She might be a total bitch, but she is one of the best blockers in the conference. She also happens to be the captain of the Valley U beach volleyball team. Also, I don’t really think she’s a bitch to anyone but me. Overbearing, yes, but I seem to be the only person to get her full wrath.

“What are you two going to wear?” Bri asks them. “I think we should keep it simple and classy. Nothing too flashy or short. Let’s see your dresses.”

I register Bri’s request and Sydney’s footsteps too late. The door to our room flies open. I fumble with my book, open it, and pretend I’m reading as Sydney enters. Her big, brown eyes flit to me, and a guilty expression crosses her face. She gives a small smile, bites on her lower lip, and then disappears into our closet.

If it weren’t for Bri and her fiery hatred of me, I think Sydney and I could be friends. Close friends even. We haven’t spoken much at all, but I can usually tell within a few minutes of meeting someone if they’re my kind of people, and Sydney gives me all those vibes.

When she comes back into view, she’s carrying two dresses. Standing in front of our full-length mirror, she holds the first one, a short black cotton dress, in front of her. Then she drops it and holds up the other option. Her face automatically pulls into a smile at her reflection.

I admire her adventurous fashion sense with the neon pink and green band dress that shouldn’t look good on anyone but will on her because she could duct tape a neon green poster board around her body and pull it off. Sydney is gorgeous and even more so because she doesn’t seem to realize it. Long blonde hair, giant brown eyes, tall and thin with an athletic frame. She’s a knockout in anything.

“I like that one,” I tell her, giving up any pretense that I’m reading and not watching her with rapt interest. Also, I’m tired of the silence.

And I really do like the dress. Bonus that I know it’ll make Bri’s head spin. She has certain ideas about how we should look and conduct ourselves to best represent the team. I get it, kind of, but this is a college mixer we’re talking about not tea with the queen.