I have a question that I know the legal answer for but am looking for some
alternative suggestions.

There are no alternatives to the legal answer.

I am hoping that the plane wasn't refilled after it's last flight but I
won't know until I go to the airport to get the plane.

This isn't a problem. If it is flying tomorrow before you fly, you phone
the FBO ahead of time and ask them to ensure that the plane is not
refuelled.
If it isn't flown before you fly you are left with 3 choices.
1. Pay for the excess gas to be siphoned out,
2. Fly it solo until you have burned off the gas.
3. Take the passengers one at a time

What you don't do is fly it 90lb overweight. There are a lot of reasons
for that -
It is illegal - not only will you be penalised if you are caught, if you
crash on takeoff you won't even be insured,
You don't know the characteristics of the aircraft at that loading -
stall speed, stall characteristics, your yellow, green and white arcs no
longer give accurate information, and if you have a problem and have to
land soon after takeoff you will be landing overweight which can damage
the aircraft.

In short, it is not one of your better ideas



Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Almost Instrument
Cessna 172H C-GICE