"Did you really only need seventeen minutes, Julianna?" Piper's voice rings out before I've even crossed a few steps into the hallway. "I thought you'd need all twenty." Laughter follows her words. I take a deep breath, stand tall, and continue down the hall, entering the kitchen.

"Are we all ready?" I inquire, sweeping my hair off my shoulder. Piper's smug smile fades, Kyle stumbles into the pony wall by the front door while wrestling with his shoes, and Mark accidentally sprays beer ...