As the last page prints, my phone rings, andBrinshines across the top.
“Hey,” I say, answering the phone, holding it between my ear and shoulder, so I can stack the papers together.
“Hey.” I can barely hear her over the noise. “Where are you?”
“I should be there soon,” I reply. “I had to finish typing up our project and printing a few things out.”
“So, you’re still at the library?”
“Yeah. I just wanted to finish it before I stopped by, especially because I knew the printers would be empty since most people are at that party.”
“Well, lucky for you, our favorite person has decided not to make an appearance.”
“Mollie?” I wonder and can almost see her nodding, even though we’re on the phone.
“Yep. I mean, not that she was invited, but—”
“But everyone’s there, so it’s weird she’s not.”
“Exactly, and hurry up. Tate’s at work, so she won’t be here for at least another hour, and I’m going crazy around all the testosterone.”
“Alright.” I laugh. “I’m gonna pee, and then I’ll head that way.”
“Or you could just pee when you get here.”
“Bye, Brin.”
I hang up, sticking all the papers into a folder, before putting it inside my bag and heading to the bathroom.
Barely a minute passes before the door opens, and I hear three sets of feet shuffling into the bathroom. And the second they start talking, I know exactly who’s on the other side of my bathroom stall.
Of course, the one time she’s not around Declan, she’s here… at the library… with me.
“So, we’re not going to that party because of Declan?” One of the girls, Becky, I believe, asks.
“I just don’t care to see him and Ember eye-fucking the whole party,” Mollie replies, and I scoff.
“Speaking of Ember, have you talked to Tanner recently?” The other girl, Katie, questions.
“He texted me the other night. I guess he found out about Ember and Declan and wanted to know if he was finally finishing what they started freshman year.”
My throat goes dry at the mention of the event.
“And what’d you tell him?” Becky responds.
“That all I know is that they were working on a project together, and suddenly they’re dating.”
“I don’t get it. He’s a hot-shot NHL player; why would he care about Declan’s motives?” Katie leans against the sink.
“I don’t know, but Tanner always weirded me out. I mean, what he did to Ember freshman year was messed up,” Becky says.
“It was tradition,” Mollie replies, pulling a tube of lipstick out of her bag. “He helped a senior find a freshman his freshman year. Declan did the same thing four years later. That’s how they choose their captains.”
“The whole tradition is disgusting,” Becky continues. “But no one ever went as far as Tanner.”
“Yeah, well, the goal is to sleep with a freshman faster than the senior who trained you.” Mollie sighs, almost as if she feels bad for me. “Ember not sleeping with him, well, it damaged his ego.”
This was about his ego? He ruined my life because what? I wouldn’t get into bed with him quick enough? And how would anyone even know? Couldn’t he lie and say we did it, and thenboom,problem solved.
