“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
Before I could snap back, Mr. Aldrich appeared at our table. “Owen, your mother needs you outside for a second. Coach just called about next season.”
Owen slid out of the booth without question, leaving Knox and me alone. Without him it was too quiet. Even the oldies music playing from the speakers couldn’t break the weird silence.
Knox didn’t say anything at first, he just sipped from his chocolate milkshake, watching me until the quiet got to him too. “Seriously, what’s wrong?”
“I said nothing. Just leave it alone.”
“And I said you’re a liar.” He pushed his milkshake across the table. “Here, drink some. Sugar helps.”
I stared at the glass, at the straw sticking up the top, already used by him. “I don’t want your milkshake.”
“Yeah, you do, Thorne. You always want chocolate when you’re upset.”
Dammit, he was right. I hated that.
I took a sip, letting the cold sweetness settle the tightness in my throat. Knox watched me, then reached into his pocketand pulled out something small. I looked closer, seeing a cheap plastic ring with a fake ruby that glinted in the overhead light.
“What’s this?”
“It’s nothing really.” He slid it across the table and pulled his hand back. “Won it from the claw machine near the bathrooms. I thought you might want it.”
“Why would I want a ring from a claw machine?”
He shrugged, looking at the ketchup bottles at the end of the table like they were fascinating. “I don’t know. You collect weird shit. I just…figured you’d like it.”
I did like it. I liked it more than I should have.
“It’s kinda hideous,” I said, even though the corner of my lip tipped up.
“Yeah, well.” He stole another fry and tossed it at me, that annoyingly cocky tone back. “So are you…It works.”
I batted the fry away, and met his gaze, slipping the ring onto my pinky, the only finger it fit on. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He leaned back against the booth and crossed his arms. “So, are you gonna tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to keep buying you rings and milkshakes?”
I sighed and finally relented. “I heard my parents fighting last night.”
“About what?”
“I don’t know. Something about telling the truth before it gets worse.” I twisted the ring around my finger, something to keep my hands busy. “They sounded pissed.”
He was quiet for a moment. When he spoke, he lost some of that Knox edge. “Parents fight sometimes. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“It sounded like it meant something.”
“They’ll work it out.” He said it with such certainty that I wanted to believe him. “And if it doesn’t, fuck them. You’ve still got us.”
Us. Him and Owen. The three of us against everything.
I looked up at him and something unspoken passed between us. I couldn’t name it, but I could feel it. It made my chest tight and my face hot and my stomach flip.
“Knox—”
“Don’t get all weird and sentimental about it, Thorne.” He grabbed his milkshake back, pulling at the straw my lips were just wrapped around. “I’m just saying. Whatever happens with them, you’re stuck with us. So stop looking like someone died.”
