Reign nods as if she understands perfectly. “That’s probably smart. People can be loud with their opinions.”
“Exactly.”
She’s quiet for a beat too long. Her gaze drifts toward the window, and her smile fades just enough to notice. There’s something far away in her expression—like she’s listening to a thought she hasn’t decided whether to speak aloud.
I study her for a moment, my voice dipping lower. “Reign?”
She doesn’t answer right away. Just continues staring through the glass like the truth is waiting for her on the other side.
When she finally turns to face me, my breath catches. She’s wearing a look I don’t recognize—blank, polished, guarded. A mask. And that startles me more than anything else could, because I’ve known this girl since we were in diapers, and I’ve never seen her hide from me like this.
Something inside me prickles.
“Hey,” I say softly, careful not to spook whatever she’s holding back. “You good?”
She shrugs, noncommittal. Casual. Too casual. “Yeah. Just tired.”
“Mm-hmm.” I narrow my eyes, dropping onto her bed with dramatic flair. “Tired and broody? Sounds like Dylan drama.”
Her mouth twitches like she wants to deny it, but then she sighs instead, sinking down onto the edge of her desk chair. “It’s... complicated.”
“It always is with him.” I cross my arms and lean back like I’m preparing for a story. “So, is this ‘he ghosted you but still watches all your stories’ complicated, or ‘I think he’s cheating but I have no proof and won’t let the boys maim him for me’ complicated?”
That earns me a small laugh, but it fades fast.
“Honestly? The second one.”
I nod, unsurprised. “You know they’d happily go full vigilante for you.”
She snorts. “I had to practically sign a blood oath to keep them from showing up at his house with baseball bats.”
“Well, yeah,” I deadpan. “They’ve been itching to commit light assault for weeks now. Ronan’s been sharpening a shovel.Sharpening a shovel, Reign.”
That earns me a genuine laugh, one that flickers life in her eyes. But it’s short-lived, and just like that, the mask slips back on.
“You sure that’s all that’s bugging you?” I ask gently. “You can tell me anything. You know that.”
She nods, but it feels like a door softly closing. “Yeah. That’s it.”
I don’t press, even though I want to. My gut is saying there’s more. But she’s not ready. And I respect that.
Before I can say anything else, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the screen and groan. “Ugh. My dad. Apparently, I’m being summoned for dinner. I was supposed to be home twenty minutes ago.”
“Yikes.”
“He threatened to start without meandeat the last roll.”
Reign gasps. “Monster.”
“Right? Pure evil.” I pull to my feet with a sigh, dragging it out like I’m being forced to leave a tropical island. “I wanted to hang out longer.”
“Same,” she murmurs.
“Well, then...” I grin, pointing at her with exaggerated sternness. “Youoweme a girls-only slumber party this weekend. No boys allowed. Zero brooding. Maximum snacks.”
She smirks. “Deal. But I’m picking the movies.”
I gasp. “You’re gonna make me watch some indie art film where no one speaks for forty-five minutes, and someone dies for no reason.”
