"All I'm saying," said Knight, after we'd driven home from the wedding. "One time, it's the heat of the moment. It just happens. You're a little hot and heavy, you chalk it up to a big misstep and never discuss it again. I don't think you can do something three times and it's still an accident. Like, you're just straight up into him now and I think it's time for you to admit it."

The drive home from the wedding had been weird. Jace and I had made out behind the hedges for, oh, about an hour. The feeling of his lips on mine was practically embedded into my brain, tattooed on my lips. My mind flittered back to the moment every three seconds or so, if I was being generous, and turned my heart to honey.

But when I'd heard Kaelin calling my name from the doorway, I'd reeled back, cursing. Jace had just smiled at me—endlessly amused and almost cocky—as I gathered up my things and raced out into the light, brushing my hair back into a demurer and not just-been-making-out style.

Kaelin had raised an eyebrow at me. "Hey, slut. How's Hartley doing?"

I slapped her arm. It was almost midnight by that point, and the drive home took a couple of hours. Kaelin was staying in Casserine with Julian, but Knight was waiting outside to drive Jace and me home. Thankfully, there was a flurry of goodbyes, tears of joy and a few more sneaky shots that meant I didn't have to look at Jace.

In the car, Jace and I directed all of our conversation through the buffer of Knight, never addressing each other directly. How many times was I going to make out with Jace Hartley? And, god, why did he have to be so good at it? Knight had picked up on the strange energy, and as soon as we'd dropped Jace at home, he'd proclaimed, "So. You guys hooked up again."

Apparently, we were predictable. I also think Knight was avoiding any conversation about his parents, studiously turning the conversation solely to Jace and I instead.

I leant back into my pillows and looked over at Knight with frustration. It was after 2AM now, the sky outside dark and starry. It reminded me of the stars above Jace and I only a few hours ago as we...

"I don't think it's time for me to admit anything, because there's nothing to admit. I was tipsy the other two times," I protested. "I'd had at least five shots both times. Neither of them counts."

"We both know that was, like, not at all a factor," said Knight, leaning back against the pillows with his arms crossed. The left side of my bed pretty much belonged to Knight now; there was an indentation of his ass permanently sunk into the bed. He still slept in the closet most of the time—in case my family walked in—but before he went to sleep, when his presence could be excused, he pretty much just lounged on my bed while I brought him shit like an Egyptian Pharoah. "Just admit you're into him. Admit that you want to go to one of his football games and admire his ass in those little shorts."

"You want to do that," I said. "Stop looking for excuses to pin your pervy desires on me."

Knight just laughed.

From down the hallway, I could hear the telltale signs of footsteps ascending the stairs. Austin was in his room, and Dad was having late night drinks with his brothers after the wedding. The lack of clicking heels told me it wasn't my mother. As the car keys jangled—the sound of far too many keychains clanking together—I knew it was Liv. She was just arriving home from the wedding, clearly.

"Under the bed you go," I said, shoving Knight onto the floor. It was almost 2AM, and I couldn't think of any reason to excuse his presence in my room. I mean, he hadn't, to Liv's knowledge, even been at the wedding. He fell back, sprawled against the carpet.

"Ouch!" he said, rubbing his arm. "This is child abuse!"

"You're older than me!" I said in a hushed voice as the footsteps drew closer. "Now get under."

Knight had only just crawled into his position when the door creaked open. Liv popped her head around and smiled when she saw that my light was still on. "Hey, Elly Belly," said Liv, smiling dopily. Great, she was slightly tipsy. And Knight was definitely going to call me Elly Belly for the next two weeks, minimum. Oh my God, he was probably going to relabel all my possessions with the moniker.

"You didn't drive home, did you?" I asked. Liv could be a bit of a wild child at times.

"No," said Liv with a laugh. "I am the pinnacle of responsibility! Some random guy at the wedding drove me home."

"Very responsible," I said, amused. It wasn't the greatest decision of all time, but I hoped that Jack and Elena hadn't invited any potential assholes to the wedding—the Knight's excluded—who would take advantage of my poor, tipsy sister. It was, at least, a better option than driving home. I bet he was hot; Liv definitely could've just gotten an Uber. "The poster child."

