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Melanie frowned. “I told you not to.”
“Do I look like the type of person who actually listens to the rules?” Rory teased. She lifted her present and placed it in Melanie’s lap.
Melanie rolled her eyes, untying the ribbon. “That’s fair.”
Rory watched as her friend opened up the box, revealing two matching coffee tumblers, both from Seabreeze Café.
“I could have made friendship necklaces or bracelets or something,” she said. “But lattes have kind of always been our thing, and since we’ll both be living in town and going to school next year…”
Melanie grabbed her hands. “You got in.”
Rory grinned, nodding her head. Melanie shrieked, throwing her arms around Rory’s shoulders.
“Wait, where did you get in?”
Rory pulled herself from Melanie’s grasp, turning to Jay. He was finally looking at her, his curiosity taking over that simmering rage for just a moment.
She gave him a timid smile. “Baybrook.”
Zach whistled as he stretched out, leaning his head back on Blake’s lap. “Damn, that school is not easy to get into. You must be mega talented.”
She felt her face flush. “I-I don’t know about that. They’re just trying to fill this new program.”
“Don’t belittle yourself,” Tyler said pointedly. “The dean literally sought you out.”
Jay’s eyes went wide. “Shit, he did?”
Rory nodded, feeling embarrassed that all the attention was on her. “Yes, now let’s be done talking about this.”
“I mean, I’m not surprised,” Jay continued. “Those yearbook designs I saw were pretty dope.”
Tyler’s eyebrows knitted together as he whipped his head in Jay’s direction. “You’ve seen them?”
Jay gave him a cat-like smile, leaning back with smug satisfaction. “And you haven’t? Fascinating.”
“Stop,” Rory snipped.
Calvin chose that moment to step back out, frowning at Rory. “You’re in my seat.”
“Actually, I think you were always in my seat,” she said with a smirk, glad to have someone to distract her from the icy tension.
“Calvin, look, Rory and I have matching mugs,” Mel said, holding them up with pride.
“For lattes only,” she added. “No herbal tea shit in there.”
Calvin shook his head, plopping down on Rory’s cushion with a thud. “You’re both ridiculous.”
“I’m thinking we should get stickers and decorate them,” Mel said. “Ooo, do you think Baybrook has a sticker I can put on mine so I can shamelessly show off my talented best friend?”
“They probably tell the artists to make it themselves,” Rory answered, thinking about the colorful notebook Dean Farrow showed her weeks earlier. She wondered what other creative projects her classmates would be working on. Her hands were thrumming with anticipation, ready to get started on something herself.
“Even better, you’ll make stickers for me,” Mel said, leaning into Rory’s shoulder. “What should they be?”
“CAKE!” Blake screamed, making everyone laugh. Jay included.
“How about Mrs. Ass Hat?” Rory teased, nudging her side.
“I thought I was the new Ass Hat?” Blake quipped.
