Page 31 of Revolve
“How do you even know about that?”
“I’ve got ears everywhere, Dill Pickle. And Aiden told us.” Kian drops a giant cardboard box with a thump on the dining table, right where I was trying to study, and beams at me.
He’s wearing a T-shirt with Summer’s and my faces on it. “What’s up with the shirt? Are you starting a cult?”
“More like a fan club,” he replies, still grinning. “We’ve got invitations!”
Summer drops another box on the table. “Except Kian wasn’t paying attention, so when I said we needed five hundred invitations, he printedfifteenhundred.” Summer turns back to the front door, probably to grab another box, but Aiden walks in carrying two massive ones.
He deposits one of the boxes and turns to Summer. “Babe, I told you I’d get it.”
“You’re injured, and I’m stronger than you, Crawford. I do Pilates now.” She smiles.
His gaze runs down her body. “I know.”
“Ugh, I had enough of this in the car. I think I prefer you guys yelling at me about the invitation mishap,” Kian says. “At least now it’ll be a rager, and we all know Dylan loves those.”
The joke feels off the mark considering they just gave me a stupid intervention and I’m here studying, decidedlynotat a rager.
Kian thinks I love ragers, and for a while, I did. But the last one was for him. Now that the guys are in the pros, they don’t come home much. On Kian’s birthday, it was just the two of us, and I wanted to make it count. I threw that party to show him it could still be like old times.
“That would be Dylan from a few weeks ago. The new Dylan reads”—Summer reaches over to flip my textbook—“The Anatomy of a Mergerin his free time.”
“I would be reading it if you guys weren’t so distracting,” I accuse.Aiden watches me carefully, like he’s wondering if this new version of me is real.
Kian snorts. “A face like this comes with consequences that we all have to learn to live with. But all this stuff is for your birthday, so be grateful.”
It’s hard to feel grateful for something I didn’t ask for, but I’d never voice that. Not only because it’s Summer’s birthday too, but because they’ve been planning this for weeks. It’s the first time in months that we’ll all be together, and I promised myself I wouldn’t ruin it. I would be the Dylan everyone wants.
Suddenly, the room feels stuffier than usual. When Cole drops into his seat at the table, he whips out his phone and turns the screen toward us. “Did you guys see what Yale did to our mascot? Poor guy got his ass kicked by their Bulldog. We’re not letting that slide, right?”
“I’m thinking we kidnap their mascot. That’ll show ’em,” Sebastian chimes in.
Kian snorts. “Dylan and I already did that sophomore year. I say this year—”
“We do nothing,” I cut him off. Aiden watches us closely.
Kian’s gaze flickers to me. “Right, that’s exactly what I was going to say.”
Sebastian and Cole give me a look like I’ve gone crazy.
Aiden laughs with his arms around Summer as she places the sunglasses on his face. “You seriously think I’d fall for that crap? I know you idiots. Just don’t get caught.”
The guys cheer, and for a moment, it feels normal. But then it sneaks in, sharp and heavy, the thought that’s been gnawing at me most nights when I can’t sleep. This isn’t my team anymore. Apparently, figure skating is my only shot at even being considered for reinstatement. If I can’t get that, hockey will just be a distant memory.
I push back from the table, grabbing my keys. “I’ll catch you guys later.” I ignore Aiden’s burning gaze.
Kian grabs my wrist, frowning. “What about the mascot?”
“You’ll figure it out.” I free myself from his hold and keep moving. The weight of their stares follows me to the door, but I don’t look back.
“No invite?” Kian shouts just as I shut the front door.
When I get in my car, I don’t know where I’m headed, but as long as it’s away from the house, anywhere will do.
It’s only fifteen minutes later that I find myself at my frat house. The Kappa Sigma Zeta brothers are more than happy to welcome me, because apparently the failed drug test doesn’t affect my membership. The ass-kissing has gotten out of control. Another thing out of control? The party they’re having. I had just fallen asleep in my room upstairs when the thumping started.
I realize pretty soon that frat parties are fucking boring when you’re sober. This is the third time someone’s tried to bribe me into doing a keg stand. The second time, Kian—yeah, he followed me—asked if I’d hold his hair back if he was throwing up in a toilet bowl. His hair is barely past his ears. And the first time, I wished parties ended at ten p.m.
