The cab jerked to a halt in front of the Hopewell. Spencer reached into his pocket, pulled out some crumpled bills, and shoved them through the window to the driver. He kept three steps ahead of her while he unlocked the front door and didn’t say a word in the elevator. When they hit the fifth floor, he dropped the unicycle and stalked down to their parents’ room, the Diamond Suite, knocked on the door, and mumbled a few words of explanation.

His entire body stiffened as he walked past her to his room. She followed him inside. He started undressing, as if the conversation was over and she wasn’t even there.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I am. I swear.”

“I’m tired,” he said, tossing his shirt into the corner. “I get up early, remember?”

He climbed into bed, still in his shorts and shoes, but she didn’t leave. He folded his arms over his chest and stared at her. Spencer mad was actually a scary, but infrequently seen thing, like the Loch Ness Monster. He could hold a lot of emotion in the narrows of his face.

“Do you want to know what really bothers me?” he said. “What makes me mad is that you couldn’t just tell me. You looked right at me and lied to my face.”

“I…”

She was going to say had to. But she didn’t have to lie to Spencer. She just did. He had her dead to rights.

“Can I just ask,” he said, his voice reaching a sharp edge, “what you think is going to happen? He’s about to start college, Scarlett. You’re going to be a sophomore in high school. How’s that going to go? Do you think he’ll have time for you once he starts school?”

There was a meanness to this that was completely unfamiliar. It made her nauseous.

“So, you think he can’t like me?”

“Of course he likes you,” he said. “He’s a guy.”

“What does that mean?” she spat. “Are you just mad because you’re not dating anyone?”

Where had that come from? She didn’t mean that. It just came out.

“It means just what I said,” he replied. “This is a bad idea, all around. And this is my show you’re messing with.”

“Messing with?” she said. “This isn’t about you. He likes me. So what if he’s in your cast? And the only reason there’s even a show to go to is because of me.”

He rubbed his face hard with his hands, as if trying to make the view of her go away.

“Forget it,” he said. “I covered your story. I’m going to sleep.”

He flopped on his side, turning from her. She backed out of the room, waiting for any sign that he was going to keep talking. It didn’t come. When she was out in the hall, he got up and closed the door. And for the first time, she heard the sound of his bolt sliding shut.