“Hey,” he says, folding me into his familiar chest, where I burrow in and let myself relax for the first time since I’ve been back at school.

“Hey,” I answer, pulling back to look at him, to study his face and promise I’ll never take him for granted, ever again. “You look like you’ve eaten a burger or two.”

“My mom’s been feeding me nonstop since we got back.” He smiles. “Burgers, lasagna, chicken curry, chicken potpie…”

“And the editing? How’s that going?”

“Let’s see. Eight hundred hours of footage, and I think my bot’s going to kill me. I have him weeding through it twenty-four-seven. I put together a highlight reel. I think it’s ready for public consumption, but you’d better take a look at it first.”

“I’ll watch it tonight. Two, maybe three a.m.,” I answer, and we both know I’m not joking. I used to stay up all night thinking of him. Then Levi. Now, it’s my dad’s face I see when I try to close my eyes.

“Okay, but don’t give me too many notes, because I already sent the highlight reel to NYU,” Ollie says slowly, like he’s gauging how I’ll respond.

“And?”

“And they have a spot. For me. Next year.” He laughs, and the sound is so joyful and right, I want to grasp on to it and never let go.

“How could you not lead with that?” I smile now too, running up to hug him again, and we do a sort of awkward and wonderful happy dance together before settling down and wandering over to the wall that faces Dark Lake. I lean on it, looking out.

“Oxford’s sorting out whether I’ve been accepted or not,” I say as I scan the lake. “Harlowe really screwed me, or my Duplicate, I guess I should say, but luckily Duplicate Emma’s grades and scores were top-notch, and with Jane vouching for me and explaining what Harlowe did, they’re going to see what they can do. Good thing Gravelle forced me to study nonstop when I was his prisoner,” I say through gritted teeth. “Or I wouldn’t even deserve to be going.”

“Are the others—”

I cut Ollie off, understanding him before he even finishes. “Maude and Jago are going too. And Levi. Oxford was always the place they wanted to go to blend in, and I…I…”

“It’s where you belong too.”

“I didn’t even apply there. My Duplicate did, on my behalf. That’s not how she saw it, of course, but it’s what happened. And now, it just feels…right? Ollie, I—”

“No, Emma. Don’t. Please don’t feel like you have to make some kind of sweeping grand gesture right now.”

“I don’t do grand gestures. Do you know me at all?”

Ollie laughs. “What was I thinking? Of course you don’t.”