Finally, I’m in nothing but jeans and boots.

Everyone is cheering, and Orion is collecting cash in his cap as the song comes to an end and we arrive at Times Square. Most of the passengers give me a standing ovation, and I blow everyone a big kiss before picking up my shirts and grabbing Orion’s hand and dragging him out of the train and onto the platform. I throw my clothes down again and pick up Orion, just like I did on the bridge, and his nails dig into my sweaty back.

We’re both laughing over how exhilarating that experience was, and then we give New Yorkers a third show with a passionate kiss that proves Orion and I aren’t strangers.

None of them know how I almost died in Times Square and how amazing it feels to be here right now.

Not only alive, but living.

“You were amazing,” Orion says. “You should, like, be a model.”

“I’m in the market for a new agent. But I got to ask: Do you believe in Death-Cast?”

“Hell no I don’t.”

“Fantastic. The job is all yours.” I wipe the sweat off my chest with my button-down before getting dressed. “You made my dream come true, Orion. Thank you for everything.”

“Sorry you had to see some super shitty showtime dancing.”

“That was a highlight.”

“Then you have bad taste. I really can’t believe I did that.”

“It was very adorable, but just know if you’re that embarrassed, it dies with me.”

“And lives on with every other New Yorker who saw it!”

“Well, think twice next time. Better yet, don’t think twice. Isn’t life more freeing when you just let go?”

Orion doesn’t think twice about kissing me. “Like that?”

“Just like that.”

I take his hand as we climb the stairs and step out into Times Square like it’s my first time. It’s different from last night. The sun is high and the mega screens are showing regular ads instead of the Death-Cast hourglass. Tourists are going in and out of shops. A crowd is surrounding two break-dancers, looking like street ballerinas as they spin around on flattened cardboard in white tank tops and sweatpants. Cars are crawling through Times Square so slowly it’s like they’re driving through sand. A hot dog vendor is haggling with someone, and I’m sure he could hustle me into buying one for fifty bucks, I’m that hungry. Spanish music is blasting from a boom box behind me.

There’s so much life happening in Times Square.

Even though a man was killed here last night.

Even though I was told I’m going to die.

But what Death-Cast really wanted was for me to live. I’ve done plenty of that now.

Hopefully there’s more to come.

Scarlett Prince

11:15 a.m. (Mountain Standard Time)

Scarlett needs this plane to take off.