The party thrummed with energy, a vibrant cocktail of laughter, music, and the occasional shout of a beer-pong victory. Teressa had dragged me here, claiming it was a rite of passage for any college student.
I wasn't sold, but with Ethan overseas for his business trip and my brothers breathing down my neck even more than usual, a night out seemed... necessary.
I tugged at the hem of my dress, a little self-conscious about the glittery material that Teressa swore made me look "drop-dead gorgeous." The heels she lent me, however, felt like death traps.
Still, I plastered on a smile and tried to channel the carefree confidence of someone who wasn't secretly being monitored by her overzealous brothers.
"Relax, Xan," Teressa said, nudging me with a grin. "Ethan's not gonna pop out of nowhere to scold you for enjoying yourself."
"Ethan wouldn't," I muttered, scanning the room. "But my brothers? Different story."
