"Hi, Eli," I said.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm—"
"She came to see Tolliver," Hudson cut in.
"Ah, what's in the bag?" Eli nodded to the contents I was holding. "Did you bring me anything?"
"No, sorry," I said.
"Oh."
"But I will next time."
Eli perked up at that, and Elle simply shook her head. "He knew you'd say that. Eli can get anyone to do anything with those puppy-dog eyes."
For his part, Eli just laughed as his siblings guided me up the stairs.
"What about your parents?" I hissed.
"They're cool with it," Hudson said.
"So long as you keep the door open," Elle added.
"Okay." Calling back over my shoulder, I said, "Again, nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Stone."
"You too, Freya," they said in unison.
As their parents headed for the kitchen, I caught a few covert glances thrown our way.
"Do you think they're going to talk about me?" I asked.
"Yeah," Hudson said, and Elle said, "Obviously."
Fantastic.
Once we reached Tolliver's door, they left me there, and I took a deep, fortifying breath.
Then I knocked and cracked the door open.
"Who is it?" Tolliver rasped.
He was on the bed under what looked like a mountain of blankets. I couldn't even see Tolliver beneath them, but I knew he was there because the pile was moving with each of his breaths. I glanced around his room, saw a few hockey posters and pictures of his family, a desk across from his four-poster bed, books scattered around the room and his hockey gear in the corner. But it was basically tidy. So not the typical teen guy, I thought with a grin.
Suddenly, Tolliver threw off the covers, groaning that they were too hot. The only thing that remained over him was his navy blue sheets. He had on a thin white t-shirt and black shorts. His eyes were closed with an arm thrown over his head.
"Hello?" he said again. "Hudson, if it's you wanting to use my tape again, just take it."
"It's not him," I said.
A moment passed.
Tolliver's eyes opened, and he peered from beneath his arm at me.
"Freya?" he croaked.
"Yeah," I said, "is it okay if I come in?"
