My laugh was hollow and angry. “I’m sure there wasn’t any sleeping involved. I saw you. Up in your room. You know, the one you keep padlocked.”

“If I’d invited you, would you have even come?”’ My gaze darted away. Walking into his parties would’ve invited all kinds of questions and looks, laughter, and flat-out ridicule.

The bell blared in the tiled confines of the bathroom.

“Well, we’ll never know, will we?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” I glared up at him. All that talk about letting it roll off my back was total bullshit. I was pissed, and more than that, hurt. A raw, deep, slicing pain at the center of my chest.

“Knox. He took a girl up there that he’s been crushing on since sophomore year.” His jaw clenched.

“And you let him into your room.”

“He’s my best friend. It’s senior year. His last shot and he promised he wouldn’t have sex on my bed.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. It killed me how much I wanted to believe him. My guidebook on dating a bad boy had been lost in the mail.

“You still lied to me about the party.”

His shoulders sagged, whether it was with relief or defeat, I couldn’t tell. He nodded. “I know.”

My head dropped and I picked at the frayed edges of my backpack. “Did you not want to invite me? Did you not want people to know—do you not want people to know we’re—whatever we are?”

He dipped his knees to hold my gaze, rising slowly so I’d raise mine. “I’ll scream it out from the rooftops of the school. I haven’t said anything because you’ve been the one ignoring me in the halls. Have you even told Piper yet?”

I bit my lip and my gaze darted away. “No.”

“If anyone’s acting ashamed, it’s you. We go to the studio and you tell everyone I’m your friend. Your best friend doesn’t even know about us.”

“I didn’t even know if you did girlfriends. There’s an us?”

“Of course there’s an us. And, no, I didn’t do girlfriends, but with you, I’m all in. Now there’s the question of whether you want everyone else to know there’s an us. I’m one hundred percent on board with everyone knowing.

“That lip nibble is getting pretty intense.” He held onto my chin and ran his finger along the underside of my bottom lip until I freed it from my teeth.

“We—what we do isn’t anyone else’s business.”

He sighed and tilted his head back.

“I just don’t want people staring.” And pointing and laughing.

“So what if they stare?” He held his arms out at his sides.

“You’re used to it. The only time people are doing it to you is when they’re in awe. I had all their eyes on me that day in the hallway and at the talent show. It’s only ever been bad and I can already hear all the things that will be going through their heads.”