Tamara rolls her eyes. “I don’t believe that shit about Jay. He was in my program. He was one of the only engineering students who never talked down to me. He wasn’t nearly as sexist as most of the guys his age.” She side-eyes the guys she’s with.
“I lived next door to him,” Gracie adds. “And I’m with you. He was a chill, respectful dude. What do you think happened to him?”
Popped Collar shrugs. “Either someone wanted him gone or he wanted himself gone.” He shakes his head, and there is real compassion on his face. “I didn’t see it coming, though. Honestly, Jay was the mosttogetherguy on the team. Coach used to call him Yoda because he was, like, wise, you know?”
My stomach clenched. I know exactly what this guy means. I remember what Jay said when I told him about Mia.
“Looks like they hit the jackpot in the wine cellar!” one of the guys says. “How much you wanna bet they already drank a bottle downstairs?”
As the others continue talking, Gracie, Aster, and I move away from the group. Aster points to someone.
“That’s Bailey,” she says. “Over by the fireplace. The redhead.”
I look over in that direction. In a group of girls with long, straight hair parted in the center, there’s one whose vibrant red color doesn’t look natural.
“Do we just approach her?” Gracie asks.
Aster shakes her head. “Not after she blew me off yesterday. Is there someone else with her that any of us know? We need an in.”
I scan the largish crowd with Bailey. Several girls hold wine bottles and drink straight from them. And ... fuck. Thereissomeone I know in the group. Someone I know very, very well.
“Shit. Mia.” I squeeze my bottle.
“Who’s Mia?” Aster asks.
I take a long gulp of my drink. I’m going to need it.
THIRTEEN
Icannot believe Mia is here.Mia.My formerbest friend forever. I haven’t seen her in almost two weeks, the longest I’ve gone without seeing her since my parents took my brother and me on a safari in Tanzania when I was fifteen.
So much has happened since I moved out of the room we shared at West Hall. I feel like a completely different person. It’s weird seeing her now, my old roommate, while I’m secretly investigating the disappearance of my new roommate. My worlds are colliding. And it’s making me nauseous.
Mia is wearing a dress I’ve never seen before, a royal-blue bodycon thing. She looks as strange in it as I look in mine. And her hair. Instead of her normal unruly waves, her hair’s now pin straight and parted in the middle like the rest of the girls in her group. No wonder I didn’t notice her right away.
“Mia’s my ex–best friend,” I say. “My supposed BFF.”
Gracie’s brows raise, and her hand shoots to her mouth. “The one who ditched your web series for skincare?”
I nod. Gracie knows Mia is the last person I want to see now. But this is our best opportunity to talk to Bailey Cressman. I scan the rest of the group.
Mia is with Taylor, because of course she’s with Taylor. Which means Lance is probably here somewhere too. Bailey says something that makes Taylor laugh loudly, holding on to Bailey’s arm with onehand as her whole body shakes. It’s a fake laugh. The tall glass of bright-orange liquid in Taylor’s grip sloshes onto the floor, and no one makes any effort to clean it.
Mia’s head falls back, also laughing. I know Mia and her body language. She’s drunk. And Bailey probably is too.
This is our best opportunity.
I gulp down the rest of my drink, put the empty bottle on the counter, and steel my nerves. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
With totally not-wobbly legs, I walk up to the group of girls. They’re all still talking and laughing, and the three of us stand on the perimeter of the group for several long moments with no one acknowledging us, or even noticing us. I can’t tell what they’re talking about. Maybe horses? Why is every conversation I infiltrate about horses?
“I want to ride a camel one day,” Mia says. “Total bucket list, right?”
“You have,” I say.
Mia finally notices me. And she stares at me for several long seconds before speaking. “What areyoudoing here?”
“Hi yourself, old friend,” I say. “We rode a camel together when we went to the Toronto Zoo when we were ten. You said it smelled like your grandma’s breath.” My head is spinning, and I can hear the blood sloshing in my ears. I shouldn’t have drunk that Lavender Mule in one sip. But I wouldn’t have had the courage to do this if I hadn’t.
