Despite the obvious attraction between two “outsider” 17-year-olds, there was a huge gap between Caeco and Declan’s emotional maturity. One was nurtured and loved and the other was raised in a deadly hyper-masculine environment. its a wonder that Caeco was as sane as she was.
Remember, at this point, Declan’s romantic relationships were only in his head and it’s probable that Caeco did not have any given her environment.