HENRY

NORMALLY I DON’T LOVE OUR Christmas party, but this year it feels diIerent.

Robbie has relaxed a little with his party antics since starting grad school. I know he has a lot of work on his plate as well as trying to prove to Faulkner and the college board that he’s responsible enough for a permanent job at the end of the year. We’re still having our normal fancy dress party, but he hasn’t gone over- the-top the way he has in previous years.

He says it shows maturity and didn’t like when I said it seemed like poor time management, since he forgot to order the decorations by the cutoI.

That said, our house still looks like Michael Bublé himself threw up on it. Michael—and I’ve been forced to listen to him enough that I feel like I can call him by his 1rst name—has been playing for the past week. In between exams, we slowly decorated the house to meet Robbie’s standards. Lola tried to help, but she’s easily distracted and not great at taking directions. Ironic for someone who wants a career on stage. I immediately banished Aurora and Poppy for similar traits, but Halle, Cami, and Emilia were very helpful.

I’m already drunk when guests start showing up, which makes everyone patting me on the back for our recently improved game performance more tolerable. People keep stopping to say hi to me and chat while I’m trying to mix a punch bowl for Halle. Multiple women I’ve hooked up with keep trying to talk to me. I have been politely telling them I’m not available, which results in their faces dropping before walking oI.

Sure, I might not technically have a girlfriend, but I’m de1nitely not available, and the person I’m not available with really likes this punch I’m trying

to concentrate on.

After people we know had their drinks spiked a couple of months ago, we stopped making random shared drinks, but tonight is the exception because I’m going to guard it with my life.

Cami is coming and it’s her 1rst party since October, so we have a system to keep drinks separate from the rest of the party to help her feel comfortable. Poppy has stopped drinking alcohol altogether after she said she found herself panicking as soon as it started to have an eIect on her.

Russ leans against the counter beside me. “Breaking hearts isn’t very Christmasy.”

The only thing I’ve broken today is the mistletoe above the front door. That went straight into the trash. There’s no way I was giving one of the guys the opportunity to kiss Halle when she gets here. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s, like, three women outside comparing conspiracy theories about why you’re not paying attention to them.” He sips his beer to stop himself from laughing. “They might need a support group once they see that post.”

“Why is everyone around me so annoying?”

I woke up this morning to a million messages in our group chat because the insidious UCMH gossip page posted me kissing Halle after her exam yesterday. I didn’t look at it properly because I don’t care, but Halle was very embarrassed until I reminded her that she isn’t allowed to be embarrassed with me.

I add the 1nal pour of vodka and grab us a cup to test it. When Russ takes a sip and his eye twitches and face tightens, I realize I forgot to add in the orange and pineapple juice, and I’ve basically given him lemon-Ravored liquor. “My bad, buddy.”

“I feel like my tongue is sweating. Is that possible?”

“It’s the lemon… Or maybe the tequila and vodka, I can’t be sure,” I say, laughing at the way his face is twisting.

“Not to make this weird, but I’m glad you have your spark back after that bad time,” Russ says, and that’s when I realize he’s a little buzzed, too. “You’re a great friend and a great captain.”

“Why are you making things weird?” I ask.

He rubs the back of his neck with the palm of his hand, then pretends to 1x his Santa hat. “I’ve said it now so there’s no going back. I’m just gonna go wait for Rory to show up and for Robbie to announce the game.”

If Halle blushes occasionally, then Russ blushes often. All the way to the tips of his ears. I’m not a huge fan of heart-to-hearts—they always feel awkward and unnecessary—but I believe it takes a lot to start one. “Thanks for saying it. I appreciate it.”

Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for the girls to show up. Halle told me her favorite part of doing anything now is getting ready; she always wanted a big group of girlfriends she could do things with and now she has one.

I can see the white halo on her head bobbing through the crowd as she makes her way toward me in the kitchen. Her white dress stops halfway down her thighs, and she has white feathered wings poking out on her back.

“Are you a Quack Efron?” I ask, looking her up and down.

She throws her arms around my neck and kisses me, which catches me oI guard more than anything. When she leans back and looks up at me, I realize that she’s buzzed. She told me earlier that it’s my job not to let her get drunk so she doesn’t turn into a hungover nightmare. It’s a plan I can get on board with. “A duck? I’m an angel!”

