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I plant myself back on the couch and start watching The Challenge on MTV. Fifteen minutes later, my roommate opens the door to her boyfriend. She kisses him hello while I remove the cardboard boxes from his grasp. The smell of cheese and garlic fills the space when I lift the lid.
I kiss Chase’s cheek when he detangles from Oakley.
“What was that for?” He smirks.
“For feeding me. And for remembering the cheese sticks.”
Everyone knows I love fried mozzarella. A slice of pizza just isn’t the same without fried cheese and some dipping sauces on the side.
“What are we watching?” he asks as we all fill our plates and grab sodas from the fridge.
“The Challenge,” I say.
“As long as it’s not one of those dating reality shows,” he grumbles.
Oakley and I laugh. Chase came over recently when I was watching Love Island. Needless to say, he wasn’t a fan.
He said, and I quote, “What is this shit?”
I side-eye him as I slide the remote a safe distance down the coffee table until it’s resting in front of me. This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve fought over what to watch on television. Chase and the guys always have something sports-related on the screen. I love athletics as much as they do. I’ll be the first one to put a game on. But I can only take so much of the sports talk shows.
We eat and watch the episode and then transition right into the next one. My phone pings with a new text when the group is gearing up for another physical challenge on the screen.
Connor: Are you out tonight?
I wait a couple of minutes before answering. I don’t want him to think I was waiting by the phone for him to message me.
Me: I’m at home.
Connor: Come to Cheerz. Frosty Trio is playing.
Frosty Trio is a band that plays the college circuit. It’s three local guys who got together to form a group. They’re popular at Sinclair, so I’m sure Cheerz will be packed again tonight.
Me: Okay. I’ll meet you there in an hour.
He sends back a winky face.
“Anyone interested in going out tonight?” I ask, glancing over at Oakley and Chase. They’re currently cuddled up on the furniture, and Oakley’s whispering something close to Chase’s ear. “Never mind,” I say with a smile, already knowing the answer.
“I think I’m good right here,” Chase answers, pulling my bestie further into his side.
I make a gagging motion with my finger in my mouth at their cuteness. “You two are nauseating.”
They both smile at me, completely content to be alone together, and confirming that I’ve lost them for the rest of the evening. I walk into my bedroom and spend the next thirty minutes getting ready. Oakley whistles when I reemerge. She’s in the kitchenette, getting another drink. She licks the tip of her finger and makes a sizzling sound when she touches my shoulder.
“Does that mean I look hot?” I ask her, fishing for a compliment.
“Straight fire!” she answers.
I can always count on Oakley to be my hype girl even if I’ve lost her as a wingwoman.
I summon a rideshare, and almost an hour after receiving Connor’s text, I arrive at Cheerz. The parking lot is bursting at the seams with vehicles, the overflow spilling onto the street and in front of the nearby businesses that are closed for the day. The acoustic sounds of Frosty Trio can be heard outside, and the music only grows louder when I tug the heavy wooden door open. There’s a crowd of mostly women surrounding the stage. I rise to my tiptoes, searching for a familiar face, but don’t see any. So, I start forging my way through the masses, deciding I’ll run into someone I know at some point.
“Madison!” a girl yells.
I stop to hug her, recognizing her from my English class. We talk for a few minutes, and then I start weaving through the masses again.
I pause, and the air is momentarily sucked from my lungs when I see Ollie standing at the back. I haven’t seen him since we all had lunch together the day after the Sigma Chi party.
