Page 19

‘Of course we care,’ I say.

‘People like Ethan shouldn’t be allowed to just throw their weight around.

Someone had to stand up to him.

Besides, allyship goes two ways, you know?

You’ve always had our back.

We’ve definitely got yours.’

‘I see that,’ he says.

‘You and Cameron? You were like a pair of queer superheroes.’

My mind wanders back to the spandex.

‘Well, let’s not get carried away.’

I laugh.

‘I guess the whole thing just got me thinking. Got me questioning a lot of things. Seeing the way you guys stick together? Stand up for one another? It made me wonder why I’ve been so scared …

why I’ve been hiding.’

‘Hiding?’ I say.

‘What do you mean hiding ?’

‘I think you know what I mean …’ He looks down at his feet for a moment and takes a deep breath before he looks up and finally says it.

‘I’m gay, Zach.’

‘Owen …’ I say, feeling the joy spreading across my face.

‘You’re serious?’

‘I’m serious,’ he says with a tentative nod.

‘Oh my God,’ I say, pulling him into a hug.

‘Owen, this is amazing!’

‘It is?’ he says, hugging me back.

‘Of course it’s amazing!’

I say, releasing him.

‘Though we’re gonna have to start recruiting for a new token straight friend.’

Owen laughs at that.

‘Who else knows?’ I say.

‘Just you,’ he answers.

‘I’ve never said it out loud before.

Not even in the mirror.’

‘You’ve really never told anyone?

Not even Josh?’

‘Not even Josh,’ he replies.

‘It seems silly now, being surrounded by all of you and still feeling like I had to hide it. I don’t know, I guess I just thought that Hawthorn would never accept me if they knew.

I don’t know why I cared so much …’

‘They’ll never accept you because they’re a bunch of assholes,’ I say.

‘It’s nothing to do with you being gay.

And I’m sorry they made you feel like that.

You don’t belong with them.

You never have. After what you did in Capture the Flag today?

You’re an honorary Sycamore for life now.

We’re the queer house.

They can keep Rhys, but you belong right here with us.’

‘Thanks, Zach,’ he says, and I can see his whole body relax a little.

Like he’s finally let go of a little bit of that tension.

That thing that’s always made him so rigid and wooden.

‘I don’t think I want to be in the closet any more,’ he continues.

‘I don’t wanna go round telling everyone individually.

I just wish I could tell everyone in one go.

Put up an Instagram post or get up onstage and make a big announcement …’

‘Do whatever feels right for you,’ I say.

‘Just don’t feel like you need to rush.’

‘But it’s the last day.

If I don’t tell people now …’

‘Tell them when you’re ready,’ I reply.

‘And not a moment sooner.’

‘OK,’ he says.

‘Thanks, Zach.’

I smile, looking up and down at his sparkling outfit.

‘You really were hiding in plain sight with this,’ I say.

‘Maybe deep down I knew,’ he says.

‘A subconscious choice to wear a rainbow?’

‘A rainbow?’ I laugh.

‘I thought it was more … iridescent .’

‘Nah,’ he says, holding his arm up so it catches in the light.

‘It’s definitely a rainbow.’

I sit with Kellen on the edge of the jetty, looking out across the water.

It feels like time is going slower this evening, like we’re finally present in the moment.

I pretend to yawn so I can put my arm round him, my heart racing as I do so.

‘Whoa, easy there,’ Kellen teases.

‘Should I be worried? You’re not going to push me in like you did Ethan, are you?’

‘You had to ruin the moment, didn’t you?

You know I almost died that night?’

‘Yeah, can’t imagine how that feels …’

He places one hand on my leg and squeezes.

My curiosity gets the better of me.

‘What did it feel like?’

Kellen hesitates for a moment, his gaze fixed on the stillness of the lake.

‘It was like … one moment I was there, and then the next I wasn’t.

But …’ He pauses for a moment and then, surprisingly, he smiles.

