I gave in with a shrug and pulled out my homework, ready to get on with class. Finals were next week, and we were blissfully reviewing past lessons instead of covering new content. I was having enough difficulty focusing as it was with Beau sitting right behind me.

Later, Nina came rushing up to us out in the hallway when we were shuffling off to AP US History and grabbed Beau by the arm, talking about a mile a minute. I stood there watching her back and forth with Beau, catching the word “Yale” more than once.

Beau finally turned to me and said, “We’re having . . . party . . . my house tonight.”

OK, I signed, giving a small smile.

YOU COME? Beau signed with hopeful eyes.

PROMISE, I assured him.

Nina had that knowing look in her eyes as we continued on our way to class, and I had this sinking feeling it would only be a matter of time before she started pestering me and Beau about the nature of our relationship.

Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, seeing as I had no idea where Beau and I currently stood either, and I would actually very much appreciate knowing what he thought about the nature of our relationship now.

When I parked the Caravan at the curb outside Beau’s house, I sat there for a couple moments, trying to get a grip on myself. There were a lot of cars lining the curb and filling the driveway, which made me think this was not some casual get-together.

But I’d told Beau I would come tonight, and I meant it. Even if whatever we were didn’t have a name, he’d still been over the moon with my college acceptance letter, and the least I could do was show the same amount of enthusiasm for him. And regardless of how Beau felt, this was Yale we were talking about, an Ivy League institution. This kind of thing deserved to be celebrated.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and kept my head down against the cold on my way up to the house. When I reached the front door, I didn’t even get the chance to knock before it swung open and Beau was standing there in the doorway, something like relief flashing across his face when he ushered me inside.

WHAT’S WRONG? I signed automatically, but he waved away my question and signed, NOTHING.

I had to take my shoes off and hang up my jacket in the hall closet before following Beau into the living room where the party was taking place. The house hadn’t changed much since my visit at midterms, but my guess was that Dana had put some elbow grease into making everything have an extra clean shine to it.