I shrugged. “He can’t exactly get it himself.”
“And whose fault is that?” Daniel muttered as he shoved Tag’s Almanac into my arms. “Be sure to give him my best.”
“Will do, Mr. President.” I stepped out of line after watching Daniel roll his eyes, but before successfully fleeing the terrace, I felt a hand on my shoulder.
A familiar hand.
“I know it was you,” Daniel said when I turned.
“Excuse me?” I asked, pretending my pulse hadn’t just jumped.
“I know it was you,” he repeated, voice even icier. “You’re the—”
“Daniel!” someone shouted.
“Yeah?” he said, overtly irritated.
Blair Greenberg appeared. “Prom?” she asked.
Daniel couldn’t nod fast enough.
“Great.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “My dress is—”
“Hey, Blair!” I blurted before I could stop myself, but she raised an eyebrow when I didn’t say anything more. My heart hammered. What did I want to say?
That I don’t hold it against you, I thought. Yes, I had originally blamed Blair for my breakup with Tag, but truthfully, it came down to me. Blair was not responsible. Her feelings for Tag had psyched me out, but she still had arightto them. Weboth had the right to crush on Tag, a wholeheartedly equal right. She had chosen to shoot her shot when it looked like Tag and I were drifting apart, and while their relationship hadn’t been healthy, it hadn’t caused the ruin of mine.
Blair snapped her gum. “Lily?”
“Congratulations on valedictorian,” I said quickly. “I can’t wait for your speech.”
“Thank you.” Blair smiled back, a genuine grin. Something told me she knew. “After multiple drafts, I think it’s going to be great.”
I grinned back. “That’s awesome.”
And that was that.
“You were saying?” I prompted Daniel once Blair had gone.
He glared at me. “Lily, I didn’t get to sleep until five in the morning.”
I pretended not to follow. “How is your insomnia my fault?”
“Because you’re the Jester! Swell helped you steal the Almanacs on Thursday and then last night you sent me on a twisted scavenger hunt—”
“Wait, a scavenger hunt?” I laughed. This was the performance of my career. “You had to go on ascavenger huntto get them back?” I wrinkled my nose. “Sounds a little childish.”
“Yeah, believe me, it was,” Daniel said. “But only you could’ve done it.”
“Why?” I challenged. “Because I’m a fac brat?”
His sneer slipped off his face.
“My mom keeps a close eye on her keys, Daniel,” I said. “I also don’t abuse living on campus.” I put a loving hand on my heart. “I make the most of it.”
Then I spun on my heel to take my leave.
“Swell!” Daniel called after me. “Swell—”
