Kalei stretched as we left the theater.

  “I’m gonna be ho,” Kalei said. “Not a fan of that cer subplot. That was dark.”

  “Yeah that was like,” Nikki said. “Really dark. The rest was funny, though.”

  I didn’t really think it was that funny, but I was too focused on my imaginary hand holding with Oka to worry about the movie too much. Oka looked somewhat tent leaving the theater. Another daydream wormed into my head of holding hands on the walk to the bus stop, and I thought about really going for it.

  “Alright, I’m waiting until you’re all on the bus before I go,” Stel said as she gave me a hug. “I know I couldn’t see you over that st holiday but I’m realizing I miss you so I’m pnning something soon to pull you out of there for a bit to make up for it.”

  “Aw,” I said, squeezing into the hug a bit harder.

  “I’ll see if you get a day off or something out of it.” Stel said as she winked. “See ya!”

  Oka, Kalei, Nikki and I got onto the bus, which was filled with people who were weirdly really pumped about the movie. Kalei and Nikki chatted them up while Oka and I hung bad shared fused gnces. It was the most excited and animated I’d seen Nikki about something, too.

  The bus dropped us off, and we all walked slowly back to the saking a detour at the beach as a bunch of students from Rising and Falling Shards who were at the movie aimlessly walked the sands.

  “That was great,” Oka said as Kalei and Nikki tio talk in front of us. “Not the movie, that was…yeesh. But the parts with you were great. The others, too. But mostly the parts with you.”

  “Agreed,” I said. I wondered if Oka had her own daydreams about us during the movie.

  That'd be silly though, right?

  After Nikki and Kalei spent some time theorizing about the meaning of the post credits se of Dentist Haircut and whether it was teasing a sequel or aire Dentist Haircut ematiiverse, Nikki called it a night a back to her room. Kalei watched until she was out of sight.

  “You alright there?” I asked. “You’re like. Really sweaty.”

  “Yeah, I think I’m…I’m just gonna…jump into the ke quick.” Kalei said and ran for the water.

  Oka and I watched her actually jump into the water for a few seds.

  “What do you think, you want to head back too?” Oka asked.

  “In a minute, I wanna make sure Kalei doesn’t drown,” I said. “I was trained from a young age to fear uow.”

  “Ah, of course,” Oka said. We watched Kalei thrash around ier for a moment before she stepped out of the water.

  “Hey, did you tell Oka?” Kalei asked me.

  “Tell her what?” I said.

  “About…you know.” Kalei said.

  “I’ll leave it to you, I figured you’d wao not spread that around without permission.”

  “Right, right,” Kalei said. “I didn’t t Oka in that since we’re roommates, but still, thanks.”

  “Spread what around?” Oka asked.

  “I er…” Kalei said. “I think I might have a crush on Nikki.”

  Oka blinked as she processed that. Then her eyes widened.

  “Oh, that expins…huh,” Oka said. “That makes a lot of sense. Good for you!”

  Kalei shook herself like a dog after a bath, getting water on us.

  “Hey!” I said.

  “Sorry,” Kalei said. “I’m just…pretty jacked up is all.”

  “It’s fine,” Oka said. “That bus was kinda warm with all the people on it. And you were just with your crush.”

  “Yeah,” Kalei said. “We should talk about that ter though, I think I’m gonna call it a night too. You guys done or are you gonna stay out here a bit longer?”

  Oka looked to me. I didn’t want that to be it for the night even if we were breaking curfew.

  “I think we’re gonna take the long way back,” I said. Oka nodded.

  “Alright, I’ll text you if I see any night guards prowling around here,” Kalei said. “Night guys! Who am I kidding, I’m not gonna sleep after that!”

  Kalei practically skipped back towards the school, water dripping off of her as she ran.

  “I holy didn’t piece together that Kalei had a crush at all,” Oka said. “But then again, I retty distracted today.”

  I smiled a bit nervously at that, but I didn’t know how to respond. Oka and I walked along the beach for a while, until we were at a spot on the beach away from the other students hanging out there.

  “Well, we have a few mi least before the curfew people start sing the beach I think,” Oka said. “At least that’s what I assume those buggy things are that go around now are.”

  “Oh, those ones we see from our room?” I asked. “I actually didn’t sider that’d be it, but that makes sense.”

  Oka had taken her shoes off and was watg her feet sink into the sand with each step. I did the same.

  “I’m fih just a few mioo,” I said. “Even if it’s just a mi’s a mih you.”

  “Aw, Zeta,” Oka said. “You’re so sweet, you know?”

  I again didn’t know what to say to that.

  “Also, let’s pn out that movie night!” Oka said. “For those spad superhero ones.”

  “Oh, yeah!” I said. “I think there’s like seven of them so far, the Versus Wars o least. They’re all out of order ologically too.”

  “What order do you reend?” Oka said.

  “Oh, definitely release order,” I said. “It just makes more thematise that way.”

  “Are they as good as Tower of Hate and Love?” Oka said.

  “Not as good, but they’re pretty dang good.” I said. “And the Infinites is like superhero globetrotting adveuff, there’s like fifty plus of those so far.”

  “We watch during nail night tomorrow!” Oka said.

  “Yes, let’s!” I said. “Which do you want first, scifi epic or superhero adventures?”

  “Hmmm, you sounded more excited about Versus, so let’s do that,” Oka said. “It’s a date!”

  After she said that, Oka took a few steps ahead while I stopped. My hands were shaking. Her dress flowed over her leggings, almost in sync with the waves spshing near us.

  “So, which way should we head now?” Oka asked. “I still have energy, I’m fine if we take the long way back, even if we risk the curfew guards more, because it would...it would..."

  Oka trailed off. Just like how I imagined us holding hands, I could just let the night end there and just go back to bed. The bittersweet cloud over the night would grow a bit bigger, but it couldn't overwhelm all the imes. Something inside me told me if I left things as they were here, I’d be shutting a door I didn’t want shut. I could let Oka walk away, aually the emotions inside me would settle and go back to normal, for now at least. Things could end up where I wahem to still, eventually. Maybe. The voi my heart said if I let it go now, I could be letting it good.

  “Hey.” I said softly, barely getting my mouth to form words. “Oka?”

  She stood frozen with her shoulders stiff and fists cmped at her side, petrified.

  “Yes? Am I being too much?” Oka said. “I’m suddenly afraid to look back. Did I just get really annoying all of a sudden...?”

  “No, it’s not that,” I said. I shut my eyes for a sed, not able to bear seeing Oka look so scared without even seeing her expression. “ you…turn around for a…”

  I opened my eyes as Oka turned around, seeing that she looked as terrified as I felt. She winced, her fangs biting into her lower lip. The wind was at my back, blowing her hair behind her. I walked up to her and as soon as I was close, we both went pletely still again. Panic threateo overwhelm me. Knowing all the ways I could e up with if I waited too long, I didn’t give myself time to turn babsp;

  She softly gasped as I reached for her face with my hands and leaned in.

  I kissed her, there on the beach, right as a big wave spshed onto the sand.