Well, at least when the school used the town’s motto, they turned it into something that made sense. As Reg and I stuffed all the papers we would never look at again into our folders, we were joined at Poe’s locker by two girls who looked shockingly similar. He introduced them as Sydney and Sophia and informed us—totally unnecessarily—that they were twins. If it weren’t for the fact that Sydney had dyed her pale blond hair bright pink, they would be utterly indistinguishable.

“Are you also on the welcoming committee?” Reg asked the girls.

Sydney twirled a lock of pink hair. “No, but we’re a lot more welcoming than Poe.”

Both girls giggled, and Reg smiled politely as if he didn’t understand her meaning. He managed to keep his face passive even when he caught sight of the smirk on my face. These girls would learn soon enough that Poe was more my brother’s speed.

“We’re happy to show you around,” the blond one, Sophia, said earnestly to both of us. “Oh! You guys should come with us to All Hours.”

“All Hours?” I said. “What’s that?”

“It’s a coffee shop,” Sydney chimed in, her words wrapped around a wad of chewing gum. “Everyone goes there after school . . . and before school . . . and on the weekends and late at night and basically all the time. It’s the only place in town open twenty-four hours.”

All Hours. Got it.

“It’s the only place in town, period,” Sophia added. “Sorry to tell you, you haven’t moved to the most exciting place in the world. It’s pretty much school, All Hours, and the mall.”

“There’s a mall?”

Thank the Ancients. I might survive this after all.

Sophia looked apologetic. “It’s a couple of towns over, and you probably won’t be impressed. I saw your outfit yesterday, and I can tell you are used to better stores.”

I was liking Pinky and Blondie better by the minute.

“There used to be a movie theater,” Sydney said, with a pop of her gum. “Forever ago. But it burned down on opening night. Total disaster. All Hours is pretty cool though. And the coffee’s killer. You want to come?”

“I don’t think so,” I said, as Reg simultaneously answered, “We’d be delighted!”

We looked at each other, a silent conversation held entirely through our eyeballs.

Charlie, we need to fit in.

That doesn’t mean make friends.

You promised we could smell coffee.

You promised to stop saying things like “delighted.”

“Who’s going to All Hours?” someone said. “I’m in.”

Tan arms corded with lean muscle appeared in my peripheral vision.

“This is my buddy Dex,” Poe said.

“We’ve met.” Dexter nodded at Reg and turned to me. “Hi again.”

“Hello,” I said.

But it came out sounding too aloof or snobby somehow, so I tried again.

“Hi.”