“You’re looking at it. I may order a pizza later and binge more Vampire Diaries if you’ll be around.”
“It’s Friday night,” she says like it should mean something to me.
“And that is supposed to mean what to me?”
“There’s a party tonight, duh! It’s not going to be as big as last weekend. Tonight is going to be more lowkey.”
“I really need to finish my paper.”
“That’s what Sunday is for.” She pouts her bottom lip out at me. “We won’t stay too late. Liam won’t be drinking because he has to work in the morning. Tomorrow we can work on your paper and lay around watching Damon.” I shake my head and she stomps her foot. “Please. I am begging you to have fun.”
“Fine, but I am driving my own car that way I can leave when I want to.”
“Yay! I’ll text Liam and tell him he doesn’t need to pick us up.” She spins back around. “Oh, and wear something cute.”
I laugh. Cute. I can do cute. I think. I close my computer screen down and put away my notes. Standing at the closet I strum my fingers through the hangers. I stop at the black dress and wonder if it’s too much.
“Yes. Wear that,” Hayley encourages from beside me.
“Are you sure it’s not too much.”
“I’ll wear mine too if that will make you feel better.”
“No, I don’t want to look like twins.” That dress feels like it should be reserved for a special night like an actual date. I go with a pair of my new jeans and a blue top that has quarter length sleeves and a scoop neck. It show a little more cleavage than I am used to, but Hayley swears it looks perfect.
“You aren’t wearing your locket,” she observes.
“Oh.” I touch my fingers to my neck. “Killian has it. I broke the clasp, and he stuck it in his pocket. I haven’t had a chance to ask him for it back. But I will.” That’s not exactly a lie. I haven’t been around him for a few days. I’ve actually been under the impression he is avoiding me.
“He’ll probably be there tonight.” She smiles at me and grabs a white shirt that has slits cut in the front and back.
I pull out the makeup I bought the other day and feel lame that I forgot to give her the bag of goodies I picked up for her. “Hey, this is for you.” I hand her the gift bag. “I forgot to give it to you the other day.”
Her eyes brighten as she digs through the contents. “Have I told you lately that I love you?” She giggles. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
We get to the fraternity house Liam lives at, and I guess Killian lives here to. I never heard him say differently. Lowkey. Right. There’s cars parked up and down the whole block. I’m half tempted to drop Hayley off, but the other
part of me wants to subject myself to this scene. When I am older I can look back and say I did it. That’s what college is, finding yourself and making memories. I find a place to park and we get out of the car. I leave my phone in the car and stick my keys in my pocket. I doubt I will be here long.
Hayley looks at her phone as we trek down the street toward the house. “Liam says he’s down in the basement. We’ll grab a drink and join up with him.”
“I’m not drinking. I’m driving,” I remind her.
“One drink. You’ll be sober by the time we leave.”
I roll my eyes and tell myself that I’m not going to give in and have a drink but ten minutes later I have a red cup in my hand following Hayley down a dark set of stairs. Liam is sitting in a metal chair and there’s a couch where I see Woodrow, Ben, Jackie, and some dude I don’t know. Then sitting on the loveseat is Killian and some blonde. His arm is around her shoulder and he’s whispering something in her ear. He looks up at me but doesn’t acknowledge me at all.
It shouldn’t hurt my feelings. I should be used to his asshole behavior by now, but I feel the sting all the same.
“You can sit right here, Liri,” Woodrow says, patting the arm of the couch next to him.
“Thanks.” I take him up on his offer and sip on my drink. I want to apologize about my freak out the other night, but I don’t want Jackie to hear and give her more ammunition to make fun of me with.
I finish off my punch flavored liquor and a few other people join our small party. “Let’s play a game,” Jackie calls out.
“Yeah,” the girl sitting with Killian agrees and the two of them lean forward conspiring together in hushed tones.