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I think I finally found my people.
Chloe laughs loudest. “That’s like naming a teacup Chihuahua Killer. Ironic and ridiculous.”
“Okay, people. Lovefest is over.” Tiffany claps her hands. “Chop. Chop. This house is not going to clean itself. Brady, get another trash bag, and you guys can clean up outside. I’ve got Chloe and Natalie, and we’ll finish up in here, then check downstairs and make sure there isn’t anything down there.”
“Man, Tiff. We could have used you after all of our parties.” Murphy’s smiling at Tiffany, then looks at my brother. “Admit it, Coop. It’s kinda hot when she gets all bossy.”
Cooper stands up and shoves Murphy’s shoulder. “Shut the fuck up, Murph.”
“Stop talking shit on me all the time, Murphy, and maybe I’d be around more. Probably not nicer, but around more. Now come on. I want to get this cleaned up, and I’ve got to get back to my parent’s house soon. Some of us have parents that aren’t cool with us spending the entire night out or at a party with no parents there.”
Cooper walks over and puts his arm around Tiffany. “Come on. I’ll help you girls inside.” He kisses her temple then grabs the black trash bag from Chloe.
Coop smirks, “You know, I could have fit the fucker’s body in this bag.”
Chloe hits him in the head with an empty red Solo cup.
Tiffany turns around, laughing. “Not helping, Cooper.”
“It’s true,” Cooper mutters contritely.
Then follows behind Tiffany with the bag held open.
I love my brother.
18
Natalie
Not long after we finished cleaning up last night, I went to bed. I wish I could say that I went to sleep, but I didn’t. My mind kept racing with what if’s.
What if I hadn’t gotten away?
What if Sebastian had killed Darby with that one punch?
What if the party had never started and I had gotten to stay tucked in next to Brady?
I hate what if’s because they’re questions that have no real answers. I’m exhausted when I roll over in the morning and force myself to get out of bed. Cooper asked me last night if I wanted to go home today or stay down until Sunday morning, like we had initially planned. I would have opted to go home today, but I rode down with Chloe, and Coop rode down with Murphy.
With neither of us having our own car here, I didn’t want anyone else to have to cut their weekend off early, so I just told him I wanted to stay. I know Chloe would have brought me home, no questions asked, but that didn’t seem fair to her.
As I sit up now and contemplate a day on the beach with the potential to see at least half the people that were witness to what went down last night, I cringe.
Unless I am on a stage, I hate being the center of attention. I’m trying to convince myself to get out of bed when there is a knock at my door, immediately followed by Chloe’s head popping in. I can only see her from the neck up—the rest of her body is hidden behind the door.
“Are you decent?”
I can’t help but laugh at my friend. “Chloe, you know that you are supposed to knock and wait for a response before you come in, right?”
“I didn’t come in. It’s just my head.” Her smile is wild, genuine, and contagious. I can’t help but smile back.
“Please tell me I smell coffee going downstairs?” Standing up, I try to avoid wincing. My muscles are sore in ways I’m not used to. My hand still hurts. My head is throbbing from lack of sleep. It’s too early to be this whiny.
“Oh, ye of little faith. The coffee is brewed, and Murphy is already cooking breakfast. Can’t you smell that bacon?” She pushes the door completely open, and I swear to God, my crazy ass friend is wearing one-piece, footie, unicorn pajamas.
“I have so many questions right now, but I’m gonna go with just one. Aren’t you hot?”
“Nope. Now let’s go downstairs. I’m starving, and Murphy’s an excellent cook. I don’t want the guys to eat everything before we get to grab something.” She pulls on my arm. “Come on.”
