Maybe he is, but it doesn’t feel it. I’m sure Jesse isn’t the only one who’s noticed I’m new to this job.

“Hey, guys!”

Jesse and I turn at the voice. I almost jump backward when I see Miles standing at the door. My hands tense at my sides.

“What’s up?” Jesse asks. I can’t make my lips move.

“Principal Decker wants to see Simone.” He glances at me for the briefest second. “She said right away. I think it’s important.”

Jesse turns to me expectantly. I just shrug. I’ve met the principal only once, and it was the day before I started here. She’s nice enough. I can’t think of any reason why she’d want to see me.

“Palumbo, I’ll be right back,” I call, jogging toward the doors. “Jesse, do me a favor and get the set for the next scene ready while I’m gone?”

I let the door slam behind me.

“Did she tell you what she wanted?” I ask Miles, switching my clipboard to my other hand. “Because, if it’s something that’ll take a while, I need to tell Palumbo—”

“Simone.” There’s a smile in his voice, and I snap my eyes back to him. He bites his lip for a moment, something so quick I’m not sure I actually saw it. “The principal didn’t actually need to talk to you. I just wanted to tell you something.”

“What?” The flutters are back in my stomach again. I could handle the principal, but Miles alone? That’s an entirely different beast. “What is it?”

He takes a step forward, and I press my back against the wall. I might be crushing someone’s art project. He makes a noise, something like a soft snort. “You ran away.”

I swallow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I know exactly what he’s talking about. I’ve only been replaying each excruciating detail over in my mind since it happened.

“You asked me a question,” he says, lifting up my chin. “You left before I could answer.”

He’s touching my chin. His fingers are touching my chin, like in the movies I make fun of with my friends. I’m definitely not laughing now. They’re soft, like he doesn’t spend all his free time building sets and swinging lacrosse sticks. My heart is thumping.

“Really?” I say. Somehow, my voice is still working. “I figured—I don’t know—that you wouldn’t want to.”

“How could you—” He stops himself, swallowing. “I want to. I definitely want to.”

I’m either dreaming or high. Maybe both.

I wrap my arm around his neck, pulling him closer to me. He presses his lips against mine.

If I didn’t have the wall for support, I’d be on the ground.

CHAPTER 5