Senior Year Box Set

“We are talking about the same Cassidy who hasn’t paid for anything in her life,” I shot back.

“That’s you. She says she’s preparing you for when Carol is older, so you’ll be ready for when your daughter wraps you around her little finger,” Brook revealed.

“Does she now?”

“Don’t be like that. Cassidy never has you do stuff you don’t want to do anyway,” Brook reasoned.

“Why don’t you call Coach Hope and have him tell her what to do?” I asked.

Brook snorted.

“Do you even hear what comes out of your mouth? When was the last time she did anything her father wanted her to do if she didn’t want to?”

Brook had a point.

“On the other hand,” Brook continued, “If you tell her, Cassidy will listen.”

Somehow, I doubted that.

“What exactly am I supposed to tell her?” I asked.

“I don’t know. But I’m sure you’re the only one she would do it for.”

“How quickly does this have to be done?” I asked.

“By the end of next week. If Cassidy isn’t going to take the scholarship, some other donor’s relative is getting it,” Brook explained.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to just pay for her to go to USC?” I asked.

“You forget about her grades. She would never qualify unless she comes in through the athletic department,” Brook explained.

I gave Brook high marks for figuring out how to get Cassidy into USC. Only a little over ten percent of applicants were accepted, making it über competitive to get into. Cassidy hadn’t been the most diligent student during high school. She never got terrible grades, but studying and homework weren’t high on her priority list.

“Do you think USC is really the best for her?” I asked.

“If she’s living with Tracy and Pam, yes. Plus, your mom and dad will only be an hour away. It’ll be much better for her than having to hang out with you guys at Oklahoma,” Brook assured me.

She had a point. While I loved Cassidy to death and would miss her, I had to think about what was best for her. If she could get into USC, she should go.

“I’ll talk to her, but don’t expect miracles,” I qualified.

“I hear you’re seeing Adrienne tomorrow about our prom dresses,” Brook said to change the subject.

“What are you talking about?”

“Pam talked to her and suggested that you pick them out because you’re giving them to us as gifts,” Brook explained.

“If I’m buying dresses, I guess I should get one for Tami, too,” I complained.

“Why did I ever let you break up with me? You’re the best,” Brook teased.

“Bite me, Princess. You seem to forget who dumped who.”

“Your mom already talked to Adrienne. Your mother knew you would forget Tami,” Brook shared.

Frick! My problem was that they all knew I didn’t really mind getting them dresses. That didn’t mean I had to act like I didn’t care. At the same time, it wasn’t worth a fight with my mom.

“I take it you want me to send you pictures so you can approve my selections,” I said.

“We’ve narrowed our choices down for you. We want you to look at our top three since we can’t see them in person,” Brook explained.

I suspected they’d already decided which dress each of them wanted. I would ask Adrienne, and she would fill me in.

Suddenly, the light bulb came on.

“Am I supposed to ask you and Tami to go to your dances?” I asked.

“I thought you would never ask. Wow, I can’t wait to tell everyone,” Brook faux-gushed, then crushed me. “Except, I already have a date.”

To pay her back, I might send Dare since he’d already snaked my date for Homecoming. Why couldn’t he do that to the douche she was seeing, too?

“I better go before you rope me into something else.”

“Call Halle,” Brook said and hung up.

I admit to being afraid of what Halle might want. Best to put that off until I either got home or was back in the states. I suspected it had something to do with the MTV awards.

◊◊◊

We’d come back from dinner to find a party had started. Each week, the matchmaking company held an end-of-week party for all the men and women who attended. Tomorrow, they would have a new group arrive, and the process would begin again.

From what I’d been told, all the Filipino women had found husbands. The lone Russian who hadn’t was Ivanna. I guess the men had seen through that man-eater and steered clear.

Alex had clued me in that these parties sometimes got a little out of control, as Kevin would put it. I had a hard time believing that when I came out and there was soft music, and everyone looked relaxed and casual.

They had a bar set up for you to make your own drinks, and some food set out. On a table to the side, there were little Dixie cups with a sign that said ‘Men’ and another with ‘Women.’ Inside were shots with a blue or pink liquid, respectively.

My crew joined me at the party. I walked next door to find Alex and Nat.