Liah's schedule was getting hectic with rehearsals and making sure everyone's off book. The musical opens next month and runs every Saturday until winter break starts.

I knew all of that, not only because Liah told me, but because she got a hold of my phone and marked up my calendar with reminders. Her bedroom had a physical calendar with reminders. Her social media accounts were full of countdowns. Basically, if anyone missed the school musical, it wouldn't be due to lack of notification.

My best friend was on stage facing down the three actresses playing her frenemies, singing a song about betrayal, when Corey claimed the seat next to me. The back row of the auditorium had been our meet up spot since our work on the sets ended. Well, I wasn't needed anymore, but Corey knew how to handle a power drill. He was clearly more valuable.

Since my talk with Gray over the weekend, these little meetings felt wrong. Like I was talking with the enemy. But not talking to Corey felt off, too. He'd become an important part of my life without me noticing.

One day, I couldn't stand him and the next, I wanted to know everything about him.

Even though what he did to my brother was a dick move, I understood the want to rebel against Gray. He had this superiority complex that got really annoying, really fast.

I'd attempted to breech the topic of Corey by casually bringing him up. Whenever Gray asked me something about the play, I'd saying things like, "I thought Corey would've told you?" or bring up a set piece Corey worked on. None of it worked. It was worse than I thought.

That's why, as Corey watched the choreographed dance scene on stage, I was plotting.

Gray was supposed to come home later in the week. He only had one class that day, which he could easily take remotely. We were going to continue our brother-sister bonding over some early Christmas shopping.

Corey could accidentally run into us at the mall. Or he could come over during dinner. Nothing like a little forced proximity to get two people talking again.

My friendship with Corey happened at the worst time. I needed him and Gray to talk it out, so I wouldn't end up on my brother's bad side. Again.

"What are you doing on Thursday?"

Corey turned so fast, he nearly head-butted me. I moved away, not realizing I'd leaned in so close.

"Nothing. Why?"

Why? Why did I want him to come over? I didn't think telling him I planned on setting him up Parent Trap style with my brother would go over well.

His eyes watched me, waiting. Did he always have a freckle near his ear? No. I was getting sidetracked.

"Hammers."

His brows pinched together. Hammers? Really? That was the best my brain could do?

"I...wanted to hang some shelves," I said. "In the garage, where I do my nail stuff. Can you help me with it?" It wasn't a complete lie. I had thought about it. I'd just been too lazy to actually do it.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there."

I had set the plan in motion. No turning back now.

● ● ●

"I can't make it."

The two liter of soda I held nearly slipped from my grasp. "What? Why not?" Gray was supposed to be walking through the front door, not calling me over the phone.

My brother not being here would completely throw off my plan. I sat at the kitchen table, the pizza and chicken wings I ordered spread in front of me.

"I forgot about a paper that's due Monday," he told me.

"We have Wi-Fi here, you know?"

He chuckled. "I'll try to come over this weekend if I finish the paper early. That'll give you time to brush up on your Mario Kart."

"You only won because you kept cheating."

The doorbell rang. Corey was there to talk about shelves, and Gray was still at school. Nothing went as planned.

"Who's at the door?" Gray asked in my ear.

"Liah."

I'd never noticed how much my best friend's name sounded like "liar" until then. I couldn't tell Gray that Corey came over. Especially not after his reaction to thinking I was going on a date with him.

It made sense now why he reacted that way. What Corey did wasn't cool, but it shouldn't derail their entire friendship. I just had to try this plan again over the weekend when Gray visited.

"Alright, I'm about to go to the library. Talk later?"

"Okay. Bye."

Corey was hitting the doorbell again when I opened the door. "I heard you the first time."

"Sorry. I thought maybe you had your music up loud or something." I stepped aside to let him in. He smelled nice. Fabric softener and something else that was distinctly him.

"What's all this?"

I pushed his scent from my mind and followed his gaze to the kitchen table and bromance-dinner I had laid out. Crap.

"I don't know about where you're from, but here, the round thing is called pizza and those other things are chicken wings."

He rolled his eyes, but I could see his lips curl up in the slightest.

"We can't build shelves on an empty stomach." I hoped he was buying my act. If Gray were there, they'd be busy talking to each other. I wouldn't have to explain why I ordered food for him. "Speaking of which."

I led him to the garage. My work desk was a mess from me experimenting with nail piercings. Small hoops and charms littered the surface. I quickly swept them all into a plastic container to buy myself time. I didn't fully think this through.

