Corey nods. “I wouldn’t miss the chance of watching your sister fillet you.”
I shake my head. “She won’t be there.”
“On second thought…” Corey says.
Palmer laughs. “We’re coming. We’ll wait for Hudson and Grey and meet you over there.”
Adrenaline has me feeling a high that makes my footsteps feel lighter, and the breeze cooler. We played like the team everyone keeps accrediting us as being. Every move was flawless, and every play was executed as practiced. It was the best way to kick off the season. Still, as I drive home, my thoughts continue jogging to Hadley as I wonder if she made it to the game, if she saw the movie posters I’d hung in jest, and what she has planned for her next prank.
When I pull into the driveway, her back window is cleared, confirming she saw at least that poster. I grin and hop out.
Inside, Hadley’s carrying an armful of throw pillows toward the stairs.
“Do I want to know?” I ask.
Her blue eyes dance to me, taking in my shorts and tee that I changed into after the game. “Hiding all the things I don’t want to be ruined.”
“Fair,” I tell her.
“Not to be the Debbie Downer, but you should probably run this by Katie.”
“We’re going to keep it small. It won’t be a party. Just a few people over, celebrating.”
“If it quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck—”
“Ethan’s coming,” I cut her off. It’s manipulation at its finest, but I know if I call this party off, Lenny will never let me hear the end of it. The key is to throw a shitty party, and show him there’s no room or parking, so he tires of the idea.
Resolve has the fight in Hadley’s gaze softening. “Katie texted and said she’s staying at Carsen’s but if we destroy these pillows, we’ll all be looking for a new place to live.”
I nod, turning to look around the living room. “Should we move anything else? I can take it down to the basement and lock the door.”
“Besides the entire house? Start with anything breakable.”
Hannah, Hadley, and I spend the next twenty minutes clearing things down to the basement until all that is left is the furniture too big to move.
Grey and Palmer are the first to arrive, Sadie at Palmer’s side. We go through a quick round of introductions that has Palmer asking about the pranks, and Grey shaking his head with admonishment as Hadley summarizes everything that went wrong. Hannah laughs, learning about the prank war for the first time before she excuses herself when her phone rings.
“This is a really nice house,” Sadie says. “Who lives here?”
Palmer points at me and then Hadley.
“You live together?” Curiosity sparks a fire in Sadie’s eyes. “I thought you had to live on campus?” She looks at Palmer, her posture changing to defensive.
“We do,” Palmer assures her. “Nolan found the only exception.”
“What kind of exception?” Sadie asks, hands on her hips.
Hadley stares at her, her brow lowered to reveal her confusion.
“You can only move out with a family member who lives less than twenty miles from campus,” I tell her.
“What if I get a doctor’s note? Maybe I could get an excuse for my anxiety?” Her eyes somehow grow rounder. “Or we could get married.”
Hadley’s expression is a mirror of Grey’s shocked expression.
So much for only looking for a good time.
Thankfully, the front door opens, and Hudson, Evelyn, and Mila step inside. Behind them, more stream inside. Guys from the team and a few cheerleaders who greet us by name, including Janelle who still has my number painted on her cheek. She gives me another wink before passing us and heading farther into the house.