Gianna leans over. “Where’s Benson and Blue?”
I shudder when she says his name.
Percy finally looks up and says, “The kerning is good.”
Lucy snickers.
Gianna says, “Percy, I love you.”
Percy nods once and then walks over to Rowan and says something I can’t hear.
Two minutes later, the front door clicks open. I feel a zip of electricity roll through my bones, putting me on high alert. Walker starts talking about FIFA, Drew’s yelling back, and I have no idea what they’re talking about. I hear Benson’s deep voice through the house, and I’m holding my breath because I know that Benson is Blue’s best friend in this house. I feel the quick draft through the house, then the door closes. Stanley’s voice comes next.
Benson is the first one through. I know it’s Benson because he’s laughing at something Stanley is currently saying. He walks into the kitchen, and his eyes go to Lucy and then fall on the island. He sees the cans and tilts his head.
A single sharp scoff comes out of him. “Lucy, baby.”
Lucy is on the counter and covering her laugh.
“You helped with this?” he asks, looking right at her. He must know this was his sister’s doing. His tongue swipes out of his mouth, licking his bottom lip like he’s deciding. He looks down at it and says, “Baby, you’re in big trouble.”
She jumps off the counter on the opposite side of him.
Benson is crossing the kitchen in two large steps. He has dropped his bag in the hallway. This man is massive. He gets to Lucy and grabs her around the waist. She squeals, reaching out for Gianna, who’s watching the two of them. Her legs kick out as she shrieks with laughter, and the whole kitchen reacts.
Stanley is saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Get a room. Watch her legs.”
Mila is snickering next to me.
Benson doesn’t hear him. He’s yelling, “Traitor!” He runs out of the kitchen with her. “My own girlfriend callingmealoser!”
“It was G,” Lucy squeals. “I swear!”
I’m laughing with Mila as we watch Lucy’s hair swing side to side, and Benson is carrying her like she weighs nothing. My Diet Coke spills to one side, drenching my hand, so I start sucking it in. Now I know why Lucy agreed to Gianna’s prank. It’s paying off for her. Benson is still holding her over his shoulder as he walks up the stairs. As I watch them, I think to myself that this is a good time. Me and Mila are shoulder to shoulder, and she’s enjoying this as much as I am. The guys are all loud now, talking over each other and hollering.
The room is in pieces.
And in the middle of the chaos —
I look up.
Blue is standing in the doorway.
His eyes are on the cans for a moment, and I notice the bruise on the underside of his jaw. There’s a square of medical tape over the split on his chin. His hair is wet under his backward hat. He’s in jeans and his hoodie. I swear it’s the only hoodie he owns. I’m willing to bet on it.
His eyes find mine, and the kitchen continues.
Benson runs back down the stairs and is still messing with Lucy. Lucy is shrieking. Stanley is still yelling at him, and Gianna is telling him not to play on the stairs before somebody gets hurt. Percy and Rowan go to the living room because Walker is calling them over. Mila has gone silent. She’s watching us.
Blue doesn’t pay attention to any of it. He’s looking at me.
I hear Gianna say, “Mila!”
Mila bolts to leave the room, leaving me and Blue in the kitchen alone.
He takes two steps towards me and looks at the cans.
“What’s this?” he asks.
