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“Cami,” I whisper, trying to catch my breath.

“It’s okay, Drew,” she whispers against my ear, trailing her lips in an intoxicating line down my neck.

A sudden, sobering thought flashes through my mind, freezing me in place. Is she only doing this because she feels pressured? Because I’m leaving? I can't let her do something she might not be ready for, especially since I'm leaving in a few months. Catching her hips, I gently roll us over, shifting us back onto our sides.

“You don't want to?” she questions, with sadness laced in her voice as she looks at me in the dark.

“Of course I want to, Cami. More than anything.” I say quickly, reaching up to gently brush a stray strand of hair behind her shoulder. “But I think we should wait. There's no rush.”

“Okay.” She takes a disappointed breath, her chest heaving slightly as she processes the words.

“Hey, that doesn't mean I want to stop kissing you.” I smile, leaning in to press my lips back to hers.

I feel the tension leave her as a smile breaks beneath my lips. When we finally pull away, she tucks her head securely into my chest, and I stroke her hair in the calm, comforting darkness of her bedroom, holding her tight against me.

Today is New Year’s Eve, and we all have plans to go to Alex’s house party tonight. I’m standing in the kitchen, stacking clean dishes back into the cabinets, when a loud, aggressive knock echoes off the front door. I stop what I'm doing, confused because I’m not expecting anyone to come over this close to the party.

I pull the heavy wooden door open. Cooper stands on the porch, a blank look frozen on his face. His posture rigid, arms crossed tightly over his chest. My heart falls straight into my stomach.

“Can I come in?” Cooper asks, his tone flat, not really taking no for an answer.

“Yeah man, of course,” I say, stepping back and swinging the door wide so he can pass me. “Everything okay? Did something happen with Ivy?”

“Ivy and I are fine,” he says stiffly, marching straight into the center of my kitchen.

“Okay. What’s up?”

“I need to ask you something, and I need you to tell me the truth,” he says with a dark tone in his voice that I’ve never heard from him before.

I swallow hard, my throat constricting in nervous anticipation. “Of course.”

He fixes his sharp gaze at me. “Is there something going on between you and my sister?”

A suffocatingly long silence falls between us. The reality sets in. This is it. This is the exact moment I lose my best friend.

“Cooper…”

“Oh shit…So there is.” He interrupts, his voice laced with anger.

I look down at the floor, unable to meet his stare. “Yeah, there is.”

He drags a hand down his face, letting out a harsh, ragged breath. “I was hoping to God you weren't going to say that. She left her phone on the bathroom counter, and a text came through. It was your name, Drew. With a little red heart next to it.” He let out a humorless, broken chuckle. “I thought maybe it was just her having a silly little crush. But I guess I was wrong.”

“I'm really sorry, Cooper. I've been meaning to tell you, I swear.”

“How long?” He demands, stepping closer.

I barely manage a whisper, “Since her birthday.”

“So six months?” He laughs out loud, a sound of pure shock. “Six months of you sneaking around behind my back with my little sister. Betraying me.”

“It’s not like that with her, Cooper. It’s real.” I say apologetically, desperately wanting him to understand.

“You're leaving!” He yells, the sound echoing off the kitchen walls. “You're leaving for college, Drew! She’s only a sophomore.”

“I know,” I say, my voice cracking with the heavy weight of emotion.

“You know how sensitive she is. You know about her anxiety! You’re going to end up destroying her!”