When Boys Go Bad

Cael Navarro doesn't know when helping became a leash.

He only knows that everyone expects him to say yes.

Yes to teachers. Yes to friends. Yes to family. Yes to every little crisis Easttowne High drops in his hands.

Then a humiliating joke turns his reputation against him, and suddenly Cael can't stand the version of himself everyone thinks they know.

Cameron King offers him a different way to live: slower yeses, colder noes, fewer apologies. Cael takes the lesson and runs with it. For the first time, people look at him like he might be dangerous.

Part of him loves it.

That's what scares Evie Howard.

Evie sees the boy underneath the new clothes, the buzz cut, the cigarette smoke, the anger. She also sees how easy it would be for him to mistake being wanted for being healed.

As old secrets between their families surface and Cael's friendship with Obie fractures, Cael has to face the real question.

Was he ever actually good?

Or was he just easy?