There was a pause. “We won the state championship. My junior year.” And now he smiled, unexpectedly.

“Wow,” Charlotte breathed, imagining it—those long halls at East, everyone cheering him. “That must’ve been like being God.”

“I guess it was,” Moose said, and he smiled again. “God of a fishpond. God of a lily pad. Of course,” he added, “you think it’s the universe.”

The waitress brought his beer and Moose ordered another on the spot. “And then what happened?” Charlotte asked.

He took a long sip. “I opened my eyes,” he said. “I opened my eyes and it disappeared. Pop.”