The problem is, Keller is very, very handsome. No, he’s hot, point-blank. There’s a reason he’s a freaking model, taking after his superstar dad. And acknowledging I find him attractive—more attractive than my boyfriend—makes the guilt about hiding anything associated with him worse.

“I’m back!” Lily sings, opening the door. “The guys are eager to meet a fellow nerd, by the way. I told them all about you. They’re highly impressed at you getting us an invite to the wyverns’ tonight. Get this: apparently, those cards let you into any of their parties, all year. Unless a wyvern revokes your welcome, but that hardly ever happens. Amazing, right?”

“That’s great.”

She’s all excitement. “Of course, I’ll give you back the second invite after tonight, if you want to take someone else next time. They’re yours.”

“Oh, no, don’t sweat it. Please, keep it.”

She’s far more enthused about the whole deal than I am. And I’m all for keeping her on my side.

“You’re too sweet!” She hugs me. “Come on, I’ll do your makeup.”

My eyes widen. “Oh, no need.”

Lily isn’t one of those girls wearing too much makeup. Her skin is fairly clean, with just a discreet blush, eye liner, and some lipstick, as far as I can tell. But her lipstick is bright red, which looks epic with her straight haircut and those large glasses, but it’s far more in-your-face than my go-to pink blush.

“I insist.”

I fidget, but end up letting her do it. There’s a little more powder and cream than I would have guessed, looking at her. While she works, she tells me she’s not touching up my skin much as we have different skin colors. Hers is the warm, Mediterranean tan we see on Italians in the summer, and mine is similar to a Twilight vampire. Or a ghost.

See you later, little ghost.

I feel myself flushing. Quite frankly, men like him shouldn’t be allowed to talk to regular girls. They make us stupid.

“There, how about that?”

She holds a mirror up to my face, and my eyes widen. I don’t think I’ve ever looked or felt this pretty. My lips aren’t the scarlet of hers, but a deep blush, closer to mauve. My lashes are longer than your average horse’s and there’s a certain glow to my skin that looks completely natural. Sadly, my natural state has never been this perfect. I also look like I don’t have a single pore.

“You’re very good at this.” I’m glad she didn’t transform me into someone who doesn’t look like me.

“Thanks! I’ve been cosplaying since I was like, twelve, so I use makeup a lot.”

“No, thank you. You’ll have to teach me how to do that, without foundation.”