This was not me. I didn’t care about college parties. If I’d been to one before, it was because someone forced me or tricked me into going. I would’ve needed to be promised Taco Bell on the way home, and maybe I would’ve tried to go in my pajamas. A good fluffy robe was hella sexy.

Ryan’s eyes snapped to mine.

Tom’s eyes went round. “What?”

Ryan studied me a moment, as if he were looking for something I wasn’t sure was there. I don’t know whether he found it or not, but he turned to Nick. “Would that be okay with Ben, if we went with them?”

“Um . . .” Nick’s lip twisted.

“Let me ask him,” I suggested. Okay, then. I was throwing all caution to the wind.

The guys glanced at each other, and another round of: what the fuck am I doing? circulated my head.

I didn’t even think Willow would’ve done this, or maybe she would have. Maybe she wouldn’t have been happy with tackling the seniors. She might’ve moved on to college guys. I knew she’d started talking to one before we moved. Duke didn’t know it, but he’d been about to be dumped. Sorry, Duke.

I wanted . . . something different.

Apparently, a college party was it for me.

“Nah. Um . . .” Nick frowned. “I’ll text him quick.” He glanced at Ryan before adding more quietly, “I can tell him you’re coming.”

Ryan’s jaw clenched, and he jerked up a shoulder. “That’s fine.”

I glanced between the two, noticing how quiet everyone else got. “Uh, what’s going on?”

They all looked at Ryan, who shook his head briefly. “It’s nothing. Ben’s a big b-ball fan. He’ll want to shoot the shit with me for a bit.”

“Oh.” There was more. I could tell, but after a quick scan, I could tell no one would speak on it. Some unspoken situation had just materialized, and I wasn’t in on it.

Nick’s phone beeped a second later.

“Yeah.” He looked around the room. “He said we could go, but we gotta move now.”

The guys flew around, preparing to change from their trunks to their regular clothes. They forgot I was in the room until Ryan snapped at them. Tom and Nick’s hands were pushing their swim shorts down, and they froze.

I threw up a hand and looked at the floor. “I’m good. I’ll grab some clothes and get ready downstairs.”

“Hey.” Ryan followed me into the hallway, making sure his door was shut. “You sure about this?”

I jerked up a shoulder. “I think it’s safe to say I’m up for anything right about now.”

Robbie was going to his new school this week. I’d be going to mine.

Who the fuck cared? Right?

“Mackenzie . . .”

I clipped my head to the side. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“If you’re sure.” His eyes were heavy with concern, and the look warmed me, but he was talking to me like I was normal.

Normal died in my twin sister’s puddle of blood.

I slipped away, grabbing some clothes from my suitcase in his truck. I’d planned on using a random downstairs bathroom, but the entire first floor was crowded. The guys were still in Ryan’s room, so I looked around, seeing Peach’s door open.

Sorry, Peach, but I’m about to use your shit.

I ducked in. After dressing, I went to her bathroom. She could sue me; I didn’t give a rat’s ass. I used some of her stuff, putting product in my hair, and I went through her makeup too.

We were going to a college party. I had to look the part.

When I finished, I’d aged five years. Heavy eyeliner and eye shadow helped the image.

I pulled on a pair of jean shorts, and I undid one button to shimmy them down an inch on my hips. There. That completed the look.

Ryan and his friends were at the front door, and when Ryan caught sight of me, his eyes rounded, darkening.

“Whoa.” Pete actually took a step toward me. “You’re fucking hot, Mackenzie.”

Nick snorted and hit him in the arm. “Real smooth, Peepee.”

“Shut up—and what?” Pete gestured to me. “She is.”

“You have to say it in a nice way, a way that doesn’t make us think you’re creeping on Ryan’s girl.”

Pete looked from Ryan to me, his brows furrowing. “Um . . .”

Ryan only raised an eyebrow; his lips remained shut.

Pete’s face reddened, and he coughed. “Mackenzie, you are—”

I snorted, waving at him. “Please stop. We all look good. Let’s leave it at that.”

A satisfied smile settled on his face.

I looked at Nick and narrowed my eyes. “You, on the other hand . . .” He called me Ryan’s girl. I should correct him, but after a quick glance at Ryan, I didn’t want to. He was staring steadily at me, his eyes heated.

Yep. He was totally affecting me, and I coughed. “Are we ready?”

The guys took off out the front door.