"What is it?" I ask when I get closer.
"Be Wednesday!" she says. "You're the Wednesday to my Enid."
"Okay…that doesn't sound too bad."
"Yes! I love you for this. We need to go next door and get pink and blue hair color. You can help me dye it tonight."
Dax appears next to me in a Ghostface mask and throws his arm around me. "She can't. She's busy—get your own girlfriend."
Kira scoffs. "Get myowngirlfriend? That's an interesting word choice from you."
Yeah. I finally admitted to her that I'm with both of them. While she adores Nolan, she and Dax can't stand each other.
"I'll help you dye your hair if you provide the drinks. I need to touch up my pink, too," I tell her. "Dax, you'll be at the gym with Elias, anyway."
"Eh…fine. I'll pick you up on the way back. Give me those." He snatches both the costume and the wig from my hands. "Hand yours over, too, Kira."
"You're going to buy my costume for me?"
"Yeah, whatever. I still hate you."
"Hate you, too," she says, handing it to him.
"Nolan?"
He hands Dax his grim reaper costume. "Fine."
"So, you decided to dress up as Saige. That's sweet."
I shoot him a look. "Dax…"
"Juuuuust kidding. I said that for no reason at all. You're an angel, Ripley."
Nolan pulls out his phone, checking the time. His mom picked up another night shift, and he has to babysit tonight and attend his sister's recital tomorrow. "I have to go, guys. Avery's recital will probably end around eight, so I'll probably be back right around when the party starts."
I squeeze his hand. I'd kiss him, but I know public displays of affection are even more uncomfortable for him than private ones. It makes him feel like everyone else is looking at him in a sexual way, and he doesn't like that. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too."
"I'm jealous of how sweet you are to him, Ripley," Dax says. "What do I have to do to get that treatment?"
I shake my head, ignoring him. "Tell Avery I said hi."
"I will. Bye."
He leaves the three of us in line, and after we check out, we go to the store next door to pick up Kira's hair color. While she searches the shelves, comparing the colors to the image on her phone, I wait with Dax's arms around my waist.
He leans in, kissing my earlobe, my neck. It tickles a little, and I jump back before wrapping my arm around him and bringing his lips to mine.
"Mmm…I love your mouth," he says. "That was sweet."
Kira makes a face at us. "Ew."
But I fucking love everything about him.
"You aren't sweet to Elias like this when you two go on your dates, are you?" he whispers.
"I told you—we don't go on dates."
