My head rests in Eliot's lap as we lie on the grass outside Brakebills, the afternoon sun warm against my skin. His fingers thread through my hair with a tenderness that makes my breath catch. We've been here for hours, talking about nothing important while I pretend not to notice how my body reacts to his proximity.

The tension between us has been building for weeks—since the moment I first saw him—but we both know he has a soulmate. Margo. Her name is literally written on his skin, just like his name is written on hers.

I should pull away. I should create some distance before this becomes something we can't take back. But his touch feels too good, too right, and I've spent my whole life feeling like I don't belong anywhere.

"You... should come by, tonight," Eliot says suddenly, his fingers pausing in my hair. His casual tone belies the slight hesitation in his voice.

My heart races. I know exactly which party he means—the first big Physical Kids' party of the year. I've heard the rumors about what happens there, the initiation rituals and secret gatherings.

But more importantly, I know what this invitation might mean coming from him, despite everything I've seen between him and Margo.

I look up at him, meeting his gaze as his fingers resume their gentle movement through my hair, and my mouth goes dry.