‘It was actually kinda nice.’

‘Nice?’ I say.

He can’t be serious.

‘You’re saying you liked it?’

‘Not exactly. I’m really happy to be here, Zach, but there was something about that place .

Maybe it was just neurons misfiring in my brain, but it was so calm there.

So still. It was like I was aware, but not exactly conscious?

And everything was all just …

dust. An eternity of endless glittering dust.’

‘ Dust? ’

‘I told you it’s hard to explain.

But being there, it felt like being …

atomic .’

‘Like a bomb?’

He laughs softly at that.

‘No, not like a bomb. Like I was just atoms. Pulled apart in the most wonderful way. It’s like I wasn’t human, not any more anyway, but part of something bigger, something immeasurable and infinite.’

I think on that for a moment.

‘Do you think maybe reincarnation could be real?’

‘What makes you ask?’

‘Well, you said you felt like you were being pulled apart. Maybe you were? Ready to be put back together into something different.’ I look at the lake for signs of life, and then spot a glint of amber sparkling just above the water.

‘Like a firefly, maybe?’

‘A firefly ?’ Kellen splutters.

‘Of all the things I could come back as, you’re choosing an insect?

Not a flying fox? A majestic moose?

A beautiful Bengal tiger?’

‘Most Bengals are born into captivity,’ I say.

‘At least as a firefly you’d be free.’

‘Until someone ends me with a swatter!’

I shake my head.

‘That’s not how people react to fireflies, though.

They make people happy.

Nobody thinks, Ew, gross, bug!

They think, Oh wow, how magical!’

I point to the flashes of green and gold.

‘You’d be bringing people joy.

Seems kinda fitting.’

Kellen fixes me with a stern look.

‘Zachary Evans, are you trying to get into my pants?’

‘What? No!’ I say, withdrawing.

‘I was just saying that –’

‘I’m teasing,’ he says, pulling me back in close to him.

My heart is thumping.

I look at him and I think this might be it.

The moment we’ve been building to.

I look down at his lips, and he does exactly the same.

‘Zach! Kellen!’ Bec calls, interrupting us.

‘Stop jerking each other off!’

Wow, Bec, way to ruin the moment.

‘Come on!’ she insists.

‘They’re about to announce Prom Royalty!’

‘Shit,’ Kellen says.

‘I completely lost track of time.’

‘Me too,’ I say.

‘You’re ready to do this then?’

‘Born ready,’ he says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek.

My skin tingles as if his lips are actually magic.

‘Let’s end the reign of Prom Queen.’

I stand with Kellen as the music dies down and the crowd start to murmur.

It’s time to carry out Kellen’s plan.

There’s so much that could go wrong, but I am utterly confident it won’t.

I feel it in the pit of my stomach.

Maybe it’s what Madzikanda said about the last day of the loop feeling different, or, I don’t know, maybe it’s just indigestion – the brie and cranberry canapés were definitely not my friend.

Can you imagine if this whole looping-day situation was just to figure out that I’m lactose intolerant?

Mr Harrington approaches the microphone and clears his throat before beginning his familiar speech.

I can parrot it word for word by now.

He clutches the same envelope as always, Tiffany and Ethan’s names tucked inside.

‘Ready, Zach?’ Kellen says, squeezing my hand.

‘As I’ll ever be,’ I reply with a smile.

‘Let’s do this.’

Tiffany is alone as we approach.

She’s ready to make her grand entrance, sipping a blood-red mocktail as she listens to Harrington’s speech.

She nods along as if deeply inspired by every word.

‘Can I help you?’ she says, keeping her eyes fixed on Mr Harrington.

‘Oh, we just came to wish you good luck,’ Kellen says with a smirk.

‘I don’t need luck,’ she replies.

‘So if you don’t mind?

I’m trying to listen.’

‘Sure,’ I say. ‘But there is just one thing we need. Before you go onstage.’

