“I wanted to see you.” Gideon hands me the bouquet. “Happy prom.”

“Thanks…”

I take the flowers, and neither of us says anything. I want to ask him if he was just making out with my sister on the balcony next door, but then how would he have explained the flowers? I’m not sure she’d approve of him bringing me peonies, regardless of the occasion.

“So, you came to bring me flowers on prom night?” I ask.

Gideon shakes his head, then takes his mask off. “No. I came here to give you something to write about.”

Before I know it’s happening, he takes off my mask and places his lips on mine. It takes a second for my brain and body to catch up with each other. Initially, I kiss him back. It almost feels like a reflex. Then I realize that I’m being kissed for the first time… by my sister’s boyfriend. I put my hands on his chest and push him away so hard that he nearly tumbles.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I blurt.

“Everything,” he says breathlessly. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

If I’m going to be painfully honest, then I have to admit that it feels incredibly good to hear him say this, but it also makes me feel like I’m going to regurgitate the cheese plate I ate at Lizzy’s house.

“This is really messed up. You’re my sister’s boyfriend,” I remind him. “Please go. I don’t want your flowers.”

Gideon rolls his eyes, clearly frustrated with me.

“Get off your high horse, Parisa. You’ve been flirting with me for months!”

I consider defending myself, but I know he’s right, and that Gabriela was right, too. Everything about me and Gideon was inappropriate. I’d like to pretend that I would have arrived at this conclusion on my own, but I know that’s not true.

“You didn’t give me anything to write about, Gideon,” I say, my voice quivering. “I gave you something to write about. Now please leave me alone.”