Page 18

‘Prom night, baby!’

No, it can’t be …

I think of Kellen, one floor above, waking up next to Rhys.

My stomach sinks as his words replay in my mind: I can’t do it again, Zach.

‘Are you OK?’ Chase says, noticing my mood and sitting down on the bed next to me.

‘I thought you could do with a wake-up call. You missed breakfast.’

‘I know,’ I say.

‘Thanks.’

I can’t stop thinking about Kellen.

I’d convinced myself in those last moments that this was our love story, but maybe I was wrong.

What else are we still missing?

And that’s when there’s a knock at the door.

‘I’ll get it,’ Chase says, going over and pulling it open.

‘Kellen?’ he says, seeing him standing there wearing nothing but a pair of oversized basketball shorts.

They’re so big on him that he’s having to hold them up with one hand.

‘Hey,’ he says. ‘Is Zach there?’

‘Yeah,’ Chase replies, stepping aside and letting Kellen into the room.

‘I grabbed the first thing I could find,’ he says, pulling on the waistband of his shorts.

I smile at that. ‘But you’re OK?’

‘I am now,’ he says.

‘You were right, Zach. You were always right. Rhys is an asshole. And I made sure to tell him that.’

‘Wait,’ Chase interrupts.

‘So you and him …?’

‘We broke up.’

‘Oh,’ Chase says.

‘Shit. I’m so sorry.’

‘Don’t be,’ Kellen says.

‘We were over a while ago, really. We’ve just been going round and round in circles.’

He shoots me a wink as he says it.

‘Well, for what it’s worth,’ Chase says, ‘I always thought you could do better.’

‘Yeah … I definitely can,’ he replies.

‘That’s why I’m here, actually.

I was kinda hoping you’d be here to witness this.’

‘To witness what?’ Chase looks utterly lost.

‘Me asking Zach to go to prom with me.’

‘Huh?’ I say stupidly as Kellen turns in my direction.

‘I know you felt it, Zach. Last night, when we …’

‘Last night?’ Chase shakes his head.

‘Zach was with me and Bec all night.’

‘There’s a lot I need to explain,’ I say.

‘So …’ Kellen says. ‘Would you? Be my date?’

‘Of course,’ I reply.

‘I’d love to.’

The car alarm sounds from outside, almost as if in celebration.

Chase looks back and forth between us for a moment and smiles.

‘Well,’ he says, ‘I am so confused, but also completely on board with all of this. Me and Bec were starting to think you two idiots would never figure this out.’

‘What do you mean?’ Kellen asks.

‘Zach has had the biggest crush on you for ages!’ Chase laughs.

‘I haven’t!’ I protest, but then I hear the sound of Kellen’s laugh, and I realize how completely and totally right Chase is.

There’s no point in denying it any longer.

Of course I have a crush on Kellen.

How could I not have a crush on Kellen?

‘Well, I feel like you two lovebirds could do with a minute,’ Chase says.

‘So I’m gonna get some lunch.

Can I tell Bec? I can’t wait to tell Bec!’

‘Sure,’ Kellen says.

‘As long as you’re OK with that, Zach?’

‘Yeah,’ I reply as Chase slips out of the room, clicking the door shut behind him.

‘So we’re really doing this?’

I ask as the two of us are finally alone.

‘It’s just a date,’ Kellen says, coming to sit next to me, his hand brushing against mine.

‘It’s what Madzikanda said, right?

We have to give the day what it wants?’

‘But if this really was about us, then why are we still here? If we already … kissed?’

‘We’re not counting that as a kiss.

Your lips grazed mine for about half a millisecond, Zach.’

‘So you think we should do it again then?’

‘I’m not that easy!’

He jumps up before I can get too close.

‘A date. That’s what we’re doing.

We’re not rushing through this just to break some spell.

Yesterday was a mess, Zach.

Maybe it just wants us to do it properly?

To have the perfect day?

