Page 103 of Perfect on Paper

The screen filled with a picture done in what looked like Microsoft Paint, showing two graves, each withDIED ALONEwritten on them, accompanied byBROOKEandRAINA.

“Oh my god,” I muttered, rubbing my temples.

“You left her unsupervised,” Brougham observed.

I went over to the window as Ainsley’s voice went on, losing her wheeze for a minute. “I felt that was important for the theme, but no pressure to get back together or anything; for real, it’stotally voluntary.Lots of people live very fulfilled lives, single and happy.”

I banged on the window and Brooke and Ray looked over, startled. “It’s true!” I yelled, before returning to Brougham.

“I mean, Ipersonallythought that was obvious, but now that that disclaimer is out of the way so Darcy doesn’t murder me again—because I’m already a ghost, get it—the final task for you two is to promote transparency moving forward. You are to be presented with thirty-six questions. Both must answer to complete the final task, or risk painful death.”

“Did she add that in last minute, too?” Brougham asked.

“No, she said it was crucial to fit the tone of the creepy ghost.”

“She really threw herself into this.”

The first question appeared on the screen:If you could have anyone in the world, past or present, over for dinner, who would you invite?

“What’s this based on?” Brougham asked, shifting so his legs were crossed beneath him.

“Thirty-six questions of increasing vulnerability. It’s supposed to fast-track a bond.”

“Ah.”

We watched as Brooke gave her answer to Ray.

“It’s a toss-up between my nanna and the director of the C.I.A.,” Brougham said suddenly.

I blinked in surprise. I hadn’t expected us to play along. But, sure. Why not? “That’s an interesting toss-up.”

“I know. My nanna’s the best person I know, and I used to get sent to her house all the time when I was little and my parents blew up. But she lives in Adelaide, so we never get to see her anymore. But the director of the C.I.A. would know so much cool shit, and I figure I can kidnap him and force secrets out of him.”

“Just casually.”

“Right.”

“Mine would be Oriella. She’s a YouTuber I watch all the time. I’d love to pick her brains.”

“I know who she is. You mentioned her to me once, so I looked her up.”

“You did?”

“Yup. Her videos are interesting.”

Huh.

Hadn’t picked Brougham to be interested in something like that. But I guess hehadsought me out for help in that area months ago.

The next question appeared on-screen.Would you want to be famous? For what?

Brougham shot a hand up. “Easy. Freestyle world rec-ord.”

We went on like that for a while, answering the questions as they came, and trying to match Brooke and Ray for time. Then we came to the first intense question.

“My most terrible memory,” Brougham said. “Jesus.That’s not something I try to think about on purpose.” He smiled weakly, but I just waited. “Okay, um. Once when I was about ten, Mum got really angry at Dad, and they’d had this massive fight the night before, so she went to drive me to school but then she changed directions and took me to the airport. She said we were going to fly to another country and I’d never see my dad or my friends or the rest of our family ever again. And she bought us tickets—I can’t even remember whereto—and we were lining up to go through security, and I was fuckingterrified,and I wanted to ask someone for help, but I couldn’t, because I was more scared of her and what she’d do to me if I did. But the thought of having no one to buffer her for the rest of my life, and never seeing anyone else again… I’ve never been that scared. Then when we got to the front of the security line she took my hand and led me out, and we left the airport, and she dropped me at school and told me to never tell anyone what happened. And I never did.”

I could see it on his face. The terror that a little kid had felt, once, being kidnapped by his own mother and too afraid to do anything to stop it. And holyshit,this was intense, way too intense, and I guessed that was the whole point of the questions, butJesus.I hoped Brooke and Ray were okay. “I’m so sorry,” I said.

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