am.”
I glanced at Sophia, who was fighting back a smile.
“That’s great.” I tried my best to sound excited, but it came out flat. “We’re just waiting for a few others before we head over. I’ll have to text Carter a thank-you.” Or stab him in a dark alley and leave him for dead.
“Yeah, Carter’s a great guy. We talk all the time in class. It’s a shame he’s straight.”
He probably wanted me to agree, but I had limits.
“Oh, this is my sister, Sophia,” I said instead. “Sorry, I should’ve introduced her.”
“Great to meet you,” he said with a wave. “And I haven’t even told you my name, so I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m Joey.” Then he turned to me. “But tonight I’m your Selena Gomez.”
S O P H I A
Getting into Aamee’s party was proving more difficult than I’d expected.
“Destiny’s Child is a trio, not a duo or couple,” she told us. “If you can’t follow a theme, you can’t come in.” She looked to either side of her at two of our sorority sisters for confirmation. They both folded their arms in solidarity with Aamee, whose smile looked like Hannibal Lecter’s before he sat down to a dinner of human flesh.
I hated that Aamee was so petty, but there wasn’t much I could do. It was her event, and she enforced the rules. And much like at the sorority house, the rules she chose to enforce were fucking stupid ones.
“What do you wanna do?” I asked the others as I tried to think of the simplest solution.
As much as I didn’t want to attend any event that Aamee was in charge of, the competitor in me felt differently. I was still planning the bachelor auction, and knowing what Aamee got wrong and right would benefit me in the long run.
“I can leave,” Aniyah said. “That makes the most sense. Taylor drove all the way here.”
“You look fab,” Taylor told her. “No way you’re leaving.”
Aamee was still looking at us as we decided what to do, but after a line began to form behind us, she said, “You’re gonna have to get out of the way so other people can get in.”
When we did, people flooded past us. Aamee didn’t even question who they were as she let them in, bucket in hand as she asked for donations like she was a subway musician without the talent.
Some people tossed in a five or a ten, but most, it seemed, just threw in a dollar or two as their entry fee. Then they headed over to the Halloween backdrop to get their picture taken with their date.
We watched from the front lawn in silence.
“Let’s text Xander,” Aniyah suggested.
“And say what?” Drew asked. “He said he didn’t want to go.”
Aniyah was already pulling out her phone. “He said he’d think about it.”
“He did,” Drew said. “The fact that he’s not here should tell you what his decision was.”
“We can tell him we need him to come. I think if he knows we need his help, he’ll do it. He can always leave after we’re in.” She texted rapidly, and when she was finished, we all stared expectantly at her phone for a response.
It came quicker than we’d anticipated.
Fine. Who do you need me to be?
I hadn’t thought that far ahead, but evidently Aniyah had a plan that didn’t require an actual costume.
Toby appeared with his date a few minutes later, and he seemed happier than I’d ever seen him.
His date had long dark hair and was dressed in a top that came just below her breasts, displaying abs only a celebrity should have. She looked like she should be walking a runway instead of attending some college party.
I’d have to ask Drew where he’d found her.
“Who are you guys supposed to be?” I asked Toby after we’d introduced him to Joey. Toby also introduced everyone to his date, Anna, who Toby made sure to tell us pronounced her name like the character from Frozen.
“Sonny and Cher,” he said proudly. He was dressed in bell-bottom jeans and a yellow button-down shirt with polka dots and a pointy collar. I could totally see Anna’s resemblance to a young Cher, but Toby, with his thick faux mustache, looked more like a dude who offered kids candy out of his van than he did the famous singer.
“You guys look exactly like them,” I told him.
We all chatted for a few more minutes before Toby asked why we hadn’t gone in yet.
“You can go,”