“Last year,” Noah said. “Party got busted, Liam decided to argue with the cops—”
“I wasn’t arguing, I was explaining—”
“You were drunk and mouthy. Not a great combination.”
The three of us laughed.
“Yeah, well, speaking of getting destroyed,” I said, leaning forward between the front seats, trying to change the subject. “You’ve got that debate tournament next weekend, right? Against Kingswell?”
Noah smirked. “I certainly do.”
“I’m just saying—we beat them on the water. You gotta beat them in the library or wherever the hell you guys argue.”
“It’s an auditorium and you’d better be there.”
I slapped Noah on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, buddy.”
Noah smiled. “Different arena, same assholes.” He pulled into a spot half a block down from the house. “And when I win, you’re buying me ice cream.”
“Deal,” Emily and I said at the same time.
I turned and we caught each other’s eyes. And it was just all love. Noah threw the car into park and looked back at us just staring at each other. He made a guttural puking noise.
“Come on... let’s go before you guys start banging.”
We all hopped out of the car laughing and headed down the block toward the frat house. The cold night air felt good on myskin and I could already hear the music—bass thumping loud enough to rattle car windows, even from a block away.
When we got there, people were scattered across the lawn, red cups in hand, voices carrying through the night air.
The house itself was massive—three stories of old brick and white columns on a hill, “ΚΑΘ” in huge Greek letters above the door. Kappa Alpha Theta. Kingswell’s oldest frat, but weirdly, the one place where Riverside and Kingswell actually mixed without starting shit.
Some unspoken truce that had held for years.
Colored lights strobed through the windows, and someone had strung up cheap party lights along the porch railing, half of them burnt out. The front door was propped open, and I could see bodies packed inside, moving to whatever was blasting through the speakers.
Everything felt... good.
Almost perfect, actually. Like all the pieces were finally falling into place. I’d crushed Alex on the water. Emily’s hand was in mine. The team was riding high. For once, I wasn’t angry or anxious or second-guessing myself. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
“Ready?” Emily asked, looking up at me.
“Hell yeah.”
We walked up the hill to the house and as soon as we stepped foot on the front porch we heard Tyler, with a red cup raised high. “MOORE! There he is!”
A few other Riverside guys echoed the cheer, and suddenly I was being pulled up the stairs into backslaps and shoulder shoves.
“Legendary, man,” Tyler said, grinning. “A full length. Coach is still talking about it.”
“Coach is here?” I asked, looking around.
“You think Hale comes to frat parties?” Remy appeared at my elbow, cup in hand, that sharp grin on his face. “Man’s probably watching tape from today.”
I laughed and Emily tugged my hand. “I’ll get us drinks. Noah, you want a Coke?”
“You’re a saint. I’ll come with,” Noah said.
They disappeared into the house.