‘And what would that be?’ she says, rolling her eyes.

‘Your confession,’ Kellen says, deadpan.

Tiffany laughs. ‘And what exactly am I supposed to confess? Other than being the best dressed, of course.’ She holds up her hideous bag.

‘For that, I’m very much guilty.’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ muses Kellen.

‘How you leaked your boyfriend’s nudes, maybe?’

‘And pretended to be a boy to file that complaint about Chase,’ I add.

‘Ironic, really, that you have such an issue with trans people, and yet you then pretend to be a guy yourself?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

Her poker face is impeccable.

She doesn’t falter even slightly.

Her gaze is fixed on that golden envelope, eyes forever on the prize.

‘Why would I leak photographs of my own boyfriend anyway? Don’t you think that’s just a little bit far-fetched?’

‘Oh, it’s completely insane,’ Kellen agrees.

‘Absolutely batshit crazy.’

‘But –’ I place a hand thoughtfully on my chin – ‘a scandal like this might drive up his profile. Yours too. All publicity is good publicity – that’s what you always say, right?’

‘Are you going somewhere with this?’ Tiffany pretends to yawn.

‘How many followers have you gained today? Like, ten thousand?’

‘I don’t pay attention to that.’

She shrugs. ‘Literally couldn’t care less.’

‘Funny because I saw you checking your follower stats earlier,’ Kellen says.

‘I’m sure you must be mistaken.’

She smiles through gritted teeth.

‘Is that really all the proof you have? That I gained some new followers? I literally called up the Herald to get them to kill the story. I stopped those photos from going viral.’

‘And you did such a good job of doing that in front of everyone .’

A twitch of muscle beside her eye.

‘What exactly are you insinuating?’

‘The Herald was never going to publish the story, were they? Why would a national paper care about photos of a random teenage boy? Sure, he’s got a fair few followers, but this is not national news, Tiffany.

Even Daddy wouldn’t do that for you.’

Tiffany doesn’t say anything to that.

‘So you took the photos to a competitor, didn’t you?

The trashiest gossip magazine you could find?

And then made quite the fuss of publicly demanding that your dad “ make it go away ”.

The perfect alibi, right?’

Tiffany’s smile is so tight it might snap.

‘You really do have quite the active imagination, don’t you?’

‘Oh, without a doubt,’ Kellen says.

‘Vivid, actually. But these emails –’ he reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone – ‘don’t require any imagination whatsoever.’

‘What emails?’ Tiffany’s composure buckles as she glances down at Kellen’s phone.

‘The ones you sent to Blaze first thing this morning. From [email protected], right? We got Chase to break into your account.’

Tiffany swallows hard.

‘That’s a complete invasion of my privacy,’ she bites.

‘Just like leaking someone’s private photos?’

Kellen hits back.

She hesitates for a moment and then her lips curl upwards into a smile.

‘I think you’re forgetting one very important detail,’ she says.

‘Do you really think anyone is going to believe you over me? I’ve got our beloved headmaster right under my thumb.

He’d expel you just because I said so.

You’re nothing, and you’d do well to remember that.

You don’t even pay for your tuition.

Who cares if I leaked a few stupid photos?

Ethan should be grateful.

It’s just like you said – his followers have doubled.

I was doing him a favour.’

‘Do you really think he’ll see it that way?’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she says, ‘because he’s never going to find out.’

‘Oh, but he is,’ I say.

‘Because, returning to our original point, you’re about to get on that stage and admit to everything you’ve done.’

She snorts at the suggestion.

‘And why the hell would I do that?’

‘Because if you don’t,’ Kellen says, ‘we’re going to leak these emails to everyone .’

And that’s when Tiffany snatches the phone out of his hand.

‘No, wait!’ he says as she drops it to the floor and stamps on it, the tip of her stiletto puncturing the glass screen.

‘Fuck,’ Kellen says.

‘Well, I didn’t see that coming …’

‘That’s your problem, Kellen, you always underestimate me.’

