Page 6 of The Upside of Falling
“Eeee!” Ryan cheers. “This is so exciting. Thank you. I swear you’re going to have fun.”
“I better or you’re going to be buying pancakes for the next couple of weeks.”
“Deal.” Taking a sip from her water bottle, she scans my closet and asks, “What are you going to wear and can I borrow something?”
Figures. I wouldn’t expect anything less from my best friend.
“Leggings and boots. The top is yet to be determined at this point.”
“You’re not going to wear a dress?” Ryan curls her lip at me.
Gesturing toward the window, I say, “It’s thirty degrees out. It will be at least ten degrees colder in the mountains. There is no way in hell I’m wearing a dress. I’m going to go for the wholecute ski bunny drinking hot chocolate at the lodgelook.”
Eyes widened, a robotic nod to her head, Ryan says, “Yes, that will be super hot actually. Oh, wear your light grey off-the-shoulder sweater. That thing is killer.”
Hmm . . . she’s right, it is killer. I very well might wear it.
Chapter Three
COLBY
“No way, you got him to come?” Hardie walks up to me and claps me on the back, Joey following closely behind.
Looking like a cocky motherfucker, Stryder puffs out his chest and says, “Told you I was a Colby whisperer.”
Shaking her head at me, disbelief etched in her eyes, Joey says, “I can’t believe he convinced you to come.”
“Looks like he got to you, too,” I mutter, taking in the house around me.
It’s massive. The grand entrance opens up to a warm and inviting living room, a cobblestone rock-faced fireplace climbing the height of the wall. An open-concept kitchen decked out in natural oak is to the right, brimming with partygoers all holding red cups in their hands. Windows span the back of the house, a deck lit with lanterns and heaters hangs off the rear, and a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs provides a convenient place to sit and roast marshmallows.
I come from a very humble upbringing, and this house is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Until now, the nicest house I’ve ever been in was Stryder’s, but Tom has him beat. Big time.
Poking me in the side, Joey says, “You have to live at some point, Colby. I’m glad you decided to come out.”
Sticking my hands in my pockets, I take a look around, trying to see if I recognize anyone. Hardie and Joey went to the same high school, so they’ve been friends for a while. Stryder went to Coronado, while I, unfortunately, went to William J. Palmer. Not sure many kids from William J. will be here. Feeling a little out of place, I follow everyone to the kitchen where we get drinks.
For a split second, I consider grabbing a water but think better of it, not wanting to be on the other end of the ribbing of my friends, instead I go for a cup of beer straight from the keg.
Hardie and Joey break off, running into someone from high school, leaving me alone with Stryder. I like it that way, the less people the better. Even though Hardie and Joey are my good friends, I can feel their watchful eyes on me and it’s fucking annoying.
“Not bad, huh?” Stryder says, taking a sip of his beer next to me. “This place is dope. I wonder how many bedrooms it has.”
Above the grand room, there is a breezeway that connects both sides of the house, most likely leading to the bedrooms and bathrooms.
“Not sure, but I bet they’ll be full tonight.”
Stryder nudges me with his elbow. “Think you’ll be in one of them?”
“No. No distractions.” I sip my beer as Stryder laughs.
“Jesus, dude, might do you some good to occupy one of those damn rooms. Come on.” He nods toward the balcony. “Let’s check outside.”
The grand room has a plush sectional wrapping around the space, a matching ottoman in the middle, all covered with people. Some girls are sitting on guys’ laps, some are bundled up close to their friends, some are a little shy, trying to join in on the conversation.
None grab my attention.
Not that I’m looking.
