A male voice croons, “What’s the matter, baby? Where’d you go?”
Recognizing the voice, I whirl around. Sure enough, there’s Braden, his arms wrapped around Liv and his face buried in her hair.
I should’ve locked her in the pantry.
“Liv.” I reach for her arm but she swats me away.
With a sharp glare and a low voice, she tells me, “I’m fine.”
I back up against the counter, shoulders sagging. What’s the point of fighting with her? The damage is done. I knew this would happen and I did nothing to stop it. A few weeks ago, while she was here, alone and vulnerable to Braden’s charms, I was at Avery’s eating frosted animal crackers. And tonight, while she was making out with him, I was oblivious to everything but Leo’s dark brown eyes?—
I have to find Zander.
When Braden informs me he last saw him by the keg, I rush outside. I don’t care that it’s freezing and I’m in a short, sleeveless dress. I don’t care that the backyard is muddy and crowded and that the air smells like weed. As soon as I see Zander, I run for him and throw my arms around his shoulders.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I pepper him with kisses, clinging to him, terrified he’s going topush me away.
His aquamarine eyes are missing their playful spark, but he manages a sad smile. “Don’t do that shit to me, babe.” He holds me tight and groans against my mouth, “Don’t do that again.”
And to my relief, he kisses me back.
For the past few days, Liv has been one wrong look away from bursting into tears. As I feared she would, she slept with Braden the night of the Halloween party, Peyton’s threats nothing but hot air in the face of his biceps and blue eyes. Since then, she’s shot him a few casual texts, but of course he hasn’t replied. I’ve been tempted to call Zander and demand he tell Braden to stop being a dick, but the heaviness in my gut tells me I’d only be delaying the inevitable. Braden isn’t the “dating” type, and the sooner Liv realizes it, the better. Even if it kills me to see her so dejected.
I coax her off her bed where she’s been lying flat on her back, mindlessly tossing her scrunchie in the air. The sorority open house I’ve been most looking forward to starts in less than an hour, and Liv seriously needs the distraction. She also needs to explore some other sororities because, let’s be honest, KPT may no longer be an option.
“Get your coral sweater on,” I command. “You’re going with me to GKA.”
She grumbles as she drags herself to her wardrobe. “I’m not that into GKA.”
“So? It’ll be good practice for DAE and Iota Tau.”
Begrudgingly, she agrees. I’m sure she’s hoping that by the time Rush rolls around, the whole Braden fiasco will be forgotten, and maybe it will be. But if you ask me, Peyton’s animosity isn’t actually about Braden. She and Liv are opposite sides of the same coin: one blond, one dark, both beautiful. Once she relaxed, Liv charmed the pearls off the sisters at the KPT open house. And Peyton was threatened.
Too bad I’m the only one who knows Liv is too sweet and guileless for all that juvenile Queen Bee crap.
At tonight’s GKA open house, however, Liv is too sullen to charm anyone. She spends most of the evening planted on the couch nibbling shortbread cookies, quiet and distracted. Whenever anyone strikes up a conversation with her, she’s polite and engages, but I can tell her heart isn’t in it. Several times I give her a subtle signal to smile, but all I get in return is a half-hearted grimace.
Eventually I give up on encouraging her. As she says, she’s not into GKA anyway. But I am—even more so after tonight. The sisters are friendly but not fawning. We talk about our classes, families, and hometowns, and no one showers me with effusive praise or gets swoony over Zander. They’re more “girl next door” than Junior League, which makes them exactly my speed, and after the open house, they’re still at the top of my list for Rush Week.
When we get back to our room, Liv collapses on her bed and stares up at the ceiling. “They were nice.”
“Yeah.”
“They liked you,” she says.
“I liked them.” I wave for her to scoot over before I lie down beside her. “Think you’ll put them on your list?”
She shrugs. “Maybe.”
If only she would be open to a sorority like GKA, where the sisters are genuine and so much less…bitchythan those in KPT. I’m guessing KPT no longer wants me either, but if they do, they can forget it. I ruled them out the moment Peyton looked into my eyes and slut-shamed my best friend.
In an effort to comfort Liv, I convince her to let me brush her hair. Ten minutes later, she’s asleep. I pull her blanket over her and sprawl on my bed, ruminating on my own complicated situation. I haven’t heard from Leo since the Halloween party. He didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by Zander’s threats, so I doubt that’s why he’s lying low. Maybe he’s doing it for me.
I want so badly to text him, but I don’t. Yeah, Zander overreacted,but that’s because, underneath all that anger, he was afraid he was going to lose me. I’ve been working hard this week, showering him with apologies and reassurances, and I’ve finally managed to restore his gorgeous, dimpled smile. So for now, I’ll take my cue from Leo. It’s too soon to rock the boat.
CHAPTER TEN
Last yearmy parents couldn’t come down for Parents’ Weekend because Dad had Covid. It was a little lonely being one of the only parentless freshman, but it was also kind of a relief because my parents aren’t the easiest to entertain. This year, however, I’m not getting a free pass.