‘Well,’ I say, ‘at least now we can get her for criminal damage as well.’

‘ Get me?’ Tiffany laughs.

‘The only thing you’re getting, Zach, is expelled.’

‘If you say so,’ I reply.

‘We didn’t actually have any proof anyway.

Chase has this moral code that prevents him from hacking into people’s emails.’

‘So you admit you made it all up then?’ Her smile grows wider and wider.

‘Just like you just admitted to everything you’ve done,’ I say.

‘But, before you go running to Mr Harrington, do you think you could do me a favour?’

‘A favour? For you?’

‘Yeah, if you could just smile for the camera. You’re live on Instagram.’

‘What camera?’ she snaps, looking at my empty hands.

‘Whose Instagram?’

‘Your Instagram,’ Kellen says, pointing behind her.

‘You’re live-streaming, remember?’

‘What?’ The colour drains from her face as she turns to see Owen – ever-obedient Owen – pointing her own phone at her, just as she’d wanted.

He gives her a little wave.

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

‘Prom Royalty!’ Kellen and I join in with Josh.

‘It’s gender neutral!’

‘Oh … erm, yes. This year’s Prom Royalty …’

‘Not now, not now,’ Tiffany mutters, turning to look around for an escape route.

‘Tiffany White and Ethan Clark!’

The spotlights find them both, illuminating them for the whole room.

Tiffany stops in her tracks, trying to regain her composure.

‘What’s the matter?’ Kellen says.

‘Don’t you want your crown?’

Her jaw clenches as she forces an agonized smile and begins walking towards the stage.

Some of the crowd are oblivious, smiling and clapping as she passes.

Others are nudging each other and whispering.

Word really travels that fast.

Tiffany reaches the stage, accepting her crown as she looks around for Ethan.

But he’s not moving.

He’s frozen in place, phone in hand, his face stony as he glares at her.

She keeps the smile stapled to her lips, gesturing for him to join her.

Phones start to appear, filming this, live-streaming this, documenting this all in glorious 4K.

Ethan finally raises his hand and flips her off before turning on his heel and heading straight for the exit.

‘Ethan!’ she calls, but he doesn’t stop.

She grabs the microphone, shouting his name a second time, the speakers screeching with deafening feedback.

She tosses her crown to the ground and chases after him, leaving Mr Harrington holding the other one.

‘Right,’ Mr Harrington says, setting the crown down again.

‘Well, I suppose nothing to see here …’

He gestures frantically to the DJ, and the music comes back on as he swiftly leaves the stage.

Gossip erupts all around us, and Kellen seizes me in the tightest of hugs.

‘We did it! We actually did it!’

‘The evil has been defeated!’ Bec celebrates, coming to join me, Chase and Kellen out by the edge of the lake.

She’s got four cups topped to the brim with God knows what.

‘I don’t know how you two pulled that off, but I’m impressed.’

‘Thanks,’ Kellen says, taking a little bow.

‘But do you think maybe it worked a little bit too well? Like, I didn’t wanna ruin her whole life or anything.’

‘She’ll bounce back,’ Bec says.

‘Have you seen the sycophants on her Instagram? They’re trying to argue that she’s somehow the victim.

They’re using #Justice4Tiffany.’

Chase snorts. ‘Yeah, I wouldn’t feel too bad for her, Kellen.

That girl has nine lives.

You just took a swipe at one of them.’

‘What about her and Ethan?’ I ask.

‘Do you think that’s the end of them?’

‘Nah,’ Bec says.

‘They’ll soon realize that they’re both as evil as each other.

They’ll be back together in a couple of hours.

Ready to breed and make devil spawn.’

‘What’s this about breeding?’

Josh says, bouncing over towards us, the bells on his jester hat jingling.

His ankle seems to have made a miraculous recovery.

‘Not planning an after-party without me, are you?’

‘An after-party with you four?’ Bec says.

