Why Can't You Marry Claire?

Alex wasn't quite sure what Ethan did wrong either. He had no idea why Claire would react to his question like that…unless she was completely horrified at the very thought of being involved with him romantically. 

The fear of that happening had been exactly why he kept it to himself all this time. Knowing what he did now, he was glad he never said anything but also felt like his heart was going through a blender like the smoothies she frequently made over the summer. 

"She might not like personal questions. Asking too many must have been what you did wrong," he said in a dull voice. 

Alex was fairly certain it wasn't the problem of personal questions but what she had been asked specifically. That made him feel a lot worse than he had last night with all of his unanswered questions. One had finally been answered for him. 

This did not deter the boy. "You still didn't answer mine though. Why can't you marry Claire?"