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Analise stayed home the next day, alone in their duplex. Guilt over missing school replaced her dull headache. Algebra II was not going to forgive her absence.

Still in her fleece pajamas and armed with a box of Lucky Charms, Analise was flipping between The Young and the Restless and Family Feud when the doorbell rang.

Assuming it was a package delivery, she let it go, hoping they’d leave it between the screen. But the bell rang again.

Analise scuffled over and peered outside. When she saw Taylor, she hesitated, rubbed her pale cheeks, and fixed her ponytail. She opened the door a crack. “What are you doing here?”

He wore a warm-up jacket with the collar flipped up, hands snug inside his pockets. The breezy weather swiped at his sandy locks.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” said Taylor. “I’m sorry I didn’t stick around at the emergency room. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I should probably be in school.”

“You don’t have a phone,” he said.

“I have a house phone. I don’t have a cell.”

“Yeah.” He glanced away.

“Wait. How do you know where I live?”

“Missy.”

Analise groaned inwardly. What other embarrassing information did he get out of Missy?

Taylor scratched his face and shifted his feet. “Could I have it?”

“Have what?”

“Your number, just so . . . I don’t know.” He readied his phone.

“Oh. I guess,” Analise replied, feeling chilled as the wind took flight. She rattled off her number and then said, “Do you want to come in?” He’d already seen the worst of her living situation.

“Sure. Okay.”

Analise widened the door. He tentatively stepped inside onto the scuffed oak. She smelled his cologne. Or deodorant. Whatever it was—she liked it. Would Ulla find out he was here? She glanced over Taylor’s shoulder at her bedroom. Is that my bra on the floor? Analise whipped past him and slammed her door. “My room is messy.”

He cracked a half-smile. “I’m a neat freak,” and they shared a soft laugh as she leaned against her bedroom door.

Taylor rocked on his heels. “Is there anything I can do to apologize? I swear I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”

Anything? She compared him to Dave Laviolet, her long-time crush, another senior on the soccer team. And supposedly Taylor’s best friend. Heat filled her cheeks, and she started to shake her head, but Taylor must have caught it. “Come on, tell me. What is it?”

Embarrassed, Analise laughed.

Taylor persisted.

She rolled her self-conscious eyes and said, “No, it’s stupid.”

“I’m not leaving until you cough it up.” His grin widened, and she noticed the cleft in his chin.

“Okay, fine. A date.”

Taylor’s face expanded even further, but his response shrunk to a whisper, “Really?”

“With Dave. Dave Laviolet.”

His expression plummeted, and he looked down, pushing out a shaky laugh. His brow creased, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Dave? Do you know him at all?”