Chapter 1

At the graduation mixer, everyone was playing a game where the wheel landed on you and pulled up a random saved photo off your phone.

The wheel stopped on my boyfriend, Cecil Matthews. His slip of paper had just two words on it: Latest saved.

He cast his phone up onto the wall.

The first image was a screenshot of a video: my top-bunk roommate, Janet Fox, in her pajamas.

The whole room whooped.

But Janet panicked first.

"Serena Prescott, don't read into it. The power went out in the dorm that night, he was just showing me how to reset the breaker."

Before I could say anything, Cecil's brow had already creased.

"She's a girl, she didn't know how. What's wrong with me helping?"

The crowd laughed and pushed him to keep going.

The second was a payment screenshot, him clearing out Janet's online wish list.

The third was a selfie of her in a designer studio apron.

Last month, while I was prepping for exams, I'd stopped at that same window and touched the very same one.

Cecil had pulled me away. "Art is about the work. Wearing something too expensive just looks showy."

So the same apron was vanity on me, and a graduation gift on her.

Janet went to shut off the projector, eyes red. "Cecil, forget it, it's all my fault."

Cecil took his phone back, but he didn't cut the feed.

He turned to look at me. "Janet's already explained. Don't embarrass everyone."

The laughter in the room stopped all at once.

I said nothing.

He'd always assumed that because I was capable, because I was one of his own, I could take a little grief and still not leave.

But the deal we'd kept alive for four years should end tonight.

.......

Before the mixer broke up, Cecil went to pay with the studio's shared card.

I put my hand over it. "There's three thousand of my scholarship money on that card. Rent for the studio is due next month."

He slid it out from under my hand. "The landlord will give us an extension. Janet's birthday is next week, and everyone here tonight is a classmate. We can't make her lose face."

Janet said softly, "Maybe just let it go. I'm not worth Cecil spending this much."

Cecil handed the card to the cashier. "You only graduate once. Serena won't make an issue of it."

The card reader beeped, and my fingertips went cold.

Last spring, when he put on his first show.

I painted for people on the overpass for thirty-five hours to cover the studio's deposit.

When he took the money, he said, "Once we get on our feet, half of this studio is yours too. Between us, we don't have to count so carefully."

Now he'd used that same phrase, one of our own, to spend my money saving Janet's face.

It was raining outside.

Cecil took the only umbrella from the car and held it over Janet's head.

I asked, "What about me?"

He glanced at my shoes. "You're in sneakers, a few steps won't hurt. Janet's shoes will be ruined if water gets in."

Janet edged out from under the umbrella. "Serena, come share it."

Cecil pulled her back. "The umbrella's only so big. She's healthy, she doesn't need to squeeze in."

Rain poured down my collar, and my back was soaked through in no time.

Last year's first snow, I ran a fever at the studio and asked him to bring me a coat.

All he said back was, "I've got work in hand. Find someone else."

In the dorm, Janet was drying her hair with a thick towel.

The corner was embroidered with the name "Cecil," a towel he'd used since high school.

She rushed to explain. "Cecil insisted I take it. He said damp hair makes you sick."

I'd touched that towel once.

Cecil took it away on the spot and said he wasn't used to other people handling his private things.

Janet hung that designer apron by the window again. "He drove fifty miles yesterday to pick it up for me at the counter. You don't mind, do you, Serena?"

"No."

My throat was tight, and those two words were all I could get out.

Yesterday, I'd called Cecil six times, asking him to go to the clay supply plant and haul the clay I needed for my graduation piece.

He said he'd been up all night on a deadline and couldn't get up.

Right then his phone rang. Cecil went straight to it. "Did Janet get caught in the rain?"

Janet put it on speaker. "Just the edges of my shoes got a little wet."

"I ordered ginger tea, it'll be there in half an hour. Serena, make sure she finishes it."

I said, "I got rained on too."

He paused for two seconds. "Stop comparing yourself to her over everything. She's been frail since she was little, and you're perfectly able to take care of yourself."

"Got it."

After the call ended, Janet nudged the apron farther inside. "He just loves taking care of people. You two have been together four years, you'd know that better than anyone."

I opened my email.

The offer from South Ridge County Vocational School was still sitting at the top.

They wanted me to report within seven days, or the offer expired.

I replied, "I'll report on time."

Sent.

The silver ring on my ring finger pressed against the knuckle.

I slipped it off and set it in the old soap dish by the sink.

This time, I didn't put it back on.

After daybreak, I went to the studio I'd shared with Cecil for three years.

I'd just lifted the first engraving machine when he stepped into my path.