Page 166 of The Play

“We’re so happy for you! I promise!” Summer assures them, and there’s nothing insincere about it. “We’re just stunned. We didn’t expect you to elope.”

“That’s why people elope, because nobody expects it!” Rupi chirps happily.

“So how long are you in Nepal?” Fitz calls toward the phone. “When are you home?”

“We’ll be back in a year,” Hollis says.

“A year?” Summer echoes in amazement. “But…”

“What about your job?” Hunter asks Hollis.

“Rupi, what about school?” I pipe up.

“I quit.” Hollis.

“I dropped out.” Rupi.

I gape at both of them.

“I haven’t even picked a major,” Rupi says, waving an indifferent hand. “I don’t care about college.”

“And I don’t care about my job,” Hollis chimes in. “Davenport said we should travel, so that’s what we’re doing.”

I glance at Hunter as if to saywhat the fuck?

“I advised him to take Rupi on a weekend getaway or a summer trip,” Hunter retorts. “Not to elope and run off to India!”

“Nepal,” Hollis corrects. “Jeez, pay attention, dude.”

“Well.” Summer clears her throat. “We’re all thrilled for you. I can’t believe you’re married.”

I can’t either, but Rupi and Hollis seem over the moon about it, and who am I to judge?

“Okay, you guys, it’s like eight in the morning here and we have a big day planned,” Rupi announces in her shrill, bossyvoice.

“We’ll call back in a few days,” Hollis assures us. “Or a month. Whatever. Love you guys! Be back in a year!”

The call disconnects.

And we all exchange mystified looks.

“She dropped out of college,” Brenna says, sounding impressed.

“They got married,” Fitz says, sounding horrified.

“She’s only nineteen,” I realize.

“Yeah, but in Rupi’s defense, she knew she was going to marry Michael Hollis the second she met him,” Summer points out.

“True,” Brenna agrees.

“They’ll either be divorced in a week, or they’ll be together forever,” Hunter predicts with a sigh. “There’s no in between with those two.”

Summer tucks her golden hair behind her ears. “I’m happy for them, I really am. But holy shit, that came out of left field.”

Hunter shakes his head a few times, as if trying to come out of a daze. “Okay, then. That was…fascinating.” He picks up the remote control. “Should we keep watching? We were about to find out if the dismembered head winds up in the magic guy’s hat.”

“I’m going upstairs to play Fortnite,” Fitz grumbles.

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