The pimply guy shook his head. “I’ll show you where they are.”
He climbed the stairs, and we followed. When he exited onto the floor that Eva and I had lived on the previous year, I gave her a wide-eyed look. One that grew even more incredulous as our guide stopped right in front of our old, adjoining rooms.
“No way,” Eva whispered with a grin. “Looks like we get to go down memory lane.”
“Looks like it,” I said. “Thanks for escorting us,” I told the guy, who gave us a quick smile and scampered off.
Eva and I stood there, soaking in being so close to our old home. Since we were so quiet, I noticed voices escalating from the other side of the door. I tilted my head. I couldn’t make out actual words, but it sounded as if one person was mad at another.
Were we visiting at a bad time? Or the perfect time?
Following a hunch, I knocked. “Hey, Heidi and Holly. It’s Odette. We came by to say hi.”
The voices ceased. There was a loud scuffling, and then Heidi flung the door open.
“Hey!” She beamed at me. “Sorry about that! I was just finishing getting ready.”
She wore a dress, but her hair was about half done, so I could believe it.
“Is this your room? Where’s Holly? I thought I heard her too.”
For a moment, Heidi’s expression faltered, but like a good spy-in-training, she brightened almost instantly. “We were just talking, but she was in a towel and didn’t want to be embarrassed. She’ll be over in a sec.” Heidi gestured for us to enter. “Come on in.”
I glided over the threshold of my old room, and smiled as I went to the window that looked out over the lake. “You probably have no idea, but this is my old room.”
“What?!” Heidi’s hand flew to her mouth. “No way!”
Eva laughed. “And if Holly is your roomie, then she’s in my old room.”
“Oh my God, that’s so cool!” Heidi exclaimed. “It’s like we were meant to be friends. Ihaveto tell her. She needs to hurry anyway.” She gave me a sly look. “Make yourselves at home! Ha!” She laughed at herself before dashing off through the bathroom.
More talking hit my ear, and sooner than I expected, both girls reappeared through the bathroom door.
“Hey, Holly,” I said, trying to pretend like nothing was amiss, which was hard, because her red eyes made it obvious that she’d been crying.
“Hey,” she replied, her voice only the slightest bit raspy. “Heidi told me about the rooms. That’s crazy.”
“Yeah, it is,” Eva replied. An awkward moment passed before she reached out to Holly. “Are you okay?”
Holly sniffed. “Yeah, I am. Sorry, I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. It’s why we’re not at the party yet—but I should be.”
“And why’s that?” I asked.
“To show her asshole ex that he can’t get to her,” Heidi responded for her friend.
Asshole ex? I hadn’t been aware that Holly was dating anyone.
“Who?”
“Caleb,” Heidi said. “You probably saw him down there. He’s super tall and loud.”
I hadn’t. “ Did he break up with you?”
Once again, Heidi took the lead. “Hell no! She broke up with him after her trial. But he was super mean about it. Said some shit that broke her heart—you know, just hurtful stuff because he was feeling wounded.”
“Well, you know what that means, right?” Eva said, stepping forward and wrapping Holly in a hug.
“What?” Holly’s voice was muffled by Eva’s shoulder.
