"He opened his mouth—then shut it."
Silver watched the color drain from Eli's face as he ended the call.
The phone slipped back into his pocket with a motion that looked automatic. His eyes were fixed somewhere past her shoulder, unfocused. Like he was seeing something that wasn't there.
"Eli?" Her voice sounded too loud in the empty hallway. "What did they say?"
He opened his mouth. Then shut it.
The silence stretched between them, heavy and wrong. This wasn't the same boy who'd been grinning about Boston two minutes ago. Something had shifted. Something had broken.
"Tell me," Silver said. Her heart was hammering against her ribs. "Whatever it is, just tell me."
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?"
"I mean I—" He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture sharp with frustration. "I need to think."
"About what? What did they say?"
He finally looked at her. Really looked at her. And the expression on his face made her stomach drop.
"The offer changed."
"Changed how?"
