Page 28 of Seeds of Friendship
They're building something already, even if they don't know it yet. A connection.
My phone buzzes.
Text from Brianna: don't text me again
Fair.
She will 100% text me again.
Ethan’s quiet. I clear my throat.
“Anyway, what about you? I saw you with that blonde—Jessica?”
“Turns out she's more interested in our friend Alfie.” He shrugs, but he's smiling. “But her friend Kate and I had averyenlightening conversation. And by conversation, I mean?—”
“I get it.”
“Oh! I gotta shoot. Bye, guys. Nice to meet you all.” Sam gives us a small wave, and kisses Troy's cheek before leaving, promising to text him. He watches her go with a dopey expression.
Alfie appears, fully dressed and looking like he didn't stay up until 4 AM like the rest of us. The bastard probably has some rich person hangover cure. Stem cells or virgin blood or something.
“That was...” he starts, then stops, looking around at the destruction. “Actually successful.”
“Successful?” Troy laughs. “Dude, we had over two hundred people here. Someone called us 'the party house.' Multiple girls asked me when the next one is.”
“Miranda Walsh wants to go on a date,” Alfie says, sounding vaguely horrified and pleased at the same time.
“Did you say yes?” Ethan asks.
“God no. But still.”
We sit there, four disasters eating egg sandwiches in our destroyed kitchen, and it hits me—we actually did it.
We're not the rejects anymore.
We're the guys who throw the parties everyone talks about.
“So,” Troy says, that dangerous planning gleam in his eye. “When do we throw the next one?”
“Never,” Alfie says immediately.
“Next weekend,” Ethan counters.
“End of the month,” I compromise. “Give people time to build anticipation.”
But the thought of another party, another night with an empty hookup makes me feel tired. But, what else is college for? Besides, this is what I want, right?
“And...” Troy pulls out his phone, probably already making lists. “We could make it a thing. Like, massive start-of-year party. Every September.”
“That would mean staying in the house next year,” Alfie points out.
We all look at each other. Three weeks ago, we couldn't wait to get away from each other. Now...
“I mean,” Ethan says slowly, “the house is pretty sick.”
“And dealing with housing applications is a pain,” I add.
“The commute to campus is reasonable,” Troy offers.
