Brooke snorts from her spot across from me. “Maggie said your summer schedule was insane. That she barely saw you.”
An awkward silence descends on the table in response to Maggie’s name.
“What? We’re going to pretend she doesn’t exist anymore?” Brooke asks, glancing down the table at the football team.
“No one’s pretending she doesn’t exist. But she does live in Alleghany now. She’s literallycheeringfor their team,” Sam replies.
“Just to meet new people,” I defend. “And they aren’t being very welcoming, so she could use some support from us.”
“You’ve been hanging out with Alleghany cheerleaders?” Sam asks in surprise.
I groan inwardly. “‘Hanging out’ is a generous term. I basically just stood there while they gossiped with Maggie.”
“Anything good?” Brooke asks.
“One of them was trying to decide whether to stay on the East Coast or move to the West Coast for college,” I reply. “That’s about all I got.”
“Where was this? At Maggie’s new place?”
“No. She dragged me to one of their parties,” I admit. That revelation earns me the attention of the entire table.
“You went to a party inAlleghanythis summer?” Matt asks. Shock saturates his voice, along with a hint of betrayal.
“Sort of,” I reply. “Maggie didn’t tell me where we were going, and then basically dragged me inside. We didn’t stay very long, just talked with some of the cheerleaders.”
“What was it like?” Brooke asks.
“Fine. Same as ours are, pretty much.”
“Was their team there?” Sam questions, but I’m saved from answering when Sarah appears and plops down next to me.
“First day, and I already have extra assignments,” she groans.
“No, youvolunteeredto help Mr. Branner with the extra credit assignment for the freshmen,” Brooke corrects. “There’s a difference, Sarah.”
“No one else offered!” Sarah glances around the table, most of whom are still looking at me. “What did I miss?”
“Maeve was just filling us in on the Alleghany party she attended,” Brooke supplies.
“Oh yeah, Maggie mentioned that she dragged you to one at the start of the summer,” Sarah says, and I’m thankful for her affirmation regarding my lack of enthusiasm. “She didn’t say much about it aside from talking my ear off about Weston Cole. How was it?”
Any gratefulness disappears as soon as she says his name.
“Wait,Weston fucking Colewas there?” Brooke exclaims.
“Yup.” It’s not like I can deny it now.
“How did he look?” Brooke presses. “I’ve never seen him up close.”
“Seriously, Brooke?” Sam groans. “We’re sitting right here.”
“No one said you have to eavesdrop on our conversation, Sam,” Brooke snaps. Of course, that makes everyone at the table pay even closer attention to it. “Well?” she prompts, looking at me.
“He, um, he’s attractive,” I finally say. I can feel my cheeks burning.
Brooke rolls her brown eyes at me. “He’s attractive? I know that much. Come on, Maeve, give me some concrete details.”
“What do you want to know? His height? Weight?”