“I’m going both days — if I survive Homecoming,” Caroline says, adjusting her glasses. “At least they don’t conflict this year.”

“I have tickets for a couple of the VIP panels on Sunday,” Carlos says without even looking up from his tablet. The day he doesn’t have his face in some kind of device will be the day comic book movies start reliably passing the Bechdel test.

“Lucky,” Caroline says.

“Whatever,” Kitty says to Caroline, smacking on her banana. “You just have a crush on Adam Alvarado. You can see him at his signing booth later anyway. Probably closer up than at the panel.”

Caroline shrugs and her face gets a little splotchy. “I just like the character he plays on Planet Quest,” she says.

“Oh, trust me, anyone who has read your slash fics about General Garcia and Officer Cheng knows that,” Kitty says with a smirk.

Caroline gets even splotchier and mumbles something indiscernible.

Planet Quest is not really my bag of eels, so I sneak a glance at my phone. My heart races when I see a message from Zoe.

Zoe: *could use an anti-worry robot in short order*

Me: *requests specs for said robot*

Zoe:

1. Drones to bring Jonah his favorite treats

2. Recording system so I can sing to Jonah remotely

3. Ability to manufacture colorful bird bots with GPS coordinates set to Jonah

Me: *warps to the robot factory planet and sets to work* *disassembles BOY-FRND02 to initialize new project* *hits mute button on BOY-FRND01 so he can’t mansplain the best way to do this*

I look up. Across the quad Zoe’s at a table with her friends, bent over her phone, shoulders shaking with laughter, typing something that is probably meant for me. The sight fills me with sparks that burst and hum through every circuit in my body. If I were human, I might try to catch her eye and smile, but instead I duck my head and grin into my phone so no one can see.

“So, Sam,” Kitty says. “Who is your favorite character on Planet Quest?”

Even though she said my name, it still takes a second to register that Kitty is talking to me and expects a response.