Kelsey is staring at the curtain between our beds, listening to Flora talk to her dad, and she looks like she wants to stick some popcorn in a microwave.

“So I was thinking more about Coney Island,” I mention loudly. But it’s useless, she can’t tear her ears away.

“I think maybe she’s jealous of us,” Kelsey whispers.

I give her a horrified look, put my fingers to my lip to shush her. “I don’t think she is. I mean, I know she isn’t.”

“Whatever you say,” Kelsey says, not looking away from the curtain.

“It is what I say!” I stand up from my bed. “Why do you think that?”

“She seems really mad at her dad and stepmom. Do you think maybe it’s misdirected anger at you, at me? She’s jealous because we’re happy and she’s taking it out on them?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I dunno, it was just a thought. One of my friends suggested it.”

“One of your friends? Or someone on social media?”

“Um, same thing?”

“Right.”

Kelsey goes back to her phone.

“She’s got a lot going on, you know,” I tell her. “And she’s been through a lot, besides just being sick. But she’s tough and she’s strong.”

Kelsey looks up at me. “Okay.” She sounds bored.

I want to say more, but she’s standing up.

“Anyway, it’s time for our picture. Come here, boyfriend.”

But I don’t move.

“All right, I’ll go to you!” She walks over to where I’m standing. She puts her arm around me, but I still don’t budge.

She snaps some pictures, then walks back to her chair. “Oh, these are perfect!” she says more to herself than to me. She taps her screen, then looks up at me. I still haven’t moved.

Kelsey goes back to her phone, and curiosity finally gets the better of me. I check her post: #grumpyquaranteen #socutewhenmad #quaranteen

She called me cute. Kelsey called me cute. Kelsey is my girlfriend. My girlfriend thinks I’m cute.

I feel warmth spreading to my cheeks as I look up from my phone, and Kelsey is smiling at me.

“You don’t look so grumpy anymore. Still cute, though.”

My face feels like it might actually catch on fire. I try to drink water to cool myself down, but my hand is shaking and I spill all over my shirt.

Luckily Kelsey is back on her phone again and doesn’t notice.

As the heat leaves my face and I get my hands to stop shaking, I keep repeating in my head, My girlfriend thinks I’m cute. My girlfriend thinks I’m cute.

My girlfriend thinks Flora is jealous of us.

Flora did sound angry, but she also sounded like she had every reason to be.

Still, I can’t help but wonder … what if Kelsey is right?