Page 47 of Anatomy of a Player

“Lyla, you and I are going to a Halloween party tonight.”

She slowly looked up from her notes and blinked at me a couple of times. “We are?”

“Yes. I figured if I announced it like that, it took out the variables, and the only way for you to solve the equation would be to come with me.”

“Wow, you’re getting scary good at chemistry logic.”

I put my hands together and bowed. “When I left you, I was but the learner. NowIam the master.”

“Wait…I turned you into Darth Vader? I don’t know how I feel about this.”

I laughed. After she’d confessed one night that she’d only seen parts of theStar Warsmovies, Beck and I had teamed together for an intervention. At least someone understood myStar Warsreferences now.

Hudson would’ve gotten it, too,I thought with a pang, and the desperate edge I’d experienced all week pushed its way to the forefront. I shoved it back—I wasn’t thinking about him. In fact, this night was aboutnotthinking about him.

“So, the party?”

She opened her mouth, and I could tell an excuse or maybe just anI-don’t-knowwas on the tip of her tongue, so I plowed on with the spiel I’d prepared. “Studies can wait, and you’re the one who said I needed to meet new guys, and it’s Halloween and can’t we have one night where we can go out and not think about anything else? I just want one night to be myself—not the boring reporter girl who wears way too little color and cares too much about being serious and professional. I need a night off from it all, and Halloween’s a perfect excuse, don’t you think?”

I sat next to her on the couch and pressed my hands together again, this time in prayer position.

“Wow, you pulled out the big guns,” Lyla said. “How can I say no to that?”

“You can’t. That’s the point.”

Lyla brought up one knee, making a colorful tent with her maxi skirt. “What about Kristen? She’s better at parties—just saying.”

“Yeah, but she’ll shove me toward any and every guy, not the ones I’m supposed to be going for. She also started dating that dude she met at the party she left me at, and she’s in that enamored, all-wrapped-up-in-him phase. And I know you’re still in that phase with Beck, but the team’s in Denver.”

“Which is why I was going to cram in all the studying I could.” Lyla gave a half longing, half anxious look at her books, then returned her gaze to me. “But if you need me to go with you, I’ll go.”

I tackle-hugged her. “Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said with a laugh. She stacked her books and notebooks into a neat pile, clearing off the coffee table. “So I don’t need a costume?”

Since I’d just talked her into going, I didn’t want to mess it up, so I worked to make my answer as neutral as possible. “You probably can go without one, but I think it’ll be more fun with.”

“But you said you wanted to be yourself.”

Now her confusion made sense. For someone majoring in communication, you’d think I’d do a better job of it. “Right. Myself, but dressed as someone or something else. I want to feel sexy—I know, I know, I want guys to want me for me, but if someone doesn’t check me out soon, I’ll feel like I’ve completely lost it. Besides, dressing in bright colors and having my makeup all done upisme.”

“Do you have an idea for what you want to be, then? And an idea I can have? I haven’t dressed up for Halloween in a long time.”

“Well, first off…” I ripped one of the blank papers from her notebook, wrapped it around the end of the pen in her hair, and slid it loose. “Your pen leaked.” I held it up so she could see for herself, and she patted the top of her head.

“Crap. Is it all over my hair?”

“Just one little spot. Plus the smudge on your cheek.”

She reached up and wiped her cheek, but it was the wrong one. “Basically, you’re saying I already look the part of a mad chemist, so I should just go with it. I do have a lab coat I could throw on.”

“No way,” I said. “Tonight, we’re going all out. We’re going to go shopping, and this time, we’re buying stuff to make us look good.”

…

Three and a half hours later, Lyla Croft—or Lyla dressed as Lara Croft—and I arrived at the Quad.

“I feel ridiculous, just like I did the first time I was here wearing so little,” Lyla said as she adjusted the shoulder holsters of her costume.

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