“There’s nothing—” But she broke off, because the truth was she had a huge, gut-tightening, heart-melting crush on Danny. She did. She wanted to write his name in her notebook all day long, with little hearts circling it. She wanted to gobble him up.

But that was different from her love for Joe, so very different. “Joe—”

“Don’t deny it.”

Embarrassed, she backed away from him. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Uh huh.”

She had no idea why he was taking this out on her. It was cruel and unfair, but she knew he wasn’t either of those things.

“Summer?”

She whipped around at the sound of Danny’s voice. Still wearing his football gear, he stood at the bottom of the stairs, unable to see Joe lying on the floor because of the supporting wood beam and piles of boxes. Grinning, he held up a condom. “I followed you, though I lost you at the last turn. Figured you’d come here. Look what I have. We won’t have to stop this time.”

Joe jerked upright, eyed what Danny held between his fingers, and shot Summer a look filled with so much all in one glance that she nearly fell over with it. Before she could open her mouth, he’d vaulted to his feet, the camera banging against his side as he leapt at Danny, the back of his T-shirt still drenched with sweat.

Danny cried out with surprise, and both boys toppled to the floor, rolling as they fought. Terrified, Summer moved in, thinking that Danny, the leaner, tougher, and much more athletic of the two, would kill Joe. “Stop it!” The camera shattered into pieces at her feet. “Oh my God, stop! Danny, no—”

But Joe held his own, landing a punch to Danny’s stomach. He pulled his fist back again but Summer grabbed his arm. “No! Joe, please, stop!”

He didn’t want to, she could feel a shocking violence rolling off him in waves, and she knew she had to tell him the truth. “I like him. Okay? I like him a lot. Are you listening?” she sobbed. “I brought him here last time, I was the one who wished we’d had the condom.”

He went utterly still with shock, and because she held his arm, was helpless to the solid, powerful blow Danny dealt him, right in the jaw. Summer threw herself over Joe’s body so that Danny couldn’t hit him again, but the protective gesture was not only too little too late, but also unnecessary because Danny sagged back and clutched his stomach. “What the fuck is his problem?”

But Summer couldn’t answer, she was staring in horror at the top of the stairs. “Oh my God.”

Both boys whipped around. Their eyes widened in shock.

From around the edges of the poorly hinged door drifted long fingers of smoke, writhing in the air like flying deadly snakes.