“Oh, shut up. I’m running into Azalea Commons—ten minutes, tops. You can go do whatever, and I’ll meet you at the food court.” If I’d been with Sabrina, or pretty much any female friend, I’d have dragged them into the cheap fast-fashion shop with me, but I can’t bring myself to make Salem sit there while I try on outfits, looking for one daring piece to add to my wardrobe.

Sticking to the bargain bins, I find it easily—an aqua lace corset with lime-green ribbons that I change into in the bathroom immediately after checking out and cover with the button-up before stuffing my original tee into my bag.

Salem’s sucking noisily from a cup of fountain soda when I arrive, five minutes later than I said I’d be. “Hey, you wanna share fries?” he asks when I walk up.

“Soon,” I promise. “First, I need you to do a silly, embarrassing thing with me without making fun of me for it.”

“Can I make fun of you for it later?”

“Sure. Come on.” I yank him out into the parking lot and start unbuttoning my shirt.

“Whoa, Skeevy, this is not the place—”

“Do you seriously think I am flashing you in a parking lot?” My fingers fly over the buttons, and then I push the fabric off my shoulders. “It’s just a different shirt.”

“It … is definitely that.” He sounds a little bit like he’s choking on his tongue, and I imagine he’s kindly swallowing down fifty shades of mockery. “You look—um.” Am I imagining it, or are his cheeks flushing a little pink? “What’s the plan here?”

“I just want some pictures,” I tell him, handing over my phone set to camera mode. “I have nothing and no one to dress up—or down—for, and this is definitely not in Camden dress code, but I want just one little photo shoot of me looking like a rule breaker.”

His lips curve into a little smile. “In that case, I have a prop for you.” He reaches into his pocket and produces a case of candy cigarettes. “I picked these up when I was buying your stolen goods. Figured they might come in handy today.”

It’s so brilliant, I laugh as I grab one and slip it between my fingers. “Perfect!”

We do a full-on photo shoot, and I even convince him to take a selfie with me, cigarette gum hanging from both our lips as we loiter in front of a NO LOITERING sign. Then we play the penis game as loudly as we dare while we head back to the food court for those fries.