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girls are freaking out!”
    I looked at the cluster of girls, who had gathered to watch a pool match.
    I took a breath. I had to get used to explaining my relationship to Taylor. No better time than now to get started.
    â€œTaylor’s a friend from home,” I said. “He transferred to Canterwood.”
    Lacey’s glossy coral mouth stretched into a wide grin. “Oh my God, he’s going here ?”
    I nodded. “Now you’ve got the scoop. Talk later?”
    I phrased it as a question, but it was more of a statement. We were strides away from Drew, and I didn’t want to be discussing Taylor in front of him.
    â€œSure,” Lacey said, flipping her long hair over one shoulder. “This is the best Halloween ever! A new hot guy on campus!” Lacey let out a little squeal and twirled on her heel, heading back in the direction of her friends.
    I reached the table where Drew stood next to two chairs.
    â€œOoh, good choices,” Drew said, eyeing the plate.
    â€œI got to the snacks and desserts and felt like a little kid,” I said. I slid into the chair that he pulled out for me.
    He sat next to me. “How?”
    I giggled. “There’s so much candy and treats everywhere. I picked whatever I wanted, and it reminded me of Halloweens when my parents rationed candy to me and my sisters. Otherwise we’d eat our entire loot in one night and get sick.”
    Drew laughed and took a sip of one of the glass bottles of root beer he’d gotten for us. “I know exactly what you mean. After trick-or-treating one Halloween, my dad let me have some candy before he put it away. I was probably six or seven, I think.”
    â€œWhat was your costume?” I asked.
    â€œPirate,” Drew answered.
    We both laughed.
    â€œAw, did you have an eye patch and fake parrot?”
    â€œI didn’t say I was a lame pirate.” He grinned. “My costume even had a plastic sword and stuff that made my teeth look black.”
    â€œWell, excuse me ,” I teased.
    â€œAfter my dad went to bed, I found my candy . . . .”
    â€œUh-oh . . .” I covered my mouth, suppressing a laugh.
    â€œMajor. I ate every piece. Dad says he found me asleep on my bedroom floor the next morning with candy wrappers stuck to my face.”
    I laughed, taking a sip of my drink. “Did you get sick?”
    â€œI’ll just say that the next Halloween, I gladly gave my best friend all of my candy.” Drew unwrapped a mini Snickers bar and took a bite. “But I think I got over it. Obviously.”
    We grinned at each other.
    â€œNow I’m going to keep an eye on you, Adams. If the candy wrapper pile gets bigger than your head—I’m cutting you off.”
    Drew laughed. “I think that’s fair.”
    His knee brushed mine, and the tingles where we’d touched made me wonder what it was going to feel like when we kissed.
    I slid my gaze over, catching Drew looking at me.
    â€œTell me about a Lauren Towers Halloween,” Drew said.
    â€œOkay, hmmm . . .” I thought for a few seconds. “In third grade my teacher promised my class that if we all did well on our October vocabulary tests, we’d have a haunted house at our Halloween party at the end of the month.”
    â€œGood incentive to study,” Drew said.
    â€œFor sure. We got to have the haunted house. I still remember the orange flyer that went home to our parents, asking for volunteers.”
    â€œDid your parents volunteer?” Drew asked. “I think third grade was the last year I was cool with my dad showing up at school events. Then it was ‘I don’t know you!’ and I walked a million feet in front of him at all times.”
    Laughing, I twisted more in my seat to face him. “Third grade was the year for me too. I really wanted my parents to be at the party that year, but after that I went rogue.”
    Drew