BAZ

"Front seat, Snow."

Simon looks up at her with a confused air. His mop of hair has been growing out since he hasn't cut it. It nearly covers his forehead.

"Why?" He asks.

Fiona rolls her eyes. "Because I'm not letting Basilton have front seat. Because front seat's for people who haven't been-"

"Kidnapped by fucking numpties, I get it," I say, irritated.

"That's right. Now, backseat Baz."

Simon obviously feels bad for me. As right, he should. I can see him wanting to offer to sit next to me, but Fiona gives him her hard eyes and he slips into passenger side without much else of a word. Fiona makes sure I buckle up before hitting the gas and pulling down through the countryside. She's a little peeved that I didn't give her back that plate for the scones. The bat-scones. Those things. I'm sitting behind Fiona, which means I can see Simon in the rear-view mirror. He doesn't want to start any conversation. I don't blame him at all. Fiona can be scary.

Here's what's happened. Fiona invited us to the countryside. I don't know why, but she told us she had a surprise for us. I don't know what it is. She didn't tell me anything. And that's annoying and irrational.

"Baz told me that you're a good dancer," she says out of the air. I make eye-contact with Simon in the mirror and immediately regret it. His cheeks are pink.

"Oh, yeah? I'm not that great. My wings make me a bit clumsy."

"Yeah, your wings. It's a wonder how you got into my car without screwing anything up, right?"

"Sorry about the tail."

"The tail's fine. Don't worry about it. I bet Baz loves your tail. Right Basilton?"

I can't quite make eye-contact with Fiona so I just shrug. "I mean, it's a tail."

Simon pretends to look wounded. "So you don't like my tail?"

"Christ, Simon. Yes. I like your tail."

"Good." Fiona stops at a hill in the countryside. She looks over the horizon. "Perfect. We'll make it there by nightfall."

"God, Fiona. Where are you taking us?"

That's the thing. Fiona never told us where we were going. She just decided we were going to meet her at her flat and then take us out. Fiona's probably trying to watch me in the mirror, but I'm leaning out of her sight.

"Look, just let me take you boys out."

"Into the middle of nowhere?"

Her eyes are probably doing that thing where they go dark and you begin to question why you were born. Fiona is, I repeat, scary. And badass when she wants to be. But she's scary.

"Basilton, shut up and let me take you boys out. You're both stuck in the car for another half-hour so live with it."

I shut up. I let her drive on in her way. It isn't as fast as usual. And we're just going along. It's not as unpleasant as the trip to Watford because I can see Simon, watching me, in the mirror. He's confused too. The darkness sets in and her headlights are on. I'm watching grass go by the window. There are no city lights out here in the middle of nowhere.

"Are we here?" The car has pulled to a stop. Fiona nods and unlocks the doors.

Simon is aghast, and Fiona has to drag him out of the car. I can see why. The night sky has begun to come alive, now. It's like it's shining just for us.

"Pretty nice, huh?" Fiona seems so smug, she knows that I would like it. She even gets an old-fashioned CD player from her trunk and sets it in the grass. Mozart begins to play. "I thought you guys would like a break. It's hard to get you guys anywhere. I don't know you guys enough to know what you'd both like, so I did what I could."

I eye her suspiciously. "Why are you being so nice to us?"

Fiona feigns hurt.

Simon and I share a glance then both turn back to her. Her dark hair has a low luminescent hum in the dark. I think Simon has noticed that about me, because he's looking at me now.

"Look, I just want you boys to have a good time. I know how your father feels about this, Basilton, I don't think you deserve it." She doesn't say a lot else. She just gets into the driver's seat and begins playing some game on her phone. I look over at Simon with a smile, and he smiles sheepishly back.

"I guess we're not casting Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star tonight?"

Simon shakes his head. "I guess not."

"That's fine." I hold out my hand.

He smiles and takes it with a squeeze. "Shall we Dance?"

"You can't cast that spell."

"I can't cast any spell, Baz."

"I know." I pull him closer and we look at the sky together. I swear I can feel Fiona's gaze on my neck, but for once I don't care. I have Simon Snow's head on my shoulder, and a clear, starry sky before my eyes.