Library love

"Dude, you really are everywhere."

"Where is he?" I yelled to Kate over the loud music. "What?" She yelled back. "Aaron! Where is he?" She shrugged, and indicated that I follow her.

I groaned, hating the idea of being here. Kate ended up bribing me, by offering to do my research for an assignment I had due.

"I see him!" Kate called out. She grabbed my hand, and pulled me behind her, through the crowded room. I apologised to people we pushed past, who luckily either didn't care, or were too drunk to notice.

Finally we reached a corner in the room, where Aaron was leaning against a wall, talking to a couple of guys, probably from his hockey team. His eyes lit up when he noticed we'd arrived, and he waved us over.

"How did you get her to come?" Aaron nodded towards me.

"I bribed her. You and I are going to have to do her research work for her," Kate shrugged. "Why me? I didn't force her to come," Aaron protested.

"You literally said 'I don't care what you do, get her here'," Kate quoted him. "All three of us know I'm going to end up doing it myself, so now that we're here, can you two quit quarrelling?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, ma'am," they replied in sync, before exchanging glances and laughing.

"Well guys, meet Sam and Andre. Sam, and Andre, meet Hazel and Kate," Aaron introduced us.

I waved at the two of them, while Kate spoke. "You guys aren't on the team with Aaron, are you? I've never seen you guys on the ice."

"These two are football buffs. Wide receiver and defender," Aaron spoke for them.

"Let them talk," Kate snapped, before turning to the two of them, almost daring them to not say anything.

"Yeah, I'm wide receiver, and Andre's defender," Sam spoke, after a moment of silence. Kate must have missed speaking to these two during her interrogation at the game.

"You two aren't football fans?" Andre raised an eyebrow, glancing towards me. Yet again, Aaron spoke for us.

"These two are hardcore hockey fans. They haven't missed a single game of mine."

"That's because you get us free tickets and don't give us a chance to not come," Kate retorted. I chuckled, knowing we would go even if it weren't for the free tickets. Kate and Aaron knew that just as well as I did. Sam and Andre laughed, while Aaron elbowed Kate.

"Yo, Carter! Ethan! Over here," Sam yelled, waving to whoever was behind me.

I turned around, and sure enough, Alex and Ethan were strutting towards us.

"Why is he everywhere?" I whispered to Kate. She raised an eyebrow, before responding with a loud "What?".

"Alex. Why is he everywhere?" I raised my voice. "I heard that. That's not very nice of you." I scrunched my face in exasperation. "Alex. What a surprise," I said sarcastically.

"I could say the same thing about you. What's with the sudden appearance at all these parties?" He asked me, smirking.

I wordlessly pointed at Kate. "Great to see you again, Kate," He grinned at her. She awkwardly smiled back, probably taken aback by his greeting.

"And me. Hi," Ethan smiled widely, as he raised his hand for a high five. If it weren't for how endearing he was, I would have left him hanging, but instead I high fived him back. He immediately turned to Kate to receive a high five from her.

"I'm Ethan. Hazel probably told you all about me, and how I led us to victory during cup pong," he said, putting his hand back down. I chuckled, as I let the pair enjoy their conversation, and turned to see Aaron and Alex conversing.