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“See you Saturday.”

I’m hyperaware of what almost happened in the car, and from the way Jake is purposefully keeping room for the Holy Ghost between us, I feel safe assuming he’s aware too. We both lean forward in a weird, shoulder-only hug and part ways. My driver’s side door is still dangling open, and my lights are on when I get back to the car. I’m about to reconnect the Bluetooth and steel myself to text Connor when I see Jake hanging halfway out the lobby door.

“Hey, Em,” he stage-whispers. The sidewalk is narrow enough that I can still hear him. “It’s super cool not being friends with you again.”

I command myself not to smile, and my mouth rebels spectacularly. I’m still smiling two streets over when my phone lights up again. Jesus, is Connor secretly fifty years old? I was getting to you, enough with the phone calls already.

I answer before the ringtone can start and hear something that completely wipes the grin off my face: not Connor’s voice, but Penny’s.

“Hey, Lia. Just got a weird text from Matt Pearson? I have some questions. First question: who the hell is KNOX?”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Team Unity Chat, Sunday

BobTheeQ: Ch-ch-checking in with Round One Winners Team Unity!

BobTheeQ: Especially and including Our Ladies, how was everything after we parted ways last night?

JHoops: i haven’t been online but yes how are you both

shineedancer: not great, bob

ElementalP: I’ve had worse

BobTheeQ: My bots are at your service. BlockBot, WipeBot, PrivacyBot . . .

ElementalP: How about MurderBot?

JHoops: ThatsAFelonyBot

JHoops: but Bob would probably build one for you anyway

ElementalP: ok i’ll take a BlockBot pls there’s only so much racism I can take before noon

BobTheeQ: DMing you the code, Sweet P.

JHoops: anything you want us to handle?

JHoops: if you give me your pw I can go through your TL and only show you the nice tweets starting from yesterday

shineedancer: don’t you have enough on your plate Jake? aren’t you still hyperventilating and/or recovering from the bus

JHoops: why would i hyperventilate

shineedancer: oh idk. she plays with fury. looks like elena of avalor. rhymes with box.

ElementalP: or maybe rhymes with shmay-oh-shmee idk what we’re going with now that she’s a known entity

shineedancer: this would be a lot easier if you just told us her NAME

JHoops: oh that’s all fine.

JHoops: fine fine fine. I don’t want to like take space rn

JHoops: also nothing happened and I took the bus

BobTheeQ: Consider me convinced!