Together? Madzikanda said we’d know when it was the final day, right?

And I feel that now.

Deep down, I know that this is it.

Don’t you?’

‘Honestly?’ I hesitate.

‘I don’t think I do …’

‘Oh …’

‘No,’ I say.

‘It’s not that I don’t want this to be our final day.

Of course I do. Being asked to prom by you, Kellen?

That was perfect. It’s just …

I don’t know if I feel it yet?

That feeling you’re describing.

It’s like everything doesn’t quite make sense.

Almost like I still have unfinished business?’

‘OK,’ Kellen says.

‘I’m listening …’

‘I still don’t know who kissed me.

On that first night.

The person in the mask.’

‘So you figured out it wasn’t Owen then?’

That brings me up short.

‘You mean … you knew ?’

‘I wasn’t sure.’

Kellen sighs. ‘Not a hundred per cent anyway. But yeah, I suspected. It … it was his room-mate, right? That’s who the suit belonged to?’

‘I think so,’ I say.

‘But I still don’t know who that is.’

Kellen gives me a tight smile.

‘Think about it, Zach. Really think about it. How come I had a key to their room? Why would I have that?’

‘I don’t know,’ I say.

‘I just assumed you swiped it.’

He shakes his head.

‘You know how Rhys usually sleeps in my room?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Where do you think his actual room is?’

‘Oh my God,’ I say.

‘You mean … No, it can’t be …’

‘It is, Zach. I suspected it from the very first time we went in there.’

‘Then why didn’t you say something?

!’

‘Because if I said it out loud, that would have made it real.’

‘So it was Rhys who kissed me?’ I wipe my mouth with disgust. ‘But why? Why the change of clothes? Why any of this?’

‘That first night? When he broke up with me? I was so upset that I threw the entire punchbowl all over him. Completely ruined his outfit.’

Now he says that, I do remember seeing the bowl on the ground just before the pig’s blood incident.

I didn’t think anything of it until now.

‘So he went to change, then ran into me on the way back down? And thought what? That he could use me as his rebound? This whole time I thought it was some big romantic moment? And it was just … this ?’

‘I don’t like it any more than you do, but yeah .’

‘Kellen, I’m so sorry.

You know I would have never –’

‘I know, Zach. But he would. In fact, I think he’s always secretly had a crush on you.’

‘What makes you think that?’

‘How could he not? Have you seen yourself, Zach? You’re beautiful.

Josh. Cameron. Rhys.

I think Chase is just about the only queer kid at this school who hasn’t had a crush on you.’

He takes out his phone.

‘There’s also this. The school poll.

Someone voted you for hottest boy, but it wasn’t Cameron, or Josh, or Owen.

It was Rhys. It had to be.’

‘How can you be so sure?’

‘Because look,’ he says, scrolling through the results.

Kellen Thomas – 0 votes.

‘He never loved me, Zach. And you know what? I’m fine with that.’

I pause to take this all in.

‘Well, for what it’s worth,’ I finally say, ‘I should have voted you for hottest boy. And if I could go back and change my vote, I’d do it in a heartbeat.’

‘You could get Chase to change the results again?’

I groan.

‘Don’t even joke.’

‘I’d quite like to change my vote too,’ he says.

‘Voting for Rhys? It seems silly now.’

‘It’s not silly,’ I say.

‘You were in love.’

‘Nah,’ he says.

‘I don’t think I was, actually.

Not really. I was in love with the idea of him.

Of being in a relationship with the hottest guy in school.

But real love? I think that’s something different.

We’re just starting out, but …

I was kinda hoping we could maybe try to find it together?

It’s you I want, Zach.

I only wish I hadn’t waited until the last day of school to realize that.

We might get out of this mess today.

But even if we don’t?

Even if we have to go round a hundred more times?

I don’t care if we’re stuck here forever because I get to be stuck here with you.’

‘Mind if we join you?’ I ask as Kellen and I approach Bec and Chase at lunch.

