Ash ducks into my room and I sit back down at the table, trying as naturally as I can to push my food around on my plate the way I was doing before he showed up.

“Oh, you’re not finished,” Pippa says. “I’ll just turn down your bed and refresh your water—”

“No, I’m done,” I say quickly, and stand up. I smile to ease the nervousness in my rushed response. “Please feel free to take the plates. And there’s no need to turn down my bed. I’ve got it.”

She looks doubtful as she collects the rest of my dinner onto a silver tray. “It won’t take more than a minute.”

“Really, truly,” I say, and keep up my smile until she pulls the door closed behind her.

I run into my room, my heart pounding a mile a minute, only to find Ash lounging on my bed with his arm tucked behind his head.

He reaches out and touches my water glass on my bedside table. “You should have let her give you more water. You’re actually running low.”

My mouth opens. “What is your…What are you doing?”

He looks amused. “Talking to you.”

“How can you be so damn nonchalant about this? Do you know how serious this all is?” The words coming out of my mouth take me by surprise. Usually it’s Emily saying some version of this to me.

Ash props himself up on his elbow—the picture of leisure. “I understand better than you do. But flailing about like a ball of nervous energy isn’t going to make any of it better.”

“Oh, and letting Pippa come in here while you’re lounging on my bed would have been a fantastic idea. You could have gotten us both in trouble again,” I say in frustration.

He stands up. “It’s funny, I didn’t take you as the risk-averse type.”

I run my teeth over my bottom lip. “Normal risk? I’m all in. Death risk? Not a chance.”

Ash steps past me and locks my bedroom door, and I immediately realize my mistake. I willingly sent Pippa away, which means I’m now alone with him when I have every reason to be suspicious of him.

He raises an eyebrow, and I’m guessing that my nervousness at being locked in this room must show on my face. “Then what are you doing at this school? Our entire lives are a death risk.”

Ash is standing so close I could count every one of his long eyelashes if I wanted to. And when I hold my breath for a second too long, I’m positive he notices.

“You know what I mean,” I say in the steadiest voice I can summon.

“No, I really don’t.”

I look from him to the locked door and back again. “Why are you even here, Ash?”