ?’

‘It was an accident,’ I say.

‘Harrington expelled me, chucked me out of prom, but you came after me. Said you wanted to talk about Huckleberry. Honestly, I thought you’d lost it.’

Miss Madzikanda laughs at that.

‘You were trying to help,’ I say.

‘Thanks, miss.’

‘Of course,’ she replies with a smile.

‘So,’ Kellen says, ‘if we really are stuck here, and we’re going to just loop again tonight, do you think we could actually get some pizza?’

Madzikanda sighs in disbelief.

‘I’m serious,’ he says.

‘We haven’t solved anything, so today isn’t going to stick, right?’

He leans across the table and whispers something in her ear.

Madzikanda glances back and forth between us, as if trying to figure us out.

‘Pepperoni?’ she finally says, picking up the phone.

Kellen beams.

‘Pepperoni.’

‘I can’t believe she just cancelled Capture the Flag,’ Bec says as we sit on the front lawn, where several dozen pizzas have just been delivered to the school.

When it comes to Italian cuisine, Madzikanda knows how to commit.

‘Someone said it’s the first time since the Second World War.

There must be something she’s not telling us!’

‘Who cares about house rivalry when there’s gooey cheesy goodness?’

Chase says.

‘But what about the food in the hall?’ Bec replies.

‘It’s all gonna get thrown away.’

I’d normally agree, but I’m not sure food waste is an issue in a never-ending day.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Chase says.

‘It’s really not our problem.

God bless Madzikanda is what I say!

Do you think she was always planning this for the last day?’

‘I think it was more of a spur-of-the-moment thing,’ I murmur.

‘Apparently Old Man Harrington is furious and he’s threatening to fire her,’ Kellen says, coming over.

‘Mind if I join you?’

‘Course not,’ Chase says, though he does sound a little surprised.

‘Thanks,’ Kellen says, sitting down.

We exchange a knowing look.

‘So you really broke things off with Rhys?’ Bec asks.

‘Yeah.’ He shrugs. ‘I still care about him. It just … wasn’t working.’

‘Well, for what it’s worth,’ Chase says, ‘I always thought you were too good for him. And I’ve missed having you sit with us.

You don’t belong with Hawthorn.’

‘Thanks,’ he says.

‘I just wish they wouldn’t treat me like the enemy …

Break-ups happen … It’s not like I’m the villain .’

I glance over to where Cameron and some of the rugby team are sitting.

Rhys is actually glaring .

I wish they’d just eat their pizza and mind their own business, but Tiffany is loudly declaring that she’s not having any because ‘no carbs before prom’.

She has to take the fun out of literally everything .

If only she knew that those carbs won’t even matter.

Kellen and I should find a way to get more junk food.

A healthy lifestyle is one thing we don’t need to worry about.

I keep thinking about what Madzikanda said.

The solution could be anything .

This whole thing did start with a kiss, so what if the answer really is a romance?

Not between me and Owen – but between me and someone else?

I glance over to where Cameron and the rugby team are sitting.

I can hear him complaining about someone taking the last slice.

‘I’ll be right back,’ I say, grabbing a slice and heading over.

I don’t know where the sudden spurt of confidence comes from – maybe the fact that I know this won’t stick?

Even if I embarrass myself, it doesn’t matter.

So it’s worth a shot, right?

‘Hey, Zach,’ he says as I approach.

The sun is in his eyes so he squints while he looks up at me.

Even with his face all crumpled, he’s still cute.

‘Hey,’ I say. ‘I overheard you needed an extra?’

‘My actual hero!’ he says.

‘You sure you guys have enough?’

‘We’ve got plenty,’ I say.

‘We swiped, like, four boxes.’

‘Well, thanks,’ he says, taking a bite, the cheese dripping down his chin.

Somehow he even makes that look sexy.

‘I was going to come over and talk to you, actually,’ he says.

‘There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.’

‘Oh yeah?’

