I could not be more surprised. “What? You’re kidding.” I take a second to take it in. “That’s fantastic, really. I hope she’s good to you.”
Another chink in Victoria’s armor. Laura won’t be going anywhere near her, not now.
And, of course, I’m happy for Dana.
She nods. “I think she will be. After Victoria … Laura is just something I never could have imagined. She’s so kind, so thoughtful and sweet, so romantic and gentle. We can talk about anything, and we do.”
Before I forget, I tell Dana I have a surprise for her.
“What is it?” she asks, eyeing me with interest.
“The boys and I, along with the drama club, are throwing a return party for you in the theatre this Friday evening! I haven’t seen Laura since we all came back to school, but she’s definitely invited too, of course.” I grin at her, and Dana squeals with excitement.
“A party? No one has ever thrown a party for me before! This will be so much fun! Thank you!” She gushes and then stops short suddenly. “Oh wow … what am I going to wear?”
I was worried Dana might not like the idea of a party, especially given it was a party that got her here in the first place. It looks like my worries were misplaced.
I laugh at her and point to the closet. “I have a whole new wardrobe, courtesy of my aunt Ellen, remember? It’s all yours. Anything you want to use. Have it.”
She beams, and we turn our conversation to other things like classes, homework, and teachers.
We’re still sitting there talking a while later when she gives me a funny look. “What’s this expression you’re giving me? What’s that look on your face?”
I shrug. “It’s just nice to have you back here again. I missed my best friend. I missed these little simple moments, things like just chatting about nothing in general, or laughing at something stupid and silly.”
“It’s so good to be back, Teddy. I missed you too.” She gives me a tender smile, and it warms my heart as I realize that she’s my family too, like the boys are. My chosen, much loved, precious family. How lucky I am to have her and the boys. I am so loved, and I am not alone in the world anymore.
Chapter 11
I walk into a classroom where four other students are seated along with Dr. Baxter, our principal, and three teachers. One of the other students is Victoria Waldorf, and she blanches dramatically when she sees me come in. I love that I’ve surprised her in an unpleasant way.
“Miss Price … I mean … Miss White,” Dr. Baxter says with a sigh, looking pensively at me. He hasn’t liked me since I started here, and last year he threatened to have me permanently expelled. Now that I have a rock solid high society family, and more importantly—I’m a freaking billionaire—he seems to give me a wide berth and a lot more tolerance. I know he still doesn’t like me, but I don’t really care about that.
“Welcome to the Valentine’s Charity Committee,” he says, almost under his breath.
Victoria is furious, and I love it. It makes it all so very worth it.
I purposefully sit near her and she scowls darkly at me as we listen to the guidelines and rules regarding the auction, the dinner, and the dance. I take copious notes and ask good questions until even Dr. Baxter looks begrudgingly impressed. If there’s a loophole in there to exploit, I’ll find it. I plan on beating Victoria fair and square … but if there’s a way to do it that ensures I’ll win, I’m on it.
It isn’t long before I think I have an idea.
“We’re trying to come up with a theme for the event this year,” Dr. Baxter tells us, looking at the group of us students before him. Victoria and I look at each other, but the other three students here are as silent and still as statues. They know better than to get directly in the thick of it.
“I think we should do a ‘Love Boat’ theme. This is the yachting crowd, after all,” Victoria calls out like she’s just come up with a viable solution to create world peace.
I roll my eyes. “That’s so basic.” She shoots me a dirty look and I speak up a little louder. “I think we should do something a little more fun. What if we went with the Greek or Roman goddess of love; Aphrodite or Venus, and Cupid. Columns and palaces, gods and goddesses, and Mount Olympus. Togas. Heroes and Heroines. Venus and Cupid would be a lot more fun.”
Dr. Baxter looks between Victoria like we’re cats with our claws out, ready to pounce on each other. Neither of the other teachers looks anxious to jump in.
He holds his hands up. “I think we’d be best to leave it to the student body. We’ll set up a vote for it. Everyone in the school can vote, and the majority wins.”
Everyone agrees, and a new challenge is on. Victoria leaves before I do, and as I’m coming out of the meeting, I see her leaning against the wall opposite the door. She’s waiting for me. She glares at me with her hate-filled dark eyes, but I let it wash right over me. There’s nothing more that she can take from me than she already has.
Even if she tried, I wouldn’t let her.
“I want to talk to you,” she says coldly, coming toward me.
I look over at Wills and Blair who are heading toward us down the hall. Each of them has their eyes trained on Victoria with a silent warning. Since the explosion in the cellar, they don’t trust her at all, and they don’t want her around me.