30. Levi

30

LEVI

T he air is thick with anticipation as we wait for the Interfraternity president to make the official announcement. The final totals are in and the participating fraternities are abuzz with excitement. The competition has been fierce, but I have a good feeling about this. We've worked so hard and it shows.

After the president drones on for a while, he finally gets to the good part. "The winner of the annual toy drive charity event is… Alpha Lambda!"

Cheers erupt around us and I find myself caught up in the moment. Archer and Zane are grinning from ear to ear and I can't help but join in. We did it. We actually did it.

"Yes!" Zane shouts, grabbing me in a bear hug. "We won!"

Archer is all smiles as he high-fives the rest of the guys. "Party at the frat tonight!" he declares, his voice booming over the noise. "We're celebrating in style!"

I turn to Lyric, who's smiling but not quite as enthusiastic. "You coming?" I ask, hoping she'll say yes. It wouldn't be the same without her after everything she did to help us.

She hesitates, a look of regret crossing her face. "I wish I could," she says. "But Annie has a final, so I can't get her to babysit tonight. I gotta stay in with Eli."

I can see the disappointment in her eyes and it tugs at something inside me. "I'm sorry," I say, my lips twisting into a sad frown. "It won't be the same without you."

She nods, her smile a bit forced. "Hey, it's fine! I'm glad I could help out. You guys deserve to have some fun tonight. So go crazy, okay?"

Archer steps closer, his expression softening a bit. "We'll celebrate with you another time, okay?"

Lyric's smile widens, more genuine. "Deal."

We all share a few more hugs and high-fives, the thrill of victory still fresh. But as the crowd starts to disperse and the plans for the party solidify, I can't shake the feeling of wanting Lyric to be a part of this celebration. She's been with us every step of the way and her absence will be noticeable.

As we head back to the frat house to start setting up for the party, I glance back at Lyric. She's holding Eli and they both wave at us. A sense of disappointment settles over me, wishing Eli could come too, but the party will be late, way past his bedtime, loud, and there will be activities inappropriate for someone his age.

We gather everything up and start cleaning. While taking down the stand wediscussing how we could use this in next year's competition, when all of a sudden Madison shows up.

"Heard there was going to be a celebration tonight," she says, flipping a strand of hair over her shoulder. "Do you think it would be okay if I stop by?"

"Yeah, of course!" Zane says, leaning over me to give her a thumbs up. "We'll see you there! Invite everyone!"

Madison beams and giggles. "I can't wait," she says, sauntering off.

As we throw everything into the back of Zane's pickup truck, I bring up the fact that Lyric and Eli can't come to the party.

"We should do something with them, like a fun day out," I suggest. "Lyric worked really hard to help us, even though she didn't have to and we owe her."

"And she looked so disappointed at not getting to come tonight," Zane adds. "We could throw our own little party in the common room for them this weekend, watch Disney movies with Eli, and make cocoa and cookies."

"That sounds like fun," I agree. "What do you think, Archer?"

Archer seems distracted as he ties down the pieces of the stand. "Yeah, that's fine," he says, waving a hand.

I frown and wonder what's going on in his head. As we climb into the truck together to head back to the house, I nudge Archer's shoulder with mine.

"Hey, what's up?" I ask. "You've been quiet the whole time we packed up. I thought you'd be over the moon, rubbing our victory in Cameron's and the other Sigmas' faces."

"It's just…" He stares out at the road, going quiet for a moment. "Do you think Lyric has truly changed?"

"I think so," I say, glancing at Zane, who nods as well.

"She's totally different," he agrees. "I think being a mom has maybe shown her what it's like to put someone else before herself."

"Yeah," Archer says slowly. "Maybe you're right. I'm probably overthinking things. I've seen how different she's been, how passionate about the drive and how devoted she is to Eli. I guess I worry about us letting ourselves get close again. What if she burns us?"

"We're taking things slow," Zane says, glancing over at us. "She's not fully back in our lives. She's been helping us out and we've helped her out, so that probably shows her that we can be trusted too."

