After what happened with Nicolas, I want to go further. Mostly out of curiosity, I tell myself. But Nicolas is my friend, and I don't want to keep pulling on his strings just because I can. What I really need to know is whether the book is behind all of this, and whether it works on anyone at all.

Which means I need a new guinea pig.

Someone who could sign the book without it seeming weird. A woman, ideally.

Wait. Why am I thinking that? I sound like a pervert. Can I really use this thing to get sexual favors? Is that wrong?

I don't answer my own question. I just file it away somewhere and keep walking.

My gaze lands on Anaïs, sitting by herself in the little courtyard between lectures. She's small, brunette, and very pretty, mostly because she's always smiling at something. I've had a thing for her since the first week of term. I also know I'd never stand a chance with her under normal circumstances, which is exactly the point. If the book works on her, it works on anyone.

I grab Nicolas and drag him along. He follows without asking why. That's the part I'm still getting used to.

Anaïs is tapping away at her phone when we reach her table.

"Anaïs?" Nicolas says.

She pulls out one earbud and looks up at us.

"Yeah?"

She's waiting. Polite, a little curious, clearly wondering what the two of us could possibly want from her.

"We want to show you something," I say, and I hand her the book.

I open it to a random page and scribble a few words. As usual, they vanish the second my pen leaves the paper. Not a smudge, not a crease. Just gone.

"How does it work?" she asks, eyes wide.

"We have no idea. Try it."

She takes my pen and writes her own name. The ink disappears exactly like mine did.

"That's cool, but..." She laughs and hands the book back. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"We found out that my signature stays," Nicolas says, flipping to the front page to show her. His name sits there in blue ink, permanent as anything.

Anaïs leans in and studies the line of writing.

"You want me to sign it too? Is this some kind of magic trick?"

"It's not a magic trick. We just …