“He’s mybrother,” Gianna says again, exasperated. “That is the only reason there has ever been any cockblocking, Mara.”
Lucy goes back to her laptop.
Penelope’s timer goes off again. She claps her hands once. “Alright. Break’s over. Back to studying.”
“I am going to fail this midterm,” Mara says, sliding down the front of the couch.
“It’s all the cocks you’re not blocking,” Gianna shoots back without looking up.
Mila chokes on her water. Mara laughs at that too, and we are off again, hands over our mouths, shoulders shaking, untilPenelope finally clears her throat from the dining table, and we settle, one by one, back into our studying.
The next sprint is thirty minutes.
I get more done.
By the time our laptops are closed and the takeout containers are mostly empty, Mara is sprawled across Gianna’s lap like a cat declaring victory.
“Whose idea was this?” she demands. “This was great.We should do this often.”
Penelope, without looking up from her bag, says, “Melly’s.”
Mara turns and beams at me. “I’m not surprised. Honestly, Lucy, it’s a good thing you didn’t move in with Pen. Look what the universe gave us instead.”
My chest fills with warmth. Lucy looks up. She’s small, brown-eyed, and quiet, and when she smiles, the whole room softens. “I’m happy it worked out.”
“Now we have two more girls in the friend group,” Gianna says, looking at me and Mila.
Mara sits up straighter, and her face lights with dangerous excitement. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little afraid of what she’s about to say.
“Okay. So. Next Hawthorne House party. We have to get ready together. We have to get dolled up. The full thing.”
Mila nods so hard her hair bounces.
“Like —” I clear my throat. “Like, dolled up how?”
Mila nudges my knee under the table. She knows what I’m asking andwhy. I’m an embarrassment, I realize.
“I don’t know,” Mara says. “We need a theme.”
“I bet the next party falls on Halloween,” Gianna says, scrolling on her phone. “Wait. Wait, no, they might have an away game.” She turns to Lucy. “Lucy. Do they have an away game?”
Lucy leans over and squints at the phone screen. “Is Halloweenthis weekend?God.” She thinks for a second. “I thinkthey have two away games. Thursday and Friday. I’m not sure about Saturday.”
“Wait,” Mara says, sitting up straighter. “Wait. Does everybody know what they’re going to be for Halloween?”
I glance at Mila. Mila glances at me. We talked about it months ago, in a half-baked way, the way you talk about Halloween costumes in July when it doesn’t feel real. Nothing decided.
Mara perks. “We should do something with all six of us.”
“I was going to be an angel,” Penelope says.
Mila’s eyes go round. I can see her practically vibrate beside me.
Mara nearly levitates. “Oh my God. Should we all be angels? Should we all? Wait, is that okay? I don’t want to steal your thunder, Pen —”
“I always wanted to be an angel,” Penelope says, smiling. “This is the year for it. The more, the merrier.”
“Okay. Okay. Send us the link. Whatever site you got the wings from. Quickly. Quickly, before it’s too late —”
