“There’s definitely a difference.” She laughs and pulls her phone out of her tiny purse thing. “Hang on, I promised Jayla I’d tell her where we went. If I don’t, she’ll have the police swarming the place. So, if you’re, like, a secret murderer or whatever and this was all a trap, you should probably just go now.”

“I’m not,” I say, trying hard not to overthink the fact that it’s probably exactly what a secret murderer would say. “But I’m in awe that you essentially implemented a dead man’s switch during our two-minute walk to this lounge. Very impressive.”

“Yeah, well, I’m nothing if not resourceful.” She smiles again, and it’s a little bit contagious. “You have a dimple,” she says, like it’s something new and noteworthy.

“Nothing gets past you,” I answer, and then bite the inside of my cheek. Was that rude? I was going for playful. Did she think it was rude? She probably did. I should stop talking. I should go.

“I like it,” she says, and leans forward to poke her finger in it. I pull back, not because I don’t like it. I just . . . wasn’t expecting her to touch me.

“Sorry.” She shoves her hands under her knees, and no, no, don’t make that face. It was fine, maybe. I don’t know. But nothing really comes out, so I just sort of shrug.

“You’re fine,” I say after too long because I’m awful at this. “It just caught me off guard.”

“I find it hard to believe that you’re ever off guard.”

“I’m trying to be. Right now, anyway.” I shake my head again. “I suck at meeting new people, sorry.” Wow, nice, Ridley, nothing says flirting like dumping your social anxiety all over someone you just met.

“Same,” she says, which seems fake, but okay. She waves her hand in front of me. “I’m digging this whole shy, stammering thing you have going on, if that helps you relax any.”

I laugh; I can’t help it. “You are definitely the first person who’s ever said that.”

“Well, it’s true.”

I narrow my eyes, looking for any hint that she’s lying, and finding none. “I’m really glad you lost that feather.”

“I’m really glad you picked it up.” She leans forward and flicks the side of my mask again.