Around one, the doorbell rang. Rhea insisted on answering, leaving Tristan and Iggy some bonding time. The two of them had been swapping beach stories and laughing at an art website known for its cringe factor.

She'd been waiting for this moment all day. Her dress was still clean and unwrinkled. Her hair was silky and styled with a healthy shine. She'd even rehearsed in the shower. The epic secret plan she'd come up with was to use this cute little chump to get back in the groove. She would make her watch "Jaws," get more popcorn, file her nails for her, agree to future outings... It would be fun.

Tristan regretted having turned off the filters, but some things were so just so bad there was nothing else to do but laugh at their existence. It was working- he and his prospective boyfriend were having a great time.

“On a more serious note…” Iggy placed his hand firmly on Tristan’s shoulder. “Please don’t try to charm anyone around Hazel again. Or her. The other day, you really blew it.”

Tristan flinched. His shoulder felt warm, and then so did the rest of him, as if he had a fever. “Sure thing,” he agreed sheepishly. “Is it hot in here or is that just y-”

“Hey look, a better pick-up line!” With his free hand, Iggy pointed to a thumbnail on the screen of Tristan’s laptop. It was a cartoon of fruits making flirty puns.

He chuckled, but the feeling of warmth had escalated to dizzying heat. It couldn’t be nerves. He set the computer down and wiped an unexpected amount of sweat from his forehead.

Meanwhile, Rhea flung open the door with as the flair of a reality show drag queen. Greeting Hazel, she leaned seductively against the frame and batted her eyelashes. On the street, a motorcycle pulled out of the driveway and sped away. “Yeah, the guys are downstairs right now,” she said sweetly. By her logic, it couldn’t hurt to make a good impression with the person she’d be practicing her song on all evening. “You can follow me, c’mon.”

The daze that always seemed to set in when this girl talked was growing weaker in Hazel’s mind. It was still there, but weaker than the last time. She followed, but slowly.

Down a musty-smelling staircase, through a weathered wooden door, Hazel wandered groggily behind her guide. As she entered the basement, the boys turned to greet her. The moment their gazes settled, a glare and a look of shock redirected to Rhea.

“What movie are we watching,” Hazel asked, the last bit of her trance wearing off. Rhea nearly jumped out of her skin.

Tristan minimized the website on his computer. “How do you feel about Jaws?”

She narrowed her eyes. Sharks were the least of her fears when she was swimming or on a boat, but she didn’t dislike the classic film. “Are there other options?”

After some negotiating, they started “Zombie Cows From Space.” Iggy ran upstairs for some soda. Tristan and Rhea began to wrestle for possession of a half-empty popcorn bowl. It was all normal enough, despite the hollow feeling of being an outsider that quickly set in.

Iggy ended the popcorn war and handed out jostled sodas, which spewed when opened. Tristan tried to chat about sharks. Rhea said odd things and seemed to make her increasingly nervous. By the time the movie ended, everyone was too sidetracked to begin another. Instead, they found themselves on the internet, playing absurd comedy videos.

When it was over, Maddy returned to pick up Hazel. “You have no idea where I just was,” she boasted with a smirk as Hazel sat behind her on the bike.

“Was it fun,” Hazel asked, wrapping her arms tightly around Maddy’s waist.

“It was legal,” Maddy assured her before taking off. “How was the nerd party?”

It was less than twenty minutes before they arrived at the Wilson residence, but to Hazel, it felt like a lifetime. In the kitchen, they debriefed over room-temperature pizza, courtesy of Hazel’s mother. Maddy had been with another friend, test-driving an underwater camera robot in the deep end of a swimming pool. The conclusion was that it needed some tweaking.

“But what about you? Who was hitting on you when I dropped you off?” Maddy always had a mischievous grin when she sensed drama, and this moment was no exception.

Hazel took an extra slice of pizza from the box and stopped to think. “She’s friends with some people I know. I don’t know much about her.”

As if issuing a challenge, Maddy took two slices of pizza and dropped them on her plate. “Are you gonna flirt back? She was hot… right?”

Hazel shook her head. “She’s pretty, but I don’t know.” The cold eyes, smooth skin, soft hair and pretty figure ran through her mind. The spiteful, ominous aura and the friendly, warm voice evoked conflicting feelings. There weren’t a lot of options in town for a lesbian, but jumping into something painful or even dangerous seemed unwise. Although her behavior during the movie might have been some form of flirting, it felt impossible to truly understand Rhea’s intentions.

Maddy held up her phone. “I can always call Noah if she isn’t your type.” Hazel flipped her the bird with both hands. “He still likes you,” Maddy explained with sadistic joy. “And I hear he has an extra nipple, if you like that kind of thing.”