Liv winked at me with a slight sigh. "He was pretty. I can't resist pretty."

"What was his name?"

"Zac something. Zac... Pretty Face."

I raised an eyebrow at her as she slumped down on the bed next to me, effectively ruining Knight's carefully crafted butt indentation. "You mean the best man? Zac Delaney?"

Zac Delaney definitely fit the profile, given he was one of the best-looking people I'd ever laid my eyes on. And he was Liv's type to a T; nice, humble, a laid-back country guy who still had ambition, drive and aspiration. She would literally eat him up.

Liv looked up at the roof, her nose screwed up in deep thought. "You know, he might've mentioned that he was the best man. And Laney is such a pretty name. I like it."

I brushed the hair back from her forehead gently as she smiled at the ceiling; a secretive smile, meant only for the unseeing blankness of plaster and paint.

"So, you're into him?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

Liv gasped. "No!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Okay."

She didn't respond; she just grinned.

Underneath the bed came a slight noise; almost a groan. Knight, fidgeting. Could that idiot not stay still for five goddamn minutes? I swear I needed to get him tested; it really wasn't that hard.

"Can you hear something?" Olivia asked, frowning. She sat up from her spot and went to look around, but I placed a hand on her shoulder calmingly.

"Must be a rat. A very large, irritating rat. Probably a rat with rabies and constipation issues, riddled with many diseases," I said pointedly. I could tell that Knight was glaring at me from beneath the bed. "Maybe a whole rat family. I can deal with the filthy vermin, give it a very stern talking-to. You should go to bed, Liv, you've had a big night."

"No, it doesn't sound like a rat," she said, standing up. I tried to wave her off, but she looked at the base of my bed thoughtfully, listening. Instead of going still, I heard a small knock that sounded like an elbow against wood. "I think it's coming from under your bed."

"No, no, no," I said rapidly, grabbing her arm as she went to bed down. "Nothing under there."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "What, are you hiding a boy under there?"

I laughed awkwardly, staring at the ceiling. I was usually better at lying than this, but lying to Olivia had never been something I was capable of. Hence the awkward rom-com how-can-a-human-genuinely-be-this-bad-at-lying lie. She was just so analytical, even when tipsy. "What? A boy. Under my bed? Nooooo."

Olivia gasped. "Lena. You rebel. Hello Lena's boyfriend!" she called. "Is it Jace? It's totally Jace."

I grabbed at her arm as she twisted out of my grip, but my attempt was futile. She was far quicker. Something to do with that exercise bullshit that the universe had decreed 'healthy'. And Liv was a core-strength queen; even mostly sober, I didn't stand a chance.

She pulled up the edge of the sheets and peered at the boy underneath. It took her a moment to put things together; dark hair, piercing eyes, cocky grin. I could see the moment recognition dawned. "Cole Knight?" she exclaimed, looking up at me, then back down to Knight, then back up again. She was also laughing. "You're hooking up with Cole Knight? Since when?"

"I am not hooking up with him," I replied, feigning a gag.

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Sure. You just, what, hide all of your non-hook up buddies under your bed at 3AM?"

"Just the special ones," said Knight with a wink.

Liv frowned. "Does he know you're kind of in love with Jace? Because you really shouldn't lead him on like that."

"I literally am not into Jace at all," I protested.

"Yeah, you are," Knight called from under the bed. "And hey, Livvie. Just so you know, my intentions are totally pure and I'm disgusted at the thought of kissing your sister." He gagged, loudly and dramatically.

"Rude," I said. "It would be a delightful experience for you."

"Does someone want to explain then?" Olivia suggested. "Because I am very confused."

So, I told her everything.

How Knight had been living on the streets, my offer for him to live with us, the navigation of hiding it from the family, how I'd bought him clothes and stolen him food, Austin's discovery of our secret, the slow build of our friendship and our intense binge of all Vampire Diaries content. Knight interjected regularly with commentary and constant reminders that we were best friends. He was still very much caught up on that.

Liv nodded slowly. "Well, that makes some sense. We thought you were about to get really fat."

"What?"

