Page 47 of Massacre Monday

Even still, I can’t let Ryan show up to see Elina and not have anyone by my side. The urge to annoy him is too great for me to resist.

My brother’s face is what saves me from having to think about where Mitch’s hand was while we weren’t in practice. Oz immediately clocks the motion and raises his eyebrows at me with a question as he wanders down the hall.

“Everything good here?” he asks, tone light but eyes sharp.

I nod, maybe too quickly. “All good.”

He steps closer and slings an arm across my shoulders like he’s done a thousand times. “Come grab a drink with me before you let any more strange men put their hands on you.” Then, as he leads me away, he gives my dance partner a small smile. “No offense, Mitch.”

I laugh and lean into his side for a second, grateful as Mitch waves goodbye.

As we exit into the September sunlight, he aims us toward Quad café. “Did I just pull a good big brother move back there?”

“I mean, it’s fine. He’s fine.” Stalling my steps, I halt in front of the science building. I don’t want to explain meusingMitch to get rid of my stalker. Hurriedly, before he catches on, I change the subject. “How are you? I have biodiversity in fifteen.”

He glances at me in a way that lets me know he knows something is up, but is choosing to let it go. “I’m good. Busy withDeltastuff.”

“Don’t be a stranger.”

His tongue escapes and laps at his studs, teeth capturing one as he stares up at the clouds for a moment. “Uh, yeah. You either.”

“Is something wrong?”

A smile that mirrors mine when I’m trying to play something off covers his face. “No. Let’s grab some coffee soon, though, okay? Love you.”

As his tall figure wanders away, I worry about the secrets both of us seem to be keeping from each other now.

Dolling up with Amelia,Valencia, and Evie is fine. It’s okay. I know they’re in my room so that I don’t feel awkward without Gwen.

But thatmissingsensation is almost unbearable at times. Between her and Ryan…I’m out of sorts.

Evie finishes applying my eyeliner and takes a step back with a broad grin on her perfect face. “You lookmarvelous, darling. Just gorgeous.”

“Really? ’Cause next to you two tall blondes, I look like a shrimp in a shiny sack.”

Amelia grins and tugs her body-hugging light blue and silver glittery dress into place. It’s identical to the ones we all wear. Except, she’s honey-colored girl-next-door, has-twelve-kids-and-will-bake-you-a-pie blonde. Evie is pierced and dangerous, shaved-side-of-the-head-porn-star platinum blonde.

Valencia looks utterly upset that she even has to put on a dress and already said she’s going to pair her “sensible shoes” with it: yellow Converse and argyle socks. “I hate these things,” she says, leaning against Gwen’s barren bed.

Her mother decided to take her stuff home, saying that when she’s found, they’ll keep her with them for the rest of the semester. So now, I stare at a blank half of the room, not daring to let my dirt get over there out of respect for my friend.

“What? The dress or the event?” I ask my cousin.

“Both.”

“Well, cheer up,” I say, rubbing on a new pink lip gloss. “Logan will be here with Mitch.”

“Speaking of…” Amelia trails off, and I click my jaw shut.

“Ugh, Mitch is such a dweeb. You know he can’t fuck. Probably has a two-inch dick. Hard,” Evie murmurs, then sprays the shit out of her styled hair with an aerosol can.

Amelia laughs. “Finally, someone said it.”

“Having a big dick isn’t everything. Not everyone is sex crazy.” Valencia pipes up, and part of me wonders if it’s because she’s not getting a good vibe from Logan. Or…maybe she’s talking about herself.

“Well, you look fucking hot, Pippi,” Amelia says while making sure my thick chocolate hair is perfectly tousled into place. It looks the same as that morning Ryan and I hooked up in my bed and then he took our picture. Slyly, I check my phone, but hiscouple’saccount on Pixtagram still hasn’t been updated since last week.

“Thanks.”