“No matter what your dad says, or what happens,” Ollie says, “you are still you. I’m still me. This news only changes the facts of your birth—but not everything your life has been since. Not who you are, fundamentally, as a person.”

I nod, feeling tears pricking my eyes. “Same goes for you. Gravelle being your father only changes the facts. Not the meaning.”

“Touché.” Ollie laughs, but I can tell what I’ve said has gotten through to him. Why didn’t I tell Ollie about my suspicions from day one? Why didn’t I let him in, so he could help me work through all my complicated feelings around being a Similar? That was such a mistake. Ollie’s been my person since forever. The person who’s loved me unconditionally and stood by me and somehow—in spite of all my flaws—never judged me, not for one second. How did I miss that? How could I forget that?

“Emma, I’ve been wanting to tell you something for ages. Ever since the night of that stupid masquerade ball I forced you to go to. Before that, even. But then I never got a chance to, and when it seemed like maybe you were pushing me away, I started to doubt myself. And I told myself not to say anything at all—”

“I know.”

Ollie looks taken aback. His brow furrows under his too-long bangs. “You do?”

“You kissed me, didn’t you?”

“And you kissed back.”

I nod. “Why now? What’s changed, Ollie?”

“Everything’s changed!” he blurts, his gray eyes piercing mine in the morning light. There’s something desperate behind them, and hungry. My throat catches and I’m hyperaware that my hands are still in his. “Nothing’s been the same since last year. We play our roles and make our same jokes, and we hang out like nothing’s different. But Emma—I never would have even known about you and Levi if I hadn’t seen that photo, the night of the hazing. Sure, I knew in my gut that something was different. But you never told me. I’m your best friend. In the whole world. We lost each other, and we were somehow lucky enough to get each other back. Shouldn’t that make us close enough to always tell each other the truth? No matter what?”

“He’s your Similar,” I gasp, feeling my eyes welling over. “How was I supposed to tell you that he and I…”

“And the fact that you’re a clone,” he keeps talking, clearly needing to get this out. “You kept that from me, all that time?”

“I’m sorry—”