“We’re having a game night,” I announce.
Will raises a brow. “We are?”
“Tonight,” I say. “Here. Full crew.”
Ty flips over and squints at me. “Are you… okay?”
“No,” I say honestly. “But I’m done acting like I’m not allowed to try to be. So we’re doingMario Kart, popcorn, and enough sugar to kill a man.”
Will grins. “I’ll grab the popcorn machine.”
I head to my room to fire off the group text.
Me: Game night. Tonight. My dorm room. No excuses.
Me: Bring controllers. Bring your trash talk.
Colton: Do I smell pizza?
Me: You will.
Daniel: I’m bringing my new roommate Quinn. Don’t be weird.
Micah: I’m always weird.
Todd: Logan and I can’t make it. Next time.
Me: Bummer. I wanted everyone here.
Max: I’ll bring gummy bears.
Eli: You can just say you missed us.
Me: Shut up and show up.
Just before eight, there’s a knock at the door, then it swings open without waiting for a response.
“Party’s here!” Colton yells, carrying in four Hot N Ready pizzas.
Micah and Max trail behind him, arguing over whether pineapple belongs on pizza, both carrying armfuls of snacks. Eli brings up the rear with twelve packs of soda in each hand.
Ty yells from the kitchen, “Shoes off at the door! I’m not vacuumingCheetosdust out of the carpet again!”
“Tell that to Max,” Micah mutters, kicking off his sneakers anyway. “He’s basically made ofCheetos. I think he’s addicted to the stuff.”
“I resent that,” Max says. “I am at least fifty percentSour Patch Kids.”
The last to arrive is Daniel—and with him, someone new.
Quinn lingers just behind him, eyes a little wide as he takes everything in. He’s cute in a nerdy, painfully awkward kind of way—oversized hoodie, scuffed Converse, and glasses that keep sliding down his nose every time he looks up. His hair looks like it’s been nervously finger-combed a dozen times before he walked in.
“This is Quinn,” Daniel says as he drops a bag of chips on the counter. “He’s my new roommate. Be nice.”
Quinn lifts a hand in a wave. “Hi. I, uh… Daniel said we are playingMario Kart,and I don’t actually know how to play.”
There’s a collective gasp, followed by several dramatic stares.
“Blasphemy,” Eli says, deadpan.
