“But you promised,” I said, hating the way I sounded, like a petulant child.

“Soon,” she said. “Two more hours, okay?” She lit another cigarette, releasing a stream of smoke into the night.

Her present was still in my bag. I’d planned to give it to her right at midnight when we were alone. I wanted to see her face light up. To hear her tell me how much she loved it, and how much she loved me.

“Okay?” Elise repeated, looking at me expectantly.

“I—” Opening my bag, I pulled it out. “I wanted to wait until midnight, but here.” I handed it to her. “Happy birthday.”

“Oh,” she said, surprised. Dropping her cigarette and snuffing it out with her shoe, Elise reached for the box. She tugged on the intricately tied ribbon, unraveling an hour of my work in less than a second. “I love it,” she said, a smile forming as she saw the cigarette case. “It’s beautiful.”

“Look at the bottom,” I said, feeling a little nervous. I wanted her to like it as much as I liked the lighter. I wanted her to treasure it.

Remy x Elise.

“I love it so much.” She reached for her pack and began to fill the case. “I really love it,” she said again, fingers brushing the filigree.

“Really?” I said, happiness surging through me. I thought we’d leave then, spend the rest of the night just the two of us. I was hoping she’d abandon her idea of throwing a party to rival Summer’s. That she’d see the cigarette case and be reminded of how special our friendship was. That she’d ditch the party to be with me.

“Really,” she said, eyes soft as she pulled me in for a hug.

“Come on,” I said, tugging on her wrist when we broke apart. “Let’s go.”

“Oh.” She stepped back. “Um, Remy, no.”

“What?”

“I already said I’d do it, and Julie and Jae are already getting the word out. I can’t just abandon everyone.” It was true that leaving now might disappoint the others, but I knew Elise and she always did what she wanted. If she wanted to skip the party and spend the rest of the night with me, then she’d just do it. Which meant she didn’t want to go with me, or at least that she wanted something else more than she wanted me. She was fast becoming my whole world. I didn’t even talk to Melody anymore because I’d chosen her. Elise was my person but it didn’t always seem like I was hers.

“How are you even going to get the alcohol?” I asked, thinking she was going to ask us to raid our parents’ liquor cabinets.

She gave me a weird look. “I have a fake.”

“You do?” I’d never seen her use it before, and maybe it was unfair because I never asked her about it, but I couldn’t help but think this was yet another thing she kept from me.