"I mean, you kept taking so much food up to your room," Liv explained. "We thought you were eating enough to feed two or three people. I mean, it wouldn't have mattered. I'm a staunch advocate for body positivity, but it did seem super sudden. Mum thought you might be pregnant."

"She thought what?" I squawked.

"You were stealing lots of vegetables! You hate vegetables. We thought it was a weird pregnancy craving." Liv shrugged, as if this was a normal reaction to an increased appetite and not completely baffling and battshit crazy.

"I am deeply disturbed by this revelation," I said, slowly. "And am clearly far less stealthy with my food smuggling than I thought."

"Yeah, it was very obvious." Liv looked down at Knight, who was grinning cheekily up at her. "You have to tell Mum and Dad, you know."

"How am I supposed to explain this?" I asked, gesturing in Knight's general direction wildly. Because it was the real question. Mum and Dad were friends with Carl and Daniella Knight. Would they aim for a reconciliation that Knight didn't want? Would they try to fix what was irreparably broken? My parents were inherently good people, but my loyalty was entirely and passionately behind Cole; I couldn't trust that theirs would not be divided. "Like, seriously. What do you suggest?"

"Aliens?" Olivia suggested.

"...Aliens."

"Well, it's more believable than you running into Carl and Daniella's kid in the middle of streets after he ran away from home and decided to let him live in your bedroom. And, by the way, Knight, your parents are assholes—" Knight nodded in agreement "—but seriously, Lena, you have to tell them about Knight. And aliens are just more realistic than the truth, to be honest."

I frowned. "But that's what happened."

"I know! Well, you could tell Mum and Dad that he's your boyfriend," Olivia suggested. Then she sighed. "But they won't believe you. I mean, basically everyone knows you want to bone Jace."

"I do not!" I said hotly.

Knight grinned. "Yeah, you do. Just a little bit."

"I have no idea where you guys keep getting this wild idea from!"

"You were dancing romantically at the wedding," Liv said, counting the reasons on her fingers. "You blush every time his name is mentioned, and you mention his name in literally every conversation. To the point where it is a problem and I have considered booking you in for therapy. Plus, you hooked up that one time."

"Three times," Knight corrected, grinning.

Liv gaped at me. "I did not know that. Three times? When?"

I glared at Knight. "You're a snitch. You can go back to the streets."

Liv looked to Knight again. "Three whole times? And they were conscious?"

"Tipsy!" I said.

Knight ignored me. "They hooked up that time I walked in on them, in the bathroom after the party, and tonight in the hedges. For an hour."

Liv raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh, no, Elly Belly, you're so right. Where could we possibly get that idea? It's like—no, you're right. You're definitely not into Hartley. I stand corrected, and would like to issue a formal apology for my misstep."

I slumped back on my bed with a groan of defeat. "It's my birthday, and I formally request that you gift me with never talking about this again. And a pony."

"It's literally not your birthday for another week," said Knight. "And we already got you a present."

I gasped. "You did? What is it?"

Knight frowned at me. "You must know I will not be telling you."

"Party pooper."

"Maybe I will get you the gift of clarity," said Liv lightly. "A date with Jace. I'm sure he'd say yes. Maybe you could finally realise you want to bone down."

"I hate every party of that sentence. Besides, he wouldn't," I said firmly. "He's not into me like that."

Liv and Knight raised an eyebrow at each other, as if to say get a load of this chick. They were annoying like that. God, I wish Liv hadn't walked in the room.

"Well, Liv likes Zac Delaney!" I countered.

Knight shrugged. "It's just not as funny."

I buried my face in my hands. And so, the Jace-and-Lena joke lives on. To be fair, I hadn't done a very good job recently of refuting it. Instead, I'd continually given my friends and family ammunition. Like, three times? Pull it together, Elly Belly.

Knight had crawled out from under the bed and was leaning against its base, stretching out his neck and back. I nudged his head. "So, when do I get my present?"

I loved birthdays. I was very passionate about receiving things; I was a materialistic girl like that. Besides, my friends knew me well. They never got me anything I had to return.

He smiled secretively. "Tomorrow."

"Will I like it?"

Liv whacked me. "Yes, you'll like it."