Ko scoffed after paying for two tickets. The ticket seller somehow saw through her awin sister Kai’s scheme to get into the Dentist Haircut premiere while only paying for oicket.

  “I still think it was a great pn,” Kai said.

  “It would’ve beeer if we timed out who was going to pay better, he got all fused when it was both of us.” Ko said.

  “I guess,” Kai said. “I’m gon pop!”

  Kai darted off as Ko sighed. Before she could get too frustrated about losing more mohaended, she spotted something iing. In the lobby of the theater they were at, there was a small arcade area. Most of it was typical cw game affairs, which were pretty b, but there were some arcade game setups, and at one of them was someone Knized. Lillia ce ying a retro game ily, apparently there by herself.

  Well, I have some fun at least.

  Kalei had told her that Zeta Faleur had a crush on Lillia. Something about that sparked something in Ko. frontia about it directly would be b, what new info would she even be able to give her? Telling Lillia directly about it was out as well; something about the direct approach felt so bh to Ko.

  Before she could walk to Lillia, Ko felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “Hey,” Kai said. “You going to uh, talk to her? Like, talk to her. I know that look.”

  Kai handed her sister a box of pop and some dy as she owards Lillia.

  “Yeah.” Ko said, tilting her head to the side. “You wan our seats?”

  “Uh huh,” Kai said. “But first…I don’t think it’ll stop you, but maybe try not to cause another.”

  “Another what, my dear sister?” Ko asked.

  “First, don’t talk to me like that, it’s creepy.” Kai said. “Sed, you know what. Another cluster.”

  “Pfft,” Ko said. “A cluster.”

  “Yeah,” Kai said. “How many was it st time?”

  “Not that many,” Ko said. “And maybe I’ll stick with just ohis time…”

  “Well, whatever,” Kai said. “Just keep in mind you have aical twin sister who doesn’t like getting bmed for when her sister, you know…”

  “Causes a cluster,” Ko said, sighing.

  “Yeah.” Kai said.

  “I’ll do my best.” Ko said.

  “See you iheater then,” Kai said, getting her own box of pop and snacks and heading towards the theater. “I’ll be as far in the back row as I .”

  “Sounds good,” Ko said, finding Lillia a lot more iing than the movie now.

  * * *

  Lillia smmed the buttons on the arcade mae of Red Her Ring, an old game about a fish princess climbing a castle. She wasn’t particurly thrilled about seeiist Haircut in general, and even less so about seeing it with her family. Particurly Lilith, who she knew would do what she always did at the movies; frequently lean over and expihing happening in the movie as if Lillia was too stupid to uand every basic detail.

  “Game over…” Lillia muttered to herself, then quietly groaned when she saw she was out of quarters.

  “I got you,” Ko Matora said, pg a quarter on the mae and sliding it over to Lillia.

  “Oh,” Lillia said. “Hello, Ko.”

  “’Red Her Ring,’” Ko said, reading the name on the s. “I think I have a colle with that one on it.”

  “Oh, yes, the 7BitArts Colle,” Lillia said. “I have that as well.”

  “Sweet.”

  “I think I like pying it on the physical mae better,” Lillia said. “It feels more special that way.”

  “The cssics are always best like that, huh?”

  Lillia was already feeling fused. Outside of game sessions with Kalei’s group, the Matora sisters didn’t pay much attention to her, if any. Ko hanging around her made her suspicious.

  “Hey Lillia,” Ko said. “Guess what?”

  “…what?” Lillia asked.

  “I heard a little secret that involved you.” Ko said.

  Lillia squinted. “What are you talking about?”

  She tried to think of as Ko Matora would care enough about to tell her. Was it something involving their game group? She hadn’t cheated on anything in their ret group py sessions. It couldn’t have been that she’d gotten an eGame 3 at unch, everyone in the group had to know what soles the others had. It couldn’t be anything about the py, she couldn’t see either Matora sister g enough to pay attention to the theater. Making matters stranger, Ko only smiled softly as she waited to answer, as if she relished in building the anticipation.

  “I heard through the grapevine,” Ko twirled her ponytail in her hand a bit. “That someone has a crush on you…”

  Lillia’s heart skipped a beat. Her mind immediately rushed to Naomi, and she had a sudden, desperate pang of hope that Ko Matora had somehow found that out.

  “W-who?” Lillia asked, hoping Ko would tell her immediately.

  “That’s a secret,” Ko said, grinning.

  “Well then…is that all?” Lillia asked, needing to get out of this situation immediately. Why 't Oka just get a cell phone for times like this? “The…movie’s about to start, and—"

  “To be ho, it’s got me feeling a little jealous.” Ko said, leaning up against the side of the mae and crossing her arms.

  “…what?” Lillia asked.

  “In beam chasers, I’m most motivated by petition,” Ko said. “In something like this, I like when I have some petition as well.”

  “What do you mean?” Lillia asked.

  “I mean you,” Ko said. “If someone else is ied in you, I’d like to put my name in that hat, is all.”

  “Is this…a joke? Are you pulling some kind of strange prank?” Lillia asked. “You’re not seriously…?”

  “I’m letting you know I’m ied, at least,” Ko said. “Maybe you’re more ied in whoever has a crush on you. But I’ll let you know now, knowing them, I think you’re a lot better off than me.”

  “I…er…” Lillia stammered.

  “Just think about it,” Ko said. “I’d really like to have a chat with you soon.”

  Lillia stayed silent, waiting for when Ko would ask her to her beam chasers staff or to give her money fame, or to throw the multipyer group tour or something. Her family was done buying refreshments, and they were headed her way. She did not want them to hear anything Ko was telling her.

  “That’s my family, I better…” Lillia trailed off.

  “Of course,” Ko said. “Enjoy the movie, love.”

  Lillia’s little sister Lilith marched up to her and waved her hands in front of Lillia’s face. Lillia swatted her away.

  “Meanie,” Lilith said. “I was just trying to get that faraway look out of your eyes. Who was that?”

  “A friend from school,” Lillia said, watg Ko walk away.