There’s fun music blasting and a giant crowd in the yard so it’s hard to move around. Girls I don’t even know are hugging me. When one of them grabs me, I happen to look out over her shoulder and lock eyes with a familiar face. It’s Annie Laurie. Her mother and father are on either side of her, and she’s holding an enormous arm bouquet of white roses. It’s bigger than she is. Seriously, it seems like there are one hundred roses nestled in the crook of her arm. She acts surprised to see me, but still rushes over and offers a ceremonious hug.
“We’re sisters,” I say, careful not to squish her flowers.
“I’m so excited.” I think she says that, but between the music and the screams it’s hard to know for sure.
“Have you seen Ellie?”
“She went Tri Delt.” Someone pulls her away and then another girl grabs me. I can tell she’s one of my new pledge sisters by her name tag. I’d seen her at Martin, but we’d never met.
“I’m Becca Billings,” she says.
“I’m Cali Watkins. Nice to meet you.”
“Are you as happy as I am right now?” Her dimples and her big brown eyes are welcoming. I like her right away.
“Maybe happier. I was… I didn’t think this would ever happen.”
“Where are you from?” she asks.
“Blue Mountain, how about you?”
“Jackson. Well, actually Madison County. And I know what you mean. After hearing about variable quota I never thought I’d be here right now. But thank God I am!” She balls her hands into fists and raises them over her head.
Sarah, whom I thought I had lost in the crowd, hands both of us blue-and-white Popsicles. After introducing herself to Becca she huddles us in closer so we can hear her better. “Y’all are gonna meet so many people today, you’ll think your heads are exploding.”
“I can’t wait to meet all the girls in our pledge cla—” I spot Mrs. Woodcock a few feet away with her arm around a girl who looks just like… oh my God.Ellie.
FORTY-FIVE
CALI
I dash over and tap Ellie on the shoulder. When she turns around her look of sheer shock, mixed with over-the-top glee, is worth every second of the pain I’ve been through to get here. “Wha—what?” She bounces from one foot to the other, then grabs the sides of her head. “No freaking way!” She flings her arms around my neck and we dance in circles.
“I thought you went Tri Delt.”
“I didn’t get it. And now I know why.” We pull apart from each other, but keep holding hands. She turns to her mother. “Mom? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“And spoil the surprise?” Mrs. Woodcock reaches out and scoops me in her arms. “Cali. You have no idea how happy I am to see you on this lawn. Welcome home, sweetheart.”
“Thank you, thank you so much. It truly does feel like I’m home.” I’m hoarse. And hot. So I hold up my hair, fan the back of my neck. If only I had a ponytail holder.
“This is my dad and my grandmother,” Ellie says, motioning to the two of them. “Cali’s my next-door neighbor at Martin, my best friend on campus, and now my sorority sister.”
We hug again, and nearly trip over the person behind us. “Sorry,” I say, turning around, to a man who doesn’t seem to mind.
Mr. Woodcock draws me in for a hug, too. “Well, Cali, I’ve heard a lot of great things about you, young lady.”
“Thank you, likewise. Ellie talks about y’all all the time. And I’m sorry about not getting to the game a few weeks ago.” I’m still embarrassed by this. Leaving them with an empty seat.
He swipes away my apology. “It’s perfectly fine. No need to apologize.”
“I’m Mrs. Dyson, Ellie’s grandmothah. It’s lovely to meet you, Cali.” She extends her hand and I’m not all that sure of the carat weight, but there’s a whopper of a sapphire on one of her fingers, and it’s surrounded with diamonds.
“Thank you, Mrs. Dyson,” I say. “It’s lovely to meet you, too.”
Mr. Woodcock runs his fingers through his thick hair. “Ellie tells me you’re from Blue Mountain.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve lived there all my life.”
