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“Aren’t you going to congratulate the happy couple?” Sophie asked.

Mr. Halifax’s eyes darted back and forth between me and Axel. “You’re both so young.”

“That’s how we do it in our family,” Sophie said. “My uncle and aunt were engaged at 16. We all fall in love fast and hard.”

I was pretty sure I saw her glance down at the front of Mr. Halifax’s khakis.

“Oh,” he said. “Well...right.” He looked at Sophie again and he didn’t seem as angry. He cleared his throat. “Congratulations, Mr. Stevens,” he said. “And Miss Hunter.”

“Thanks, Mr. Halifax,” Axel said.

“And your dad knows about this, right?” Mr. Halifax asked me.

I nodded. “Of course.”

“Well, that’s great news.” Mr. Halifax looked very happy now. “You better study for the next test.”

Sophie elbowed me in the ribs.

I knew what she was thinking. Mr. Halifax had been giving me good grades because he was worried my dad would beat him up again. But now Mr. Halifax had no reason to be scared of my dad. And he wasn’t going to go easy on me in class anymore. Which was honestly a relief.

“I will,” I said. “I’m super focused now.” And I was. There was no more kiss thief mystery that needed to be solved. Now I could be totally focused on making sure I didn’t do anything that would prevent the University of New Castle from not accepting me. Because the four of us all needed to go to college together. We had to.

“You too, Miss Hunter,” Mr. Halifax said to Sophie.

“Don’t even, Mr. Halifax. You know I’m your best student. And your favorite.” She smiled sweetly at him.

He cleared his throat and looked away. “I have a lot of wonderful students. See you both in class.” And with that he walked away.

Sophie sighed and hugged her books into her chest. “How did you guys wait 17 years? It feels like I’m slowly dying.”

“That actually describes the feeling perfectly,” Axel said.

I nodded. Yeah, we all knew the feeling of thinking the person you loved didn’t love you back. But I felt like Mr. Halifax did love Sophie. He’d covered for her during the drug bust. And he stared at her in a way that did not seem very teacherly.

“It feels like my heart is slowly breaking in half,” she said.

I hated seeing her upset. I’d gotten my happily ever after. And I was determined for her to get hers too. “I know what will make you feel better,” I said.

“Well I hate to break it to you, but my cocaine was baby powder.”

I laughed. “I was thinking of that party that you wanted to throw. In Natalivanka’s mom’s place.” I really still thought it was a bad idea. But seeing Sophie so sad was much worse than the possibility of getting caught. Mr. Halifax was breaking her. And I wasn’t going to let that happen.

Sophie raised her eyebrows at me.

“I think we should do it.”

She smiled. “You do realize I was already planning the party.”

I laughed. “But you knew I said we couldn’t.”

“I know.” She reached out and squeezed my arm. “Thank you.”

“You could even invite Mr. Halifax.” I tried my best to waggle my eyebrows at her.

She smiled. “Yeah, maybe.” Her answer usually would have been a resounding yes.

“He might even come if you tell him to wear the mascot costume,” Axel said. “If it’s an after party for one of our victories no one will even think anything of it.”