“Hey, what are you doing?” I ask after she answers the phone.

“Studying.”

Kelsey sounds wiped out. “Tough day?”

“You could say that.”

“Want me to grab a pizza on my way over?”

There is silence.

“Kelsey?”

“Tonight’s not good, Alex.”

I’m standing in the middle of the street, ready to go down to the subway to take a train to her place. “I thought we were going to see each other tonight.”

“I’m just really tired.”

Well, she did sound tired. Exhausted and drained, actually.

“I’ll come rub your back, tuck you in.”

Silence again.

“What’s going on?” Worry begins to eat at me.

“I just need to get through this week. Today was tougher than I thought it would be.”

All the more reason to have me come take care of her.

“Rain check?”

“Did something happen?” Something is wrong. It’s in her voice and not just being tired.

“Long day.”

“Let me come over.”

“Not a good idea.” I hear a door slam in the distance. Somewhere in her apartment. “Shelby is on the war path, and Tiffany has joined her.”

“Then we’ll go to my place.” It’s not like I want to be anywhere near those two.

“I just want to go to bed, okay?”

Is she shutting me out? Is she that exhausted? What the hell is going on?

“Kelsey, what’s going on?”

“Nothing! I just want to go to bed.”

Did her voice just crack? Is she crying? “You sound upset.”

“I just want to sleep.” This time she sounds irritable.

I stare down at the phone. “Fine. Talk to you later.”

“Night, Alex.” Then she hangs up, and I’m still standing in the fucking street.

Do I go there and demand she tell me what is going on? We’ve had these plans since Monday. Between her schedule and mine, this was the only time we’d be able to see each other, and she’s cancelling?

I’m not sure if I’m more pissed or worried. I don’t want to go there, bang on her door if she really is going to bed, and have to face that bitch, Shelby. But, my gut is warning me that it’s something else. I get that she’s tired, but it’s more.