Page 103 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

“Your dad is right, babe.” Poppy kissed his cheek. “I think we should wait until sophomore year to get our own place.”

“You do? Since when?”

“Since you’ve shut up long enough for me to have an opinion.”

Everyone snickered.

“You have your whole lives…” Mrs. Bennet stopped herself, eyes full of apology flashing to Sofia.

“Mom’s right, you guys.” Sofia drew in a steady breath. “You have your whole lives ahead of you, there’s no reason to rush.”

I took her hand in mine and threaded our fingers together. Aaron and Poppy might not have caught the sadness bleeding into her words, but I heard it loud and clear.

From the way Mrs. Bennet jumped in with, “So what are your plans for today?” I figured she did too.

“Aaron promised to come to the gym with me,” Poppy said. “I need to start practicing my new routine, and he’s an excellent motivator.”

“Hell yeah, I am.”

“You two should come,” she added. “We could get you on the trampoline, Sofe.”

“I think I’m good, but thanks. Besides, I have a ton of homework.”

“I could stay and hang out?” I offered.

“I’d like that.”

“Well, we are going to Halston to see Xander and Peyton’s new place.”

“I can’t believe they didn’t invite us,” Poppy said.

“You’ll all be invited to the official housewarming. This is the adults only one.”

“So Peyton won’t be attending then?” Aaron snorted.

“Babe, not funny,” Poppy scolded him.

“We know it’s complicated, but Xander invited us, and we want to support him.”

“Both of them,” Mrs. Bennet added.

“Yeah, but she still can’t legally drink, it’s weird.”

Peyton was Lily and Ashleigh’s best friend. She’d dropped out of high school in her senior year after falling in love with Ashleigh’s uncle Xander. It was a local scandal—the high school football coach falling for one of his students, but they’d made it work. And our families had finally come around to the idea of them being together.

Mr. Bennet wagged his finger between Poppy and Aaron. “You don’t think it freaks me and Jase out that the two of you are doing this.”

“Hey, I’ll be the best son-in-law Coach ever had.”

“For the love of God, never let Jase hear you say that.”

“What? It’s true.”

“Babe, we really need to work on your filter.”

“Okay, okay. Enough of the heavy talk. I want to enjoy breakfast. Cole, son, care to dish out those donuts?”

“Help yourself, sir.”

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