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But nothing seems to make Daemon happy. In fact, everything seems to make him sad.

He’s sad at school, at home, when he’s playing with my brother.

I don’t know why, but I want to see him smile.

He’s so cute when he does. It makes his eyes light up like they’re made of silver, and he’s got these two dimples that are usually hidden by his scowl.

“You need to leave,” he says, his voice quieter, weaker than I’m used to, and I hate that his dad has the power to do that to him. To strip him of his confidence and make him run away.

So what if he failed a test?

It happens to all of us from time to time.

And it’s not like the boys in our family don’t have other things to do. Our fathers are always on their cases. Forcing them to exercise, to train, whatever that means.

I’m excluded from all of it. Not that it bothers me too much. From what I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like much fun. At least they have each other, though. I’m always alone.

The girls at school don’t want to be my friend. Not really. They want to be friends with them. And as soon as they’ve got close to them, they forget I exist.

It’s fine. It’s not like I want to be friends with them either. All they care about is clothes and how they look.

I want a real friend. Someone who gets me.

Someone like Daemon.

“Let me help,” I say, taking another step toward him.

“I don’t need any help,” he scoffs, turning away from me. Hiding from me.

“What test did you fail? I can help you study.”

“It was nothing. Just a dumb test.”

“Then you’ll pass it next time, right? Let’s just make sure you smash it. Prove him wrong.”

It takes a couple of seconds, but eventually, his eyes find mine.

His tears have stopped, but they still cling to his eyelashes.

“I’ll test you and we can practice,” I tell him, more than ready to argue if he even thinks about disagreeing.

I’m just about to try again when he nods.

“I’ll go and get some paper,” I tell him. “And tomorrow, you’ll ace that test.”

A small smile twitches at his lips.

“Don’t go anywhere,” I tell him as I move back toward the exit.

He shakes his head. “I’ll wait for you.” I’m at the door when he speaks again. “As long as it takes.”

I wake with a start, my fingers curling around the paper that’s still in my hand.

Blinking, I find that there’s sunlight streaming through the still-open curtains, but I’m still very much in the same house, wherever it is.

Rolling onto my back, I stare up at the ceiling and focus on keeping my breathing steady.

I’ve got so many questions, so many thoughts and fears racing through my mind. But I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to voice them all.