I glance over at Dana, but she’s just picking at her cereal like it’s suddenly made of maggots. The last time I went to a party with Victoria … things got a little complicated. Not to mention the incredible hangover I got the next day.
“I don’t know—”
“Stop,” she says. “Before you say something you’ll regret, I have to tell you. This is not a party you want to miss. I throw the absolute best Halloween parties. Anyone who’s anyone is going to be there.”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” I say, my eyes flickering up to see if any of the boys decided to come down to breakfast today. I don’t see them, and I feel a slight twinge … but I don’t know if it’s relief or disappointment.
“Oh please,” Victoria says, “Don’t let them spoil all your fun.”
I still don’t know. The last time I went to a party with her it didn’t turn out well, but to be honest, that wasn’t her fault. She might be shallow and a little pushy, but she’s never been the one actually bullying me. Not like the others.
That last party left me with regrets that will last the rest of my high school career and probably beyond. It’s still painful to remember the photos Blair had of us taken together. It’s an intimate moment tarnished forever. I trusted him. Just for a moment. I can’t make that mistake again.
I’m about to just tell her no and effectively kill my social career here, when I catch Dana’s eye on accident. I hurts to see such a look of longing there when there’s nothing I can do about it.
Or, actually, maybe there is.
I might not want to go to that party, but that’s just me being selfish. If Victoria wants me there that bad … well then … we’re just going to have to compromise.
“Fine,” I say. I’m about to tell her my terms, but she overwhelms us all with a delighted squeal.
“Yes!” She claps her hands together and immediately starts gushing all the details. I have to close my eyes for a moment, trying to block out the sunshine overkill. I take a deep breath and look at her again.
She’s oblivious to her annoying hyper-happy buzz effect on everyone else. She just keeps rambling on about the ‘Classic Hollywood’ theme until I finally have to basically shout over her to be heard.
“Fine,” I say again, “I’ll come … but on one condition.”
“Anything!”
I reach across the table and grab Dana by the arm. “She’s coming with me.”
Victoria blinks and notices for the first time that I am not sitting alone. She only half-glances at Dana before turning her face away and looking back at me. Dana is just stuck in a state of wordless, mouth-moving-but-no-sound-is-coming-out shock.
“When I said anything I meant, well …” she trails off and rolls her eyes. I grit my teeth and kind of wish that I could smack her just then, but I remind myself that I’m doing this for Dana.
“It’s both of us, or none of us,” I say.
For a second, I think she’s actually going to say no. But then she just sighs and gets halfway to her feet.
“See you on Saturday, losers.” She takes off with Laura and Alisha tailing her like birds in flight.
I turn to look at Dana. “Are you okay?” She’s beginning to breathe normally again.
She shrugs. “Yeah, I guess so. I mean … she’s the love of my life and she doesn’t know I exist … and now I’m going to her party.”
Her breath grows rapid and staggered again, and I have to pat her a couple times to try and get her to calm down.
“She’s just a person,” I remind her. “A person who is going to seriously judge us if we don’t get our costumes right. Any ideas?”
I’m hoping the shift in subject will keep her from having a full-blown panic attack. Where many of my other plans haven’t worked, thankfully, this one does. Her eyes immediately light up and she starts pulling up pictures of old famous movies stars while he head to our first class. Still, I really hope I don’t end up regretting getting her an invitation.
After class, I’m called in to Dr. Baxter’s office. It’s unexpected, and my stomach tightens as I begin to wonder what’s going on. It occurs to me that Astor might still be punishing me, and he might have fessed up and actually told Dr. Baxter the truth about what happened at the lighthouse. I should have known he’d find a way to get back at me even though I’m ignoring him. Up until that kiss … he’d really been bent on making my life a weird, twisted, hell.
I still can’t believe he did that. It was so unexpected, so out of character. So … opposite of the boy who’d just effectively humiliated me in front of the entire school. I still get looks occasionally, especially from the boys, and I know from the looks on their faces exactly what they’re thinking.
I can’t make heads or tails of him, and even though I’ve tried to stay away from him it’s driving me up a wall.
I can’t think of any other reason I might be called to Dr. Baxter’s office, so it has to be the lighthouse. I steel myself, trying to prepare for what’s about to come. Astor is sure to have told him the truth, so my only hope is that enough time has passed that the principal has cooled off a little, and whatever punishment he has in store for me is going to be less severe.