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Reflected green light glistened from the mirror ball.

I watched it slowly spin, staring upward as Kennedy concealed my nearly healed black eye.

The last two hours were spent decorating—streamers and inflatable arches, balloons and the green carpet rolled out, curtains of twinkling lights and sprinkled confetti.

We’d thrown everything Mom had used for the shop at the library’s third floor.

And if anyone happened to walk in, they would have thought we were having a prom instead of an illegal Pride.

“This place is legit fire,” I said in appreciation.

“How many people do you think will show up?” Kennedy asked, standing back to check her work.

“Maybe double what we had last time,” I answered as she picked out a tube of red lipstick from my backpack.

Between the new followers and the messages from other businesses already offering their spaces for next weekend, word had spread.

There was a good chance tonight would be even bigger than last Saturday.

A good chance I might see Mason again too.

Flutters rioted in my stomach at the thought as Kennedy painted my lips.

I still hadn’t replied to his message. Still hadn’t decided if I would Z-step him.

I glanced at Sawyer on the other side of the table.

Explosions reverberated from her phone’s speakers as she played the X-Men gaming app.

She was already dressed in her Captain Jaymes Catz army uniform, fake beard glued down and a bald cap in place.

Kennedy matched his girlfriend, Ava Daise, perfectly in the scarlet bodysuit and faux-ruby diadem adorning her twist braids.

And she matched the way Ava longingly gazed at the captain too.

If all went to plan, Sawyer and Kennedy would be girlfriends by the end of the night.

“Who are you supposed to be exactly?” Kennedy asked after she’d finished.

“Zelda Fitzgerald,” I explained, and struck a pose.

The pearlescent beads of the too-snug dress glistened in the light, paired with the jewelry from Mom.

I was feeling myself. If only I’d been able to find heels that fit instead of my sneakers.

“She’s not a character, but she played one as the first American flapper during the nineteen twenties.

” A moment of silence passed as Kennedy stared at me, and I rolled my eyes.

“I know you’re gonna say the same thing Cohen did, that you forgot I used to be smart. ”

“He’s in his asshat era,” she said with her nose scrunched up. “I was gonna say your headband is askew.”

“Oh,” I said, reaching for my phone on the table.

“Sorry that Co is being a dick to you. To be fair, he’s been dickish ever since last Saturday.”

“It’s been longer than that,” I muttered under my breath as I launched the front-facing camera.

“Where is he at tonight anyway?” Sawyer asked without looking up from her game.

“He said something about college essays,” Kennedy explained. “He’s worried about applications for early admittance, so he’s being extra. ”

Of fucking course he’s worried about the future.

I rolled my eyes, adjusting the headband, and checked Kennedy’s work. The makeup really pulled together the look. Darkened brows, bright-red lips, rose blush. I’d even shaved what little stubble I had.

“Thanks for the makeover,” I said. “This is perfect.”

“You’re welcome,” Kennedy replied, putting the lipstick in my backpack. She made a noise in her throat, a hmm, and tilted the bag toward me. “What are these?”

I smirked when I saw the truck parts I’d stashed for safekeeping. “Those are spark plugs,” I explained. “They ignite the combustion of air and fuel in an engine. Without them, it won’t run.”

Kennedy blinked in confusion, and then Sawyer inhaled sharply. “Oh my god,” she said, the game forgotten as she gawked at me. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

“You’ll have to be more specific,” I said, my smirk now a full-on evil grin.

“What did I miss?” Kennedy asked.

“Zeke’s dad had a meltdown when he and Mayor Shithead were leaving The Cove and couldn’t get his truck cranked.”

“You didn’t,” Kennedy gasped.

“Spark plugs are easy to take out if you know how to do it,” I offered. “And I know how to do it, so…”

Sawyer burst out laughing, her fake beard wobbling as she shook her head.

“They had to have it towed and called a taxi to pick them up. You should have seen him marching around, opening the hood like he knew what he was doing,” she managed to say between snickers.

“I watched the whole thing from the host desk, and it was so damn preposterous in the best way possible.”

“How dreadfully embarrassing for him,” I said with a soft chuckle.

Taking the spark plugs out had been easy with the emergency tool kit under the driver’s seat.

The JACass better be grateful I didn’t drive it into a ditch.

