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“People payin’ to hear me sing? Fuck no. But it sounds like good craic.” He reached out and took Arlo’s hand, rubbing his thumb along the knuckles. “I wanna do it for you.”

Arlo yanked his hand away with a sniff. He ran the spot where Bren’s thumb had been across his watering eyes and choked out, “Damn it.” He pulled the car to the side of the road.

“Arlo? What’s wrong?” Bren asked as Arlo killed the engine.

He went to reach out again but caught himself. This was different than it had been back in the greenhouse at school in Ireland, but that had been the only time Arlo had ever pushed him away.

He turned off the music with a rigid hand then picked at the side of his jeans.

“Were you ever going to tell me about the whole midterm thing?”

Bren’s brain whirred over that for all of half a second before a laugh forced its way out.

“Fuck, that?” He asked, a sigh of relief traveling through his body. “Maybe if I got back some shite grades, but it’s the second week, isn’t it?”

He’d expected Arlo to relax now that he knew it wasn’t a big deal, but if anything his face looked more closed off.

Bren’s brow furrowed.

“How’d you find out about that, anyway?”

Arlo avoided his eyes when he spoke.

“Sorry—it wasn’t like I went snooping. My mom told me this morning.”

Bren grinned. “Guess our mam’s have been getting friendly, like. That’s good, yeah?”

“Bren, it’s not funny.”

He was still picking away at his jeans as he stared at the road, even though they were parked.

“Straight As? Bren. I mean . . .”

“Nah, I can still flunk one and she’ll give me the go-ahead, just like the Certs.”

Arlo let out a huff and finally met his eye. He looked like he was a hair away from crying and it was all Bren could do not to reach out.

“Arlo, what’s goin’ on?” He compromised by turning the music back on, just enough so the car wasn’t quiet, and Arlo’s face seemed to relax—maybe. “Are you mad I didn’t tell you? I didn’t think it’d matter. Honest. Mam said I gotta get some As to stay here, so that’s what I’m gonna do.”

“It’s—” Arlo took in a breath like he was steeling himself for something. “Bren, you’re going to have to study non-stop to ace everything. And the musical is, like, a black hole where free time goes to die.” He shook his head as his shoulders pulled in. “I feel like such an asshole making you sign up for it.”

Bren’s hand found the back of Arlo’s and this time he didn’t pull away.

“You didn’t make me do anythin’, Arlo. I wanted to spend time with you. It’s the whole reason I’m here.”

He kissed the space where their hands met and gave Arlo the best smile he had.

“I know you like to worry, but everythin’s fine. Gonna study my arse off, be Stupid-Name the Silent Cat, and get all ninety-fives just to rub it in Mam’s face.”

Arlo’s eyes narrowed like he was working out a tricky maths problem.

“Robolad?”

His brow furrowed as his hand returned the pressure Bren hoped was helping to settle him down.

“Don’t you think, I mean—” He took in a shuddering breath that came out as a sigh a second later. “Maybe it might have made more sense if you just . . . stayed in Ireland?”

Bren could have sworn Arlo started the car back up and crashed it into the valley below.