‘Well, that’s one way to absolutely guarantee I won’t get laid.’

‘We’ll invite Cameron as well,’ Josh says with a twinkle.

‘How are things going? Rumour has it that a couple matching your description was spotted earlier headed for the boathouse …’

‘We were not!’ Bec protests.

‘We went for a stroll round the lake.’

‘Is that what we’re calling it now?’

he teases. ‘Well, I’m happy for you.’

He looks at Bec and then at me and Kellen.

‘Seems like everyone found their happily-ever-after.’

‘You sound disappointed,’ Chase says.

‘You know, the clock has yet to strike midnight. Was there someone you had your eye on?’

‘Maybe,’ Josh replies.

‘You guys really haven’t picked up on it?’

‘What do you mean?’ Kellen looks across at me.

Was there something we missed?

Josh looks between us before letting out a sigh.

‘Owen. I really like Owen.’

‘You have a crush on the straight boy?’ Chase says.

‘Oh, that’s rough.’

I want to correct Chase, but I know it’s not my place to out Owen.

Even now, to his closest friends.

I can’t even tell Kellen.

‘Wait,’ I say. ‘Where is Owen anyway?’

‘He’s with the banshee,’ Josh says with a shrug.

‘What?’ Kellen demands.

‘He’s with Tiffany? Why?’

‘I don’t know,’ Josh says.

‘She said there’s something private they need to discuss.

She made it sound like it was super urgent.’

Oh my God. Not again.

The prank!

‘When did this happen?’ I say, looking back at the school.

‘Like, just now? A minute ago? Why?’

‘Fuck,’ Kellen says, already on his feet.

‘She’s going after Owen!’

I cry, breaking into a run.

After everything we’ve done today, how could we be so stupid to think Tiffany wouldn’t be out for revenge?

Owen was the one who ‘ruined’ Capture the Flag, the one who live-streamed her demise.

In her eyes, he’s public enemy number one.

‘What’s going on?’ Josh says, following us into the building.

‘What’s happening?’

‘Pig’s blood!’

I pant, pointing to the top of the stairs.

‘Owen is the target!’

‘Shit,’ he says, trying to push through the crowd of heaving bodies.

It seems even busier than usual, almost like everyone’s trying to get in our way.

I look to where the bucket is hanging, and there’s Owen, standing directly beneath it, flicking idly through his phone.

Tiffany must have planted him there and gone to release the bucket.

Without Ethan’s help, she’s having to pull the whole thing off by herself.

‘Owen!’ Josh yells, finding a gap in the crowd and breaking through.

‘Owen!’

But it’s too late.

I see Tiffany up on the balcony.

She tugs the rope, and the bucket comes swinging down from the rafters.

‘Look out!’ Josh yells, pushing Owen out of the way.

Owen stumbles to his knees as Josh takes the hit himself.

He stands there, drenched, his jester’s costume ruined.

My heart sinks. We’ve really fucked up this time.

I might as well take a blowtorch and set this place on fire again.

Speed things along a little.

Just when things were going so well, now we’re gonna have to go back and do it all over again.

I understand now why Madzikanda looped so many times.

Just when you think you have all the puzzle pieces slotted together, something else falls out of place.

But then something incredible happens and Josh starts to laugh.

He doesn’t stop. He’s literally shaking with mirth, the bells on his cap jingling in time with his heaving shoulders.

Class clown right until the very end.

For a moment, Owen just looks at him, stunned.

Then he starts laughing too.

‘Oh my God. You look ridiculous,’ Owen says, catching his breath.

‘I can’t believe you did that.

You saved me!’

‘’Twas nothing,’ Josh replies, wiping the viscous liquid from his eyes.

‘’Tis but a little beetroot.’

He licks his finger.

‘And perchance a hint of cornflour?’

‘My hero,’ Owen says.

‘You know, I could actually kiss you.’

‘Oh yeah?’ Josh wiggles his eyebrows.

