Dana smiles widely at me. “Thanks, Sadie, I really appreciate that.”
“No problem,” I tell her, glad for the opportunity to make things right, especially when Victoria commandeers me at lunch. She’s bubbling over with excitement as she swipes her fingers all over her smartphone, showing me her big plans for winter break. As always, Alisha and Laura are at her elbows looking on.
She starts going on about the ‘fabulous’ chalet they’ll be staying in—complete with private ski lift, helicopter pad, and a Jacuzzi that could fit a small football team.
“Look at this place,” she says, “isn’t it amazing?” She pushes the phone under my nose and flips through a catalogue of photographs that look like National Geographic went full on Rambo with the snow.
I feel a hollow pit in my stomach. I’ve been so focused on school and my new friends that I forgot all about where I’m going to end up spending my holidays. Normally, of course, I’d be at a foster home, but I can’t go back to Ms. Martin, not now. And not just because apparently, I’m dead to her.
It’s the principal of the thing.
I imagine what it would be like to just suddenly go back to Ms. Martin’s and show up on the doorstep. ‘Hi, I know I ran away and I’ve been gone for months, but can I just stop in and have a holiday with you before I take off again?’ Yeah. That would go over like a lead balloon.
Victoria is so excited that she’s giddy. “Isn’t it the best? A white Christmas in Colorado. It’ll be perfect, like a greeting card.” Something about the way she says it makes a little pit of sadness in me when I remember what Dana said about her family. I cringe inside, knowing what Victoria is trying to hide.
I’m thinking about how no wonder this ski trip is so important to her, when suddenly Victoria, Alisha, and Laura are all staring at me. It takes me a second to realize Victoria asked me a question, and then another to remember what it was.
“And?” Victoria asks, her thumbs impatiently tapping on the sides of her phone case.
She asked me where I was going over break. I can’t tell her I’m still trying to figure that out myself.
I knew it was coming. I knew it.
“Oh, we’re still talking about it. Mom wants a beach and dad wants skis. We’re looking for a happy middle,” I lie. I don’t like lying any more than I have to, especially not now, but what am I going to say to her?
Thankfully, I’d forgotten the key ingredient here; Victoria’s complete self-absorption.
She lets my words bounce right off and she turns her attention immediately back to her ski trip, her interest heightened now that she knows for sure that she’s not in competition for most interesting winter vacation.
I don’t know why I even bothered to lie, it’s not like she was actually interested in what I was going to be doing anyway. She’s so shallow that I’ve stepped in deeper puddles.
Victoria keeps talking until the bell rings for us to get to class. She stops me on my way out to the lawn.
“Oh hey, before I forget, a group of us are heading into the cellar for a party after dinner tonight. You have to come.”
She gives me that look of hers; that compelling, determined, unwavering look that tells me that I have no choice if I want to remain with the in-crowd. Don’t even get me started on this so-called blacklist.
I actually think the party sounds like something I won’t hate, but something at the back of my mind nags at me. I’m supposed to be doing something else. I try hard to think on it, and my eyes grow wide.
“I can’t! I have detention.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, you can. When do you think we’re starting the party, right after class?” She and the girls all giggle mean-spiritedly, but she quickly adds, more friendly, “Come by my room when you’re done and I’ll give you something to wear. I think I’m right to assume you need some help in that … department.”
Her eyes look over me with a judgement usually reserved for sinners at the pearly gates … or wherever it is they go before eternal damnation.
“I guess I could, as long as I finish detention first.” There’s something still nagging at the back of my mind, but Victoria beams at me and whatever it was is quickly forgotten.
“Great! See you then!” She pops up from the chair and takes off in a whirlwind, with Alisha and Laura just barely catching up with her.
I make it through the rest of the day and sit through detention, which Blair is noticeably absent from again, and I scowl at him in my mind. It’s his fault I’m even in detention to begin with, and does he even bother to show up a second time? Fortunately this time Mr. Davis just has me sit quietly and do homework. I think even he’s starting to feel bad for me. And good. He should.
Halfway through detention my name sounds over a loudspeaker, along with several other names I recognize from my most recent illicit escapades, as we’re called down to the office.
My heart starts beating fast. I know what we’re being called in for. Well, one of several things now.
I’m the last to arrive, after Astor. He spots me coming and turns to smirk at me as he closes the office door behind him. I can’t understand him. The only thing that’s consistent about him is his inconsistency. It’s moments like this when I wonder how I ever feel any sort of soft spot for him. I need to just stay mad at him because he fully deserves it.
The lot of us are escorted into Doctor Dar