“I looooooooooove you,” Markus laughs as Jayden cups my shoulder.

“Don’t worry, young one. The force is strong within you. Your game shall come. I feel it.”

“I hate you.”

“Just remember, don’t stare at their boobs.” Jude is still laughing.

“And listen to what they say,” Jayden adds. “Girls like that shit.”

“You guys are dumb, and plus, I don’t want some boring marriage. I want fun.” I get into the car.

“Ha!” Jude laughs. “I had fun for a good long time. Let me tell you, my boring marriage is a billion times better.”

I roll my eyes as Jayden says, “I’d take Baylor over a thousand different women. You just wait. There is a girl out there ready to knock you on your ass.”

“Yeah, right.” I slam the door and wave at them. “I’m sure as hell not looking for her.”

“You don’t have to,” Jude calls out to me. “She’ll come along and hit you harder than a two-hundred-pound defensemen, you watch.”

“And then you’ll be saying, man, my brothers were right.” Jayden’s attempt at mocking me is a fail in my eyes, but apparently Markus and Jude think he’s funny.

“Whatever. I don’t have time for all that, and I sure as hell won’t admit that you two losers are ever right.”

“You’ll see,” Jayden calls out as I back out of the driveway. But I just wave, thinking they are both crazy.

But for some reason, those turquoise eyes flash in my mind and I quickly shake my head.

Nope, no girl is worth all that.

Especially when you add in the possibility of admitting my brothers are right.

No way.

Won’t happen.

The campus is buzzing with excitement as we head toward the Bullies’ house. Every person I pass is talking about the party and asking who is going. With every step I take toward the house, excitement rattles within me. According to Mekena, this is the party of the year. It is always wild and so much fun. There is already even a video posted on Facebook of people doing keg stands and a big game of broom hockey. It was huge, and it looked like fun. But I can’t say I wish I had been there for that.

Since I hate hockey and all.

Well, maybe not the sport…but eh, whatever.

Mekena is excited, though. She is smiling, waving at people, and quickly I realize my assumptions of her were wrong. She is a people-pleaser and she obviously knows everyone. She hugs and kisses a lot of our classmates as we make our way across the quad. Soon, I learn that she went to high school here in Nashville. Along with that, her sister is a senior here and took her to all the parties last year to get her ready. While my home life is shit, Mekena’s isn’t. She loves her family, and her sister is basically her best friend.

Lucky bitch.

God, how I wish I’d had a sister. Someone I could confide in, someone to tell about my newest crush, and someone to hold me when that boy breaks my heart. We’d go shopping and share clothes; we’d be two peas in a pod. Man, how amazing it would be. Instead, I got three huge brothers who smelled most of the time and made me carry their shit after games. No shopping, no heart-to-hearts, and definitely no holding me after a breakup. Nope. Nothing.

But Mekena has all that, and when I come face-to-face with Skylar Preston, the only thing I can think is, holy crap, they are twins. Just Skylar is thicker…a lot thicker than Mekena. Not fat, but I’m pretty sure the girl could bench me over her head.

Kind of scary.

Especially when she sets Mekena with a look that tells her she is not playing around and also that she is annoyed. “I’m not going to chill with you all night. You’re on your own.”

“I got this,” Mekena says confidently, and that blows my mind. Where was this girl for the last week? I swear, she had her nose in the books, was quiet, and nothing else mattered but getting A’s in all her classes. This girl is ready to party, dressed to kill, and self-assured. What the hell? “And you know what? You can’t chill with me and my friend.”

“Oh, poo.” The sarcasm is strong in Skylar’s voice, but worry is still in her eyes. “Remember, don’t take drinks from dudes unless you know them, and even then, be careful. You start feeling weird, drop the cup and find me. Don’t do drugs here. They are mostly laced with something. And also, don’t end up getting raped, please. Be smart. This ain’t your first rodeo.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry.”

Skylar isn’t convinced, though, and she rolls her eyes. “So who are you trying to holler at? I know you didn’t leave your books for a party unless it was for some guy.”

Oh…that makes sense.

Mekena’s cheeks flush with color as she shrugs, which makes Skylar laugh. “Oh gosh, please tell me it isn’t Markus,” she says, twirling her hair on her finger. “Aren’t you over him yet? It’s been like a year.”

This is new. I’ve never heard her mention him. Like, ever.

Now Ron Weasley, yes, she’s talked about him constantly.

“I didn’t know you were crushing on someone,” I add with a grin. But before she can say anything, Skylar is talking.

“Girl, please. She’s in love with a dude who doesn’t want anything to do with her or even know her name.”

“Shut up,” Mekena urges, looking around, but no one is near us. We are the only ones standing on the sidewalk in front of the house. Everyone else is either inside the party or lying in the front yard. From the looks of it, the party is insane. Music is streaming loudly, lights are flashing, and the backyard is filled with people. It is so loud my ears hurt, and I’m not even inside yet.

But I am ready to get in there.

“Whatever. You didn’t introduce me to your friend.”

That catches my attention and I turn to meet Skylar’s eyes. “Avery. We’re roommates.”

“Oh, the singer,” she says, nodding her head. “Yeah, Kena told me all about you. Cool, nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

She isn’t paying attention to me, though, as she turns back to Mekena. “Markus is a bad idea. He’s hooking up with Leslie, and rumor is, she has herpes.”

“Jesus! Her poor vagina,” I say, disgust all over my face, which sends Skylar into a hoot of laughter.