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This was the same girl who used to wear huge, fake pearls twenty-four seven, who pranced around in heels and oversized dresses when we were kids.

Uh, yeah. It was surprising.

“What would a pitcher know about stage lighting?” she mumbled.

“Gel changes. Tightening a frame. Follow spots. Underexposure?” I kicked a clump of dirt.

“Where did you—”

“I know movies.”

The sound of glass shattering followed by cheers came from the house. Christ, I hope Ben didn’t break anything.

“Movies?” she asked.

“Movies.” I could’ve told her about my favorite directors, some of the classes I took online, the indie festivals I snuck into with Ben, but I stayed quiet. If she was allowed to be cryptic, so was I.

“Huh.” She went back to reading on her phone.

There were a bunch of letters and numbers written on the back of her hand. Without thinking, I reached for it. “What’s all that mean?”

She jumped when I touched her. “Nothing.”

“Doesn’t look like nothing.”

“It’d take too long to explain.”

Translation: I was too dense to understand.

“Cops!” voices yelled as everyone inside poured through the back door and over the deck.

“We gotta go, E!” Lauryn ran across the yard and nearly tripped over herself when she saw me standing next to her best friend. Her gaze darted back and forth between us. “Oh. Hi, Reed. Uh…here for the weekend?”

I stood. “For the summer, actually.”

The tie on Eliza’s mask snapped, causing the whole thing to fall to the ground. Both of us crouched for it and bumped heads.

“Ow. Dammit, Fulton,” she hissed.

I stared at the girl I had known since I was a kid. Same dark hair that flipped out to the side when it was humid out. Same small line of freckles on her cheeks. Same tiny scar in the shape of a fingernail near her right eyebrow. Same irritated look she always saved just for me.

Or was it?

Something was…different.

“Come on, E,” Lauryn whined. “Byeeee, Reed.” She pulled Eliza to her feet, and the two disappeared into the mob.

“Did you catch that cat’s name?” Ben appeared at my side.

I picked up the forgotten mask by my feet and raised an eyebrow. “Lauryn. Why?”

He held up his hands. “Just curious.”

We ran toward my truck as the sounds of more police sirens drew nearer.

Ben opened the passenger door and pointed to my hand. “What’s that?”

I still had Eliza’s mask. Crap. Why did I take it with me?