She laces her fingers through mine, and our palms grow sticky with sweat. The air conditioner’s still frozen over, and the breeze coming through the open windows only does so much.

When she leans in to plant her lips on mine, her cinnamon lipgloss leaves behind a faint, familiar tingle. “How do you wear that in this heat?” I ask as she pulls away, looking at me with those shocking pink eyes.

“I don’t mind.”

One hand comes up, brushing my hair behind my ear, and she moves close. I can feel her breath on my neck, and her teeth on my earlobe. I squeeze my fingers tighter against the hand she still holds, and a deep sigh rolls out my mouth.

This is how we’ve spent our summer days thus far. Tank tops and short shorts and lazy shows of affection.

“Erase the world with me.”

The words come quietly, but confident. She lays another kiss on my jaw. I can’t seem to find the right expression, so I don’t make one at all. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Everything is so plain. It’s boring, and ugly.” Her fingers idly twist my hair. “Let’s erase it all.”

“What, is this some new roleplay fantasy?”

“No. It’s very real.” She moves her hand, her fingertips trailing down my neck and chest. “We can do it together. We can create a new world, one just how we want. We can be gods.”

“You’re really dedicated to this.”

The distance between our faces shrinks. She stares straight at me, and in her gaze is a determination, one I’ve never seen before. “It isn’t a game. Aren’t you tired of this world? This world that steps all over you— I want to get rid of it. And I can, but not without your help. I can’t do it without you.”

As her lips meet mine again, I think about it. I wish she wouldn’t wear that lipgloss.

We separate, and she says nothing else, just watches me, watches for my answer.

I close my eyes, and in the sticky, stuffy heat, I give it to her.

“Sure.”