51

Piper

What We Do For Our Own

The blushes were going to permanently stain my cheeks. Because the thing was, Zariah hung out in the training center all the time with her brother. If she actually had a good look at the picture, she would've recognized the location. And even if Adam sent it without his face in the photo, Zariah would piece it together.

No, no, no.

"Just a friend," I whispered, writing nonsense words in my notebook, like I was paying attention.

"Piper." Zariah giggled. "Adam and I are friends. He sure as hell doesn't send anything like that to me. What kind of friend is this guy?"

She was so close to the truth, she could've smacked me on the back of the head.

"Whoever he is…" Zariah shot me a wicked grin. "Go have some fun, girl. You deserve it. Under the covers, fun. Make him sweat more than the gym fun. With whoever Gray Sweatpants is."

My heart thudded in my chest. I couldn't think of anything that would ruin my college semester more. Because the truth of the matter was, Adam was sweet, but he was also the Marrs Manwhore. The playboy. The heartbreaker. I didn't need that in my life again.

And I couldn't have Zariah trying to figure out who was sending me gym photos.

No doubt, that would get back to Adam.

"We're going to split into small groups," the presenter droned on as June found her way back to her chair. "We want you to come up with events for the rodeo and create a mock budget in the next fifteen minutes."

"What are we going to do?" I quickly asked, underlining the task in my notebook.

"What you signed up for," Zariah immediately answered. "Petting zoos are low effort. Steal some ducks from a pond, get a black and white cat, call it a cow, tell some kids that you have free candy—bam. Petting zoo. June ." All of her attention went to June and I knew she was about to tell her about the photo.

I had to think of something. I needed to think of something quick. Something that was just juicy enough to get the girls off my back and not ask about Gray Sweatpants's picture.

The only thing I could think of was Adam's dumb prank on Ryan.

"We should prank Adam," I blurted out.

June raised an eyebrow and glanced back at me. "What?"

I immediately had Zariah's attention. She cocked her head to the side. "You can't prank Adam. Nobody can, he's unprankable. Nothing phases him."

What would get Adam?

"There has to be something he's afraid of…?" I said slowly, thinking it over.

"Long-term commitment?" Zariah suggested.

"Marriage?" June added in.

"A condom breaking." I blinked. "If Adam found out…he was going to be a dad, he'd freak . That's the only thing that'd really scare him good."

Both girls gave me a long look, completely shocked. They turned back to each other and back to me, over and over again until Zariah shook her head with a smile. "Girl, that is evil . You might give him a heart attack."

"We could get him a ‘congratulations, you're going to be a dad' card." June's words dissolved into laughter.

"With a fake pregnancy test." I flipped to a new page in my notebook and started writing down ideas. "We could buy one and just color it with a marker. He'd know it was fake but it'd still make his heart pound." The girls shifted closer and I underlined a few items and tapped my pen against the paper. "Okay, I can order the pregnancy test from the clinic on campus, we can pick up the card later."

Zariah grinned. "He's going to love this. After he has a heart attack."

Definitely. Adam loved practical jokes. And he never stopped lamenting about how no one ever gotten him like he got everybody else. I hurried to write down what I wanted on the inside of the card and the three of us spent the rest of the meeting coming up with what exactly we wanted it to say and agreeing to keep it a secret.

If more people found out, Adam would get wise, and the only chance to hit the biggest prankster on campus would vanish.

"Ugh, I have so much homework to do," June groaned as we walked out of the meeting. "Catch me in the library."

"No, you have dinner plans," I told her.

"What do you mean?"

I looped my arm around hers and Zariah's and marched them off towards the rail. "You're both coming with Adam and I. It's pupusa o'clock."

" Pupusas? " Zariah moaned at the mere mention of the delicious, stuffed corn tortillas. "I'll skip my night class for that. Yes, please."

June suddenly looked a whole lot more fragile. "I don't know…"

"Girl, you're doing it. It's been decided." Zariah said walking over to loop her arm through June's, practically hauling her off with me.

The moment Zariah heard the plan, she was on my side. I couldn't keep the smile off my face. This was the kind of college experience I'd been looking for. Not just the bars or the parties. This .

We made our way to the rail station where I could see a Marrs hoodie and the reddish-brown hair poking out.

I should've texted him again, to remind him not to freak out, but I couldn't now, with us walking so close.

Adam, please, don't make a scene .

Please, please, please .

Adam turned back around once he heard us and it took me a second to realize what was in his hands. A bouquet of flowers?

"June, honey!" Adam belted out. "Goddamn, look at you! Looking fine as fuck!"

Oh my god, Adam .

He strode forward and passed her the bouquet. "Cut the hair, cut the dead weight. June Basil is leveling-up to be a motherfucking heartbreaker."

June rolled her eyes, but she smacked him with the flowers. "Uh-huh."

"Make him eat his heart out. I know that's right." Adam reached over and mussed her hair. My mouth fell open, but June just laughed and ducked her head, stepping away from him. Her grin widened. He was doing it, making her feel better in the most Adam way possible.

I blinked at both of them.

"Adam, I cut this off with kitchen scissors," June admitted.

"Don't say it so loud or everybody's going to be doing it." Adam shushed her. "Industry secrets need to be kept quiet. And look. Train's coming, I'll protect you girls, don't worry. I'll beat back the swarm."

June smiled and when the train's doors opened, we filed in and took our seats in the back.

Adam was so effortlessly cool, but I knew better. He purposely went out for the flowers after the gym. He did the most to make a friend happy.

It wasn't like he'd sent a gym photo, but my heart beat just the same.

He can be so sweet .

Our stop to the green line came and Adam strolled off the platform with those long legs of his. I hurried after him while Zariah and June chatted behind us.

"Adam?" I didn't know what to say. I bit my lip. "Thank you."

He threw a grin my way. "For what?"

"For…" I nodded back toward June.

"That's just what we do around here for our own, ice princess." He shrugged. "No worries."