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twelve
Callie
“Rules!”
Misty holds up her hands to shut everyone up. We circle her outside of the house, all glammed up and ready to party. When word got out that the Bullies’ hockey house’s RA wouldn’t be home tonight, the boys told everyone and anyone who would listen that they were having a party. I don’t know if that means Evan isn’t into parties or if he’s, like, super strict with them, but I’m kind of sad I won’t see him there. I made sure to keep it to myself this morning on our run, though we didn’t talk much. He seemed distracted, and I was exhausted.
Either way, I’m excited to party. We haven’t been to a good party since school started, and the hockey boys are known for good parties.
“One, no drinking. We have practice in the morning, and I will not have any of us slacking. We can’t win if we don’t work for it.”
“Get tight! Get it right!” we echo. I used to think it was dumb that we said that, but whatever. I’m used to it now.
“Second, we travel in pairs. No one leaves without their buddy!”
“Get tight! Get it right!” we echo as Cameron and I lock arms.
“Third, no sleeping with anyone at this party. No one can be bowlegged tomorrow.”
I snicker as everyone echoes, “Get tight! Get it right!”
“And fourth, have fun but don’t be stupid. Don’t put yourself in a position that can get us on the news or social media. Don’t be hateful to anyone, but don’t be dumb either.”
We all nod as we echo, “Get tight! Get it right!”
We clap twice and then head into the hockey house. I’m wearing heels way too high, but I like them. I like dressing up, especially when I live in a leotard and sweatpants most of the time. Ever since I learned how to style my hair with its natural curls, it flows uncontrollably around my shoulders. I used to straighten it every day, but now, I don’t have time for that. The dress I’m wearing is tight, and while my ass looks great, my chest is lacking. I almost wore a padded bra, but the dress is so formfitting, it makes me look as if I have boobs when I don’t. Since I carry the gene that causes breast cancer, I had my breasts removed. I was going to get implants, but I decided against it because I still have four years of gymnastics. Boobs get in the way.
Still, I want attention tonight. I want to be seen, which is why I let Shantae do my makeup in the dark, sultry way she does. I think, in the back of my mind, I’m hoping that Evan is here. But once I arrive, I know there’s no way he is.
These boys are wild.
A keg is in every room, along with a DJ and a dance floor. There is a bounce house out front and a room just for beer pong. It’s insane, one of the best parties I’ve seen since being at Bellevue, I decide as we walk in. Cheers and excitement erupt as we arrive and make our way through the house to scope everything out. Everyone is here—tennis house, football house, and when I see that the swim house is here, I groan inwardly. I haven’t seen Tommy since I left school for the summer, and I really don’t want to see him tonight. He’s always trying to hit me up on Instagram and Snapchat, but I just ignore him. I don’t have time for guys who behave like him.
When Cameron pulls me to the dance floor, we laugh and dance with no cares in the world. Guys try to hit on us, but we’re too busy having fun. Hell, even Misty is having fun, making out with one of the hockey players. It’s an absolute blast. But then there he is. I hold my breath as I watch Tommy move his girlfriend’s hair out of her eyes. He is still as gorgeous as I remember. Long blond hair, extremely strong shoulders, tall and lean. I loved how big he was because I’m so small. I’ve always been attracted to guys way bigger than me. Makes me feel safe. Tommy looks over, and our eyes meet. He presses his lips together, and I notice that Cameron has followed my gaze when she turns me so I can’t see him.
She rolls her eyes. “Fuck him. He isn’t worth your time.”
“Oh, I know. It’s just annoying,” I say, shaking my head. “He just moved right on as if we weren’t together.”
She shrugs. “I know, but you moved on emotionally like two months into your relationship. It’s okay.”
“You’re right. I just hate that I allowed him to cheat on me. I should have ended it when I wasn’t feeling it anymore.”
“Absolutely. But don’t worry. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the RA will come back early and punish you,” she says, waggling her brows.
I snort. “Please, he isn’t looking for a distraction right now.”
She scoffs. “Baby girl, no one can ignore you. You’re a walking attention-getter.”
I push her playfully as I feel my face fill with color.
“He may resist now, but don’t worry, he won’t for long,” she says with another waggle of her brows.
She always does that, and it makes me think of Ernie from Sesame Street. I don’t know why, but I can’t help but smile, nonetheless.
“Come on. Want to get something to snack on?”
“Duh,” I say since I’m always down for snacks. We lace our fingers and head toward the kitchen. When we arrive, though, there is no food, only alcohol, alcohol, and a side of alcohol. It’s really unfortunate. “This is bullshit.”
“For real,” Cameron says, but then she grabs a guy by his shirt and flutters her eyelashes at him. “Hey.”
“Heyya,” he says with a thick French accent that leaves me breathless.
“I’m Cameron.”
“Benny,” he says, and I don’t think that’s not his real name, but who the hell cares. The dude is beautiful. Tall, dark, and thick. Lord. Almighty.
“Benny, do you happen to know where there is a snack in this house?”
“A snack?” he asks, a small grin playing on his face. “I mean, we don’t have snacks. We eat food—” He pauses then, tapping his jaw. He has one of those cute little butt chins. Ah! He’s adorable! But one look in Cameron’s eyes, and I know she’s smitten as well. “Come on. I know where snacks are.”
He takes her hand, and I have her other one, so we’re both being pulled by him. We head up two flights of stairs and then come to a door at the end of the hall. Cameron looks at me, and I look at her. I’ve seen this situation on a crime show once, but there are two of us.
And I have a Taser in between my chest and dress.
“If I don’t get snacks, I’m tasing him,” I whisper, and she laughs as Benny looks back at us.
He clears his throat and says, “My billet family’s son is our RA, and they send us all the snacks. But he keeps in here so no one eats them. His mom is very protective of me.”
His English is so broken and cute.
But then something clicks. “Wait, is this the RA’s room? Are we allowed in here?” I ask as he pushes the door open and lets us in.
“Oh yeah. I am, no worries. Evan is nice guy.”
Once inside, I look around and smile. Evan has a Nashville Assassins team flag and then an IceCats one. Makes me miss Nico. His bed is made neatly, and on it is a stuffed sloth. He has guitars lining the wall, along with a lot of hockey sticks. I wonder when the last time he touched them was. On the wall and on almost every surface are pictures. As Cameron and Benny look through the snack boxes, I walk around looking at the photos. Lots of his whole family and even more of him and his twin at various things. His family is full of beautiful people, and you can see how much they love each other. It makes me think of when my family was that happy. My mom, dad, Aviva, and me. All cuddled up and happy. I wish I had more memories of that. And more pictures. Now it’s Nico, Aviva, Vance, and me. I can’t complain because I feel more loved than I ever have in my life. When I come to a picture of Evan with a baby, my heart stops dead in my chest. He’s holding the little baby like a football, his lips pressed to its forehead. How sweet.
“Callie, come get some snacks. He has Goldfish, your favorite!”
But as I turn, the door flies open, and there is the RA.
