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and freaked out at him for kissing me, showing up without telling me, and just assuming he and I were getting back together.”
    I opened my eyes and saw that Drew had straightened, no longer leaning against the wall.
    â€œHe kissed you?” Drew’s eyes were midnight blue.
    I nodded.
    â€œBut you swear you don’t want to be with him. Even though he’s here now and you guys are—were—friends. You do not want to be with Taylor.”
    I clutched my mask stick so hard, I thought it would crack. “I don’t. I don’t want to be with Taylor. Whether he’s here or at home. I want to keep going out with you.”
    I took a step toward him, and our faces were inches apart. He had to know everything. I didn’t want to lose him.
    â€œI really like you, Drew, and I’m so sorry I got swept up in my party. There’s no excuse. If I were you, I’d be so offended that I’d even thought for a second that someone else was you.”
    We looked at each other. It felt as though all of the oxygen was disappearing from the hallway. There wasn’t room for Drew to back up, and my feet were rooted to the ground. My knees felt like they’d give out if I moved.
    â€œLauren, your birthday wish isn’t coming true tonight.”

THE PIRATE AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE
    I KNEW, I JUST KNEW, THAT DREW WAS GOING to break up with me. But I didn’t know it would feel like this.
    Tears made his shape blurry, and I stepped back, resting my back against the wall. I wanted Drew to just walk out the door. I’d embarrassed him enough. I wasn’t going to beg him to accept my apology.
    Shoes shuffled, and two cool hands touched my elbows.
    â€œLook at me,” Drew said, his voice gentle.
    I gazed up at him, trying to keep my chin from wobbling.
    â€œI’m not breaking up with you. What I meant was, I wanted to kiss you on your birthday too. It was going to be a special night for both of us. But because of . . .”Drew swallowed. “ Taylor , that’s not how I want our first kiss to be. It’ll happen on a night just for us—you and me—when I’m the first one to kiss you.”
    â€œYou—you’re not—but I—”
    Drew touched my chin, making my queasy stomach a little calmer. “You didn’t cause anything that happened tonight. I know you like me, and you’re honest. If you had kissed Taylor and felt something, you would have told me. Or you could have kept this whole thing to yourself. But that’s not you. ”
    â€œI’d never keep anything like that from you.”
    â€œI know. You’re honest, Laur, and that’s part of why I like you.” He smiled. “I mean, I really don’t want to think about another guy kissing you. Let alone the fact that he’s an ex. But it happened, and you came to me with the truth. I’d be pretty dumb and egotistical to stop seeing this girl that I like over a really big misunderstanding.”
    I raised an eyebrow and touched my pointer finger to my chin. “You like a girl? Who is she?”
    Drew laughed. It was the way he laughed that I knew we were okay. His laughter reached deep down into his belly, making his shoulders shake a little. It was the type of laugh that couldn’t be faked. His great laugh was one of the things I’d been drawn to when we’d met.
    Drew took my hand in his and bubbles tickled my stomach.
    â€œReady to party, birthday girl?” he asked.
    â€œSo ready,” I said. “Full disclosure—Taylor’s in there. I invited him because—”
    Drew squeezed my hand. “Hey, you don’t have to explain that to me. I want to go inside, have fun, and make this an awesome night for you. If Taylor’s the guy you’ve told me about, then we’re not going to have a problem.”
    I squeezed Drew’s hand back, and he reached for the doorknob. Together we stepped out of