Carter helped us pack up the picnic, still assuming it was Eliza’s idea to put it together. I waited for him to realize the blanket he’d folded up wasn’t actually his sister’s. Carter kept yawning.

“Who you staying up late with?” I asked, remembering too late that Eliza (who did know) wasn’t supposed to know that Carter had a thing for her best friend.

Somehow, that made me think about my mom and her stupid, arbitrary rules.

Shoot. The library was supposed to be closing soon, she was probably looking for me.

I checked my phone, which was lit up with notifications. It’s late. Plz come home. Then, thirty minutes later, my mom called me out. Nick.

“Hang on,” I said, as Carter handed his homework to Eliza for her to take in the house. “I need a picture of you and the book.”

Carter looked at me like I was asking him to rake sand at a beach.

“My mom thinks I’m at the library.”

“Why?”

“Yes, Nick,” said Eliza, “why does your mom think you’re at the library?”

“I’m supposed to be grounded,” I admitted. One on one, I had a chance to defend myself—but not against both of the O’Connors at the same time.

“You know, I could have actually met you at the library.”

“Then I wouldn’t have gotten do to this,” I joked, attempting to make it seem like I was kidding. Hopefully, Eliza would get the subtext.

“Anyways, thanks.” My phone flashed at Carter and our homework. I’d need a way to explain the tiki torches. At least she could see that I was studying.

Used to me having to answer to my mom, Carter was already halfway to the car. Eliza gathered the torches.

“Look,” I said. “I know this didn’t turn out exactly the way we wanted—”

“It’s fine. It was going to be super awkward trying to keep it from Carter anyway. Don’t worry about it.”

“No. I don’t want to—”

“Nick, let’s go!” Carter called.

“This isn’t over,” I told her, jogging away.

I didn’t catch her reaction in the musky dark. Carter gestured for me to hurry up. I could only hope she felt less confused and defeated than I did.

RULE NUMBER 15

A bro shalt not tell non-bros the rules of the Bro Code.

Even though I’d promised Eliza I’d make it up to her soon, the AP practice tests were upon us and so was prepping for the end of season soccer games. Every spare second I had, I spent with my dad hovering over me, making sure I wouldn’t injure myself before L-W.

A week went by and things got even worse. Ms. Johnson was absent from teaching our PE class and the school’s sub bailed at the last minute, meaning our thirty-person physical education squad got combined with Mr. Hoover’s health and nutrition class.

The good thing was that Austin was in that health class and he hadn’t skipped today. The bad things were: