“I trusted you first.” She digs through her purse, pulling out a pack of gum.

“That’s not the same.” I hold the door and we step outside. “I’m a friend. Kayden was more than a friend.”

“I don’t know if that’s true.” She pops a piece of gum into her mouth and offers me one. “I don’t know what I feel for him or if it was good or bad. In fact, sometimes I still feel like that scared little girl who doesn’t know what to do with anything.”

I take a piece of gum, unwrapping it before chewing thoughtfully. “Well, maybe you should do whatever the hell you want instead of what you think you should do.” I pause as soon as I say it, processing the full meaning of my words.

Callie isn’t the only one who could benefit from the advice I’ve been giving her the last few weeks. I’ve been lecturing her over and over about coming out of her shell and going after what she wants. I’ve urged her countless times to stop allowing her past and her fear to control her, but here I am doing the same Goddamn thing with Greyson.

Fuck me. Why have I been so blind?

The question is, what am I going to do about it? Continue hiding or stop being so damn scared?

She aims a finger at me accusingly. “You just quoted that from the list.”

I let out an evil laugh, throwing my head back. “That’s because it’s quote day. Didn’t you get the memo?”

A laugh escapes her lips. “Darn it. I forgot to check my messages today. I must’ve missed it.”

I swing an arm around her shoulder and pull her close. “The question is, what do you want to do? And I mean really, really want?”

I know what I want. I really, really do. I just need to find the courage to go after it.

She stops near a bench and gazes at the stadium. “I want to have fun.”

“Now fun is definitely something I can help you with.” I thrum my finger against my lip. “I just need to know how big you want to go.”

She considers my request. “I want to go big. Because it’s either go big or go home, right? And the last thing I want to do is go home.”

“Me, too.” A mischievous smile spreads across my face. “All right, my Callie girl. Let’s go have some fun.”

***

Five hours later, the sun has set, the night has come alive, and Callie and I are smack dab in the middle of it. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten out and had some good old drunken fun and with five drinks in me, I’m feeling pretty good. So good, in fact, that I’m okay with being at the frat party where we’ve somehow ended up. Callie and I are dancing and letting our hair down, partying like rockstars.

“I’m so glad we decided to do this!” Callie shouts over the music, fanning her hand in front of her face.

I glance at the people around the room, dancing, laughing, drinking, all in their own little worlds. “Me, too!”

She giggles and I giggle.

“I really have no clue what’s so funny,” I say through my laughter. “But God, it feels so good to laugh!”

I let the music take over and really get into it, but slow down the energy when I spot Greyson in the corner with that girl Jenna and her boyfriend. Greyson is drinking from a plastic cup and the three of them are laughing at something. I wonder if he knows I’m here and if so, why he hasn’t come over and said hello. Then I remember what an asshole I’ve been lately. Even if he realizes I’m here, I wouldn’t blame him for not approaching me.

Tearing my attention away from Greyson and his friends, I search the room for the alcohol, but end up stumbling across something way more interesting than vodka. Luke and Kayden are standing by the front door with two girls, neither of whom are Daisy. Goddamn him. I seriously want to hurt him right now for doing this to Callie.

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Callie asks with a slight slur to her speech.

I glance down at her big, glossed-over eyes, deciding it might be time to cut her off. “Nothing.” When she starts to glance towards the door, I grab her by the shoulders. “Okay, it’s not nothing.” I sigh. “Kayden’s here… and he’s not alone.”

Her eyes widen. “He’s with a girl?”

“Yeah… maybe we should just go. You can walk out of here with your head held high and pretty much tell him to go fuck himself. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

She smashes her lips together, shakes her head, and turns around. “I want to talk to him,” she mutters before stumbling through the crowd toward Kayden.

She weaves around people and I follow her, trying to gauge Kayden’s reaction. He seems surprised to see her and, oddly, kind of relieved. I cross my fingers and toes that both girls are with Luke and Kayden came here in hopes of running into Callie.

Please, please, don’t let him be a douchebag.

When Callie reaches him, she flings her arms around his neck. “Kayden’s here,” she says, hugging him like he’s a giant teddy bear.

He puts his hand on her back, a protective gesture that calms me down a bit. “Are you drunk?”

She pulls back, bobbing her head up and down. “A little.”

“No, she’s wasted.” I roll up the sleeves of my jacket and wipe the sweat from my forehead. “And I mean fucking trashed.”

Callie rests her head on Kayden’s chest and he stiffens. “I thought she didn’t drink that much?” he asks me.