“Yeah, he was,” Ansel says, perplexed as he stares at the screen. “He came back to the States on the first day of school to see me off and do some interviews in New York. The Today show or something. I dunno. I can’t really keep up with his schedule. He’s all over the place. Back and forth between New York, Cali, and the set.”

“Maybe that’s an old photo.” Pippa shrugs. “A throwback. And he posted it last night, even though he was here. He probably even has one of those social media consultants to do it for him.”

“I guess,” I say, but something about it’s not sitting right with me.

“Or his account was hacked,” Maude says with authority. “It happens all the time.” Then she completely switches gears. “Who wants to go for a swim?” Maude jumps up and tosses off her cardigan. She grabs Jago by the hand and begins pulling him to his feet. He laughs, following her to the shore of the lake. Soon Ansel, Pippa, and Theodora are joining them.

Ollie looks from me to Pru, dumbfounded. “That lake’s cold. Are they seriously going swimming?”

“Looks like it,” Pru answers, crumpling up her lunch sack and collecting her bag.

“But they’re not wearing swimsuits,” Ollie points out.

“It’s something they kind of…do,” I explain to Ollie. I don’t want to get much further into it; Ollie knows the Similars have capabilities, but not much more than that. I watch as my friends dive into the lake, fully dressed, swimming in a synchronized way that reveals they’ve been practicing like this for years.

“I’ve gotta go—crew team meeting,” Pru explains. I give her a quick wave goodbye, and she scampers off. Now only Ollie and I are left lying back on the grass, like we always used to do. Alone. My heart starts pounding wildly with anticipation and dread. He’s going to say something to me now, about his feelings. It’s the perfect opportunity.

“Emma?” Oliver asks me, his face turned up to the sun.

“Yeah?” I answer back, my pulse racing.

“The last thing I want to do right now is crack a book, but you were right,” he sighs. I feel my heartbeat start to slow. Enough that I’m even capable of making a joke.

“What did you just say?” I tease. “I didn’t hear you.”

“You were right!” he laughs. Then he groans. “If I don’t get up now and start doing some of my homework, I may not graduate from this place till I’m forty.”

I let out a breath. “Then you’d better start. Come on, I’ll walk you back to the dorms.”