Aurora appears behind her dressed in green. “And what are you?” I ask her. “I’m a Christmas tree, duh.” She motions to her green dress like I was

somehow supposed to get that from just looking at her.

“You both look great for a chicken and a plant.” Emilia and Poppy appear behind them with Cami and I try to guess what their out1ts are supposed to be before I have to go through this again. “Are you two supposed to be dominoes?”

Emilia snorts, but Poppy, who I assume oversaw costumes judging by her reaction, looks oIended. “We’re snow women!”

I 1nally look at Cami and I want to give up immediately. “Did you get into patchwork quilting during your partying hiatus?”

“I’m clearly Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas.” She folds her arms

across her chest. “What are you supposed to be?”

“First of all, that’s a Halloween movie.” I point to the same hat I’ve been wearing for three Christmases. “And I’m obviously Santa.”

The 1ve of them stare at me with the same expression, but I can’t place what it is. Respect, maybe? Awe and wonder? Halle’s arms leave my neck and travel down my body until she reaches the hem of my shirt and pulls it out. “You’re not even wearing a costume.”

I shrug. “I’m an undercover Santa. I’m checking if the information I have on my list is correct—or something.”

“You’re Santa’s auditor.” Aurora’s head shakes slowly. “Unbelievable and yet so on brand. Props to you for your consistent dedication to the bare minimum.”

“I go above and beyond where it matters.”

“So I’ve heard, lover boy,” she says, and Halle slowly turns to look at her.

I look across the 1ve of them. “Did nobody think to be the Spice Girls? Well, Christmas Spice Girls?”

“How on earth do you know who the Spice Girls are?” Aurora says, shaking

her head.

I think she’s irritated I saw the resemblance when she didn’t. I don’t know how they missed it, considering they all 1t the bill perfectly. “I played with JJ for two years. You don’t make it out of that experience without knowing who the Spice Girls are.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? That would’ve been such a good out1t.”

“I can’t do everything for you, Aurora. I was busy coming up with my own out1t. At least you have something for Halloween now. Which is lucky, since Cami is already wearing her Halloween out1t.”

“You’re not even wearing a costu— No. Never mind,” Aurora says, interrupting herself. “Y’know what, it’s Christmas. I’m not letting you get a rise out of me for your own amusement. I’m going to 1nd my boyfriend because I bet he can tell I’m a tree.”

“He’s in the den,” I say, nodding toward the adjoining room. “He’s also an undercover Santa.”

“Uh, not if I have anything to do with it,” she says as she walks oI.

I explain the drinks situation and try to reassure the rest of them that they’ll have a good, safe time. Emilia, Poppy, and Cami thank me and follow Aurora to the den, leaving me alone with Halle.

“You look beautiful,” I tell her. “The most beautiful swan I’ve ever seen.”

She pins me with a look as she shu es her wings. “Oh, so I’m a swan now? I wanted to be a donkey, but I wasn’t allowed. Apparently, a donkey wouldn’t make you fall to your knees and be overcome with desire. Because that’s something that’s important.”

“Aurora says weird stuI sometimes.”

“Oh, it wasn’t Aurora. It was Jaiden. He called Emilia while I was there and wanted to know what my out1t was.”

Her eyes Rutter closed as I run my 1nger beneath where her cheekbones are shimmering under the lights and tuck her hair behind her ear. Something I do because I like to hear the way she tries to steady her breathing when I touch her unexpectedly. “We should really have a rule about listening to JJ about anything.”

She looks down at her dress then back up at me innocently. “I guess you’re right. It de1nitely didn’t make you fall to your knees.”

“I’ve wanted to get on my knees for you from the second you walked in, but it wasn’t because of your dress. It’s because of how much I like making you come.”

Her cheeks turn red immediately, and I feel a kind of smug satisfaction from getting a reaction out of her. “It amazes me how you can go from sweetly reassuring our friends that their drinks will stay safe to this in under 1ve minutes.”

I pick up the punch bowl and ladle from the counter and start walking toward the den with her. “You’d be amazed what I can achieve in under 1ve minutes.”

THE HOUSE PARTY HAS OVERSPILLED into the garden, and it feels like every person at UCMH is in our house right now.

