From where she had flopped down on her bed, Sloane had started to study the canopy of her four-poster. This was the whole part of getting older she hated. Relationships, even her friendships always felt on edge. These days she truly only felt like she could be herself around Hatch and sometimes Ned, but for some reason, Ned's presence always made her want to do better and that was sort of tiresome.

She'd almost zoned out when Alice's confession hit her ears. Sitting bolt upright, she looked at Alice with wide, alarmed eyes. "I'm sorry what?" Her voice wasn't much more than a whisper, but the undertone was one of fear and she didn't like it at all.