‘So it’s true!’ Bec says.

‘You two are actually ? I almost didn’t believe him …’

‘Why would I lie?’ Chase laughs.

‘I don’t know,’ Bec says.

‘You are prone to exaggeration …’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘You know what that’s supposed to mean ,’ she says, raising an eyebrow.

‘Sorry about Rhys,’ she adds to Kellen.

‘You really are better off without him, though.’

‘I know,’ he says, looking at me and smiling.

‘Well, for what it’s worth,’ Chase says, ‘I’m glad you’ve come back.

From the dark side, that is.’

He nods over to Hawthorn.

‘We’ve missed you sitting with us.’

‘You have?’

‘Course,’ he says, tapping the seat next to him.

As Kellen sits, I spot Owen across the room.

He’s oblivious to what’s about to happen.

He’s been silently putting up with Hawthorn’s bullshit this whole time, letting them walk all over him.

No wonder he feels like he can’t stand up to them.

And what’s worse is that nobody has stood up for him either.

I see Ethan whispering to the rest of Hawthorn, and I know what I need to do.

‘Think fast!’

Ethan is standing and taking aim, but I’m prepared this time, and I’m already running across the hall.

As he hurls the ball towards Owen, I manage to intercept it just in time, smacking it down with my outstretched hand.

Maybe I can do sport after all!

The ball goes crashing back into their table, sending food spattering over the entirety of the Hawthorn Elite.

Tiffany screams as if she’s had actual pig’s blood thrown over her.

‘I’m gonna fucking kill you!’

Ethan says, slamming his fist down on the table, his face dripping with carbonara.

My fight-or-flight instinct kicks in and for some reason I pick fight .

‘Let’s go then!’ I say, standing my ground as Ethan thunders towards me.

‘Zach, what are you doing?’ Owen cries.

‘What I should have done a long time ago,’ I reply, clenching my fists.

I’ve never thrown a punch in my life, but everyone knows that bullies always back down if you stand up to them.

That is what everyone says, right?

At least that’s what I’m banking on.

‘You little prick,’ Ethan says, grabbing me by the collar.

Not much backing down going on here.

I flinch and close my eyes.

‘Get off him,’ someone says, intercepting the blow.

I open my eyes to see Cameron on his feet now too.

‘I am so sick of seeing you pushing people around. Every fucking day it’s the same.

At least this time you had a taste of your own medicine.’

‘Sit down, Cameron,’ Ethan says.

‘This is none of your business.’

‘Isn’t it?’

he says, squaring up to Ethan.

‘You made it my business when you chose to pick on people I care about.’

‘What?’ Ethan says, releasing my collar and staring at me and Owen with genuine bafflement.

‘These two? That’s who you’re siding with?

Over your own flesh and blood?’

‘Being my brother doesn’t give you a free pass to act like an asshole.’

The twins are face to face now, and a couple of people have taken out their phones to film the inevitable fight.

Just when I think Ethan’s about to throw a punch, Miss Madzikanda strides into the room.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa!’ she says, immediately picking up on the tension and rushing over to separate the two brothers.

‘What’s going on here?’

‘He’s being a fucking prick, miss,’ Cameron says.

‘As always.’

‘Language,’ she says.

‘You’re not arguing about Huckleberry, are you?’

‘What?’ they both say in unison.

It takes all my strength not to laugh.

‘Never mind,’ she says.

‘Ethan, you’re Hawthorn, Cameron, you’re Sycamore, so whatever dick-measuring contest you have going on here, you can take it to the playing field.’

She drops the box of bandanas down on to the table.

‘How about team captains?’

Cameron and Ethan look at each other for a moment, as if unsure whether to accept.

‘I’m down,’ Cameron says, taking the blue bandana.

Ethan grumpily takes the red.

‘And two girls?’ Madzikanda says.

Bec’s and Tiffany’s hands go up before she can even finish the sentence.

