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noise in the kitchen. I rolled off the couch onto the floor.
    When I finally peeled my eyes open, someone was hovering above me, wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a T-shirt.
    I blinked my eyes into focus.
    “Hungry?” Alexa asked.
    “Huh?”
    “Are you hungry? Mia’s making breakfast.”
    I sat up. Damn, my head felt like a bowling ball. “Not hungry.”
    She crouched down, her long, dark hair resting on my arm. Somehow, I’d lost my shirt during the night.
    “Here, let me help you up.” She held out her hand, but I swatted it away.
    “I’m fine.” I already had morning wood; I didn’t need her making it worse for me.
    “Just trying to help.” She stood back up and sat cross-legged on the couch.
    Mia came prancing in the living room. “Whoa, you look like shit.”
    “Why the hell are you two up so early?” I grumbled.
    “Early?” Mia plopped down on the couch next to Alexa. “It’s after eleven. Stop sleeping your life away.”
    “It’s called a hangover,” I said. “And your cheerfulness is just making it worse.”
    “Not my fault.” She bounced off the couch again and headed back into the kitchen. The girl couldn’t stay still.
    “Have fun last night?” Alexa asked.
    I found my shirt tucked in one of the couch cushions and pulled it over my head. “Probably.”
    “You don’t remember?”
    I sat down next to her. She didn’t have any makeup on. At least, it didn’t look like she did. She never looked like she did. But I liked that about her. “Why do you care?”
    “I don’t,” she replied with an edge to her voice. “I just feel bad for her.”
    “Who?”
    “The girl you managed to get alone last night.”
    “Jealous?” I couldn’t help myself. She made it so easy, and I got off a little on making her squirm.
    She let out a little snort. “You wish.”
    I slouched down further into the couch. She thought I was an asshole. I got it. She made a point to remind m e of that every time I saw her.
    “She didn’t seem to mind,” I added.
    “Had to be Devin Miller,” Mia shouted from the kitchen. She came back in the room with two bowls of cereal and handed one to Alexa.
    “Where’s my bowl?” I complained.
    “You said you weren’t hungry,” Mia said.
    I reached for her bowl, but she slapped my hand away.
    Alexa handed me hers. I took a few bites before handing it back to her. She’s the only girl I knew who could insult me and be nice to me in the same five minute timespan. It made me fucking dizzy.
    “Devin Miller?” Alexa repeated. “That couldn’t have been too much of a challenge.”
    I almost laughed out loud. But that would have meant agreeing with her, which was out of the question.
    “Great, Ricky. Another friend who’ll never talk to me again,” Mia said.
    “You know,” Alexa added. “Keep this up and pretty soon you’re going to run out of options.”
    “There are always options.” I gave her a wide smile. She mocked my cockiness by making a face. “And it’s not my fault they don’t talk to you anymore,” I said to Mia.
    “Not your fault?” Mia scoffed. “Maybe if you called them after you slept with them, I could have more of a social life.”
    “You got Alexa here. Isn’t that enough?”
    “It’s only a matter of time,” Mia said with a mouth full of food.

     
     

Chapter Two
December
     
    “Oh my God.”
    I c ouldn’t tell if Mia’s reaction was good or bad.
    Her and Mom stood next to each other, both of their mouths hanging open.
    “What?” I asked, looking down at my clothes.
    “Honey…” Mom’s voice cracked. A few tears wet her sunken eyes. “You look so handsome.”
    I felt like a fucking idiot. I hadn’t worn a suit in years.
    “Seriously,” Mia said. “You look amazing.”
    “Thanks.”
    “When’s your date coming?” Mom asked.
    “I’m not bringing a date.” I could have, but that would have limited my opportunities. And I could have none of that. I didn’t even want to go to this stupid Snowflake,