“I know, right?” Erin shakes her head as if she’s heard my thoughts. “It doesn’t make sense, does it? Most parents would be proud of me, I guess. But then again, most parents didn’t dream of their baby girl growing up and getting a MRS degree and banging a rich lawyer or doctor or whatever. You would think I shot a puppy by telling them I’d rather be a lawyer than marry one.”

We both sip quietly for a few minutes, no other sounds but the clinking of china on countertop and the occasional slurp from our lips. Thumbing the handle of my mug, I lift my eyes to my Big’s. “Ex, you have nothing to be ashamed of and your parents are crazy if they don’t see the amazing things you’re doing for this campus, this sorority, and for yourself. They come from old money, they’re not used to a world where a woman wants to be educated simply because she can be. You’re too smart and too damn talented to get married and sit at home. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s not your style. Could you imagine that? You would go bat shit crazy. You can’t even sit in your pajamas for a full day!”

At that, we both giggle and Erin sniffles a little. “You have to say that,” she says, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her hoodie. “You’re my little nugget of sunshine.” Her hair is stringy from the wind last night, her mascara smeared. She looks like hell, and Erin never looks anything less than amazing. I stare at her, the girl who took me in under her wing as a freshman. Hell, the entire reason I rushed KKB in the first place. She was everything I wanted to be – and that was as a freaking sophomore. Now, as a senior, she was more like a dream than something I could actually hope to attain. It killed me to see her this way, even with all the drama between us this semester.

“I don’t have to say anything,” I correct her. “Except the truth. And I mean it when I say you are the bomb dot com and your parents are insane if they don’t see that. They’ll come around and realize that your dreams are just a little different than what they had in mind but that it actually makes you even better than they could have ever imagined. Just wait until family weekend. When they come up here and see everything you’ve done for Kappa Kappa Beta and for Palm South as a whole, they’re going to lose their shit. In a good way. And your grades are off the charts. You’re going to get first pick of law schools and they’re going to brag to all their friends at the country club about their amazing daughter who’s not only drop dead gorgeous, but a lawyer, to boot.”

Erin smiles, her eyes watering, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen my Big this vulnerable. She crosses the kitchen and wraps me in a hug, resting her head on my shoulder. I gently stroke her hair as she squeezes me tight.

“I love you, Little. Thank you.”

“I’ll always be honest with you,” I say, pulling back and taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry about last night.”

Erin’s face turns, a stone cold hardness warping the fragile gentleness that was just there. I frown, hoping I’m reading too much into it.

“It’s okay. I know it’s part of it, it’s part of the game. It’s hard to watch, but I get it. You did good last night.”

“Thanks,” I mumble, uncomfortable. “But, I wanted to talk to you about it. I –”

“You know.” She cuts me off. “I knew this was a crazy plan when it first slipped out of my mouth that night in my room. In fact, that night I stayed up all night thinking about how crazy I was being. But then I realized that I couldn’t have had any better luck. I mean, how ironic that my Little just so happened to meet my first love and develop a connection with him? It was almost too perfect. And being that you’re the best damn poker player around, there literally is no better person for the job.”

“Ex, that’s just the thing. I’m not sure –“

“And you know what else?” She drops her mug in the sink and leans against it, hands braced on the counter. “I know it’s not just about the presidency for you. I know it’s because you care about me, because you know what I’m going through right now and you genuinely want to see me happy.”

The heat rushes to my cheeks and I fumble my mug a little, spilling a splash of coffee onto my sweater.

Holy hell.

She just opened up about everything to me on purpose. Not that we never talked before, but this was deliberate. It was a move. A bet. No, a raise. A legal move, but just barely.

My Big is an Angle Shooter.

She smiles, handing me a napkin and rubbing my arm with her hand as she stands. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life, Little. You know, for a second last night I thought you were actually into him. It was so convincing!” She sighs, laughing a little as she turns to leave. She stops short of the door and shakes her head. “But of course, that would be silly. I mean, what kind of relationship could you possibly have with him now? If he ever found out about the game, about the set up… I can’t even imagine what he’d think, how he’d feel.” She turns to look at me, smiling at her little joke, but I feel razors shooting from that curve of her lips. “He’d probably never talk to you again.”

I swallow hard. It’s not a joke, it’s not a hypothetical situation. This is a threat. A warning.

All I can do is nod, my eyes falling to the floor.

“Anyway,” she says, her hand waving in the air as she brushes the thought away. “I’m so excited for tonight. It’s going to be perfect! Come up to my room around four and we can all get ready together. And Little?”

I look back up at her, waiting.

“Thank you, for talking to me. You really are one of the best friends I have.” She smiles warmly, but a chill runs up my spine. As she turns and leaves me alone in the kitchen, a sickening realization runs through me.

There is no getting out of this game.

And there is no winning this game, either.

My chips are on the table. My heart is on the line.

And it will never be the same again.

The limo pulls up right on time and I stand as still as I can, sweaty palms and shaking legs, in a line of my sisters waiting in front of the house. I nervously chew my thumb nail as the guys start to pile out, all looking mind-blowing in their fitted tuxes, but I know they won’t be anything compared to Kip when he finally emerges.

Ashlei swats my hand away. “Don’t you dare mess up that perfect manicure I worked on all afternoon. What the hell are you so nervous about?” I glare at her before rolling my eyes and she nods. “Well, yeah, I guess there’s the whole calling things off with Kip thing. But you’ve been prepping for this, you’re going to be fine. You sowed the seed last night and tonight is the last time you have to worry about it. You got this, Sky.”

“Lei, I’m not ready. I can’t do this. I don’t think I’ll survive if I do.” I look to her, my eyes pleading. She sighs, rubbing my arm with her hand.

“I’m afraid there’s not much of a choice at this point, Sky. You have to survive. You have to be strong.”

Easy for her to say.

“Hey,” she offers, nudging me. “You look incredible in that dress. Just smile, have fun, and wait ‘til the end of the night to do what you have to do. No shame in enjoying yourself, right?” She winks and I smile a little. She’s right. Just because this is the last night I’m going to spend with Kip doesn’t mean I have to be miserable the entire time. What could be so bad about going out with a bang? My dress is killer, a sheer red that fades into red and silver glittery sequins at the bottom. It’s an elegant halter top cut high at the neck, but the back cuts into a wide heart. It’s long and beautiful and I feel amazing in it.

So why not just feel amazing for a little while longer?

“Jesus, Skyler.”

I jerk my head up and find Kip’s neon blue eyes staring back at me. While I was off in la la land, he found his way out of the limo and up to the house, and now he’s standing in front of me in a charcoal tuxedo and black vest. The only red he sports is a pair of cuff links and his tie, which is just enough to make us match and also pull out the sexiness in his suit. His hair is styled, a strange sight compared to his usual casual, wind-blown look, and he’s missing his glasses.