The invitation arrived on a Thursday afternoon.
Ava found it sitting on the kitchen counter beside a bowl of fruit and a stack of unopened mail.
A small piece of paper.
Nothing special.
Yet somehow it managed to ruin her entire day.
"Summer bonfire," she read aloud.
Noah glanced up from his phone.
"Oh."
The single word immediately annoyed her.
"Oh?"
He looked suspiciously guilty.
Ava narrowed her eyes.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing."
"It definitely means something."
Noah sighed.
"It's an annual thing."
"Meaning?"
"The entire town shows up."
Ava groaned.
"No."
His smile appeared instantly.
"Yes."
"No."
"Absolutely."
"I hate people."
"That's probably why Mom wants you to go."
Ava considered throwing the invitation at him.
Instead she settled for glaring.
Noah s