‘Cameron has a crussshhhhhh …’ one of the other rugby boys sing-songs.

Cameron turns bright red.

‘Shut up!’ he says. ‘Ignore them, it’s nothing like that.’

I feel myself turning red too.

‘I mean … yeah … course not …’

A rugby ball hits Cameron in the head.

‘OK, ow,’ he says, throwing it back.

‘Maybe talk later? Away from these idiots?’

‘Sure.’ I smile as the ball hits him a second time.

‘I swear to God, I’m gonna kill you, Dan!’

he growls as I go back to join the others.

Chase is the first to raise an eyebrow.

‘What?’ I say. ‘I was just taking him a slice.’

‘Mmm-hmm,’ he says, giving me that look.

‘And how many spicy movies start with a hot boy delivering pizza …?’

‘It’s nothing like that,’ I say, secretly hoping that it is.

Maybe this really is the solution.

Could getting together with him be what I need to do to break the loop?

Clearly, finding the identity of the masked stranger was just a distraction.

A red herring to throw me off!

Though I still feel bad that Owen has unrequited feelings for me.

I can’t believe he’s been secretly gay this whole time.

Maybe that’s a part of this too.

I look over to where he’s sitting with Josh.

I wonder if he’s told him, at least?

They’ve been best friends since forever.

Maybe there’s something I’m missing?

‘ Yasssss! ’

Josh’s voice is unmistakable, his gloved hand snapping furiously at Kellen who’s just made his grand entrance.

The hateful muted black outfit is gone and he’s wearing something so much more Kellen – a flowing outfit in fiery shades of orange and striking accents of red.

His mask is the shape of curling twisting flames, and he has on these scarlet cowboy boots that pull the whole look together.

Finally I understand why he painted his nails red for that first night.

This is always what he wanted.

I’m glad he’s finally wearing it.

Josh runs over to hug him, positively bubbling with excitement.

‘You’re on fire!’

‘Ready to set this prom ablaze,’ Kellen says, twirling so we can all get a good look.

‘You had this all along?’ I say, marvelling at the fiery design.

‘It was my backup outfit,’ he says with a shrug.

‘This was the backup ? Kellen, that’s ridiculous .’

‘Well, I know that now,’ he says.

‘So you like it then?’

‘I love it,’ I say, holding eye contact with him.

‘I can practically feel the heat coming off you,’ Bec adds.

‘Ten out of ten,’ Chase agrees, smiling.

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

The news about Ethan must have broken.

‘I don’t care, Daddy!

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

!’ She violently hangs up the phone.

‘What’s happening?’ Chase says.

‘Oh God,’ I say, watching as Tiffany scans the crowd for suspects, then starts furiously marching in our direction.

But Chase didn’t mess with the poll results today, or do anything to rile her.

Why’s she suddenly trying to pin this on him again?

‘I know it was you!’ she says as she approaches.

‘Do you really think we’re that stupid?

That we wouldn’t figure it out?’

‘Leave him alone,’ Kellen snaps.

‘Chase had nothing to do with this.’

‘Chase?’ she says.

‘I’m talking about you !’

‘What?’

‘Drop the act!’ she snarls.

Everyone’s looking now.

‘Don’t even try to deny it!’

‘Why the hell do you think it was me?’

‘I don’t think it was you,’ she says, ‘I know it was you … Pretending to like Rhys just to get close to us? Just so you could swipe Ethan’s phone and steal his photos?’

‘Sorry, what the actual fuck are you talking about? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

Seriously, Tiffany? This is a new low.

Even for you.’

‘I’m not the one going around leaking naked photos of underage boys!’

‘He’s eighteen, Tiffany.’

‘And that makes it OK, does it?’

‘Oh my God,’ Kellen says, shaking his head.

‘This is ridiculous!’

‘Is it?’ she says.

‘You realize my family knows everyone in publishing, right? We’ll have proof soon enough.’

‘OK then.’ He rolls his eyes.