‘Well, that’s settled then,’ she says.

And, just like that, we’re back with our original team captains.

Everything has come full circle.

But this time something feels different.

This time something tells me we’re not going to lose.

I want to hold Kellen’s hand as we walk through the woods.

It’s all I can think about, his fingers just centimetres away from mine, but even after everything I’m still too nervous to do it.

But just having him walk alongside me feels special.

The birdsong seems louder than usual, and it’s almost as if there’s an added spring in Cameron’s step as he leads us to our base.

Bec is smiling as she watches him waving the flag.

She’s probably always looked at him that way – it seems obvious today – but it’s only now I’m really noticing it.

‘So I was thinking,’ I say, once Kellen and I are finally alone, ‘what if we just go and hide? Stay out of everyone’s way?

Remember that day out on the lake?

Sycamore actually won without us being there.’

‘Wait, wait, wait,’ Kellen says.

‘After Cameron stood up for you in front of the whole school, you wanna abandon our team and, what, go sunbathing?’

‘ What? No!’ I say.

‘I just think they have a better chance without us.’

‘They almost definitely do,’ Kellen says.

‘We know they do, in fact. But where’s the fun in that?

There’s more to life than winning, Zach.’

‘I thought you hated Capture the Flag?’

‘Maybe it’s grown on me.’

He shrugs. ‘Besides, I know how we can win this.’

‘You do? How?’

‘Isn’t it obvious?’

Kellen grins. ‘We just need to stop Ethan from cheating.’

‘But we’ve already tried that.

It didn’t work.’

Kellen chuckles.

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

‘So you do listen to me.’

‘You talk a lot of nonsense, Zach. But occasionally some sense.’

‘So you really think we can win?’

‘I dunno,’ Kellen says.

‘But we can at least have fun trying.’

‘And then what?’ I ask.

‘Even if we beat them, all we get is a few lousy banners hanging in the hall. Tiffany still gets away with everything.’

‘Not if I have anything to do with it,’ Kellen says with a smirk.

‘So you have a plan then?’

‘Course. Don’t I always?

You just have to promise not to be all Zach about it.’

‘Fine,’ I say. ‘Against my better judgement, I trust you. Just tell me what I need to do …’

‘They’re coming!’

It’s Ethan, pretending to be his brother again.

Kellen and I are ready and waiting.

‘They’re coming!’ he repeats.

It’s actually pretty comical seeing him acting out this whole charade again with us knowing everything.

‘Their whole team.’

‘What?’ I say, doing my best job of feigning surprise.

‘ Their whole team?! ’

Kellen looks at me as if to tell me I need to work on my acting skills.

‘Their whole team,’ Ethan repeats, bouncing on his heels, clearly having not picked up on it.

Kellen and I pretend to be distracted, and patiently wait for him to try and snatch the flag.

I watch him out of the corner of my eye until …

‘Yoink!’ Ethan darts in to grab the flag, but this time I’m ready.

I charge him at full speed, knocking him to the ground before he can run even half a metre.

‘Got him!’ I yell as Kellen stands over the two of us.

‘Get off me, gay boy,’ Ethan says, squirming away from me.

‘Good job, Zach,’ Kellen says, offering me his hand to help me up.

‘That’s what he gets for underestimating us.’

Ethan smirks. ‘If a tree falls in the woods and there’s nobody around to hear it …’

‘What?’

‘Nobody’s ever going to believe you two managed to tag me.’

Kellen shrugs. ‘And yet we did.’

‘Did you, though?’ Ethan snatches the flag and is up on his feet again.

‘You’re out,’ Kellen yells after him.

‘You can’t do that!’

‘Watch me,’ he says, running for the treeline.

It’s hopeless. I can’t believe we’re going to lose this game again .

At least that’s what I think.

But Kellen is running like I’ve never seen him run before.

Like some kind of miracle, he tackles Ethan and rips the flag from his fingers.

