Page 110 of Palm South University: Season 2

“I’m not ready to go home,” Ashlei says with a sigh as Skyler and Cassie break, still laughing. “It doesn’t feel like it’s time yet. So much has changed, it feels anti-climactic to just pack up this semester in a duffle bag and head home for three months.”

“Tell me about it. I turn twenty-one in two weeks and I won’t even have anyone there to celebrate with, unless you count my grams. Which, I mean, the lady can party but . . .”

Ashlei and Cassie laugh but Skyler is just staring at me.

“What?” I ask. “Why are you looking at me like your dad just found your vibrator?”

“What if we just don’t go home?” Skyler asks, looking around at each of us. “I mean, not yet. Jess’ birthday is in two weeks. What if we . . . I don’t know, what if we went somewhere? My place, or anywhere, really. Two of us are newly single while the other two are freshly wifed up. I feel like we should celebrate, kick the summer off in style.” At first I shake my head, but the more she talks, the more I think she might have a brilliant idea. “I mean come on. It’s J-Love’s twenty-first birthday. We can’t justnotbe there for it.”

“I have a flight in like three hours,” Cassie points out.

“So? Cancel it,” Skyler challenges.

“Well, I’m in no rush to get home. I say let’s do it.” Ashlei smiles and Skyler throws her a high-five before turning to me.

“Oh come on, like you even have to ask me,” I scoff. “Jarrett already left for his summer internship, so it’s not like I have the possibility of getting banged anytime soon. Therefore, I’ll need lots of alcohol.”

They both grin and then it’s just Cassie left. She bites her cheek. “What about Erin? Did she leave already?”

Skyler frowns. “Yeah, she was pretty sick, I guess. I feel like she was just ready to get out of here after all the executive board drama.”

Cassie nods, debating. “Well . . . I’m sure my parents can change the flight.”

“Yes!” Skyler and I cheer together and we all grab Cassie in another hug. She laughs, throwing her head back as we crowd in around her. She has so much fucking hair that I cough on a strand of the red beast and everyone laughs harder.

“Fuck yes! Pile in, bitches. Let’s take this thing back to the rental car place and trade it in for something with more room. Then, we’re calling my parents and telling them not to book the beach house in New Smyrna for the next three weeks.”

“Shotgun!” Skyler yells, hoisting her bag over her shoulder and running toward the car. Everyone is talking all at once, cramming bags into the trunk and fitting extras on laps. The girls start making phone calls as I pull out of the KKB house, adjusting my rearview mirror when we pull away.

“Someone text Erin. Tell her to meet us there,” I say, rolling our windows down to let the warm breeze fill the space between us.

“On it!” Ashlei replies, ending the call with her dad and typing out a text immediately.

As I flick my shades down over my eyes, I take one last glance at campus fading behind us, watching how the bright orange of the setting sun casts it in a fiery glow. My eyes find Cassie’s in the rearview and I take the time to look around at my sisters, all of us smiling, all of us leaving Palm South University different than we arrived.

Each and every one of us has climbed a mountain this semester, some with less equipment and rougher paths. But here we are, standing together at the top, and suddenly it feels like there’s nothing that can stop us now.

It’s going to be one hell of a summer.