“She’s been weirdly nice lately. Drew says she apologized to him, unprompted with genuine remorse for her actions last semester.”
“That does seem out of character.”
“Right? Jackson thinks she had a personality transplant. Gerard is convinced she’s been replaced by a more pleasant clone. And Elliot—” I pause, remembering Elliot’s assessment. “Elliot thinks she’s ‘recalibrating her social strategy,’ whatever that means.”
Ryan considers this, twirling his fork thoughtfully. “Maybe she grew up. People do that sometimes. They realize they’ve been acting terribly, and they change.”
“You think so?”
“I think it’s possible.” He takes another bite of steak, chewing contemplatively.
“So you’re saying we should give her the benefit of the doubt?”
“I’m saying people are complicated.” Ryan’s eyes meet mine, warm and thoughtful. “We all have the capacity to change. To be better than we were. Isn’t that what this whole experience has been about? You and me, finally getting our act together after years of beingtoo scared to try?”
“Maybe she’s thinking about her legacy,” I muse, setting down my fork. “She’s about to be a senior, right? Same as us. Maybe she looked around and realized she didn’t want to be remembered as the girl who stalked Drew and Jackson and obsessed over Gerard and Elliot.”
“That’s surprisingly insightful.”
“I have my moments.”
Ryan laughs, and the sound warms me. “So your theory is that the Ice Queen is having an existential crisis about how history will remember her?”
“Something like that. Senior year does things to people. Makes you think about what you’re leaving behind.” I reach for my water glass. “God knows I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.”
“What do you want to leave behind?”
I consider his while the singer continues performing. “A team that knows how to win without me. Friends who are happy. A boyfriend who knows exactly how much he means to me.”
Ryan’s fork clatters against his plate. When I look up, his eyes are shining again. “Oliver Jacoby. You can’t just say things like that while I’m trying to eat an expensive steak.”
“Watch me.”
We finish our entrées, occasionally trading bites across the table. The lamb is incredible, but nothing compares to the way Ryan’s face lights up when I offer him a taste.
The band wraps up, and the female singer takes her final bow to appreciative applause. There’s a brief intermission while the stage is reset, and our waiter appears with dessert menus that look more like novels.
“Chocolate soufflé,” Ryan says without even glancing at the options. “If they have it.”
“They do. I checked.”
“Of course you did.”
I order the soufflé for him and a crème brûlée for myself, because I’m a sucker for the satisfying crack of caramelized sugar. The waiter disappears, and the lights dim slightly as a newperformer takes the stage. He’s young—maybe our age, maybe a little older—with dark curly hair and the kind of easy smile that suggests he was born to perform. He adjusts the microphone, and his voice fills the room.
“Good evening, everyone. Hope you’re enjoying your night so far.” He pauses, letting the murmurs of agreement settle. “I’d like to invite all the couples out to the dance floor for this next one. It’s a special song for special people.”
The opening bass line is unmistakable. My heart stutters in my chest.
“‘Stand By Me,’” Ryan gasps, recognition flooding his face.
“Dance with me?” I’m already on my feet, hand extended. Ryan stares at me for a moment, something unreadable flickering across his features. Then he takes my hand and lets me lead him to the dance floor.
Other couples join us—the older pair from the booth near the entrance, two women in matching red dresses, a nervous-looking young man with his equally nervous date. The floor fills with bodies, but I only have eyes for Ryan.
We find our position naturally, my hand settling on the small of his back while his rests on my shoulder. Our other hands clasp between us, and we begin to sway.
The singer’s voice wraps around us, rich and soulful, and I feel Ryan relax against me. His head tilts up, hazel eyes meeting mine, and the look on his face makes my breath catch.