Because that thought had crossed my mind, but I’d decided to give him a minor inconvenience he couldn’t solve instead.

It was a surefire way to get under his skin.

“Do you think he’ll know it was you?” Kennedy asked, her cherry lips still parted in awe.

“That’s the plan.”

“No offense,” Sawyer wheezed, “but I hope. To god. I’m working on your birthday. So I can witness even more of his preposterousness. When you both return to the scene of the crime.”

“Birthday dinner with him? I think the fuck not.” I grimaced and shook my head roughly.

The last time we’d all been together at The Cove was to discuss joint custody, and it’d ended with Mom in tears.

“I would rather have Billy ‘Lightning’ Peak, the second -best pitcher on the Wildcats, punch me repeatedly in the dick than sit through a dinner with them fighting again.”

“Melodramatic much?” she teased, laughter subsiding. “I know how much you love your penis, so definitely don’t do that. Because I’d have to hear you complain for…” She looked to Kennedy. “How long do you think it’d take for a bruised penis to heal?”

“The hell would I know?” Kennedy retorted.

“Probably way, way too long,” I pointed out.

“Fair.” Too much thought etched itself on her brow.

She absently ran a hand over the bald cap’s ridges, a result of the traumatic event that had activated her character’s X-Gene.

“That just means I’ll make sure your sneaky birthday tradition is extra fabulous then, and we can binge Doctor Who afterward. ”

“Sneaky birthday what ?” Kennedy asked, adjusting her headpiece.

“We go over to West Point and pretend to be hotel guests,” I explained as the third floor’s door clanged open. “Sneak into the complimentary breakfast—”

“Zeke?”

I turned at the sound of my name, twisting in my seat. Bronwen, the librarian who’d messaged me on Instagram, was dressed like Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. She waved excitedly to signal that guests were arriving at the back entrance.

“Showtime,” I announced, standing up from the table.

Sawyer gave Kennedy a soft smile as they followed suit. Together, we took one final look around the space we’d transformed. Tonight was finally here, and no one could stop us. We were ready to party.

I lost count at fifty.

We hadn’t expected this many to show up, but they were here.

It wasn’t like last weekend. This wasn’t a makeshift party—it was an actual celebration.

Everyone had come in costume, some dancing under the mirror ball while others talked and laughed and posed for pictures.

There weren’t second glances over shoulders or darting eyes.

We were all here, all in on the same secret, all free from fear.

I walked along the outskirts while Sawyer readied the drag show.

Kennedy had lined the back wall with tables for the businesses who supported the QSA.

From the owners of Ryland Farms on one end to the rangers from the nature preserve on the other, they were all promoting safe spaces.

I didn’t expect any of them to know who I was in my Zelda costume, but a familiar face smiled at me from underneath an orange wig.

My sneakers squeaked to a halt as Carmen Bedolla waved, her glittery planet dress iridescent.

Her dark-brown eyes were bright with excitement as I headed toward the Estrella Books table.

After spending hours staring into Mason’s, I could see where he’d gotten them from.

The way she looked at me felt like he was standing there too, judging me for not replying to his message.

It made my phone weigh heavy in my hand as I waved hello.

“Well, look at you!” Carmen greeted as she gestured at my dress. “Are you supposed to be Daisy from The Great Gatsby ?”

“Zelda Fitzgerald, actually,” I corrected sheepishly, crossing my arms.

“Some say she was a source of inspiration for the character,” she said with a head nod. “How appropriate given these circumstances.”

“Thanks, uh…” I almost asked if her grandson was here but stopped myself. Because it didn’t matter if he was or not. “Who are you?” I asked instead.

“Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.” She held up a stuffed green lizard with a flourish. “When I was an elementary teacher, I read the series to my students, even taught Mason how to read with the Spanish translations.”

“That’s cool.” My voice was strained, hollow even. The mention of his name sent a flood of emotions through me. “Um…is he coming tonight?”

Carmen shook her head with disapproval. “He’s grounded,” she explained as the music faded out. “Something about a broken gnome and having a boy over after curfew.”

“Mmm.” Heat flamed up my neck while the lights dimmed. I’d inadvertently gotten him grounded, and now he wasn’t here. I wouldn’t see him in a costume or dance with him or kiss him tonight. And I hadn’t realized how much I wanted to until now.

