The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Thirty-Three: Pre-Game

The soft buzz of Alessia's phone vibrated against her desk, interrupting the silence of her dorm. She was sprawled out on her bed, flipping idly through a magazine she'd picked up from the student lounge earlier in the day. Across the room, Riley was in his usual spot-lounging on the couch, controller in hand, playing a video game with Beau on speakerphone.

Alessia glanced at her phone screen. A text from her classmate, Faye, lit up.

Party tonight at Phi Delta. You in?
She typed out a quick response.
Definitely. See you there!

"Hey, Ri," she called out, sitting up and tossing the magazine aside. "There's a party at Phi Delta tonight. You down?"

Riley paused his game, glancing over at her, mildly intrigued. "A frat party? What, you suddenly feeling the whole chaotic college experience?"

Alessia rolled her eyes but smiled. "Maybe I just need a night of chaos. You in or what?"

Riley smirked but shot her a glance, one that was a bit more serious than usual. "Yeah, alright. But don't expect me to bail you out if things get too wild."

"Oh, please, I'm the responsible one." She smirked before grabbing her phone again. "Should we tell Beau?"

Riley hesitated, his fingers drumming briefly on the controller. "Yeah, sure. But he'll probably sit it out with that wrist."

Alessia raised an eyebrow at his sudden shift. "You don't think he'll want to come?"

"He'll want to, yeah. But, I don't know... I'd rather he didn't push himself for a party." Riley's tone had a protective edge to it, but he shrugged like it was no big deal.

Alessia gave him a knowing look but didn't push it. "Right. Well, let's get ready."

About an hour later, the dorm had taken on the frantic energy of pre-party preparations. Alessia rifled through her closet, trying to decide on the right balance of cute but not trying too hard. Riley, meanwhile, kept glancing at her over his shoulder as he flicked through the channels on TV.

"I never know what to wear to these things," she muttered, tossing a top onto the pile of rejects at the foot of her bed.

Riley smirked. "It's a frat party, Alessia. Just pick something comfortable. You know, something you won't regret when someone spills beer all over it."

"Gee, thanks for the advice," Alessia shot back sarcastically, though she couldn't help but laugh. "But seriously, what are you wearing?"

Riley glanced down at his own jeans and plain T-shirt, then back at her. "This, probably."

She gave him a skeptical look. "You're no help."

He just shrugged, leaning back, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Better than showing up like you're trying too hard."

Alessia huffed, pulling another top from her closet. "Fine, whatever. But if Beau's wearing something nicer than you, I'm going to laugh."

Riley's expression softened slightly at the mention of Beau, though he quickly masked it. "If he's smart, he'll stick to something easy. No one's dressing up for this."

---

Once they were finally ready, the trio made their way out of the dorm together. Beau, true to form, had shown up wearing jeans and a simple hoodie, his wrist still wrapped but looking better. Riley walked a step closer to Alessia than usual, casting a quick glance toward Beau every now and then, as if making sure he wasn't overdoing it.

"You're sure you're good for this?" Riley asked Beau as they reached the street. His tone was casual, but Alessia could hear the protective undercurrent.

Beau grinned, raising his good hand. "I'm fine, man. I'm not planning on getting into any fights or anything."

Alessia laughed. "Yeah, just make sure you avoid the punch. It's probably lethal."

"Noted," Beau said with a wink.

Riley rolled his eyes but stayed quiet, his attention flicking between them and the path ahead, like he was already planning for whatever the night might throw their way.

As they approached the frat house, the thumping bass of the music could be heard from down the street. The party was in full swing, students spilling out onto the lawn, drinks in hand, and laughter echoing through the air.

"You guys ready?" Alessia asked, the excitement bubbling in her chest.

Riley shoved his hands into his pockets. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Beau nudged him with his elbow. "Come on, loosen up. It's just a party."

"Yeah, yeah," Riley muttered, though a small smile broke through. "Just don't blame me when it turns into a disaster."

Alessia grinned, linking her arm with Beau's. "Relax, we'll make sure you have fun."

And with that, they headed into the chaos of the night.