[Complete] Ariel and the Bandits

38 - Milkshakes and Eggs

Liam, Elvi and I march up Gamma Pi Nu's porch steps with twenty-five Bandits sneaking behind us. They hide as we knock on the front door. Alyah swiftly opens the door.

"Great you're here." She looks at the bouquet of two-toned red and white tulips. She steps aside to let me in, but I don't move from where I'm standing. I pull a second bouquet of sunflowers for Alyah.

"Ariel may have mentioned these were your favorite."

Alyah cracks a smile and tugs me into a hug. It catches me off guard, but I quickly adjust and reciprocate the gratitude. I take one step past the threshold and gawk at the unfinished decorations in the house. "When you said you needed help setting up..." I almost forget to introduce Liam to Alyah. "Right. Li this is Alyah. Gamma Pi Nu's treasurer and Ariel's best friend."

Alyah smiles. "We've actually met before. He's come out to have drinks with Ariel and some of our other sisters."

I whip my head to Liam. "You've been here before?"

"Your girlfriend makes an excellent wingwoman."

I frown. "But you haven't mentioned seeing anyone."

Liam grabs my shoulder. "That's because I'm not. You know how I am."

You know how I am. I try to hold up a smile for him, but he clearly sees through it.

Before Alyah can turn her attention to me, Elvi clears her throat. "So what can we do to help?"

"Ariel is still out prepping for her interview. Naz convinced her to get ready back at her dorm, so we've got about two, three hours at best before she comes home. Our DJ canceled, due to our feud with the Deltas-- they paid him a thousand dollars on top of what we were going to pay so that he would not show up. I don't know who was left in charge of flowers, but we haven't gotten the delivery. Catering is here-- they've set up in the kitchen. We've set up the tables already, they just need the table cloths along with chairs, and we're just finishing up on the photo op."

"Well, um, I was left in charge of flowers," I say.

"You were left in charge of flowers?"

Liam and I nod. He turns to face the front yard and whistles. "Do you have milkshakes because I'm bringing boys to the yard." Our twenty-five volunteering Bandits (though it didn't take them much to agree when they heard "sorority") appear from their hiding spots. They come marching in with bouquets, tools, supplies, and fancy graduation decorations. It's only natural that this bit of a crowd would draw a crowd from the girls inside.

Alyah draws their attention. As they gather, she hands me an imaginary baton or talking stick. Or maybe a mic? "Ah, I will probably not be as good as this as uh, Ariel is, but uh... Could I have the person hanging banners and decorations come forward?"

And through the crowd comes a five foot tall woman holding onto some graduation decorations. I send her on her way with our tallest players. I send a cluster of boys to help with tables and chairs, another group to set the flowers and tables, and another to meet me in the kitchen.

"Bowers, you studied music, right?"

"Sure did, Park."

"How comfortable are you with DJ-ing?"

"Not very, but I know a last-minute guy." Bowers pulls out his phone and starts dialing.

"Thanks, Nate."

Alyah, Elvi and Liam follow me into the kitchen. The caterers are eyeballing us, but swiftly move out of our way.

"Do you have eggs?"