I drive past the line of cars adorning the curbs and enter the driveway of Brandon’s villa.
Well, his parents’ villa, Brandon’s not moving out until he returns from his around-the-world trip next year.
Large, modern villas, ostentatious cars, and immaculate lawns as far as the eye can see—feels familiar.
People crowd the place like they did Nico’s driveway whenever we threw a party. It looked different while we were hosting and purposely overlooking the mayhem. Now, seeing the thick crowd flocking toward the back garden, I’m surprised Nico ever let us throw any parties.
In our defense, at least we didn’t let people roam the house. There’s no such rule here.
I step onto the gravel, lifting my head when someone calls my name. Justin hangs out the top floor window with Finn, red cups in hand.
“Where are the other two?” Justin hollers.
“Colt’s on his way, and Conor’s getting here later,” I say, fetching a case of Corona from the trunk.
I’m not a fan of the beer Brandon imports for his bangers, so I came prepared.
“Cody!” Mikaela yells, waving me over from the front lawn where she’s loitering with her friends.
She took the cheerleading captain position last year after Blair got removed by a majority vote.
“You look like you’ve had one too many already,” I say, heading over. “You need coffee.”
“You’re such a buzzkill sometimes, babe. Loosen up. It’s your last college partyever!”
“Which is why I want to remember it, not spend the evening napping on the pool lounger.”
She sticks her tongue out because that’s precisely what happened to her at Halloween. She fell asleep before ten o’clock.
“Do me a favor tonight,” I say, tossing my arm over her shoulders to tug her closer. “Don’t take any pills, okay?”
She pouts, playfully pushing me away. “What did I say? Buzzkill! Seriously, Cody, why so tense? You should loosen up a bit, babe. Wanna hand?” She wags her eyebrows, a cheeky smile lighting up her face.
I smack her ass hard enough to sting. “Behave. Toby would have my balls if he heard that.”
“Why yours? I’m coming on to you here.”
“He’d find a way to lay the blame on me, don’t you worry.”
Mikaela is Nico’s best friend’s little sister, and after Toby picked her unconscious ass up from one too many frat parties, he asked me, Conor, and Colt to watch her.
It’s not easy. She’s an unattainable wild cookie. Nothing like Mia. Looking after Mia was a breeze compared to this. Thankfully, our role ends tonight but Mikaela’s got another year before she graduates.
I bet Toby’s already scouting another babysitter. Ever since he became a father, he’s extended the role to Mikaela as well as his actual kid, even though she’s not one anymore.
“You know where to find me if you change your mind,” she chirps, kissing my cheek.
I leave it without a comment. It’s all a harmless joke, anyway. Mikaela has her eyes on a different prize, but she enjoys the banter and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.
Leaving her there, surrounded by a veil of friends, I walk up to the wide-open front door, pretending I can’t see the freshman pushing his hand under a girl’s skirt a foot to my left. I wouldn’t ignore it if she showed any signs of distress, but she’s not opposing. Quite the opposite. Her fingers are tightly clasped around the bulge in his jeans.
Nothing new. Scenes like this are the bread and butter of college parties. At least all those I’ve ever been to.
More people fill the entryway, kitchen, and living room, the place bursting at the seams. Kelly-Ann dances on a table, a guy I don’t recognize grinding behind her, groping her boobs. She takes a swig straight from a bottle of vodka, a loud cheer ripping through the crowd when the guy spins her around and shoves his tongue down her throat.
That girl is all about the show. She may look hammered after a few sips but she’s got a real high alcohol tolerance.
I make my way further into the house, greeting the throng of familiar faces. Brandon’s sprawled on a large, snow-white sofa in the secondary living area that overlooks a massive pool in the garden.
