Molly went next. “I never did it with anyone in public!”
That time, Joy took the bottle. “It was at a park,” she explained. “It was getting dark. I doubt anyone saw us.”
Shay said, “Does a restaurant bathroom count?”
I could feel my face get hot. I was dreading my turn. I hadn’t done much of anything. My I Nevers could probably last all night.
“I never hooked up with Chad from the fourth floor!” Molly said, collapsing into a fit of giggles.
Joy threw a pillow at her. “No fair! I told you that in secret.”
“Drink! Drink!” everyone chanted.
Joy took a swig. Wiping her mouth, she said, “Your turn, Isabel.”
My mouth felt dry all of a sudden. “I never…” Had sex. “I never… played this game before,” I finished lamely.
I could feel Joy’s disappointment in me. Maybe she’dthought we could be close friends too and now she was rethinking it.
Anika chuckled just to be polite, and then they all took turns drinking before Joy started it up again with, “I never went skinny-dipping in the ocean. In a pool, though!”
Nope, never did that either. Almost, that time I was fifteen, with Cam Cameron. But almost didn’t count.
I ended up taking one drink when Molly said, “I never dated two people in the same family.”
“You dated brothers?” Joy asked me, looking interested all of a sudden. “Or a brother and a sister?”
Coughing a little, I said, “Brothers.”
“Twins?” Shay said.
“At the same time?” Molly wanted to know.
“No, not at the same time. And they’re just regular brothers,” I said. “They’re a year apart.”
“That’s kind of badass,” Joy said, giving me an approving look.
And then we went on to the next thing. When Shay said she’d never stolen before and Joy took a drink, I saw the look on Anika’s face, and I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing. She saw me, and we exchanged a secret look.
I saw Joy around after that, in the hall bathroom and in the study, and we talked, but we never became close. Jillian and I never became best buddies either, but sheended up being a pretty good roommate.
Of all those girls, Anika was the one I ended up being closest to. Even though we were the same age, she took me under her wing like a little sister, and for once I didn’t mind being the little sister. Anika was too cool for me to care. She smelled the way I imagined wildflowers smelled when they grew in sand. Later, I found out it was the oil she put in her hair. Anika almost never gossiped, she didn’t eat meat, and she was a dancer. I admired all of those things about her.
I was sorry we’d never be roommates. From now on, I’d only ever have one roommate again—Jeremiah, my soon-to-be husband.
chapterseventeen
I woke up early the next day. I showered, threw away my shower shoes, and got ready one last time in my dorm room. I didn’t put my ring on, just in case. I put it in the zippered pocket in my purse. My dad wasn’t the most observant guy when it came to accessories, so it wasn’t likely he’d notice, but still.
My dad was at the dorm by ten o’clock to move me out. Jeremiah helped. I didn’t even have to give him a wakeup call the way I’d planned; he showed up at my room at nine thirty with coffee and donuts for my dad.
I stopped in some of the girls’ rooms, hugging them good-bye, wishing them good summers. Lorrie said, “See you in August,” and Jules said, “We have to hang out more next year.” I said good-bye to Anika last, and I teared up a little. She hugged me and said, “Chill out. I’ll see you atthe wedding. Tell Taylor I’ll be e-mailing her about our bridesmaid dresses.” I laughed out loud. Taylor was going to love that. Not.
After we were done loading up the car, my dad took us to lunch at a steak restaurant. It wasn’t super fancy, but it was nice, a family place with leather booths and pickles at the table.
“Order whatever you like, guys,” my dad said, sliding into the booth.
Jeremiah and I sat across from him. I looked at the menu and picked the New York strip because it was cheapest. My dad wasn’t poor, but he definitely wasn’t rich, either.
