Gianna says, “She’s very good in a crisis.”
Mila looks back at her laptop. “Pen, you are a deity.” She slouches a little when she taps on a few buttons. “Will you do all of my college for me?”
Penelope pats the top of her head. Mila’s eyes immediately find mine. She covers her mouth to muffle her laugh. “Did you just pat me like a dog?”
Gianna laughs, reaching over to Mila. She pats her head and says, “It’s going to be okay.”
The girls chuckle.
Mila points at me. “I’m so glad you’re single. I don’t think you’ve picked up your phone once since I’ve been here.”
Gianna says, “Just wait until Lucy gets here. Ugh.”
Mara laughs. “Wait, are we all single?”
We all look at each other and nod.
Gianna looks at Mara sideways. “Aren’t you in a situation?”
Mara shrugs. “Not after he blew me off today.”
Mila says, “That’s not fun.”
Penelope asks, “When’s Lucy getting here?”
Gianna picks up her phone. “Later. She’s at her mom’s every Wednesday and doesn’t usually get back until late, but she said she’d cut it early to come here.”
The apartment falls quiet as we focus on our homework again.
We last forty minutes.
“Break?” Penelope calls out.
We agree. “Break.”
I say, “Cookies?”
The girls nod. “Cookies!”
Gianna slaps her laptop shut. “I cannot read another word.”
Mila closes her laptop and grabs three cookies.
The five of us drift into the living room. Penelope brings the cookie plate. Gianna and Mara bring their wine. Mila brings the Hershey’s Kisses because the Hershey’s Kisses have been waiting, she says. I bring my glass of water.
“Okay,” Gianna says, twisting her wine glass in her hand. “I have to tell you guys something.”
Mila and Mara lean forward.
“There’s a guy in one of my classes. He invited me to a frat party on Saturday.”
“What about Hawthorne?” Mara asks.
Gianna shrugs. “I think they have away games this weekend, don’t they?”
Mara shrugs. The rest of us don’t know either.
“I’ll ask Lucy when she gets here, but I think we should go! It’ll be fun to switch it up.”
