"I'm sure there's an explanation," Keira says, but she doesn't sound sure.
We sit in silence, the game recap playing in the background. I keep checking my phone.
Nothing.
"Want to just watch something mindless?" Keira suggests. "Gilmore Girls? Trashy reality TV?"
"Gilmore Girls," I say. Comfort TV. Something familiar and safe.
We make it through three episodes. The pizza is gone. We've moved on to ice cream, eating straight from the containers.
Every few minutes, I check my phone.
Nothing from Declan.
But plenty from social media. The fight is trending. Everyone has an opinion about what really happened.
By the time we head upstairs, it's after two in the morning. We're both exhausted and stuffed with pizza and ice cream, our brains turned to mush from too much TV.
And there is still nothing from Declan.
"Girl slumber party rules," Keira announces, climbing into my bed. "No sad thoughts. No boy drama. Just sleep."
"Deal."
I plug in my phone and set it on my nightstand.
I try not to think about why. Try not to imagine worst-case scenarios.
But my mind won't stop.
I'm almost asleep when my phone buzzes.
I grab it immediately, my heart leaping.
Finally, it has to be Declan. It has to be.
But the notification shows an unknown number.
Unknown:Thought you might want to see this.
There's a photo attached.
It’s probably spam, but I open it anyway.
It's Declan. In a hotel hallway. His arm around someone's waist.
Bree.
She's wearing one of his hoodies—I recognize it because I've worn that same hoodie a dozen times. Her hair is messy. She's smiling up at him.
They're standing outside a hotel room door.
The timestamp shows it was taken forty minutes ago.
I stare at the photo, trying to make sense of it and trying to find an innocent explanation.
Maybe it's not what it looks like.
