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“No, nothing like that,” Alex assured her friend. “It’s just…”

She had no idea what to say, or where to start. She decided to just blurt it out. “I—”

A loud, rhythmical knock at the door interrupted her words.

D.C. glanced at Alex and said what they both already knew. “That’ll be Jordan and Bear. Are you okay for me to let them in?”

“Yeah, sure,” Alex said, thankful that she could share her news with them all now to save having to repeat herself later.

“Hail the conquering hero!” Bear cried, barging into the room as soon as D.C. opened the door.

“Thank you, thank you. I love you all, my worthy subjects,” Jordan said, bowing pretentiously.

“You got in?” D.C. asked, and when he nodded, she squealed and launched herself at him.

Jordan seemed startled by her reaction, but then he laughed and spun her around. When he put her back on her feet, she turned to look at Bear.

“Not me, I’m afraid,” their dark-haired friend said. While he seemed disappointed, it was clear he was ecstatic for Jordan. “Next year, hopefully.”

Alex felt queasy. She knew how much the position meant to her friends, and they knew how much shedidn’twant it. She had no idea how they would react. The only good news was, if they decided not to hate her, she would have the comfort of having Jordan in her class.

“I didn’t get in either,” D.C. told them. “But I’m so happy for you, Jordan. You’ll have to tell us all about it. And, oh, the stories you’ll have—I bet it’s going to be amazing!”

“Yeah, I’m pretty excited,” Jordan agreed. “But I wish you guys could’ve made it, too.”

“Next year, maybe,” D.C. said, echoing Bear’s words.

“Hey, Alex! No congrats for your favourite friend?” Jordan asked, seeing Alex sitting slumped on her bed.

“I’m her favourite,” D.C. corrected, elbowing him.

Jordan nudged her back. “You wish.”

“Since you guys are arguing about it, I think I should win by default,” Bear put in.

Despite her warring thoughts, Alex’s lips quirked with amusement. These were her closest friends. Her family, really. If they couldn’t accept what she was about to tell them, then no one would.

She stood and walked over to where they clustered near the door. “I’m so happy for you, Jordan. I know how much you wanted this.”

“Thanks, Alex,” he said, pulling her into a hug. When he lether go, he kept his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. She had difficulty holding his gaze.

“All right, what’s going on?” He guided her over to sit on her bed again. “Spill.”

She sighed, wishing her friends couldn’t read her so well.

Jordan sat next to her, while D.C. and Bear moved to sit on D.C.’s bed facing them.

“I don’t know how to say this…”

“It’s just us, Alex,” Bear said, his voice soft. “We won’t bite.”

Jordan gave her a roguish wink and added, “Much.”

Alex smiled half-heartedly at them, and then she opened her mouth and let the words tumble out. “I got into Hunter’s class.”

Three pairs of eyes blinked at her.

“What do you mean?” Bear asked, his expression confused.