‘That’s twice,’ Kellen says, clutching the flag in his fist. He looks like he actually might swing for Ethan if he dares to try and take it from him.

Ethan grumbles something under his breath before sulking off back to the Hawthorn base.

‘What was that ?!’ I demand.

‘I’ve never seen you move so fast.’

‘I have no idea.’ Kellen laughs.

‘I just couldn’t let him get away with it.

Not this time.’

‘You’re incredible,’ I say, and I want to lean in and kiss him.

But the butterflies are swirling so intensely in my stomach that I can’t bring myself to do it.

‘Come on,’ he says. ‘Let’s get this flag back to base.’

We reattach the flag and stand guard, eyes like hawks as we scan the woodland for the enemy.

We’re in brand-new territory in this loop now; whatever happens, happens.

It’s quiet for a while until Tiffany finally makes an appearance.

‘You stopped Ethan?’ She laughs.

‘I’m actually embarrassed for him.’

‘Don’t think we won’t stop you as well,’ I say.

‘Nobody is taking this flag from us!’

Just as I say it, someone runs out from the trees and snatches it.

For fuck’s sake , I think.

Now I look like an idiot.

But then something softens the blow a little.

It’s not Ethan. It’s Owen.

‘What are you doing?’ Tiffany screeches.

Evidently this wasn’t part of her plan.

‘I’m tired of sitting on defence,’ he says, running past her.

‘I’m just as capable as anyone else.

I’m tired of you underestimating me.’

Wow. Go, Owen. I’m so impressed that I almost forget we should be stopping him.

Then I remember, and run after him, but he’s quick.

Really quick, in fact.

There’s no way I can catch him.

And, deep down, a part of me doesn’t want to.

We reach the treeline and he sprints out into the open, heading for the hill.

Blue bandanas appear to try and stop him, but he ducks and dives and manages to stay just beyond their reach.

Out of breath, I give up chasing him, doubling over as I watch Josh barrelling down the hill, Hawthorn’s red flag trailing in the wind behind him.

It’s Josh against Owen now, two best friends pitted against each other.

Whatever happens, I’m seeing this as a win.

And that’s when Ethan ruins it.

Coming in fast from the left, he trips Josh and sends him toppling forward, and, just as he snatches back the Hawthorn flag, I see him stamp down on Josh’s ankle.

The yelp of pain from Josh is so harrowing it makes everyone stop in their tracks.

I look for Madzikanda, she wouldn’t let him get away with that, but she’s way over the other side of the playing field.

She didn’t see anything.

I glance back at Owen, but he’s also stopped in his tracks, a look of worry falling over him as he stares in Josh’s direction.

He’s so close to scoring, just a few metres away.

‘Fuck this,’ he says, throwing the flag to the ground and running back to his friend.

‘And that’s time!’ Madzikanda blows her whistle.

‘We have ourselves a tie!’

‘Any news on Josh?’ I say as Cameron pushes into the locker room behind me.

I didn’t feel the need to avoid being in here with him today.

I don’t feel as awkward as I did before.

That was just a few loops ago now, but so much has changed since then.

‘Miraculously, nothing’s broken,’ he says.

‘Though I swear I heard something snap.’

‘Me too,’ I say, recalling the sound of that ungodly yelp.

‘And your brother?’

‘They’ve let him off with a warning,’ Cameron says sourly.

‘I think Madzikanda suspected foul play, but he swears that it was an accident, and Harrington actually believes him.’

‘Or chooses to believe him,’ I say.

‘Exactly.’ He sighs.

‘I quit the twinstagram, though.’

‘Really?’

‘Really, Zach. I don’t want anything to do with it any more.

I’ve been thinking about quitting for a while, and after seeing what Ethan did to Josh today?

I don’t know why I let myself be attached to him for so long.’

He pauses and reaches into his pocket.

‘And look.’ He shows me his phone.

‘I started my own account.’

