“Oh,” I said, my spirits plummeting. He’s just not feeling it. But I’d be there. Meaning he wasn’t feeling me. “So what? You’re going to sit at home alone, on a Friday?”

He cocked a grin my way. “Never stopped me before.” He took my hand. “I’ll make it up to you. Okay?”

I widened my eyes hopefully. “How?”

He let out a snort of a laugh. “I don’t know. I’ll think of something.” Not having a romantic retort was so, so unlike Declan. “Have fun at the game. Text me who wins.”

The idea of going to a game with Kane and Javier made me feel sick. I couldn’t go with Kane. Didn’t Declan know how awkward that’d be? Didn’t Declan see how hard I’d been trying to avoid him? Or didn’t he care? I started to tell him that I wasn’t sure if I’d even go, but he checked the screen of his phone and cut me off.

“All right. I’ve got to go.” He said it as if what I did made no difference to him, but he held my gloved hand in his and said, “Be safe.”

At least he wants me to be safe. See? He does care. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him, but as he leaned back against the hood of my Jeep, I had the oddest feeling that I was cornering him, that he was kissing me because he couldn’t escape otherwise. He slid his arms around my waist, and I savored the feeling. That innocent touch was a lifeline. I kissed him longer than I should have, even after he tried to let go.

You hate me, I thought when I looked into his eyes. Just tell me you do.

But there was nothing in those eyes that told me anything. They used to speak the world to me. And they’d gone utterly dead. Declan didn’t spew hate. Didn’t even show it. He kept that inside. Always had.

The trip to the mall with Nina was the shopping trip from hell. I should’ve known. Nina was fashion-forward, and shopping was a marathon sport for her. We stayed at the mall until eight thirty, until my feet were aching and I wanted to cry. All I had to show for our excursion was an American Eagle sweater that I’d gotten on clearance. When Nina dropped me off at nine, the street was quiet. It was still early, as far as Fridays went. My parents were out, and it was likely the basketball game wouldn’t be over for another couple of hours. I went inside and got myself a Coke, then texted Declan. Home. Want me to come over?

I waited for a response, but there was nothing. Sighing, I went upstairs and looked across Fox Court to his room.