I took a seat on the couch in the den and put the punch bowl on the table beside me earlier, and it’s where I’ve stayed. I’ve noticed that now Halle is with me, people don’t talk to me as much because they all want to talk to her.

I love it.

If anyone tries to include me by asking me a question, I defer to my little social butterRy and I’m back in the safety zone again. The only bad part is when she gets up to use the bathroom and I have an unestablished amount of time to fend for myself. She goes with her friends, and they take a fucking lifetime.

Mattie drops into the seat beside me. “Did you know about this?” “De1ne this.”

Mattie gestures to Robbie on the other side of the room talking to a more animated than normal Bobby. “There’s no game!”

“So?”

Robbie follows Bobby across to where we’re sitting, rolling his eyes dramatically. “He’s not joking,” Bobby says as he throws himself onto the couch, making it shake.

“I feel like I’m missing an important part of what’s happening,” I say, looking between my feuding friends.

“There’s no game,” Robbie and Bobby say at the same time.

I try hard to understand what’s happening with the various grievances I’m made aware of on a day-to-day basis. Nate played mediator and now it falls to me, but this one has me totally lost. “So?”

“If there’s no game, what’s the point? Why are we all even here?” Mattie groans.

The circle grows as Russ and Aurora appear and Halle returns from the bathroom with Cami. “What’s happening?”

“It’s my new low-key vibe,” Robbie explains, without really explaining. “The days of drunk Jenga are behind me. Plus, we all know how that ended last time.” “Uh, how did it end last time?” Cami asks, 1lling her cup from the punch

bowl beside me.

“Russ and Aurora fucked, and Henry ran down Maple Avenue naked,” Mattie says. “Two beautiful things that wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t stay true to yourself, Rob. Nate and Stassie, you and Lols… it happened at your parties. Where there were games! Hen and Halle, too! You’re the invisible string, brother. Why are you holding out on the rest of us?”

“Does he always talk like this?” Cami asks, looking at Mattie with a disgusted, but kind of amused, expression. “Like if he just keeps going people will believe

what he says? Because I’m almost one hundred percent con1dent that’s not what invisible string theory is about. Me and Halle listen to the song about it every single work shift.”

“Yes,” multiple people say at once.

“When he’s really drunk he likes to reimagine things to suit whatever he’s trying to do,” Robbie adds. “You don’t need a drinking game to have a good time, Mattie.”

“Wait, we didn’t meet at a party,” I argue, glancing at Halle, who looks like she’s questioning why she ever wanted friends. “We met in a bookstore.”

“That you were at with Aurora, who you wouldn’t know if Mu n hadn’t slutted himself out after—drumroll please—a game at Robbie’s farewell and fuck-oI party,” Bobby says. “I’m seeing the vision. Robbie, you need to come up with something quickly. The expansion of our friend group relies upon it.”

“I’m good with not expanding,” I say. “If anything, I think we’re good to lose some people.”

“You’ll miss us when we graduate,” Kris says, appearing behind Robbie. “Where did you go? You missed Mattie being really weird,” Russ says.

Kris holds up a red package. “I ran home to get UNO, Mu n. Because I’m not witnessing the downfall of Robert Hamlet in my lifetime.”

“And what are we going to do with UNO?” Robbie drawls, twisting in his wheelchair to look at Kris behind him.

Kris shrugs, and it’s clear he hasn’t thought that far ahead. “Anything can be made into a drinking game; you taught me that.”

Robbie turns back to face me and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I have to Ry home in the morning. If I miss my Right, one of you is driving me to Colorado.”

“That’s the spirit!” Mattie says. “I’ll 1nd the shot glasses.”

I stay in my seat beside the punch bowl and watch all my friends head toward the dining table. I think half of them are following out of curiosity to see what Kris manages to come up with, and the others somehow believe Robbie is the key to them getting laid.

Halle sits beside me and watches in silence. I put my arm across her shoulders and she cuddles into me, smiling up when I kiss her temple. “You don’t want to

play?”

She shakes her head and rests it against my shoulder. “I’m good here with you.”

“You don’t want to test if Robbie’s party game is the center of a happy relationship?”

“Nope. Like I said, I’m good here with you.” “Halle?”

“Yeah?”

“Where did your eagle wings go?”