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He took another shot and let the mask fall back in place. He turned his head to see me through the crowd.

“I can’t believe he’s really here,” Scarlett said. “What did he say to you when you jumped into his arms?”

“That he’s been trying to stay away. But I’ve been slowly killing him.”

She squealed.

“I know, right? And he liked my pictures. He must have just found a sneaky way to export the later ones so I wouldn’t know that he looked.”

“Well, it’s good that he’s sneaky,” Axel said. “Maybe the two of you somehow won’t actually get caught.”

“We won’t,” I said firmly. This wasn’t just some game to me. I loved Mr. Halifax.

A few guys from the team pulled Mr. Halifax into the middle of the dance floor.

Everyone started jumping up and down to the beat of the music. Instead of lifting his hands into the air like everyone else, Mr. Halifax flapped his wings.

I laughed.

“He’s kind of a dork,” Scarlett said.

“Hey.” I glared at her.

“I mean it in a good way. He’s a very cute dork.”

“Whale penis,” RJ said with a giggle.

I elbowed him in his side. “What are you talking about?”

“A dork is a whale penis.”

“I don’t think that’s right. But I’ll find out what he’s packing soon enough.”

RJ laughed. “I wasn’t saying his dick is as big as a whale’s. And I don’t want to know what our teacher is packing.”

I ignored him and stared at Mr. Halifax. He was actually a very good dancer. Especially since he was coordinated enough to do it in that big feathery costume.

Mr. Halifax was still staring at me from across the room. It was like he was begging me to join him, even though I couldn’t see his eyes.

“I’m going to go dance with him,” I said.

“Go get ‘em,” Scarlett said and slapped my butt.

Yeah, she was definitely drunk. “Take care of my girl,” I said to Axel.

Axel put his arm around her. He definitely wasn’t letting her out of his sight.

I made my way through the crowd. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was going to dance with Mr. Halifax the way I wished I had at that club.

But this time I didn’t just have to imagine it was him while I grinded against some rando.

I walked right up to Mr. Halifax and spun around, pressing my ass against him.

His feathered hands immediately fell to my hips.

I shook my hips and lifted my hand up, letting it land on the back of his neck. There was this small sliver of skin exposed between his eagle head and the rest of his costume. I ran my index finger along his neck.

He groaned and his fingers dug into my hips.