“Just a moment,” I whispered, excusing myself with a shaky smile before slipping out of Jake’s reach. My hands were clammy as I found Zoe waiting at the back corridor, her lipstick slightly smudged, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of what we had just pulled off.

The moment I saw her, the mask cracked. Tears blurred my vision. I threw my arms around her.

She held me tight, her perfume strong and familiar, her voice low against my ear. “Chloe… you did it. You really did it.”

...