Social Experiment

17 | New Years Kiss

Posting two chapters in one day because this is my favorite and I needed to share
Enjoy :)
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"Brian canceled!" Stephanie screeches the second I open my front door and seconds later, she barges in with a panicked look on her face. "What are we going to do?!"

I, however, frown at her in confusion. "Who's Brian?" 

She wails, "The guy who was supposed to throw the party tonight! You know, with the frat boys and basketball players."

Recognition dawns on my blank expression as I shut the door behind her and follow her into the kitchen. Luke was sitting at the counter eating cereal but straightened up when he caught sight of Stephanie's distress. She marched over to the counter and grabbed an apple from the produce basket before biting into it angrily.

"Hey Stephanie," Luke greets happily. "What's wrong?"

As Stephanie is chewing, she glances over at me with sad eyes and silently asks me to explain. So I look to Luke and say, "Our plans fell through for tonight."

Luke's brow furrowed. "Brett isn't having his party?"

I open my mouth to explain further, but Stephanie's exasperated voice cries, "Brian!"

"Who the hell is Brian?" Luke asks in confusion.

"Stephanie's friend from Drexel," I explain quickly, seeing as she became dramatic again as she took another angry bite into the apple. "There were going to be frat boys or something." And then I pause. "Did you just say Brett's having a party?"

Luke nods encouragingly. "Yeah, all the guys on the team are going to be there. That's where I'm headed tonight."

At the mention of Brett's party, I vaguely remember a text from Brett on Christmas night, right before I passed out in bed. I pull my phone from my pocket to confirm my suspicions and see his invitation in my message inbox. I felt bad that I didn't answer him but looked up at Stephanie with an encouraging smile. 

"We could go," I nudge her shoulder. "He invited us, anyway."

I leave out the part about not answering his invitation and decide to text him later. Relief flooded Stephanie's face as she considered the option, and Luke nodded again quickly.

"It's going to be better than some stupid college party with frat douchebags," Luke points out begrudgingly. 

I can't help but roll my eyes at my little brother and instead tell her, "Justin will probably be there."

Stephanie grins. "Alright, then it's settled. We're going to Brett's."

At the mention of Justin, Luke scrunches his nose in disgust. "Justin Jones? Are you hooking up with that idiot again?"

"Who's hooking up with Justin Jones?" I turn to see Cole standing in the doorway with a heavy jacket still covering his body and a gray beanie firmly on his head. His cheeks were red from the cold but his eyes were narrowed as they darted back and forth between Luke and I for an answer.

"Nobody!" Stephanie throws her hands up in the air in exasperation. "We've just been talking. That's all."

"Good," Luke and Cole huff in unison.