“I get the sense there’s more to it,” she says, “and I’m sorry that happened to you.” She hesitates, like she’s debating what to say next. “I know what it’s like to be treated poorly.”
Titling my head, I wonder what kind of monster would treat this woman poorly.
She squeezes my hand, her face earnest. “I know this is going to be hard to believe,” she says. “I mean, everyone changes, but most people don’t change who they really areinside, you know? But Sawyer?—”
My phone alarm goes off, jarring us both out of themoment.
Tess releases my hands, and bites her lip. “Sorry if that was too much or weird.”
Laughter bubbles up my throat as I gather my things and stand. “Itwasweird. And maybe too much. But I didn’t mind it,” I say, surprised to find it’s true.
She mimes wiping sweat off her brow. “Phew!”
“Have a good rest of the day,” I say as I gather my things.
“See you tomorrow at lunch!” she calls out after me.
I chuckle as I leave the lounge, feeling lighter somehow. Controlling the narrative has its merits. Maybe she won’t even find out what Sawyer did to me at prom.
CHAPTER 12
SENIOR PROM
BRIE
Dev let out a loud,piercing whistle when I stepped out of Gia’s car. She’d insisted on driving me to his house even though it was only a few blocks away.
Gia winked at me over the dented roof of her beat-up sedan. “I hope you’re ready for everyone to stare at you at Senior Prom. You look great.” She tilted her head at the front window. “They all seem to think so, too.”
All of Dev’s younger siblings had their noses to the glass, watching. I gave them a finger-wave.
Dev, clad in formal attire that was a little too baggy on him, grinned at me. He had a fantastic smile. Lips that formed the perfect crescent moon shape, gleaming white teeth, and dimples that gave him a boyish charm.
“Brie, you look fantastic. So hot.”
I couldn’t hide my smile. Dev always knew what to say, even if I was wearing Gia’s old dress. I was taller and naturally curvier than Gia had been at my age. Garments that draped modestly over her chest or ass hugged mine, making me feel exposed and self-conscious.
“Thanks,” I said. “You look really good, too.”
“Mind if I take some pictures?” Gia asked.
I rolled my eyes, but secretly loved it. I wondered if this is what Mom would have been like at big moments like these.
“You know Dev and I are just going as friends, right?” I told her.
Dev was wickedly handsome. He’d grown from a wide-eyed grinning boy to someone whose picture would look right at home on a teenage girl’s wall next to posters of boy bands.
“Yeah,” Dev said with his usual easygoing smile, “we’re just friends.”
“Even better,” Gia said coolly, “I just want to memorialize this. You’ll be happy to have it when you’re older.”
Despite the lack of butterflies in my stomach, I was having probably the most fun I ever had. Dev and I danced with our loose group of friends. Four girls and three boys. They were misfits like Dev and me, but we rarely hung out with them on the weekends. We mostly found ourselves at the same table during lunch. Still, we all agreed there was safety in numbers, and the seven of us decided to stick together.
Our odd number wasn’t a problem until the rap song we were dancing to faded into something slow and soft, the opening notes to my newest favorite song. I knew Dev had a thing for one of the girls, so I didn’t begrudge him when they coupled up. But when I looked, the others were already paired up, too.
Disappointment sank low in my belly. I really liked this song.
I turned to exit the dance floor, but stopped short. My breath caught as Sawyer stood before me. Histux fit him like a glove, eyes intense as they scanned my face, then my body. It felt like a caress, and I shivered.
