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When practice ends, the guys skate off laughing and shoving each other.

Jake lingers, pulling off his helmet and running a hand through his hair.

He looks up at me again.

This time, he smiles.

My chest aches.

On the drive home, I’m quieter than usual.

“You okay?” Jake asks after a few minutes.

“Yeah,” I say automatically.

He glances at me. “That wasn’t convincing.”

I stare out the window. “I’m fine.”

Silence stretches.

He tries again. “Is this about your sister?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

I shrug.

He exhales through his nose, patient but not letting it go. “Tal.”

My throat tightens.

“I just…” I trail off.

He waits.

I hate that he’s so good at that.

“I just sometimes forget,” I say carefully.

“Forget what?”

“That this isn’t… permanent.”

The words hang between us.

Jake’s jaw tightens slightly.

“What isn’t permanent?”

“This,” I say, gesturing vaguely between us. “Living together. Spending our weekends together. Everything.”

He doesn’t say anything.

My chest starts to hurt, but I try to play it cool.

I force a small shrug.