Page 48 of Love and Other Goals

Despite our late night, Amaya is awake super early Saturday morning. I hear her moving around the room quietly and attempt to will myself back into dreamland, but I’m thoroughly alert for some reason. Teegan could sleep through a dump truck rolling through the room, so I use the flashlight on my phone to dig a pair of sweats and a hoodie out of my drawer.

Downstairs, the house is the kind of quiet that follows a wild party night. Amaya is already sitting with a cup of coffee at a dining table, scrolling on her phone. I hug her good morning and get my own cup of caffeine before taking the seat across from her.

“Whatcha looking at?” I ask, nodding toward her phone screen.

“Oh, just looking at the other sorority houses’ posts of their entries throughout the week. I hate to admit it, but TriAlpha had a really good yard display and float this year. Do you think they had more parade participation than we did?” Amaya asks me.

Amaya and I both appreciate straight-shooting, so I don’t beat around the bush or tell her what she’d hope to hear. “Yeah, I think they did, at least judging by the crowd around their float at the start of the parade. I bet Bailey made the new pledges sign blood oaths to attend after Bid Day, and the OGs always have more participation than the other fraternities.”

She half hums half grunts a sound of reluctant agreement. “I was really hoping we could have a repeat victory.”

I reach my hand out to cover hers. “You pulled out all the stops, Beef. Regardless of whether we win or not, I’m so proud of how well you pushed us to represent AOPi. And all the girls were having fun along the way, so that’s what really matters for house morale.”

Amaya sighs. “You’re right.” She pauses briefly before adding, “I just really like to win.”

“You and me both,” I say with a chuckle.

She clicks off her phone and looks up at me. “You’re going to sit with the AOPis at the soccer game, right?” I nod an affirmative response. She narrows her eyes. “Are you going to wear Mateo’s jersey or our homecoming shirt?”

I hear the question behind her question—is my relationship with Mateo edging out my relationship with her?

I look her square in the eyes. “I’m wearing my AOPi homecoming shirt and sitting smack dab in the middle of the group today. I might be Mateo’s girlfriend, but I was an AOPi and your best friend first. Today is more about celebrating you and our amazing house than it is about Mateo playing soccer, okay?”

Amaya nods acceptance of my answer and stands up. “I think I need to go for a run to work out some of this nervous energy. Wanna come with?”

Running is not number one on my wish list for the day, but supporting my best friend certainly is. Teegan remains blissfully snoozing as Amaya and I change in the dark and lace up our tennis shoes. Amaya was right about nervous energy—she’s a girl on a mission on our run. I’m struggling to keep up after such a short night of sleep, but there’s no way I’ll admit defeat.

Back at the house after way too long of a run, Amaya and I are showered and dressed for the day before Teegan rolls out of bed at 9:30 a.m. “About time,” I tease as she sleepily rubs her eyes. “At least now I can blow dry my hair in here instead of in the stuffy bathroom.”

“Tease away,” Teegan yawns. “You’re just jealous of my superb sleeping abilities.”

I blow my hair dryer in her face, effectively getting her up and moving.

A solid twenty minutes later (cons of having long, super-thick hair), I flip the hair dryer off and check the time on my phone. I see I missed a good morning text from Mateo.

I hope you got enough sleep last night. What time do you have to report to the complex today?

Mateo

10:30. Gives us time to watch some final game film and go over last-minute strategy

I really hope your house wins today

Thanks. I hope so too, mostly for Amaya’s sake

And not at all to defeat Bailey?

Two birds, one stone and all

I hope you win too

Scream loud

Don’t I always?

#127 of my favorite things about you

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