I hit his arm. I really couldn’t tell if he treated me differently than he did everyone else or not. “Stop teasing me. I’m on a mission.”

“Wait, we can’t tease on this mission?”

I didn’t answer, just got out of the truck. When he caught up with me, I said, “There’s a corner gas station right up the street from our house that I can walk to, but they do not carry everything.”

“Am I about to find out your favorite drink so I can own you?”

“You could only own me if I didn’t know where it was sold.”

“Not true. We just established that this drink is only gettable by car. You, my friend, don’t have one of those.”

“It doesn’t matter, I’ve given it up.” I cut through the candy aisle and headed to the back.

“You’ve given up your favorite drink?”

“I’ve given up sugar.”

“So why are we here?”

I reached the Slurpee machine, grabbed a cup, and went straight for the lime. “Because tonight we’re breaking all the rules.” I smiled at him as I filled the cup. “You see, Jackson, the smart people who live somewhere warm have a favorite drink that is cold.”

“That does sound more practical.” He snatched the now-full cup from me. “Well, it’s my turn to buy since you’re a drink ahead of me.”

“No, mine were payback.”

He just headed for the register. After paying and on our way back to the truck, I remembered something from the letter I got with the mask. “So just anyone can nominate anyone to wear the mask?”

“No, it has to be someone who has worn the mask before.”

We climbed into the truck and buckled our seat belts.

“Huh. So who nominated me?” I took a long sip of my drink.

“Technically, I’m not supposed to tell you.”

I stuck the key in the ignition. “But . . . ?”

“But I will.”

I waited, and when he didn’t say anything, I turned toward him with raised eyebrows.

“It was Pool Boy.”

“What?” I asked, confused.

“I really didn’t know you very well at the time or Pool Boy, so I thought his claimed fear of body image issues was real, but later, after I got your DM about how I should stay away from the pool . . .” He smiled at that memory. “After I learned Pool Boy’s relationship to you, I realized the fear was probably a lie.”

“His relationship to me . . . ?”

Jackson waited for me to come to the realization, and when I finally did, I gasped. “Pool Boy is Robert? Robert ruined my race. What a . . .”