AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mandy extended a hand, her grin still in place. "It's so good to finally meet you both. I'm Mandy—Lexi's college roommate and partner-in-crime."
Trying to shake off my initial wariness, I took her hand, feeling relief and embarrassment. "Sorry about the, uh, welcome. It's been an intense evening," I said.
Mandy raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with understanding and mischief. "Guessing that has something to do with the 'ready-to-fight' expressions when you opened the door?"
Luke chuckled, the tension easing out of his shoulders. "You could say that. Let's just say the evening took a turn we weren't expecting."
As the four of us settled into the living room, the earlier tension temporarily forgotten, I felt grateful for Mandy’s unexpected arrival. The distraction, the warmth of an old friend, was precisely what Lexi needed.
Still, in the back of my mind, the threat from the letter lingered, casting a shadow over the evening's newfound brightness.
Chapter Two
MANDY
The living room of the Dalton ranch was comfortably decorated with an amalgamation of old family antiques and new furnishings. It felt cozy and warm, enhanced by the soft orange glow of the table lamps. The clinking of mugs and the faint scent of herbal tea filled the room.
Jake, looking curious and bemused, took a seat opposite me. "Alright, Mandy, spill. What stories do you have on my sister?"
Lexi shot him a warning glance, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "Don't you dare."
"Oh, I've got plenty," I replied, unable to hide my mischievous grin. "Remember the campus security fiasco, Lex?"
Lexi groaned, covering her face with her hands. "You’re really going to bring that up?"
Jake leaned forward, an eager look in his eyes. "Now I definitely need to hear this."
Luke chuckled, sipping his tea, his eyes twinkling with interest. "Same here."
"Well," I began, trying to suppress my laughter, "It was one of those nights, you know, where things were just destined to get out of hand. Lexi may have indulged in a bit too much, erm, liquid courage. Campus security had caught her red-handed with a bottle."
Jake looked at his sister in mock horror. "Drinking underage? Tsk, tsk."
"Oh, it wasn’t that bad!" Lexi protested. "And I would've gotten a hefty fine if not for Mandy's, uh, brilliant diversion."
I chuckled, recalling that cold evening. "To save her ass, I decided to strip and go streaking across the quad. Security left Lexi in a flash and chased after me instead."
Luke snorted, almost spitting out his tea. "You're kidding me!"
"Dead serious," I confirmed. "I figured a naked girl running across the campus was a bigger issue than underage drinking."
Jake burst into laughter. "That's wild! Lex, you owe her big time."
"Oh, trust me," Lexi rolled her eyes, "I've repaid that debt plenty of times."
"I can vouch for that," I said, a reminiscent smile on my lips. "Like that karaoke night? The one I absolutely ruined?"
Lexi grinned, "Oh, God. I thought we'd sworn never to mention that again."
"Now you have to share," Jake insisted.
Sighing in mock resignation, I obliged. "It was a dare. I had to sing karaoke, and not just any song – 'Barbie Girl.' And let me be clear, I cannot sing."
Lexi laughed, "It was so bad that people were plugging their ears. But then, I had an idea."
"I see where this is going," Luke murmured, shaking his head.
"My brilliant sister," I pointed at Lexi, "jumped on stage, grabbed another mic, and started singing along. But not just that, she rallied the entire bar. Within minutes, everyone was singing that cringey song at the top of their lungs, turning my most embarrassing moment into one of the best memories of college." Jake leaned back, his eyes wide with surprise.
