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“Yes, well… I don’t. It was just the one time.” I don’t tell him anything about the kiss. It’s none of his business, and I’m still not sure what it meant for her. Maybe she was looking for a distraction from the anxiety. If walking can be a good distraction, I guess kissing can, too.

“So, you should sleep with her again.”

I look at Auggie, waiting for her to disagree with Val, but she only looks back and shrugs.

Enabling Valentino and his terrible ideas? Really, Auggie?

No one is on my side.

“I don’t want to do that,” I say, though the words feel like a lie.

“Then what’s the problem?” Auggie asks, tilting her head. “You’re not interested, and it sounds like it happened a while ago. Are things awkward?”

“That’s not it.”

Of course, they don’t understand. How can they when I barely understand myself?

“There’s no problem.” I shake my head. “Let’s keep moving. And don’t tell Farrah, all right?”

“I’ll try—but you know how it is,” Val says in a sing-song voice. “Twin telepathy!”

“Someday they’ll grow up,” Auggie whispers to me.

“Doubt it,” I say back.

To my surprise, when I’m in bed, my phone rings. More surprisingly, it’s Aurora who’s calling. A video call. I sit upright and run my fingers through my hair, trying desperately to look normal.

It’s not until I answer the call that I realize the mistake.

My bare shoulders. Why didn’t I put on a shirt?

This is probably more embarrassing than anything that’s happened between us so far, but Aurora doesn’t even flinch. “I can’t sleep. What am I supposed to wear to this party?”

She’s in bed too, I realize—though the gods have mercy on me for once, because she’s wearing a shirt. I couldn’t handle myself otherwise. Her shoulders are covered in what appears to be a T-shirt, and her hair is in a bun on top of her head, with wisps of black and white strands falling from it. There’s something sleepy about her expression—soft purple under her eyes as if they’re begging for rest, and exhaustion in her sweet voice.

“Um…” I’m still recovering from the embarrassment of her catching me without my shirt on. “Is the party actually making you lose sleep? We don’t have to go⁠—”

“We’re going. Now answer my question. I mean, is it a costume party? Should I be wearing a costume? Or are we… I don’t know, doing witchy shit on Halloween? And if it’s costumes, are they slutty costumes or creepy costumes?”

I lean back against the headboard. “No. No costumes. A little more, uh… fancy. Donnie is dramatic. His parties are, too. This year’s theme is a crow party.”

She blinks. “A crow party?”

“We’re supposed to wear black and bring a gift for a gift exchange.” I shake my head. She’s asking me, but I don’t know any more than she does. “I don’t fully understand it, but no one can deny Donnie’s creativity.”

“Huh. Well. I can definitely do that.”

I expect her to hang up, but instead, she knocks the wind out of me.

“Move the camera a little lower, will you? I’m trying to see something.”

Great, now I’m hot from head to toe. Instead, I move it higher, showering her only the tips of my shoulders and a generous view of my glass ceiling. A star witch should enjoy the view of the night sky, I think.

“I didn’t know you were calling,” I say defensively. “You caught me off guard, but I am wearing pants.”

“Good to know.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “I’m not.”

Great. Another vision I won’t be able to get out of my mind. I should end the call, but she keeps going, turning onto her side and peering at me through the camera in a way that’s somehow both adorable and unarming.