‘Covered in this? I dare you …’

Owen hesitates for a moment, looking around at all the eyes that are on them.

He’d told me he wanted to come out to everyone at once, but that’s easier said than done.

I’m not sure how he’s going to get out of this one.

And, it seems, neither is he.

Owen finds me in the crowd and gives me a little smile.

‘Josh, I’ve wanted to do this since forever .’

‘Huh?’ Josh says, stunned as Owen takes him by the hand.

‘Kiss me,’ Owen says, and so they do, in front of everyone.

The hall is silent for a moment as everyone does the maths.

‘ Wait, Owen is gay? ’

‘ I knew it! ’

‘ I thought they were already a couple? ’

And then someone starts cheering.

And then somebody else does too.

And, before we know it, the whole room is clapping for them .

Chase grabs the two crowns that were left behind, and places them on their heads.

Meanwhile, Madzikanda must have seen the whole thing because she triggers the rainbow confetti from somewhere behind the scenes.

‘Love is love!’ I yell as it rains down all around us.

Josh was right. It is all about context.

And that’s when I feel it.

An electricity surging through me.

The same feeling I felt when Kellen kissed me last night, but a thousand times more intense.

I look across the room to find him, and, when our eyes meet, I know he feels it too.

This was never about us.

It was always about them .

This is the feeling that we’ve been waiting for.

Madzikanda appears beside me in the crowd, clapping along with everyone else.

‘ Huckleberry ,’ I whisper, nudging her in the ribs.

Her eyes widen. ‘It’s you ?’

‘Me and Kellen.’

‘Two of you?’ she says.

‘Well, whaddya know!’

‘So you didn’t figure it out?’

‘I thought it was Josh! I’ve been saying “Huckleberry” to him all evening.’

I laugh. ‘So he now thinks you’ve lost it.’

‘Yeah, him and everyone else. Any fires this time?’

‘Just one,’ I say.

‘Do you not think the prom committee should maybe ease up on the candles next year? You know, considering the tendency of this place to regularly go up in flames?’

‘Don’t get me started,’ Madzikanda replies.

‘Do you know how many times I’ve had that conversation?

Every year I tell them, but the candles are “tradition” and none of them ever remember the school burning down, so to them it’s as if it never happened!

You see these grey hairs, Zach?

This is exactly why I have them.’

‘Well, I suppose they do set the scene,’ I say, looking around the candlelit hall, moonlight breaking through the skylight.

‘So this is it then? Your final day?’

‘I think so,’ I say, looking at my watch.

‘Just a couple of minutes left …’

‘What was it this time? A break-up? Enemies to lovers? Unresolved rivalry?’

‘All of the above,’ I say.

‘But mostly a love story.’ I nod to Josh and Owen.

‘I thought it was about me and Kellen, but it was about them all along.’

‘Well, maybe not all about them,’ she says, just as the first fireworks go shooting up into the sky, raining down in soft pinks and blues.

‘You’ve got a minute left, Zach.

Do you really want to spend it here with me?’

I look down at my watch, the second hand ticking round towards midnight, and, when I look back up at Kellen, I realize he’s looking at me too.

‘Go on,’ Madzikanda whispers.

‘Make every second count.’

‘Thanks, miss,’ I say, walking across the hall to Kellen.

He’s walking towards me too, and it feels like the crowd parts just to let us through.

‘So this is it?’ he says, reaching me.

‘We didn’t fuck it up this time?’

‘I think this is it,’ I say.

‘But, even if it’s not, I’m not sure I care.

As long as I’m stuck here with you.’

The fireworks come faster now, crackling above us.

‘Well,’ he says, ‘whatever happens …’ He offers me his hand.

‘Kiss me.’

‘You really think that’s gonna make a difference?’

‘Nah,’ he says. ‘I just want you to.’

‘See you on the other side then?’

‘Yeah.’ He leans in.

‘See you on the other side.’