"I broke up with him."
My eyes widen, and I lean forward to hold Sophie in a tight hug. "Oh my gosh, Soph."
When I got back from Aiden's, still on a high knowing he is also falling in love, I found Sophie crying in her room.
My heart aches for her, knowing what it is like to end a relationship. She had been with Joe for so long, and they were each other's best friends.
"You didn't break up with him because ofâ"
"Of course that's why, Brooklyn," she says in between hiccup cries. "How could I be with someone who would do that to my best friend?"
Joseph is to blame here, but I know deep down so am I. It was my video. The article was all my idea. Sophie knows it too, that it is my fault. There has to be some sort of hatred she is feeling toward me right now.
"I'm so sorry," I say.
She shakes her head. "No, no, don't apologize. It just made him show his true colors." She wipes away her tears. "I don't want to be with someone like that."
I nod. And I don't want to be someone like that.
"Do you want to watch The Proposal and eat a bunch of ice cream? I just got the Ben & Jerry's Jimmy Fallon flavor from the store."
Sophie nods, and we spend the rest of the afternoon watching Rom-Coms and eating our body-weight in ice cream and wings.
There's a knock on the apartment door. I press pause on You've Got Mail to go answer the door.
"Brooky-Bear!"
My brothers, Greg and Tommy, are standing on the other side of the door, their arms wide. Tommy picks me up in a hug and swings me around. As his idea of a hug, Greg pats my back once Tom puts me back down.
"Your hot roommate here?" Greg asks in a whisper.
I roll my eyes and whack his shoulder. "What are you guys doing here? Are Mom and Dad with you?"
"College visit," Greg says and walks right into my apartment, throwing his bag on the ground. "Mom and Dad thought it would be funny for us to surprise you."
"Hilarious, right?" Tommy grins.
I can't help but smile. "I literally can't stop laughing," I reply sarcastically.
"The twins!" Sophie cries, getting up from the couch to hug my brothers. "I finally get to meet you!"
Greg is first to hug her. He always talked about how cute she thought she was. I told him she was too old for him and definitely would not be down to date my younger brother. "You are even more beautiful in person."
"Thank you," she says with a laugh before turning to hug Tommy. "Brook, you didn't tell me they were coming."
"I had no idea," I say and raise my hands innocently.
"What do you guys want to do today?" Sophie asks, suddenly in a much perkier mood.
Tommy and Greg look at each other and grin.
"Frat party," they say simultaneously.
A few hours later, in what feels like a fever dream, I'm walking toward the STD house with my two younger brothers and my recently singled best friend.
This will be an interesting night.
Despite all the trouble with the video, they are still throwing a party. It's informal rush season now, and according to Aiden there is no choice but to continue to throw parties.
"Who do you know?" A new member in chubbies (even in this cold winter weather) greets us at the front door.
"Aiden," I say flatly.
His eyes widen. "Oh my gosh! You're Brooklyn? It's- it's an honor!"
"Yes, yes, it's the First Lady, move out of the way," Sophie says and pushes her way in the door. Those Fireball shots she took before we left are definitely kicking in.
"What does she mean by First Lady?" Tommy asks.
I shrug and just let the blasting music distract my brother from prodding about the fact that I have a boyfriend I haven't told my family about. Yet.
"I'm going to go find Aiden," I whisper to Sophie. "I'll be right back. You'll be okay?"
She nods. "Okay!"
"Where can I get a drink?" Greg asks, screaming over the music.
"Follow me, children!" Sophie says and waves her hand over.
I make my way to the staircase and walk up to Aiden's floor. I'm slightly out of breath and take a minute to gather myself before heading to his room. His bedroom door is shut, so I knock twice.
The door swings, and Aiden stands on the other side with a smile. "Hi," he says and leans forward to give me a kiss. "I was just wrapping up some studying before heading down. Give me like 5 mins. You can chill on the bed."
"How can you even study with this noise?" I ask with a laugh, pulling myself up onto his bed.
"How can I even study with you looking so good?" He says with a boyish grin, hopping up to join me in his bed. "There's another way I'd rather spend the next five minuteâ"
"My brothers are here," I interrupt.
"What? Right now?"
I nod. "Right now. In this house."
"Well," he pauses for a moment, "they're not in this room, so..."
I laugh. "Aiden! I can't leave Sophie downstairs with my twin brothers. This is probably their first time drinking!"
He gives me a look. "Brook, there's no way. They're seniors!"
"Okay, well, there's one other thing."
He raises his eyebrows.
"I haven't told them about you."
"Oh."
"You're mad," I conclude.
"I'm not mad." He sighs. "Of course you'd be embarrassed to tell your family about me, your hazing, STD President Frat star boyfriend, headlong all the news!"
"That's not it, Aiden," I say, although I don't really have any explanation for why I haven't told my family. "I'm just... I'm just not close with them."
"Brook, it's all cool," he says. "I get it."
I frown. I can just tell he's upset based on his expression. He told his mom about me before we were even officially dating.
"I want you to meet them," I say with a smile. "They're going to love you!"
â¢â¢â¢
"We love him!" Tommy yells into my ear, his breath wreaking with cheap vodka.
Greg and Aiden are on the makeshift dance floor. Tommy runs out to dance with them. I can't help but feel a warm-fuzzy feeling in my stomach to see Aiden getting along so well with my younger brothers. It's weird.
I take a sip of the terribly made cocktail some freshman made me and glance around the room for Sophie. The twins said she started flirting with some guy and left them by the bar cart.
I shoot her a text to ask her where she went. We usually stick together at frat parties since frat boys generally cannot be trusted.
"I'm going to look for Sophie!" I tell Aiden. "Stay here with the twins. I'll be right back!"
He hits the whoa and says, "sure thing!"
I bump into drunk frat boys and sorority girls, looking for Sophie. She's wearing a black top and light wash jeans... and so is every other girl at this party.
My phone buzzes with a text. It's not from Sophie. It's from Joseph. I roll my eyes and put my phone in my back pocket.
I don't want to speak to Joseph right now. He is probably so angry with me, especially now that Sophie has broken up with him. He's going to say it's all my fault. And, well, it might be.
"C'mon, Soph," I whisper to myself, "where are you?"
Just when I thought I searched the whole first floor, I see Sophie. She's not alone.
I squint my eyes to figure out who she is with, but it is surprisingly hard to make out faces when two people are making out.
Oh my god.
"Bradley?"
I drop my red solo cup to the ground.