By the time I collapsed onto Blake’s bed, I was ready to declare emotional bankruptcy.

Pretending to be him all day was the most exhausting thing I’d ever done. His friends, his swagger, his careless smirk — I could barely keep up. It was like living inside a hurricane.

The Thorton house was finally quiet. The soft hum of the fridge drifted from the kitchen, and I could hear Max’s quiet breathing from down the hall. For once, there was peace.

I exhaled slowly, sinking into the ...