I take the phone and look at the profile.

There’s just one picture of him smiling.

Under his own name. No mention of being a twin.

‘But what about all your followers?’ I say, looking at the big fat 0 that shows he doesn’t have a single one.

‘They’ll come,’ he says.

‘Or they won’t. Who cares?

I must admit that I don’t like seeing that zero, though.

Do you think you could fix it for me?

Be my first follower?’

‘I’d love to be,’ I reply, taking out my phone and turning the 0 into a 1.

‘Thanks.’ He beams, watching.

‘On my way to fame already!’

He pulls his T-shirt off and starts getting undressed.

And it’s weird because just a few days ago his bare torso rendered me practically unable to speak, but now it’s different.

I can still see that he’s hot – I mean, you’d have to be blind – but without feeling the need to impress him, it’s almost like I can relax.

‘You OK?’ he says, pausing before taking off his shorts.

‘You look kinda spacey.’

‘Sorry, I was just daydreaming.’

‘Daydreaming, huh?’ he says with a laugh.

‘I get it. If I was in the girls’ locker room, I don’t think I’d be able to form sentences …’

‘But you like guys too, right?’

‘Yeah,’ he says, looking directly at me.

‘But it’s different.

I’ve got used to you lot.

Showering with a bunch of messy boys twice a day kinda ruins the mystique.’

‘Right? That’s what I keep telling Bec.

She doesn’t see the sweaty socks and the muddy towels.

She thinks every time I step in here, I’m living every gay boy’s fantasy!’

‘Are you saying I’m not the fantasy?’

He smirks and flexes, and, sweet Jesus, those abs, but …

‘I used to think so,’ I say, surprised by my own candour.

‘But then …’

‘Kellen?’

‘Yeah,’ I say with a smile.

‘That boy has done a number on me.’

‘I know how that feels,’ Cameron says, exhaling and sitting down on the bench.

‘I’m jealous, honestly.

I’ve been trying to build up the courage to talk to someone for so long …’

‘You mean Bec?’ I ask, sitting down next to him.

He looks surprised. ‘Is it really that obvious?’

‘Nah,’ I say.

‘It was just a hunch. But I think I might be able to help.’

‘Really?’ His eyes light up.

‘Really,’ I say. ‘You’re just gonna have to trust me.’

‘So you and Kellen?’ Chase says as I walk back into our dorm room.

He’s sitting in his usual spot on the window sill.

I guess it’s the first time we’ve really been alone together since the start of the day.

‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘I know it all seems a bit sudden.’

‘Not really.’ He smiles.

‘I’m honestly surprised it took you this long.’

‘He was with Rhys.’ I shrug.

‘I wasn’t about to go after a guy with a boyfriend.’

‘I know,’ Chase says.

‘I’m just saying I’m glad it’s finally happened.

Truly.’

‘Thanks,’ I say.

‘Me too.’

Chase peers out of the window.

‘What on earth is Bec doing?’

‘Huh?’ I say, pretending to be surprised by the sight of her scaling the fire escape.

She disappears from view for a moment and I wait for the sound of her knock.

‘What was that? You’re like an Asian Lara Croft.’

Chase laughs, pulling her in.

‘You’re not supposed to be up here.

What if someone sees you?’

‘That’s why I took the fire escape,’ she replies.

‘Anyway, what’s the big deal?

It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been in the boys’ dorm …’

‘It isn’t?’

I smile, remembering the first time we had this conversation.

‘She hooked up with Jacob remember? And Kyle!’

‘Exactly,’ she says.

‘At least Zach pays attention.’

‘I do pay attention!’ Chase protests.

‘Anyone you’ve got your eye on this evening?’

‘It doesn’t matter.

It’s not like it’s gonna happen.

Apparently I’m too intimidating .’

‘Who said that?’ Chase looks annoyed again.

‘That’s what all the boys say about me.

They call me the praying mantis .’

