The voice in my head is screaming with second-hand embarrassment.

It feels like everything goes in slow motion after that. The entire room is looking at Rhys – students, staff, even the waiters – but he just stands there like a deer in headlights.

I see Madzikanda take a large gulp of wine.

‘Husband?’ he croaks finally.

‘Yeah,’ Kellen says softly, his eyes filling up with hope.

Please say yes, I think. This whole thing is completely preposterous, but I can’t bear to see Kellen humiliated so publicly. What on earth possessed him to do this?

‘Um …’ Rhys licks his lips anxiously, eyes darting from face to staring face. He drags the silence out for far longer than is comfortable. ‘I guess?’

So romantic.

The crowd parts as Kellen rushes down from the stage and dives into his arms. Rhys catches him and the two of them fumble an awkward kiss. It’s like watching a car crash, but people weirdly seem to be enjoying it. The clapping is thunderous, the whoops and cheers close to deafening. Has everyone lost their mind? Surely they know this is ridiculous?

‘Love is love!’ I hear Josh yell from somewhere in the crowd. Surely not him too? Josh has more sense than to think this is what love is. I take it as my cue to leave.

I go towards the door again, but this time someone grabs my hand.

I seriously can’t catch a break. But then I realize I’m wrong.

Because it’s Cameron.

‘Can we talk?’

‘Huh?’ I say, turning to face him. He’s still holding my hand. His skin is a lot softer than I imagined. I always thought his hands would be rough from playing rugby.

‘That proposal,’ he says. ‘It kinda got me thinking …’

‘It did?’ I swallow hard. Maybe Kellen has done me a favour here …

‘Yeah. Carpe diem and all that.’ He glances over his shoulder. ‘There’s something I want to tell you, but I don’t wanna do it here. Maybe we could go somewhere quieter?’

And I want to. I really want to. But I can’t stop thinking about what just happened to Chase. As much as I wanna ‘talk’ with Cameron, I know my best friend needs me right now. I won’t be like Kellen. I’m not going to abandon my friends for some boy.

‘I want to,’ I say, ‘but I’m kinda in the middle of something.’

‘Oh.’ He sounds deflated.

‘I really want to. Just maybe a bit later?’

‘OK,’ Cameron says, looking at his watch. ‘How about midnight then?’

‘Midnight’s perfect,’ I say. Maybe I really am Cinderella.

‘By the lake?’

‘Sure,’ I say, giving him a smile before heading for the door.

I expect to hear yelling or crying – or both – but when I get outside I just find Chase and Bec sitting quietly at the edge of the lake. Bec has her arm round Chase, and they’re not saying anything, just looking out over the water.