Archer exhales. "True. Alright, I guess we're going to have to take things one step at a time, right?" Zane and I echo our agreement with that and we pull up to the house and start unloading everything.

By the time it gets dark out, snow has started to fall, coating everything in a fine, white powder. The front of the house looks amazing with snow on the ground and all the decorations and ornaments really pop.

The party kicks off with a palpable sense of excitement in the air. As people start to trickle in, there's an electric buzz, a hum of conversations and laughter filling the space.

The living room is transformed into a dance floor, the furniture pushed to the sides to make room. A DJ booth is set up in the corner and the music starts off at a low volume, easing everyone into the night. The steady thump of the bass and the occasional melody drift through the room.

In the kitchen, the counters are lined with drinks and snacks. The punch bowl is already half empty, a testament to the early arrivals who are eager to get the festivities going. There's a group gathered around, mixing drinks and toasting to the win, their laughter spilling over into the adjacent rooms.

As the night progresses, more people arrive and the energy in the house ramps up. Archer, Zane and I make the rounds, welcoming guests and soaking in the atmosphere. It feels good to see everyone in high spirits, to know that we're the reason for this celebration. But despite the growing crowd and the increasing volume, there's a part of me that's still aware of Lyric's absence. It's hard to fully enjoy the party knowing she's not here with us.

I'm dancing in the living room, sipping my drink when I feel a hand trail down my back. Turning, I half expect to see Lyric there, but instead, I spot Madison giving me a seductive look.

"Madison," I call out, trying to be heard over the music. "What's up?"

I take a step back, trying to create some space. She's wearing a strapless black dress with a short skirt that has gold edging. Her hair is pulled back from her face, she's got on dark eye makeup and tall, gold heels. "I came to celebrate," she says, stepping closer to me. I step back again.

"There's drinks and snacks in the kitchen," I tell her. She smirks and I decide I don't like the way she's looking at me, as though I'm the snack she wants.

"You know, I'm glad you could come, but I wish Lyric were here," I say over the din of the music. "It would have meant a lot to us if you'd offered to babysit Eli since you're her friend."

"Yeah, it's too bad," she says, brushing off my comment. She leans in, whispering in my ear, "But I'm glad that I'm here. I wanted to ask if you three wanted to come to my family's ski lodge over winter break."

I pull back and shake my head. "I can't," I tell her. "I'm sorry, Madison. I'm not into you in that way."

Madison's painted red lips turn into a pout. "You're missing out," she teases, trailing a hand down my arm. I sigh.

"Madison, even if I were, which I'm not, I've got something complicated going on with Lyric right now. I wouldn't want to put someone in the middle of that."

Her pout turns into a sour look and she curls her lip. "Lyric," she scoffs. "If you knew what she was hiding, you wouldn't be so quick to jump back into bed with her."

"What?" I ask, my stomach bottoming out. "She's hiding something?"

Madison glances around and then grabs my arm, dragging me away from the party to a private corner upstairs.

"I told her she needed to tell you guys the truth," she says quietly, remorse on her face. "I thought she would have done it by now."

"The truth?" I ask, my ears still ringing from the loud music. "What truth?"

She sighs, looking down at the ground before turning her chin up, her watery eyes meeting mine. "Has Lyric told you anything about Eli's father?" she asks.

"She's only said it's a painful topic and that she doesn't want to talk about it. Why?" I ask, suddenly afraid of what I'm about to find out.

"She's been lying to you, then," Madison murmurs. "Eli's biological father is Archer, which means since the four of you were in some kind of poly relationship, which means that Eli is your son too, right?"

My heart freezes in my chest, anxiety rising. "Are you serious?" I ask, my voice cracking. "You're sure about this?"

"Lyric told me herself," Madison says with a shrug. "I wanted her to do the right thing, but she wouldn't do it. But you guys deserve to know."

It feels like the world fuzzes out around me as I process the news. Eli is our son. And Lyric lied to us. Again.