‘The females eat the males after having sex with them?’ I say, playing along.

‘Exactly. They use them and then mercilessly rip them apart.’

‘Well, as far as nicknames go,’ Chase says, ‘that is kinda iconic.’

‘I guess,’ she says with a sigh.

‘But now none of them dares ask me to prom. Is it so much to ask for some guy to knock on the door with a big bouquet of flowers?’

As before, she looks at the door as if she expects it to happen.

Except this time there’s the sound of a double knock.

Chase opens it to reveal Cameron standing there, holding a big bunch of freshly picked flowers.

They’re looking a little worse for wear, but it’s the thought that counts.

‘Typical,’ Bec says with a laugh.

‘Of course you get flowers, Zach! You see! The universe is mocking me!’

‘I don’t think they’re for me,’ I say.

‘Cameron knows I’m with Kellen.’

‘He’s right,’ Cameron says, shifting awkwardly from side to side.

‘They’re actually for you.’

‘What?’ Bec replies, confused, glancing across at me.

She knows I’m with Kellen now, but I can see she’s still hesitant after all the months I’ve been mooning over Cameron.

I smile and give her a nod to tell her it’s OK.

‘You actually bought me flowers?’

‘I picked them,’ Cameron says, holding them up like a toddler who’s proud of their art project.

‘I got, like, thirteen bee stings, but it was worth it.’

‘You braved the bees for me?’

‘The whole hive.’ He beams.

Bec laughs at that.

‘But I’m confused. How did you even know I was up here?’

‘Where else were you gonna be? You’re always with these two.’

‘He’s not wrong,’ I say, and then there’s a slightly awkward pause.

‘ Sooo? ’ I finally add, giving Cameron the gentle nudge he needs.

‘Oh shit, yeah,’ he says, like a true gentleman.

‘So, Bec, do you wanna like … go to prom with me?’ Absolutely smashed it out of the park.

Bec’s entire body seems to light up at the question.

‘I’d love to,’ she says.

‘I thought you’d never ask.’

It wasn’t exactly what I had been hoping for this morning, but walking into prom and seeing it decorated in both Hawthorn and Sycamore colours feels right.

Everything just seems brighter, bolder, more magical now.

Like everything is exactly as it should be.

It took all my strength not to call out Tiffany while she paraded around, pretending to be angry about Ethan’s photo leak.

It was hard to listen to her screaming at her father to ‘ make it go away! ’ – she deserves an Oscar for that one – but I have full faith that Kellen’s plan will work.

She’s absolutely not gonna get away with any of it.

‘I told you not to get any Sycamore banners in the background!’ she scolds Ethan as she flicks through the six hundred photos he’s just taken of her.

‘Do them again!’

‘Wow,’ Bec says.

‘She really cares about this, doesn’t she?

I honestly feel a bit bad for her.

It’s just a few bits of fabric …’

I laugh at that.

‘You? Having empathy for Tiffany? Never thought I’d see the day.’

‘I wouldn’t call it empathy ,’ Bec says.

‘More like … pity.’

‘Well, whatever it is, it’s more than she deserves.’

‘Yearbook?’ Kellen says.

‘I wanna be the first to leave a message.’

‘Sure.’ I follow him.

‘What are you gonna write? Zach and Kellen 4eva ?’

‘Forever? I was thinking this was more of a one-night thing,’ he teases, picking up the pen and twirling it between his fingers.

I put a hand to my chest in mock outrage.

‘So you’re not going to get onstage and propose to me later?’

‘OK, wow,’ Kellen says.

‘That was a low blow, Zach. Didn’t know you had it in you.’

‘There’s a lot about me you don’t know,’ I say, plucking the pen from his fingers.

‘Oh yeah?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Well, I know you hate breaking the rules, you like movie soundtracks better than pop music, and you’ve convinced yourself that the cat from Tom and Jerry is the victim …’

I laugh at that.

‘You really pay attention.’

