Chapter One: The Announcement
"Guys! OMG!" You're never going to believe what my Auntie Beth got me for my birthday!" Mia squealed as she burst into the jock hangout, where Casey and Julian were watching an old Super Bowl intently. They both seemed startled by their good friend's sudden intrusion.
"Is it more important than Marcus Allen's famous cutback? We just missed it." He groaned, annoyed. Casey turned herself around on the sofa, resting her arm on the top, to face her cheerleader friend.
"It's fine, Julian, that's why a rewind button was invented." She said sassily, before returning her attention to Mia. "What'd you get, or do you want to wait for our whole group to be together?"
"I already told Sakura, Kallie, and Nishan! But anyway, I got ten tickets for a luxury cruise to Hawaii, and we're all going to go together!" Mia emphasized Hawaii, pronouncing it with a native Hawaiian accent.
"Wow, that's amazing!" Casey replied, almost excited as Mia. "When is it?"
"Two months! So we won't have to worry about schoolwork. Just a week and a half of pure bliss!" Mia faced the still open door. "I'm going to go tell the all the others. See ya later!" As the door flew shut, Julian and Casey gave each other a grim look.
"There's ten tickets...but twelve people in our friend group." Casey pointed out solemnly. Julian counted it up in his head for a few seconds, and then nodded in agreement.
"Maybe someone won't be able to go." He slumped his shoulders. "It'll at least stop the awkwardness of telling someone they can't go."
"Yeah, though it's sad, it's better than telling a close friend that they just weren't close enough to make the cut." Casey glanced back at the TV, which was still showing footage, but silent. Julian's phone buzzed, and he gasped before shooting up from the couch.
"My tutoring session with Kallie! I'm gonna be late!" She gave a small wave of goodbye as he fumbled for his backpack and sped out of the hangout, leaving her alone.