"I was thinking about getting shelves right above the desk to organize my polish and clear up the clutter."

When I started, I only had a few nail colors. Now, I had almost every shade imaginable. The small bottles took up most of my desk space. There was even a small crate on the floor full of polish.

Corey examined the wall, then set a toolbox on the floor. I didn't notice it before. Probably because his scent distracted me. He grabbed something he called a stud finder, holding it to the wall and marking different spots with a pencil. I stood back and watched him work.

It was entirely too quiet. Silence always made it harder for me to think. I need music to get through the day. Reading, writing, showering--I need something to focus on other than the task at hand.

The silence didn't seem to bother Corey. I would never understand people like that.

My phone rang, the sudden loud song making me jump. Liah's face popped on the screen. I excused myself and took the call to my room.

"I'm just calling to make sure the boys are playing nice," Liah said. Glitter covered her face like she was one of the girls from that weird high school show she loved so much. She must've still been at rehearsals.

Our school wasn't fancy and didn't have an established theater program like I saw on tv or read about in books. I honestly didn't know our school put on plays until that year. And that was only because Mrs. Darcy, the English teacher/choir director, heard Liah humming during class and practically begged her to audition for the musical.

Still, everyone involved in the musical treated it like a Broadway production. I'd hardly seen Liah because she'd been busy with rehearsals and dance practice.

We texted and video chat when we could, but the closer she got to opening night, the less I heard from her.

"Gray's still at school," I told her. "He's not coming. Now I have two medium pizzas, wings, and Corey Michaels in my garage."

"Sounds like a date."

I choked on air. "What?!"

Liah giggled. "I knew it. I freaking knew it! You like him."

"What are you talking about? There's nothing to know."

My best friend couldn't wipe the smile off her face if she tried. "I had a feeling the day we made the dating list. The way you two were at the door saying goodbye like one of you was going off to the war."

I remembered thinking that was the last time I'd have a reason to talk to Corey. I was sad about it, but only because... I mean, it was right after Halloween. He did that really sweet thing for me. And okay, maybe I did inhale him a few minutes ago, but it wasn't because I liked him. Noticing someone's smell didn't mean anything.

"You're wrong," I said finally.

She gave me a look over the phone. "If I'm so wrong, then why are you trying to fix things between him and your brother?"

"Because no one should lose their friend over relationship drama." And maybe a small part of me wanted Gray to be okay with me talking to Corey.

As friends. Because that's all I thought of him as. All we were.

Liah looked ready to spew out facts and stats to prove she was right. Thankfully, her break was over and she had to get back on stage.

After we hung up, I found Corey in the kitchen peeking into one of the pizza boxes. "Chicken and bacon?" His brow peaked. I couldn't tell if he was impressed I knew his favorite pizza toppings or freaked out.

The only reason I knew was because whenever he was over and Gray ordered pizza, they'd be playing the game so loud they didn't hear the door. Stealing slices of their pizza was part of my tip for retrieving their food. Grayson's pizza always had mushrooms or bell peppers, so I didn't touch it. But the chicken and bacon? Heavenly.

"Oh." He closed the lid on the pizza box, carefully. Like he was doing anything to avoid making eye contact with me.

Taking in the table of food again, I realized Liah was right. It looked like a setup for a date. I invited him over on a day my mom was out, got his favorite pizza. Did he think I was trying to seduce him?

This looked bad. I had to come clean. Tell him that was supposed to be a bromance date and not a date-date. That one of the pizzas was Gray's gross mushroom things.

Before I could get any of it out, he said, "I should go."

Yeah, he definitely thought I was being a creep. Luring him over here. Alone in my house. With his favorite food. "This isn't--"

"I can set the shelves up this weekend," he said, sidestepping me to get to the door. Eyes landing on everything but me.

My cheek felt like they were on fire. I wanted to scream that it wasn't a date, but that'd only make everything more awkward. Instead, I grabbed the pizza and shove it in his arms.

"I can't eat two of these alone," I said at his confused expression.

"Thanks."

As soon as he stepped out, I shut the door. That didn't severe the feeling of getting caught naked in a crowed school hallway. He thought I was trying to flirt. What if he overheard my conversation with Liah? What if he told Gray and they had a laugh about it? Maybe reconciling their friendship wasn't a good idea.

This was all Grayson's fault.