‘Who is that?’ I say, not recognizing the outfit. But they don’t say anything. They just stand there, looking awkwardly down at their own feet. I’m not in the mood for guessing games right now, and I’m half tempted to walk away, but something about their energy holds me there. It’s almost as if something tells me they feel just as lost as I do.

‘I need to find Tiffany,’ I say.

‘Wait,’ they reply, their voice cracking as they catch my hand and stop me, squeezing as if begging me not to go.

Our eyes meet, and I know I recognize them, and yet right now I can’t seem to place them. He tugs my hand, inviting me closer, and there’s a tenderness there that makes me want to give in. Maybe it’s just the emotional weight of everything that’s happened, but right now it doesn’t seem to matter that I don’t know who it is. I take a step forward, and then another, until he grips my waist and pulls me into him.

‘Cameron?’ I say hopefully, my body pressed against his.

But he doesn’t answer.

He doesn’t say anything.

He just lifts his mask and kisses me.

It all happens too fast for me to process, but, as I feel his soft lips against mine, I can’t help but allow myself to kiss him back. It’s heavy and clumsy at first, but, as I close my eyes and fall deeper, I feel this tingling sensation coursing through my body. It’s so intense it lifts me on to the tips of my toes, like it could carry me up into the air and sweep me entirely off my feet. I’ve kissed boys before, but I’ve never felt anything like this. Reels of old movies play through my mind, in black and white and then colour. Every kiss I’ve ever seen on the big screen. Vintage. Contemporary. From Casablanca right through to Ratatouille.

I hear the fireworks overhead, but it’s like they’re getting further away now. Fading into the background until there’s nothing but the two of us.

Just me and this perfect stranger.

And then everything suddenly goes black.

2

‘Prom night, baby!’

A pillow hits me in the face. ‘Come on, day’s a-wasting!’

Someone grabs my arms and tugs. I open my eyes to find Chase hovering over me, his trademark grin plastered across his face. What’s going on?

‘Seriously, Zach, how can you lie in on a day like today? You slept right through breakfast!’

‘Huh?’ I say, pulling my arms free. ‘What happened?’