The Danville Annual Talent Show was the kind of event where anything could happen. And, considering Milo Murphy was performing, anything would.

Inside the school auditorium, excitement buzzed in the air like static electricity before a lightning storm. Paper streamers hung from ceiling tiles, disco lights spun gently over the crowd, and a massive hand-painted banner read:

"DANVILLE'S GOT TALENT (AND PROBABLY INSURANCE)"

In the third row, Melissa Chase adjusted her glitter-covered sign and nudged Zack Underwood, who was currently attempting to hide under a hoodie, sunglasses, and a baseball cap that read "Not Zack".

"You good?" she asked.

"Totally," he said, tightening his hoodie strings. "Relaxed. Zen. Emotionally neutral."

Melissa raised an eyebrow. "You're vibrating."

"That's just the caffeine."

"You had decaf."

"…It was very emotional decaf."

Melissa glanced at the judges' table—and groaned. "Okay. Don't freak out."

Zack immediately freaked out. "They're here, aren't they?!"

There they were. The LumberMaxs. Once known as the LumberZacks—the boy band Zack had been in back in the day before he quit to, as he put it, "pursue personal freedom and stop singing about logging metaphors."

Now the group had rebranded, added a new guy named Max (whose hair had its own fanbase), and become judges for the biggest school event of the year.

Zack ducked behind Melissa. "They haunt me."

Melissa took a deep breath, grabbed his hand, and gave him the look. The one that said, I love you, but I will not let your unresolved boy band trauma ruin my best friend's moment.

"I am going to keep you from sabotaging Milo and Sara's act if it's the last thing I do."

Zack blinked. "You love me?"

Melissa froze for half a beat. "You… knew that."

"I mean, yeah. But I like when you say it. Especially when you're threatening me."

She rolled her eyes with a fond smile. "You're impossible."

"And you're terrifying. And incredible. And somehow still with me."

"Flattery will not distract me."

"It might," he said, grinning.

Backstage...

Milo was in his element, tuning his accordion with the precision of a heart surgeon.

Sara practiced her tap routine on a fireproof mat, then adjusted her flamethrower baton.

"I reinforced the sprinkler system personally," she said proudly.

Milo gave her a thumbs-up. "If it starts raining mid-performance, that's just ambiance!"

Back in the audience...

Zack twitched every time one of the LumberMaxs looked his way. Which was often. Probably because they were bored and Milo's act wasn't up yet.

Max smiled brightly and waved.

Zack gasped. "He just waved at me! Tauntingly!"

Melissa leaned in. "You have got to stop thinking you're the protagonist in a musical feud."

"I was the protagonist."

"Sweetie. You were the bridge verse."

Zack clutched his chest like he'd been stabbed. "That's cold."

Melissa pulled him into a side hug and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "But I love you anyway."

He melted like butter. "I'm gonna marry you someday."

She blinked. "What?"

He turned red. "Nothing! I said 'carry you someday.' If you get tired. After the show. Y'know, if your feet hurt…"

Melissa stared at him, then smirked. "You said 'marry.'"

"I meant—"

"I'm flattered."

Zack buried his face in her shoulder. "Please let the ground open up and consume me now."

She patted his hair. "Nope. You're mine. No escaping."

Then the emcee spoke.

"Now performing—Milo and Sara Murphy!"

Melissa sprang up, her sign held high. "WOO! GO MURPHYS!"

Zack rose, too, only to freeze when Max lifted a glittery scorecard with a preemptive "10" on it.

Zack gasped. "HE'S MOCKING THEM TOO. WE HAVE TO STOP HIM!"

Melissa turned. "Zack—no!"

But it was too late. In a flurry of dramatics, Zack leapt the row and nearly tripped on the stage curtain ropes. He skidded toward the judges' table and smacked into a smoothie.

"EXCUSE ME," he declared, "BUT I WILL NOT LET YOU—"

Max blinked. "Hey man, it's so good to see you again!"

Zack froze. "What?"

"You were awesome. We still do your choreo. Like this—" Max did the double finger-gun move. "Classic Z."

"I… that was my move."

"We've always respected you, bro. We only changed the name 'cause you were the Z."

Zack blinked. "Oh."

"You left your smoothie that day. We figured you'd come back."

"…Oh."

Behind him, Melissa finally caught up, red-faced. "You missed the performance."

"What?!"

They both turned just in time to see Milo and Sara bow, the lights flashing, the crowd cheering, and a small controlled sprinkler burst creating a glimmering curtain of water behind them.

"Best. Finale. Ever!" Milo shouted.

Later, backstage…

Zack looked miserable. "I can't believe I missed it."

"I can't believe you tackled a smoothie in front of an audience."

"I ruined everything," he sighed.

Melissa cupped his face. "You're a little dramatic."

"Historically accurate."

"But you're also sweet. And emotional. And you try so hard. And I wouldn't trade you for anything."

He kissed her softly, one hand around her waist. "I am gonna marry you someday."

Melissa grinned against his lips. "You're not allowed to propose during a fire drill."

"I'll wait."

They kissed again, this time slower, with the glittery banner still caught between them.

Outside the auditorium...

Milo, Sara, Zack, and Melissa stood under the stars.

"You know," Milo said, "a part of me thinks everything turned out exactly the way it was supposed to."

"Despite missing our act?" Sara asked.

"Because of it! Zack faced his fears, Melissa got to swing a megaphone, and we created what I'd call a 'controlled memory crisis.' Classic."

"Can we just go home and get pizza?" Melissa asked.

"Yes," Zack said immediately. "And I am ordering the one with extra glitter pepperoni. I earned it."

They all laughed.

And as they walked toward the parking lot, Melissa reached out and twined her fingers with Zack's.

"Still love me even after the smoothie debacle?" he asked.

"Always."