“I mean, so much about my life is monitored. Everything is discussed, at length, by several people, all the fucking time.”

“Oh.”

“And I get it, I do,” I said. “It’s just—I don’t want to share this.”

Him.

We were quiet for a moment.

“It’s not like Summer, is it?” Jonas asked, suddenly serious. “This time it’s—”

More.

“—different,” I said.

*

“This smells delicious, Mrs. Hart,” Jonas said, practically shoving his face into the saucepan.

“I know you love my carbonara,” Mom said, absolutely elated.

“Come on you two, sit.” Dad signaled two empty chairs at the kitchen table.

Noah sat next to him, eyes fixed on the screen of his phone. Earbuds in, as usual.

“Actually, I’m not staying,” I announced, and both Mom and Dad turned to me on the spot.

“What?” they said, in unison.

“I can’t stay; I made plans.”

“Reschedule,” Mom ordered. “Jonas is here.”

“Please, how many times have I gone out and Jonas just stayed here and hung out with you guys? He spends more time with you than I do.”

“And whose fault is that?” Dad asked, annoyed.

“This is different,” Mom said. “It’s—”

“It really isn’t,” Noah said, proving he had been paying attention.

“I don’t mind it, Mrs. Hart,” Jonas said, still pretty fixed on the saucepan.

The doorbell rang, and they all turned to look at me.

“I’m gonna go,” I said. “Have fun, guys.”

I turned and left the room before anyone had time to protest. As I walked to the front door, my heart started to race, and I started to shake. There’s was too much about this night that was new to me, and most of it I still didn’t quite understand. It didn’t matter, though, for the second I opened the door, Ethan Cooper was looking back at me, pretty nervous himself. He wore dark jeans and a burgundy striped shirt that hugged his torso in the most distracting way.

I calmed down instantly. “Hi,” I said, smiling.

“Ready?” he asked, also smiling.

“Ethan!” Jonas came up from behind me.

He edged past me and hugged Ethan as if they were old friends.

“Hey…” Ethan awkwardly hugged him back.

“Am I late?” Jonas pulled away and asked a very confused Ethan.

I just slowly shook my head.

“Just kidding. I just wanted to meet you properly. I wasn’t very friendly earlier today.”

“And now you have,” I said, cuffing him on the shoulder.

“Now I have.” Jonas turned to me with a single nod.

“Jonas, dinner’s rea—” Mom said, going quiet once she noticed Ethan. “Who’s this?”

I just wanted to die.

Poor Ethan probably did too. He immediately tensed up.

“Mom, this is Ethan.”

“Why, hello!” she said.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Please, call me Jane.” She ran her hand through her blonde hair.

“Jane,” Ethan repeated, nodding.