‘I can’t wait to see it.’

‘Oh, you will,’ Tiffany growls, stomping away from us.

‘She doesn’t actually have any proof, right?’

Bec says.

‘Of course not!’

‘I don’t think it matters if she actually has proof,’ I say.

Everyone’s still looking in our direction.

They’re whispering. Furiously typing in their phones.

This was her plan all along.

Fabricate a story and then get everyone to believe it.

‘But who actually leaked the photos then?’ Chase says.

‘I was wondering that too,’ Kellen says.

‘But it’s obvious, isn’t it?’

He looks at me, wondering if I’ve figured it out.

‘I don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner.’

We all look at him blankly.

‘It was her .’

‘Do you really think this is a good idea, Kellen?’

Prom is in full swing.

Since there was no game of Capture the Flag, the hall has been decorated in a combination of Hawthorn and Sycamore colours.

You’d think they would clash, but they actually complement each other quite nicely.

Maybe they should have just cut the toxic competition and done this in the first place?

‘I don’t think it’s a good idea,’ Kellen says.

‘I know it’s a good idea!’

We’re watching Tiffany from up on one of the balconies.

‘But if she catches us trying to steal her phone …’

‘Then what?’ He shrugs.

‘What’s the worst she can do?

Everything is temporary!

The day’s just gonna loop anyway.’

‘But what if exposing her is our objective? What if this actually works …?’

‘Then we’re free and we can worry about the consequences later!’

‘I don’t like the sound of that,’ I say.

‘Are you really sure about this?’

‘Absolutely,’ he says.

‘Whatever happens, tomorrow is not going to be tomorrow . I’m certain of it.

Do you want me to prove it?

I’ll streak right across the dance floor naked!’

He pulls a string on his costume and it opens to reveal his chest. ‘That’s how sure I am!’

‘Why is your answer to everything that you’re going to get naked?’

‘Why isn’t it yours?’

Kellen says with a grin.

‘I’m just not sure this is the best plan anyone has ever hatched,’ I say.

‘It’s not exactly stealthy .’

‘It doesn’t need to be stealthy!

Because it doesn’t matter if we get caught!’

‘What if someone stops us? What if Ethan attacks us? He already hates you, Kellen. If he thinks you’re the one who leaked those photos …’

‘He’ll be distracted!’

he says. ‘I’m telling you, this plan is infallible !’

‘Famous last words,’ I mutter as the music dies down and Mr Harrington approaches the stage.

He begins his extremely long-winded speech, and I watch closely as Tiffany moves through the crowd like a shark.

She does exactly what we expect her to do – what we know she’s going to do – forcing her phone into Owen’s hands so he can stream her big moment.

It almost seems too easy, like taking candy from a diamanté-studded baby.

‘Bingo,’ Kellen says.

‘You ready?’

‘As I’ll ever be,’ I reply, following him down the stairs and into the crowd.

Mr Harrington seems to be speaking even slower than usual, but that’s good because it gives us a little more time.

We snake through the crowd until we’re standing on either side of Owen.

I don’t love using him like this, but there’s no other way we can get Tiffany’s precious phone away from those manicured claws.

‘And so, without further delay,’ Mr Harrington says, ‘it’s my honour to announce this year’s Prom King and Queen.’

‘Prom Royalty!’ Kellen yells in sync with Josh.

‘It’s gender neutral.’

‘Oh … erm, yes,’ he says.

‘This year’s Prom Royalty …’

The crowd groans as he fumbles with the envelope.

‘Tiffany White and Ethan Clark!’

The live stream is already rolling.

We watch as Tiffany and Ethan climb up onstage.

We wait until the confetti canons burst and gold rains all around us and then …

‘Now!’ Kellen whispers, pretending to fall forward into Owen, knocking him off balance.

I snatch the phone from his fingers and tuck it into my jacket, disappearing back into the crowd before he even realizes what’s happened.

That was far too easy.