Not that it matters. He was boring company anyway.

I contemplate how long it’ll take to walk home. Luisa lives on the other side of town. Probably five miles. I left my coat inside, but I feel warm enough.

I’m game.

I start to push off the swing as the screen door opens and Kane steps out. “Not so fast.”

I sigh. “Leave me alone, Kane. If you’re not with me, you’re against me. And I am happy the way I am.”

“So who is this new you? Because I’m pretty sure I saw the new-and-improved Hailey making out with at least three different guys in there.”

I stare at him. I thought they were all the same guy. Not that it matters. “I never said I was improved.”

He breathes out. “So what? I saw you pulling that loser upstairs. You fuck him?”

I glare at him. “Not that it’s any of your business, but what did you think would happen when you invited me here? That I’d fit back in with these people again? It’s not happening. I’m Mental Girl. I can’t sit around Luisa and smile while she discusses her complexion woes at length as if they matter. I don’t care who’s doing who or what the latest gossip is. It’s all so trivial, it makes me want to rip my ears off.”

He buries his hands in the pockets of his coat and looks up at the icicles descending from the storm drain.

“I’m going home,” I say.

“Walking? No way.”

“I have legs. Why not?”

His hand latches on to my elbow. He shakes his head, then peels off his pea coat and drops it on my shoulders. “You seem to think I didn’t care. That this is easy for me,” he says more softly. “That’s far from the truth, Hail. I’m not against you. You’re not alone, all right? You’re not the only one who was close to him.”

“I feel like I am,” I mutter, slumping back onto the swing. “Otherwise, you would know it too.”

He sits next to me, making the swing rock. “Know what?”

“That this is all wrong. All this time, I’ve felt like he was in my head, whispering to me to look closer. But it wasn’t until your mom gave me that picture that I knew for sure.”

He closes his eyes.

“You’re hiding something from me.”

He stands quickly, exhaling heavily, then leans against the railing and crosses his arms. “Yeah, I am.”

“Who are you protecting?”

“Jesus, Hail!” He shakes his head and stares down at the ground for a long time. Then he mumbles, “That picture was nothing. I’d cheated, okay? On Luisa. And some crazy girl was trying to get me to pay for it.”