“I believe it,” David said.
“Mmm-hmm,” Zachary said, unfazed. “So, what do you want?”
“We need to get into prom,” Lucy said. “Varsity’s going to be looking out for David. And I’ve got the Saints gunning for me.”
“We need to get my brother,” David said, “and get out of the school before we run out of air.”
A smile curled Zachary’s black-painted lips for the first time, and he turned away from the mirror to face them. He studied David, then Lucy, up and down, taking his time.
“I thought you two were lovebirds.”
Lucy looked up to David. His mouth was open as if he were about to say something, but no words were coming.
“If you want to say something, Zachary, just spit it out already,” Lucy said. “We don’t have time for—”
“Whoa, whoa,” Zachary said. “Easy does it, sister. I’m just trying to get the lay of the land. That’s all. So, tell me if I’m wrong. Batman just reappeared in your life, and you can leave now, but you’re going to give all that up, probably get him killed, just so you can make things weird again with Robin?”
Lucy felt nauseous.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Does Batman know about Robin?”
Now it was Lucy whose voice was stuck in her throat. She was having one of those clenching moments, when you’re suddenly aware of everything at once, and how far things are from being okay. Lucy thought about Will for the first time, really thought about him. She knew he loved her, and she knew that kind of love didn’t magically vanish just because her heart wanted something else.
“I know what happened,” David said. “It doesn’t matter. I need to save my brother.”
Zachary clapped his hands and stood. He looked tickled.
“Well, this I’ve gotta see. This is the real show. Way more fun than a spoiled brat with a gun. Can you believe she gave me twenty-four hours to transform the commons? Everybody always wants top quality but they never want to wait for it. Naturally, I made miracles happen. She’s lucky I’m a professional.”
“You mean, she’s lucky she has a gun,” David said.
“That too.”
“So, we’re good? You’ll sneak us in?”
“Yes.”
Zachary spun on his heels and walked away from them, quickly vanishing behind the dense walls of costumes.
“Uh …,” Lucy said, trading looks with David. “We need to go. Now.”
“You’re not going anywhere with me, dressed like that,” Zachary called out.
Hot water scalded the back of Lucy’s neck but it felt good. The heat seeped into her muscles. She soaped up a lather and gently washed the cuts she’d gotten from her fall. Looking down her body at all the damage, she recognized something positive for the first time—she was lucky to be alive.
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth washing over her skin. When Zachary had gotten up close to Lucy, he’d called her “foul” and insisted that she use his private shower to clean herself up before he loaned her anything from the Geek’s huge supply of costumes. She didn’t refuse.
Lucy pressed her hands to her face. Everything was crazy. If she and David lived through this, she’d still have to tell Will about the baby. And about her feelings for David. Will was probably going to hate her forever.
Life refused to get any easier.
Lucy laughed. Then groaned from an ache in her side, and laughed again. She was going to her first prom. A dance, in a gown, with music from two years ago. Ridiculousness. She decided right then, right there, with thin streams of blood still running down her ribs, and her head still throbbing from a gasoline hangover, that she was going to try and enjoy it. Even if it was a pathetic excuse for a prom, it might be the only one she ever got, and it could be her last chance to enjoy anything.
Lucy finished cleaning herself and took a big breath before turning off the water. She dried herself off with a towel that felt so fluffy she wondered if it had ever been used. She wrapped it around her body and pushed open the bathroom door. Steam unfurled and sank when it hit the cool of the dressing room.
“What’s the ETA on a shirt?” David said.
Lucy giggled and covered her mouth. David was standing in the middle of the room, bare chested with his gas mask on. His arms were outstretched with different outfits draped off them on hangers. Zachary parted a curtain of costumes and climbed through them, carrying a pink button-down shirt. He approached David and held the shirt up against his chest. With his free hand, he pressed the shirt to David’s skin. Lingering. He tilted his head and leaned back, biting his lip.
“Mmm,” Zachary said.
“What?” David said.
“Nope.”
Zachary spun away from David and disappeared again among the clothes.
“We don’t have all day!” David shouted after Zachary.
“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you hit a tanning bed every day. Yours is not an easy skin tone to match, David!”
David looked to Lucy, who was still laughing.
“Do you know how many shirts he’s tried on me already?” David said.
“I think he’s enjoying himself,” Lucy said.
David shook his head and let out a little laugh. “I should’ve listened to you. We could’ve been there by now.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Would it be weird to be excited about this?”
“What are you saying, you want to slow dance?”
Lucy grinned.
“Maybe.”
David lifted his arms higher, inviting her to dance. All the outfits dangling from his arms swung, and a few fell off.
“Am I the date of your dreams?”
“Yep. I always had fantasies of making out with an astronaut stripper man. So, this is like the next best thing.”
David started to writhe his hips like an exotic dancer.
“Is this doing anything for you?”
Lucy nodded. “Definitely. Whoof, how did Hilary ever let you slip through her fingers?”
“Well …,” David said, giving a grand finale hip thrust, “she dumped me.”
Lucy cackled, then covered her mouth.
“Sorry.”
“I think I’m over it.”
“What was she like?” Lucy said. “I mean, if you liked her, and it sounds like she was there for you in a tough time, was she someone else then?”