The next morning, Betty and Trevor walked to school together once again. It had become common enough that Betty's parents were giving her knowing smiles when he came to pick her up. She hadn't had the heart to tell them whatever they were picturing probably fell very far short of the truth.

"It's too bad we lost track of everybody at the party," Trevor said.

"The important thing is that everyone enjoyed themselves."

"You know what they're all going to think we were doing."

"I have noticed that we get accused of having sex when we did not," Betty saud thoughtfully. "And very frequently when we have actually snuck off so you can do that trick with...."

"What have I said about specifics in public?"

"...to make love, they don't even notice we are gone. However, I believe we are most likely to be the victim not of false accusations but of the "five minutes after you left" trope."

"Oh I know that!" Trevor laughed. "Everybody claiming that the party got really insane right after we left?"

"Always five minutes," Betty concluded. "Nerds are not immune. Kyle and Evan have done it to me on several occasions."

"Well we're not letting them get away with it!" Trevor insisted "We know damn well it was just another stupid school social event."

"They will be starting soon," Betty pointed. "There's Tanya."

They approached Tanya, who was telling on her phone.

"No! No I will NOT be paying for the damage to the strip mall! Yes, alright, technically it's the Myrden zone of influence but it was intrusion by a foreign power that...oh hi guys, listen don't do anything the government says today until we get this mess sorted out alright? Great see you at class."

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Tanya walked away, still arguing on the phone, leaving Betty and Trevor blinking in her week.

"Well Tanya has trouble with the government all the time," Trevor said reasonably. "Better leave her to it."

Their path was suddenly blocked by the looming figure if Benny Gold.

"Benny!?" Trevor saud incredulously.

"Yeah hey guys," he said. "I just want you to know,nim not trying to be a jerk. I'm just observing. I'm here for your protection, really."

"Uh, okay..." Trevor said.

"Great!" Benny smiled, slapping Trevor on the arm. "Gotta go. I'll see you in class."

Benny disappeared into the crowd. Before they could even process that a woman they'd never seen before stepped in front of them, an Asian girl with hair so blonde it was white.

"I will no longer attempt to kill you," she said. And she was gone.

"I no longer have any idea what's going on," Betty admitted.

A few moments later they bumped into Kyle and Jenny, who were having a...bizarre conversation.

"No, I don't think so."

"Yes, we're trying."

"Ooh, yeah! With a little marmalade!"

"Only on Tuesdays."

"Why are you talking like that?" Trevor asked.

"Like what?" Jenny asked.

"Like there is a third person we can't see supplying part of the conversation we can't hear."

"Because there is," Kyle sighed, then watched their expressions. "Wow this is actually REALLY frustrating I don't know how you survived it alone."

"Survived what?"

"Never mind!" Jenny said. "Sorry about this, but would you be willing to take part in an experiment?"

"I would be eager to take part in an experiment," Betty said, adjusting her glasses. The next moment someone shoved her from behind.

That was strange," Betty said. "Someone must have bumped in to me."

The wind was being really annoying today, too. Almost like something was poking her in the side of the head. She reached up to wave it away.

"Oh that is weird," Kyle scratched his head. "She actually has no idea she's grabbing your hand."

"She's not grabbing my hand," Trevor pointed out, confused.

"Never mind!" Jenny said brightly. "Thank you far being a part of the experiment. I promise this will all make sense once the project is completed"

Betty and Trevor watched their friends walk away, an odd space between them.

"It has occurred to me that possibly something strange actually happened after we left the party," Betty said.

"I was having the same thought. And no one seems to have time to explain it. Wait...is that Ammeline?"

"A pink hoody is not her usual clothing," Betty pointed out.

"No seriously, that's the bag she caries her sword in. Hey, Ammeline! What happened at the party last night?"

Their friend turned around slowly, peeking out of her hood. Her eyes wide, she pulled the hood down like she was tearing off a bandaid. A crown of thorny branches and wildflowers was growing out of her head.

"It got real weird guys!"