"Yeah. That one's true," I said. "Except for the guys..."
I glanced over at the Billings tables again and paused. Noelle, who always sat near the edge of the
table, had several boxes and gift bags piled around her feet. Portia and the Twin Cities were
pawing through
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a huge gift basket filled with Fekkai hair products and M.A.C. makeup and Bliss Spa essentials in
the center of the table. As I watched, a steady stream of junior and senior girls stopped by the
table to chat, each offering some kind of gift.
"That's weird," I said under my breath.
"What?" Diana asked, glancing over.
"It's a little early for Christmas gifts, isn't it?" I said.
"Oh, those aren't Christmas gifts," Sonal said, shaking some salt over her scrambled eggs.
"You haven't heard?" Diana appeared confused.
I instantly got that tight feeling around my heart. The one I get whenever everyone knows
something I don't.
"Heard what?" I asked.
"Everyone's been talking about it since yesterday morning, "Diana said, taking a bite of her bagel.
"They're looking for someone to--"
She stopped midsentence and looked at me guiltily. I felt as if someone had just yanked my chair
out from under my butt.
"Someone to replace me," I finished. Slowly, I pushed my tray of pancakes away, no longer hungry.
"I'm sorry. I still can't believe they threw you out," Sonal said, her eyes wide but her voice quiet. "I
mean, you were the president!"
"Yeah...," I said. There was a lump lodged in my windpipe, even though I'd yet to eat a thing.
"So...why aren't you all over there trying to bribe your way in?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't you guys want to be in Billings?"
"Not really," Diana said, scrunching her nose.
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I stared at her. Aside from Ivy, I'd never heard of a girl at Easton not wanting to be in Billings.
"Why not?" I asked.