‘Course I do,’ he says.

‘It’s my superpower.’

‘You would look good in a superhero outfit,’ I say, my mind wandering as I imagine him in tight-fitting spandex.

‘Just call me Miles Morales,’ he says with a grin.

We really need to spend Halloween together.

‘So go on then.’ Kellan nods at the yearbook.

‘Either write something or give me back that pen.’

I look down at the open yearbook, thinking for a moment before scribbling something down.

‘ To a night that was fire ,’ Kellen says, reading my message.

‘You have such a twisted sense of humour, you know that? You do realize I died , right?’

‘Oh, don’t be so dramatic,’ I say.

‘I brought you back to life.’

‘Fine,’ he says, taking the pen from me.

‘ To a prom that was to die for ,’ he reads out loud as he writes.

‘You’re such an idiot.’

I laugh. ‘Do you not think maybe we should write something useful? Something that could help the next person?’

‘Because all those before us were oh-so-helpful? Besides, where’s the fun in that?’

‘So this was fun, was it?’

‘Are you telling me it wasn’t?

Madzikanda was right, Zach.

I think this just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to us.

When else are you going to get to kick down a door?

Or steal a car? Or streak naked in front of everyone!’

‘For the record, I never streaked naked. That was entirely you.’

‘It’s not too late,’ he says with a wicked little grin.

‘I think maybe you’re right, though,’ I say, looking around the hall.

‘Maybe we should have broken a few more rules …’

‘Oh, now you want to break the rules! Where was this energy three days ago?’

‘Well, it’s not too late.

Maybe we could go round a couple more times?

Mess things up a little.

I could drive a bulldozer into the building, set all the fireworks off at once …’

‘Go and wrestle the bear?’

‘There is no bear!’ I laugh.

‘Well, that reminds me,’ Kellen says.

‘Did you ever check what Madzikanda wrote?’

‘No?’ I reply, turning the pages.

‘What year is she again? Like, 1972 or something?’

‘Ninety-eight.’ Kellen laughs.

‘Take a look.’

I turn through the pages, scanning the various entries until I find it, the only entry without a signature, inscribed in her beautiful handwriting at the bottom of the page.

To joyrides, broken headlights and stealing the headteacher’s car.

My jaw drops.

‘She said there was only one student to ever try something so stupid,’ Kellen says.

‘And she gave us such a hard time for it!’ I exclaim.

‘Unbelievable!’

‘I guess we have a lot more in common than we think.’

‘Who do you have a lot in common with?’ Owen says, startling us.

‘Madzikanda,’ I say.

‘Apparently she was a real rebel back in the day.’

‘Oh, because of the stolen car?’ he says with a laugh.

‘ What? ’ I say. ‘How could you possibly know about that?’

‘I thought everyone knew that,’ he says with a shrug.

Kellen laughs. ‘Are you going to write something, Owen?’

‘I want to,’ he says.

‘But I went near the book with my drink earlier and Harrington nearly had an aneurism. I’m honestly surprised he takes it out of the cabinet for even one night a year.’

‘I might pretend to spill something on it,’ I say.

‘Just to get a reaction.’

‘Don’t even joke,’ Owen replies.

‘He’d expel you on the spot.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ I say, remembering when that actually happened.

‘Well, I’m running kinda empty anyway,’ Owen says, the ice rattling around in his cup.

‘You wanna get a refill, Zach? There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.’

‘Oh,’ I say. ‘I mean, sure. You don’t mind, Kellen?’

‘Course not,’ he says, studying the yearbook.

‘I wanna see what other secrets are in here anyway.’

‘Aren’t you bored of secrets yet?’

‘Never,’ he says with a wicked grin as I follow Owen to the punchbowl.

‘Well, speaking of secrets,’ Owen says, starting to fill up our cups, ‘I haven’t stopped thinking about what you guys did this morning.

Standing up for me like that?

I guess I never realized you actually cared.’