On the way to the so-called "Book Club," James looked like he'd just been reincarnated as a kangaroo. Eyes wide, mouth slightly open, head whipping between Barry and Tami like they'd invited him to Narnia. "Wait, wait, wait. Y'all are telling me there's been a whole secret society running wild right under my nose? For months? No ID checks? People just drinking, smoking, doing God-knows-what, and no one cares?"
Barry shrugged, hands in pockets like it was old news. "Not months, dude. Years. Long before we even got here. It's like… campus tradition."
Tami added, casually chewing gum like she was talking about the weather. "Yeah, and I mean… come on, James. You really think an age limit's ever stopped college students from getting wasted?" She gave him the once-over. "Honestly not surprised you didn't know."
James frowned. "Okay rude... but like, how do you guys know about it? Who's behind this thing? Who hosts it?"
"That's the spooky part," Barry said, grinning like he was in a conspiracy documentary. "We don't know. No one does."
James blinked. "Come again?" Tami jumped in. "Every Friday night, someone hosts. Doesn't matter who. Just gotta be a student. They send out the message using this lowkey encrypted format, specific words, random codes. If a staff member tries to fake it? We'll know. It won't match."
"Yeah," Barry continued. "The OG sender sends it to three people max, deletes it. Each of those three does the same. Like some weird underground game of telephone. And eventually, boom—500k students in the know. Staff... yeah they're clueless."
James squinted. "What the hell is this… Hogwarts but for drinking?"
Tami pulled out her phone. "Here. This is tonight's drop, delete it as soon as you read it: 'Book Club. BOY. 47 E, 54 S. 23.'"
James blinked. "That sounds like coordinates from a video game."
"Exactly," Barry said. "You get it now."
James stared at the message, brain buffering. "How the fuck do I not know about this…?"
Tami smirked. "Guess bro's dork-ish"
"Bro doesn't even hang out with anyone," Barry said, side-eyeing James like he was trying to solve a riddle.
"For real?" Tami turned to James, her eyebrows raised. "But like… you're kinda hot tho."
Barry gave her a look. "Careful, church girl."
"It's true," she shrugged. "That sadistic loner look.. Hella suspicious… but kinda doing it for me. That's what made me ask for you mlnumber in the first place." She leaned in closer, studying James like he was a stray cat. "Brooo, say something. You're moving like you got bodies in the freezer. Loosen up. You blink like twice a day."
James paused, blinked once. Then: "What's BOY mean?"
"Ohhh, that," Barry laughed. "It's code. Means BYOB. Bring Your Own Booze. We just say BOY to make it sound less sketchy. You know, plausible deniability."
"Wait a damn minute," Tami said, snapping her fingers. "What about what I just said?"
James looked at her like she was buffering. "What part?"
Tami gave him a look. "I literally just said you were hot. You didn't say anything."
He blinked again. "Oh. Thanks....I guess."
Barry burst out laughing. "My guy's built like a haunted Roomba."
Tami just shook her head, grinning. "We're getting you drunk tonight. No choice. Mystery boy needs to reboot."