Page 21 of Lilies in Autumn

Ava

Though the start of brunch was filled with gossip and family drama, by the end of breakfast, Serena, CeCe, and I were laughing over the “bros” from the interest fair where we initially met Serena. It was refreshing to meet another girl that was genuinely nice but also had a wry sense of humor.

After saying goodbye to Serena, who had to go back to her apartment to FaceTime her mom, CeCe and I made the short trek across campus back to our dorm in silence. A key part of our friendship was our ability to recognize when the other needed a moment to themselves. We updated each other on almost all aspects of our lives, but we also respected each other’s need to be left alone. Serena dropped several bombs on us today; between her home life, its tentacles on her student life, and the infamy of Greyson’s family, my mind was reeling. I suspected CeCe’s was too.

Making it back to our dorm, I threw myself on my bed and absentmindedly scrolled through my social media accounts. Swiping through pictures of our high school classmates and their documented “first night of college” photos, I zoned out to the world around me until CeCe threw a pillow at my head, diverting my attention. I look over at her, annoyed. “You could have just called my name. No need to get violent.”

She rolls her eyes. “I said your name twice and you didn’t hear me.” She bends over to tighten her running sneakers. Sometime between getting back to the dorm and her pillow assault, she changed into her running clothes. “I’m going on a run. My location is on, so if I’m not back in an hour, I’m probably dead. Send police out for me.”

“Got it. If you die, can I have your shoe collection?”

“Yes, it’s in the will. Anyway, I’ll be back soon. Maybe we’ll catch up onShelter’s Pointwhen I get back. I think there was a new episode on Wednesday.”

I give her a thumbs up and go back to my phone. Most people would balk at the exchange CeCe and I just had, but when your parents are famous for the Clown Killer’s conviction and travel the country doing true crime docuseries and podcasts, it’s second nature. Couple that with CeCe’s dad who is a medical examiner, and well, we were no strangers to death. It was just as common to ask about the toxicology reports as it was to pass the gravy at our dinner tables. It’s probably why we’ve grown so close over the years.

A few minutes after CeCe leaves for her run, my phone starts ringing with an incoming FaceTime call. Blindly answering my phone, I smile when my sisters’ faces pop up on the screen. Before I can say hello, they start in. “You were holding back at dinner last night. Tell us everything about college. Don’t be a little bitch; we need all the details.”

“Uh, hello to you guys, too.”

“Cut the shit, Ava Maria. We are on house arrest right now and need to live vicariously through you. Are you partying every night? Have you had sex yet? Are you pregnant? Mom told us about your frog. Why are you so weird?”

Like rapid fire, my sisters throw questions at me, not necessarily expecting answers, but needing to hurl everything they can at me so that I can answer at least one of their inquiries.

“Okay, I’m going to need both of you to take a deep breath and calm your tits. First and foremost, why are you on house arrest? I didn’t speak with Mom yet today.”

Sera and Bee look at each other before turning their faces back to the screen. Bianca bites her lip before answering. “Well, we went to the top of Penn last night. I guess the cops got wind of it and ended up busting the party.” In our hometown, Monroeville, there wasn’t much in the way of after-hours entertainment. A few years ago, a group of seniors designated the woods behind Pennsylvania Street as the place to party whenever there wasn’t a house party. For the most part, the cops avoided the area since it was tucked away on the near outskirts of town, but every so often, they would get a tip-off and would raid the woods at the height of the party.

“Oh? And what happened?”

Sera scoffs and jabs her thumb toward Bianca. “This idiot fell while trying to jump over a cooler of beer. I couldn’t leave her, so I tried to pull her up, but she twisted her ankle during her fall.” Shaking her head, she sneers. “We had to wait for the cops to come get us so that they could pick her up and bring her home. I couldn’t carry her to the car because on top of twisting her ankle, she was drunk and was as floppy as overcooked tagliatelle.”

I tuck my lips under my teeth, containing my laughter as she continues documenting their ordeal. “Mom and Dad nearly had a heart attack when the police cars rolled up, sirens on because the cops in this town are a bunch of dildos. Anyway, we’re grounded for a month and are going to a convent upon our graduation.”

“I truly have no words,” I laugh. For as refined and accomplished as my parents are, all of their daughters are messes. They got lucky with Rafael, who rarely parties and is in an intimate relationship with soccer. But their daughters? Disasters, every one of us.

“Okay, so we told you about my mishap,” Bianca complains. “Now tell us about your life so far. You were so cagey at dinner, and we know you held back because of Daddy.”

“There’s not much to tell. C and I went to one party so far and made a new friend, Serena. You’d love her. She’s like a prodigy and is an eighteen-year-old junior because she’s so brilliant.” I tell them about the prostitution ring that is Alpha Nu and all about Serena’s family drama, trying to divert them from asking any more questions.

“Did you meet any guys?” My mind immediately conjures up visions of Greyson in his tight black shirt. “Uh, you could say that,” I reply, looking away from my phone screen.

After a moment of silence, I look back to my sisters and expectant looks adorn their faces. I sigh. “CeCe and I met these guys at the party. They were both good-looking, but I doubt we’ll ever see them again. They didn’t ask for our numbers.”

“Damn, that sucks. What are the guys like there?”

“They’re men.” It’s true. Except for the guys from the STD table, every guy I’ve met so far is more man than a boy: mature, confident, and self-assured. It’s unnerving. Both of my sisters groan, commenting on how jealous they are that I get to meet guys outside of the little town where we grew up. I look at Sera and raise an eyebrow.

“How’s that dickhole, Mitchell, doing?”

Sera mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like they broke up. “I’m sorry, what? I can’t hear you.”

She clears her throat and sits up straighter. “We broke up.”

“It’s about fucking time. Thank God,” I nearly shout. “Is it for now or for good?” Behind my back, I cross my fingers, praying that it’s for good.

“Oh, it better be for good,” Bianca scoffs. “Sera, tell Aves why you broke up with that fuck boy. Go on, I’m dying to see her reaction.”

She sighs, rolling her eyes before explaining, “I refused to have anal sex with him. Which isn’t a new conversation since he asks me at least once a week to do it.” She turns to glare at Bianca. “The reason why we broke up this time is that someone—she tilts her head at our youngest sister, clearly talking about her—“overheard the conversation, called him an anal invader, and proceeded to tell the entire school that he got denied from, and I quote, ‘fucking me up the ass.’”

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