“To seventeen,” Cassie said, her eyes misty. It was the toast we had made at my birthday party six months ago, before any of this had started. Just me, Cassie, and Dan. My two best friends from childhood. Dan caught my eye and grinned.
“The year it all falls into place,” he finished.
The gym had been transformed. The entrance was strung up with hundreds of paper lanterns, forming a tunnel of light that we had to walk through on our way inside. Asher grabbed my hand and squeezed it. Just ahead of us, Cassie walked next to Dan, the soft light blurring her red-blond hair like a vintage photograph. Dan looked at her, and for one really beautiful moment, he just smiled. There was no worry in his eyes. He leaned in close to whisper something in my best friend’s ear, and I think I actually saw her blush. She pushed him lightly.
On the other side, the tunnel opened up into the End of the World.
Someone—I glanced at Cassie—had gone crazy with the papier-mâché, creating a giant chasm in the gymnasium floor to simulate an earthquake. A smaller version of the Statue of Liberty leaned off-kilter in the corner, surrounded by a deep snowdrift of cotton balls. By the half-court line, the stern of the Titanic rose into the air. Tiny plastic LEGO people clung for dear life, some suspended by strings to show them plummeting to their icy fate. “Check it out!” Cassie spun in a circle. “It’s the end of the world!”
I couldn’t help glancing at Asher. He didn’t seem to find the theme very funny.
“Well, guys,” said Cassie. “Who knows what’s going to happen tonight, but I think we better get in a dance or two, right?”
“For once,” Dan said, “I’m with this one. M’lady?” He held out his hand, and she took it proudly.
“You guys,” she said, walking backward so she could talk to us as Dan led her out onto the dance floor. “I have the studliest prom date!”
Devin guided Raven onto the dance floor, and Ian wandered off to the punch.
“How about it?” Asher held out his hand to me. “One dance before it all goes down?”
I hesitated. “I don’t know. Shouldn’t we find Aunt Jo, Aaron, and James, and go over the strategy one more time?”
“Skye,” Asher leaned in close, and I felt that familiar shiver up my arms. “If I know you, you know that plan cold. Let yourself have five minutes of fun.” He pulled back and flashed me a grin, then gestured to the dance floor.
I glanced at Dan, who was twirling Cassie in circles around us. She laughed and laughed, as if she didn’t have a care in the world. How did she let everything just roll off her shoulders like that?
I took a deep breath.
“All right,” I said, and placed my hand in his. “But no fancy stuff.”
Asher laughed. “I’m all fancy stuff. Come on, let me show you my moves.” I rolled my eyes and let him lead me onto the dance floor. Asher wrapped his arms around me, and I leaned my cheek against his T-shirt. As we turned slowly, I knew that being here with him was giving me strength.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to me, Skye,” Asher whispered in my ear. “But I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” I pulled back to look at him. Now that I had him back, was this the last time we’d ever dance together? I had finally found him only to face the thought of losing him. There was so much I wanted to say, but I was afraid if I opened my mouth, I would cry.
Instead, I stood up on my tiptoes to kiss him.
Over his shoulder, I spotted Devin, standing alone as Raven walked off to scout for Guardians and Rebels. He caught my eye.
“Asher,” I said softly. “Can you give me a minute?” Asher turned around and caught Devin’s gaze. Something passed between them, something I wasn’t sure I was supposed to see. The hatred of those early days was gone. It was replaced with a tense agreement. An understanding.
After everything we’d been through, who could have predicted that Asher and Devin would find themselves on the same side, voluntarily? That they would take the same risk, at the same time, without even knowing? At the end of it all, they had so much more in common than they ever realized.
Asher nodded and said in a low voice, “I’ll be waiting.”
I made my way across the dance floor to where Devin stood. He watched me approach with a look on his face that was hard to read.
“You look . . . wow.” He shook his head, and I blushed.
“Would you dance with me, Devin?” He looked surprised, but he reached out, tentatively, for my hand. “Just one more memory,” I said, and led him onto the dance floor.
Around us, the paper lanterns glowed, like fireflies, in the dark gym.
“Devin,” I said slowly. “I just wanted to say thank you, for helping me find Asher. It meant the world to me.”
He swallowed sharply.
“You showed me how to have the happiness I never thought was possible for me. I owed you the same.”
We danced in silence as the music wrapped around us like the softest blanket. Whatever happened, I would never forget him.
I’d realized something then. I’d had this vision before, seen this moment—but it had been different. Somehow, somewhere along the line, I had changed my own fate, along with the world’s.
The song ended, and I looked up at him.
“You and I,” he said, “we were never meant to be. It’s true, right? It was always an uphill battle. There was always an obstacle.”
“I know.”
“Thanks for this memory.” He pulled away. Weirdly, I felt tears stinging my eyes, and bit the inside of my cheek. I looked over to see that Raven was hovering on the edge of the dance floor, watching us. Her expression was part anxious, part hopeful.
When I turned back to Devin, he was gone, and I had lost him in the crowd.
27 
I stood alone on the surging dance floor.
I felt at peace. I’d tied up all my loose ends.
I was ready to face the future.
I scanned the room and spotted Asher talking to Aunt Jo, Aaron, and James. Earth was very intently staring out the window, a serious expression on her face.
They all looked up when I approached.
“Where are Cassie, Dan, and Ian?” I asked, just as Cassie bounded up next to me.
“Well, I lost my boyfriend. Have you seen him?”
We heard laughing and followed the sound to where Dan and Ian were standing by the giant papier-mâché Titanic. They each held a LEGO figurine in their hands and looked like they were acting something out.
“Seriously?” I muttered.
“You know,” said Cassie, “people have broken up for less.”
I cleared my throat and Ian and Dan whipped around. “We were . . . uh . . .” Dan fumbled.
“This is why we’re not allowed to go on missions, Daniel,” Cassie hissed.
“Entertaining as this is,” I said, “come on. I want to get everyone together.” Earth was signaling to me frantically.
Just as we all reconvened, the DJ’s voice rang out in the background.
“Ladies and gentleman of Northwood, it’s time to announce your prom court.”
“Ooh!” cried Cassie.
“Are you sure it’s my fault?” Dan asked.
“A shooting star!” Earth cried breathlessly. “And Skye, it has your name on it!”
“It’s now,” I said. “That was it.” Asher moved to my side.
“NOW?” cried Cassie. “But what about the prom court?!”
“Tell me how it turns out.” And then I closed my eyes, and I let go of high school.