‘Yeah … I definitely can,’ he replies. ‘That’s why I’m here, actually. I was kinda hoping you’d be here to witness this.’

‘To witness what?’ Chase looks utterly lost.

‘Me asking Zach to go to prom with me.’

‘Huh?’ I say stupidly as Kellen turns in my direction.

‘I know you felt it, Zach. Last night, when we …’

‘Last night?’ Chase shakes his head. ‘Zach was with me and Bec all night.’

‘There’s a lot I need to explain,’ I say.

‘So …’ Kellen says. ‘Would you? Be my date?’

‘Of course,’ I reply. ‘I’d love to.’

The car alarm sounds from outside, almost as if in celebration.

Chase looks back and forth between us for a moment and smiles.

‘Well,’ he says, ‘I am so confused, but also completely on board with all of this. Me and Bec were starting to think you two idiots would never figure this out.’

‘What do you mean?’ Kellen asks.

‘Zach has had the biggest crush on you for ages!’ Chase laughs.

‘I haven’t!’ I protest, but then I hear the sound of Kellen’s laugh, and I realize how completely and totally right Chase is. There’s no point in denying it any longer. Of course I have a crush on Kellen. How could I not have a crush on Kellen?

‘Well, I feel like you two lovebirds could do with a minute,’ Chase says. ‘So I’m gonna get some lunch. Can I tell Bec? I can’t wait to tell Bec!’

‘Sure,’ Kellen says. ‘As long as you’re OK with that, Zach?’

‘Yeah,’ I reply as Chase slips out of the room, clicking the door shut behind him.

‘So we’re really doing this?’ I ask as the two of us are finally alone.

‘It’s just a date,’ Kellen says, coming to sit next to me, his hand brushing against mine. ‘It’s what Madzikanda said, right? We have to give the day what it wants?’

‘But if this really was about us, then why are we still here? If we already … kissed?’

‘We’re not counting that as a kiss. Your lips grazed mine for about half a millisecond, Zach.’

‘So you think we should do it again then?’

‘I’m not that easy!’ He jumps up before I can get too close. ‘A date. That’s what we’re doing. We’re not rushing through this just to break some spell. Yesterday was a mess, Zach. Maybe it just wants us to do it properly? To have the perfect day? Together? Madzikanda said we’d know when it was the final day, right? And I feel that now. Deep down, I know that this is it. Don’t you?’

‘Honestly?’ I hesitate. ‘I don’t think I do …’

‘Oh …’