Maybe I should message him back, I thought, watching the stage curtains open. At least apologize for leaving him to deal with the mess I made.

A spotlight landed on Sawyer. She bypassed the mic stand and made her way to the middle, her tap shoes click-clacking. Then she stopped and turned her back to the auditorium. As though someone flipped a switch, the drag king persona appeared.

Captain Jaymes Catz stood straighter and adjusted the uniform. The speakers flared to life with the intro to “As It Was” by Harry Styles, and Catz waited for his cue. He did a little jig that emphasized his shoes as the beat dropped.

“Yes, king!” I yelled, rushing closer to the stage.

He was moving with precision, lips perfectly syncing with the song. All I could think about was how nothing was the same as it had been before now. I wasn’t the same person I had been the morning of Pride Day. Wasn’t the same me who’d stashed secrets in that shoebox. And I didn’t want to be.

Nothing—and no one—was holding me back anymore.

As the song came to an end, Catz clicked his shoes together and tapped toward the front of the stage.

He grabbed the microphone from the stand, sinking into the splits.

“Good evening to the guys, gals, and nonbinary pals,” he welcomed as applause erupted.

“Thanks for coming out for our second Pride celebration!”

Sawyer had been so secretive about her drag king persona, but she was up onstage with the biggest smile now. She’d just shared part of herself without shame or judgement. The way she stood up—full of pride—made me feel like there really was a place for me, for us, here in Beggs.

“Before we begin the rest of the drag show, I want to turn it over to the library,” Catz continued while motioning toward stage left. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Bronwen stepped into the spotlight, her Elizabeth Bennet dress billowing as she crossed to Sawyer.

They hugged, and Sawyer passed off the microphone.

“Give Captain Jaymes Catz one more round,” Bronwen said, clapping her hands.

Sawyer took a final bow before retreating backstage.

“I know we’re here for fun, but I wanted to take a moment to make a few announcements.

Firstly, please know the public library has been and will forever be a safe space as long as I’m the librarian.

” She paused as more applause sounded. “Secondly, it goes without saying that we’re all in agreement over Mayor Buchanan’s asinine ordinance.

If you’d like to join the effort to oust him from office, you can volunteer with Carmen Bedolla’s mayoral campaign at the sign-up table in the back. ”

I turned, following her line of sight to Estrella Books. Carmen waved at the crowd and held up a clipboard. As much as I wanted to believe the mayor could be stopped, I didn’t think it was possible. Not with supporters like my father. I’d been watching the news and knew it would only end in—

“Zeke Chapman.”

The sound of my name cut off my thoughts, and I spun back around. The beaded fringe of my dress clattered as I looked up at Bronwen. Huh?

“I want to thank him for coming up with this genius idea for Pride Month,” she explained while I felt the pinpricks of stares.

“Not only has he gone above and beyond for his high school’s QSA, he has also stepped up as a volunteer.

The rec center is under threat of defunding because of their LGBTQIA-plus program, and Zeke has volunteered to help them continue it despite the mayor’s threats. ”

How does she know that?

I felt self-conscious as more people looked my way. No one else knew I’d done that, not even Sawyer. Because if they knew—now that they knew—they would only tell me that I was a disaster who had no right mentoring anyone.

“Thank you, Zeke,” she said over the heartbeats thundering in my ears. “You’re making Beggs a better place, and that’s why we’re naming you our honorary King of Pride.”

I cringed at the title, bracing myself for the punch line. Except nobody laughed. Nobody yelled that I was a fuck-up or that I didn’t deserve to be proud. Instead, there was more applause. These strangers knew my name, knew I had started these speakeasies. And they didn’t doubt me.

All I could think about was the pride flag I’d once hidden in that shoebox, the old newspaper clipping about the Pride protest. How I’d never felt like I could be me. Ever since I came out to my father, I’d been told there wasn’t a place for me in this town. That I would only ever be a target.

For the longest time, I believed him.

Then I joined the QSA for the first ever Pride celebration in town.

Mayor Buchanan had told us no one wanted it, that our community wouldn’t support it.

But people had shown up. They’d signed Sawyer’s petition and set up tents and flown rainbow flags.

It only proved just how wrong the mayor was. How wrong my father was.

There was a place for me here, and I finally felt like I belonged.