“But your heart, dare I ask, is it still free for the taking?”

The way he asks it makes my toes curl in excitement, like he’s asking for himself. I give him a daring look. “No. It is not.”

He sighs in exaggerated disappointment.

“It is mine for the giving.”

I’m surprised by his cheeky smile, and even more so by mine. There’s something empowering about being in costume, about being able to use my own words and feelings, while still hiding behind a character. To flirt with Kevin so openly and confidently, hidden beneath this figurative and literal mask.