Chapter 1

The night of our graduation party—the one for turning eighteen—Ryder marked me.Out of nowhere.

We were both drunk.I'd gone downstairs to get some air.Found him leaning against the garage door.He crooked his finger at me.Just that.One little gesture.And I followed him upstairs.

It hurt. I bit down and stayed quiet,fingers twisting into the back of his shirt.When he pulled away,my head was still buzzing.He was already standing up straight,fixing his collar.

I'd had a crush on him for six years. I thought I finally had my answer.

First thing, the next morning, I opened my laptop and pulled up the college application portal.

Ryder's school was out east.Massachusetts.Long winters. I hate the cold. I was willing to deal with it.

I wanted to tell him in person.

The hallway was loud. I walked up to his classroom and reached for the door handle—then stopped.

Someone inside was talking.Loudly.

"You marked Luna Hale? The one who bolts every time she sees you——"

"How long has she had a thing for him?"

"Who knows.She's so easy.Throw her a little attention and she's hooked."

Laughter. A lot of it.

I stood there outside the door,waiting.Waiting for Ryder to say something.To deny it.To tell them to shut up.

"Alright,relax,"Ryder said."It was just a temporary mark.It'll fade in a few days.Not a big deal."

More laughter.

"Right.Didn't Ryder say he wanted to practice with someone before going after Chloe?"

"Classic.She's been chasing you forever and you give her a temporary mark?"

"She was into it. I didn't make her do anything,"Ryder said.

"She's totally going to think it meant something."

"That's her problem,"Ryder said."Either way, I'm making things official with Chloe before school starts."

The tears came fast. I pressed my hand over my mouth and walked away.

I stood in the bathroom for a long time.Staring at myself in the mirror.At the red mark on my neck.

It was fresh.The edges were still sharp.In a few days it would be gone.Like none of it ever happened.

He never meant to choose me. I was just practicing.

My phone buzzed.Mia.

"You coming to the graduation dance tonight?"

Then another."Oh,and I just saw Chloe posted—she's gonna be there too.And Ryder.Don't tell me they're actually a thing now?"

I started typing.Deleted it.Tried again.

I'll be there.

I slid my phone back into my pocket and took one last look in the mirror.

I needed to talk to him face to face.