“That’s why you have each other,” she says, laughing and brushing the long bangs out of her eyes. Hannah has shampoo-commercial hair—black and thick and bouncy. She’s gorgeous, which doesn’t do me any favors considering I spend most of my time standing next to her.

“Actually, he’s ditching me.” I lower my voice, nodding my head back toward the kitchen. Cecilia is still there, whispering now with Susie Palmer, her arms folded.

Hannah flashes Andrew a wicked smile. “Oh, are you and Cecilia Brooks going to do each other?”

“Yeah, probably in the shower,” I say with a grimace. “I just heard way too much about it.”

Hannah laughs. “If anyone can handle all the gory details, it’s you.”

“We’re not going to do each other, as you so beautifully put it,” Andrew says, all faux-offended. “Besides, it’s your birthday, Collins, so if you want to hang out instead . . .”

He trails off, and I can tell he’s waiting for me to give him permission to ditch me. I should be annoyed, but it’s not like I didn’t know this would happen before the party even started.

“Don’t let me hold you back from love.”

He scratches his nose. “You sure? Hannah and I wrote you this birthday rap and we haven’t gotten a chance to—”

“That sounds excruciating.” I laugh, practically shoving him away from me. “Just go. If you keep ignoring her and talking to us, you’ll miss your chance.” I can feel Cecilia’s glare from here like it’s a physical touch. “I have Hannah. And leftover pizza.”

“Okay, cool,” Andrew says. “And I’m not ignoring her, you know. I’m giving her time to miss me.” He turns back to Cecilia then, flashing his stupid Party Andrew smile, and like always, it works. She comes into the dining room, sliding an arm through the crook of his elbow.

“So, Andrew, I need a partner for beer pong. Want to play?”

She begins to pull him as if he’s already answered her question, and he lets her drag him away. “I’ll see you two later, okay?”

“Have fun, kids!” I wave, and he calls back to me.

“My sheets have birds on them, Collins, so try not to wet the bed!”

I flip him off again and hear his laugh as he leaves the room.

“He’s disgustingly good at that,” Hannah says. “I don’t know why we’re friends with him.”

“We’re enablers,” I agree.