There’s a brick pathway that leads to the front door. It’s the only part of the yard that’s still visible through the throng of people. I take the lead and stride confidently up the bricks toward the front door, sensing Katie’s uncertainty and Philip’s disapproval lingering behind me.

Dozens of stares weigh on me as I climb the porch steps and reach the front door. I knock loudly.

“You’re wasting your time!” the red-haired girl calls to me from the side of the porch. “They’re not letting anyone else in.”

Just then, the front door swings open. To my relief, Anderson is the one standing there, and there’s no sign of Jace. His face lights up when he sees me standing on the other side of the door.

“Vivienne! You made it!”

I’m surprised by his greeting. His enthusiasm makes it seem as though we’ve known each other for years, rather than a matter of hours. I decide to play along, smiling widely, and am grateful I do when I see his exclamation has drawn the attention of several people inside the house. Two guys amble over to the doorway, both of them sporting apparel that identifies them as members of the Lincoln football team.

“I thought you said this would be a quiet night in, just the two of us?” I ask Anderson in mock confusion.

He grins. “I’m saving that for the second date.”

“You actually invited her?” one of the guys asks. His tone is a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. “I owe Jones fifty bucks now.”

“I know you think Dawson won’t make your life miserable,” the other adds, “but the rest of us aren’t as confident.”

“Lighten up, boys. It’s a party,” Anderson tells them. He doesn’t seem the least bit perturbed by their reaction, but I experience a spasm of unease. “Come on in.”

He steps aside and opens the door wider. I walk into the front hall, grateful for the change in temperature once I’m inside the warm house. I turn to see both Philip and Katie are hovering on the doorstep, listening to the exchange. Katie wears a look of awed confusion, and Philip just looks annoyed.

“We can leave in an hour,” I promise them both.

That’s enough to propel Katie through the door, and Philip has no choice but to follow. I introduce Anderson, who greets them both warmly before turning his attention back to me.

“You clean up pretty well, Vivienne.” He examines my outfit appreciatively. “That all for me?” He winks.

“This old thing?” I shrug, falling into the banter easily. Apparently, Jace Dawson has decent taste in friends. “Just wait until you see my outfit for our second date.”

Anderson laughs. “I hope I live that long.”

I glance around the house curiously. It’s sparsely furnished and quite crowded, although nowhere near as packed as the lawn outside. Anderson beckons us farther into the front room and past a solitary couch pushed against the wall. A catchy pop song blasts through invisible speakers as we pass a group flipping cups on a round coffee table and a few couples making out.