over his notes. “Everything has to be done with surgical precision. It’s not just one prank. It’s two, set to go off like simultaneous bombs at the dance and the alumni meeting.”
I know that last twist had been Carlton’s idea. Why waste a good prank on the adults?
“Everything a go with the screens?”
“Yep,” Carlton says, kicking back. “Luckily, yearbook had this whole montage they wanted to play. Some lame-ass throwback to past homecomings. It’s perfect for both events.”
“What if we can’t get in the tech room? Or even the building?” Caroline speaks up. “It’s always locked up tight on the weekends.”
Reyn’s smooth voice cuts in, “That’s not a problem.”
“The biggest issue is linking the feeds and turning off all the security cameras,” Ben says. “I don’t know how difficult it’ll be to get into the network.”
“Wait, you tested it right?” Emory asks.
“Yeah.” Caroline glares at Ben like he just insulted her mother. “It’s not even over the network, it’s through a third-party streaming platform that’s about as secure as a wet paper bag.” She jerks her chin at Reyn. “If he gets us in, we’ll get it hooked up.”
“Good, good.” Emory rakes his hair back, a sign that he’s a little nervous. “Afton and Elana, you’re on the decorating committee, early access. Do you need anything?”
“We’re ready,” Afton says. “All the supplies have been ordered. The board gave us such a killer budget that I managed to insert our stuff in with theirs. They’ll never notice a thing.”
“And you’ll have everything at the ticket table?”
“Yep,” Elana says. “At both events. Whoever is working the tables will have everything at their fingertips.”
Having several of us working the welcome tables is part of the plan. It makes us noticeable and we’ll definitely need to be seen.
“Georgia and Tyson will work the table at the school. Vandy and I will be at Preston hall.” Emory nods to the boxes stacked by the door, the logo of a company on the side. “Every guest will get a sticker when they enter, and I do mean everyone.”
He continues, clarifying that Carlton and Sebastian will keep Dewey and the rest of the security team distracted, but I’m hung up on the fact Emory and I are assigned to work with one another. Last I heard, I was helping Reyn. I look at him now and he somehow knows, instantly meeting my gaze. We watch each other for an extended moment, something sure and firm passing between us.
“Are there any questions? Concerns? Confusions. Now is the time to ask.” He looks around the room, although notably, his gaze skips right over me.
I raise my hand. “I do.”
His shoulders tense. “What?”
“I’d like a reassignment.”
Tyson shifts next to me and Elana’s eyes flick in my direction, curious.
“Sorry, but no.” He shakes his head, turning away. “It’s already set.”
I give a big, fake smile. “I thought it was all set the other day when you assigned me to help break into the building.”
He shoots me a look that’s full of warning. “Well, I was wrong. Things change. Roll with it.”
“Jesus,” Sebastian mutters from his seat. “Does it really matter?”
“Yeah, let her swap out.” Ben’s dark eyes dart between us. “Who cares, right?”
“I do.” My brother’s eyes are as sharp as his voice, and when they jerk toward Reyn, his face just hardens further. “The answer is no.”
“Em,” Aubrey says quietly, but he moves right along.
Or, he tries to.
Voice hard, I interject, “We all need to be focused and on our game tonight. I’m telling you right now, if I have to spend an hour alone with you, I won’t be either of those things.”
Emory looks at me and everything goes quiet. I know the others are uncomfortably watching our standoff. Among those stares, I feel only the heat of Reyn’s eyes settled on me.
“Fine,” he relents through clenched teeth. “But I need you on the welcoming committee. Georgia, you’re with me. V can go with Tyson.” I’m not sure if Tyson feels the threat under the directive, but I know I do. “Now, enough of this. Everyone huddle up.”
Huddle up? Like a game?
There’s a shift of confusion where we all look at one another quizzically, but when Emory sticks his arm out in the middle of our circle, everyone reluctantly stretches their hands out to meet it. It’s a cluster of shoulders and arms, and I’ve never done a huddle before, but when I feel a familiar warm hand settling against mine, I lift my eyes, locking with Reyn’s.