2

Thursday

February 1

We arrive at the theater a little early, but the ushers are allowing people to go in. I flash my ticket and follow my friends inside. The large room is filled with round tables, chairs all arranged to face the stage.

“We’re unlucky table thirteen,” Isaac says, looking around. “Where the hell is that?”

Chace smirks. “You’re standing next to the table plan, man.”

Isaac turns his head and makes an O with his mouth. Idiot.

“We’re over there,” he says, pointing to a table near the left side of the stage. Second row from the front. Looks like we’ll have a good view, and each table is spaced out well.

Included in our ticket prices are some kind of finger food, which wasn’t specified when we ordered them, so I have no clue what’s on the menu.

Servers dressed in black slacks and red shirts mill around the edges of the room, directing the audience to tables, food nowhere in sight. I guess they’re waiting for everyone to be seated before bringing it out. I take a seat between Charlotte and Chace. Sienna and I made a secret pact to ensure that Char has a great night and maybe even help her meet a nice guy. Since we’ve known her—which, to be fair, isn’t that long—she hasn’t been on any dates or even shown interest in anyone. She said her last boyfriend was when she was in high school.

“When’s the food coming? I’m starving,” Sonny mutters, grabbing a drink menu from the table.

“The show doesn’t start for another twenty minutes, so after that probably,” Sienna replies. She scans the room, probably looking for her crush, Nathan, the reason for her outfit, to arrive with his friends.

“You okay?” I ask her.

Her mouth twitches in a fake smile. “I bet he’s decided not to come.”

“Sie…” I try to say in sympathy.

Air hits my face as she flicks her hand, cutting me off and pretending she’s fine with him backing out.

Slowly, the room starts to fill as we talk, and before long, the lights flicker on and off—our cue to get our drinks and take our seats for the show.

“I’ll go to the bar,” I say, pushing my chair out to stand.

Chace mirrors my action. “I’ll come with you.”

I knew he would. He’s always a gentleman, saving me from carrying a whole tray of drinks on my own. He hangs back a step, letting me go ahead, and puts his hand on my lower back as I walk past him. With my heart racing in my chest, we work our way to the bar area.

The bar smells like lemons, as if it’s just been cleaned. I lean on the dark wood next to Chace, who is flagging down a bartender.

The guy, who’s very tall, dark, and covered in tattoos, frowns. His green eyes look between me and Chace and his eyebrow raises like he’s trying to figure out where he knows us from. He bends down and picks up a polaroid from behind the bar. The way he’s holding it, I can only see it’s black backing and white border.

“Everything all right, man?” Chace asks. “We were just after some drinks.”

He grins. “I thought it was you. Your first round has been paid for.”

“Nice!” Chace says. “Who bought the drinks?”

The bartender flicks his wrist, tossing the photo to him.

My mouth falls open and my spine stiffens as I see it. The photo is of the six of us sitting around the table. It must have been taken in the last ten minutes. Someone was watching us?

The bartender shrugs. “No idea, bud. Some dude who looked built to hell. Wearing a dark hoodie. He left cash.”

A muscular person in a hoodie? I know plenty of guys who work out, and most of the population owns a dark hoodie since the school colors are black and yellow. I think I have three.

“Huh,” Chace replies. “Okay, we’ll have three Coronas, two white wines, and a vodka soda.”

Is he for real? He’s reeling off our order while my heart is racing.

“Chace!” I snap, tugging on the shirt sleeve he has rolled up to his elbow. “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“We don’t know who’s buying our drinks.”

“They’re free drinks, Lylah.”

“First someone leaves that note and now this?” I gesture to the photograph. “Are you not at all concerned they could be related?”

“Concerned that Sonny has another girl following him around? Concerned that we don’t have to pay for drinks?”

“We don’t know who bought them.”

“Who cares! The bartender’s making them now, so it’s not as if they’ve been tampered with. Anyway, it’s probably Nora trying to wedge her way in.”

Tilting my head to the side, I give him a side-eye. “So you think I’m overreacting?”

“A little bit, yeah. Look, I know it seems a bit sketchy, but you know how campus gets around holidays. There are going to be tons more pranks, and they never have ulterior motives other than to amuse people.” He steps closer, and the scent of his aftershave wraps around me. Like a drug, I’m instantly hooked, and I lean in. “Please don’t worry and enjoy tonight.”

“Are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? You weren’t that into it last year.” My voice is barely a whisper, but I’m too transfixed to care.

Chace’s deep-green eyes stare into my soul, and I can feel my cheeks redden. “I’ve never had a reason to like it before,” he replies as he closes the distance between us.

Do you have a reason now? Please elaborate.

“Here you go, guys,” the bartender says. This bartender has the worst timing ever, I think. Chace breaks our gaze, looking instead to the bartender, and nods at him.

No! Chace, what’s your damn reason?

Our moment is over.

Chace drops a tip on the counter and picks up the tray. I want to throw a full-on tantrum. He might have been getting ready to confess he has feelings for me, or he might have kissed me. I’ve been waiting for this for so long, and then we get interrupted.

Smirking over his shoulder as he walks away, Chace asks, “Are you coming or not?”

I grab the photo off the bar and follow him back to our table, where he sets down the tray. I slap the photo next to the drinks.

“That was left behind the bar, along with money for a free round,” I blurt.

Chace might not be worried, but surely one of my friends will make the connection. I can count on Sienna and Charlotte…I think.

“That’s us,” Isaac states.

“Congratulations, Sherlock,” Chace mutters sarcastically.

Sonny picks up his drink and raises it. “Well, thanks to the mystery drink fairy.”

“Why would someone take our photo?” Charlotte asks.

“Exactly!” I exclaim.

“So the bartender would know who to give the drinks to,” Isaac replies with an eye roll. “Obviously.”

But I’m not buying it. “Why keep it a secret?”

Isaac shrugs. “I don’t know, Lylah. Drink up. The show’s about to start.”

I don’t understand why no one is taking this seriously. It doesn’t make sense.

“What’s that on the back of the photo?” Sienna asks.

“Huh?” Chace says.

“The edge is peeling.” She picks it up and pulls at the black shiny backing.

What the hell?

When the backing peels off, Sienna looks at the photo, then drops it on the table like it’s burned her. The small black square looks like the note Sonny received earlier with cut-out letters.