A Letter to You

senior year: day one, before the date

Dylan drove noticeably slower on the way home from school, and though you didn't mention it, you made sure to offer him a grateful smile when you slipped out of the backseat. He simply winked at you before looping his arm around Maddie's waist and following behind the blonde as she tugged him into the house, the rest of you in tow.

"Oh!" your aunt said as the five of you barged through the front door. "How was everyone's first day?"

"Oh, mom! Just wait until you hear this!" Maddie started excitedly.

You groaned, throwing a hand over your face. "Maddie!" you whined. Still, no complaining was enough to make the blonde girl stop as she started to talk about your upcoming date with Mikey, and when she was only halfway done, you sighed. "I'm going upstairs." You turned to the others. "Anyone care to come?"

They all nodded fervently, knowing how Maddie could get when she started to ramble about something, and followed you upstairs into the guest bedroom—well, your bedroom.

You flopped back onto your bed, letting the mattress swallow you, and watched as the others walked around the room. They must've been in there a million times each, you figured, but you were sure it had changed a little bit to make room for your arrival.

"I've never seen this room so clean," Dylan said.

Emma nodded. "It's usually filled with a bunch of Maddie's stuff." She glanced at you, smiling. "Wonder what she did with everything."

"Knowing Maddie," Jenna began, sitting on your bed with a huff, "she probably shoved all that shit into her closet. Bet you ten bucks that if we opened her doors, it'd all come tumbling out." You ignored the warmth of the girl's thigh pressing against yours and sat up, shuffling over a little.

"No need to bet, because you're right." You chuckled. "Went in there the other day to grab a shirt, and I literally fell over from the amount of random shit that fell out."

Dylan barked out a laugh and Emma giggled, but Jenna's attention was elsewhere, her gaze trained on the space between your legs. Is she...disappointed? you thought. No, of course not. You shook your head and rid yourself of the thought.

"So, should we get started on what you guys came over for?" you asked, standing from your bed and walking toward your own closet. You opened it, reveling in the fact that it was much more organized than your cousin's.

Dylan plopped down on the bed like he owned it, sprawling out. "I think we should wait for Mads," he said, staring at the ceiling. He rolled over, holding his head up with his hand. "She'd probably be pissed if we started without her."

Emma chuckled and sat down, resting her chin on Jenna's shoulder. "Yeah, but that'll probably take like an hour." She pointed at your closet. "Show us a few options."

You nodded, pulling out a few tops, dresses, pants, skirts. Emma 'oohed' and 'ahhed' at each of them, Dylan kept the same shit-eating grin on his face the entire time, and Jenna just...watched. It was almost eerie, the way she didn't comment on anything or make suggestions. She just sat there, staring at you blankly.

"You guys started without me?!" Maddie huffed when she finally joined you. She sat on the bed in front of Dylan, and the boy wrapped himself around her like a snake. "So not fair!"

"We didn't make any choices yet, M," you said. "Just showing them what I've got."

Your cousin hummed. "Well, we don't even know what Mikey has planned, so we should shoot for not too formal but also not too casual." She stood and joined you, pulling a dress from your closet. "Like this!"

"Oh, that's cute!" Emma said, nodding.

"You know," Dylan began, "odds are Mikey takes you to her parents' restaurant downtown. It's this cute, little Italian place with really good food, and she gets to eat for free, obviously. Plus, it's all low-lighting and candles, which is great for a first date."

"That'd be a little cliche, don't you think?" Jenna grumbled, talking for the first time since you started showing off your clothes. You glanced at her, furrowing your eyebrows at the frown on her face. She just doesn't like Mikey, you thought. That's all it is. Nothing more.

Maddie lit up. "You're right, Jen, but Mikey is cliche. She does everything by the books." You ignore the mumble that slipped from Jenna's lips. "So, Dyl's probably right; you're definitely going to Ama Molto tonight."

Emma squealed. "That'll be so cute! Ama Molto is, like, literally the most romantic restaurant in town."

"It's not that nice," Jenna muttered. No one replied.

"Okay," Maddie said, clapping. "What time are you guys going out tonight?"

"Uh, six, I think."

"And what time is it?" she asked, looking at her friends.

Dylan grabbed his phone, glanced at the clock. "3:30," he said.

Your cousin's eyes widened. "We only have two-and-a-half hours?!" She whirled around and grabbed you by the shoulders. "We have to get started now!"

author's note: im horrible. i am so bad at keeping up with this book. i am so sorry.

-bingwriterxo