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on. I want my money back.” He slit his eyes in determination, then faced forward.
    â€œThree . . . two . . . one!”
    We took off in a rush. Cold air smacked my face, ripped through my sinuses as I plunged down the hill. Ethan whooped and we soared, nearly neck and neck.
    I hit a bump and almost flipped over. “Holy shit!” I called with a laugh, gripping the sides of the sled tighter. My heart galloped.
    He edged out in front of me and made it to the bottom just a second before I did. His sled toppled over, and he burst into riotous laughter. “Oh my God. That was more amazing than I remembered. Why did we stop doing this?”
    I lay back in the sled and stared at the smattering of stars peeking through the trees around us, my cheeks burning from the wind and from my smiling muscles. My heart was still racing, and I felt so alive. “I have no idea. But we should do it again.”
    â€œOkay. But before we do . . .” Ethan sat up, and I could feel the weight of his stare on me.
    With his words, my lungs squeezed to the size of grapes, and I sat up as well. Tucked my hands in my lap and let my booted feet dangle off the edge of the sled. “Yes?”
    â€œI . . .” Ethan cleared his throat, peeked at the sky. “I needed to talk to you about prom.”
    OhGodohGodohGod. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his dimly lit profile. The cold faded away. Tendrils of anticipation wrapped around my chest, tightened.
    Here it comes.
    â€œThere’s . . . someone at school I want to ask to prom, but I don’t know how,” he said in a rush. “So I was hoping you could help me since you’re so talented and smart.” He looked at me, and his eyes bore a strange vulnerability I’d never seen in them before.
    My stomach fell as his words pierced my frantic brain, and all the air whooshed out of my lungs.
    Ethan wanted my help asking another guy to prom. I didn’t even know he liked someone. Crushing disappointment settled over me like fine snowflakes and froze my warm, hazy glow.
    â€œAh. I see. Who’s the lucky fellow?” It was hard to keep my voice steady and light.
    â€œNoah McIntyre.” Ethan exhaled, and a puff of steamy air floated between us. He shot me a wry grin. “He’s in biology with me—oh, and he’s the lead in Oklahoma! And I don’t know what to do so he’ll say yes.”
    My mind flashed an image of a tall blond with bright green eyes. I knew who he was talking about now. A transfer student who came to our school his junior year from California. Gorgeous, witty, perfect abs. I think he was even nominated for homecoming king back in October, despite still being relatively new.
    I stood and picked up the sled, my limbs weighing a thousand pounds each. What an idiot I was, thinking even for a second that Ethan might have brought me out here to ask me to prom. Of course he wanted me to help him ask someone else. Because that was my luck.
    Thank God I hadn’t yet asked him to go with me. Having him say no would have crushed me beyond repair.
    â€œWhy not just go up to him and ask him to prom?” I asked, my tone a bit flat.
    He stood too, moved closer. He was only a couple of inches taller than me, but at the moment I felt a lot smaller. “Because I want it to be just right. And I know that if anyone can help me, it’s you. You’re the only one I trust.” He reached his free hand out and took mine, but I barely felt it. “Please.”
    â€œWhy Noah?” I said, because it appeared I had some dark desire to torture myself. As if the answer wasn’t obvious.
    Ethan’s face softened, and his lips curved into a secret smile. He chewed on his bottom lip. “I just . . . I really like him. And I thinkhe likes me too. Sometimes our eyes connect in class, and there’s this zing there.”
    The hint of need in his face