“Not really.” He leans in close to Lily. “But there are other reasons I’d stay.”
Her mouth falls open.
And that’s my cue to leave.
Lily keeps insisting that she’s not willing to explore something romantic with Hardy, but as the weeks go by, I’ve noticed a strong gravitation toward him. Stolen glances, accidental arm brushes. And Hardy saying what he did? That’s a huge declaration and a conversation I should not be a part of.
If Ididhave any say in how it went, they would start dating and end up together at college. I don’t want Lily to be lonely, and Hardy would be so good forher. I would feel less guilty about leaving and could go to my dream school knowing that Lily is going to be fine.
Assuming I get into my dream school.
Assuming I can actually go.
I shake my head. But that’s not what tonight is about. Tonight, I’m supposed to forget all about Citrus Scholar and all my school-related responsibilities. I’m supposed to have fun.
I go back inside and make a beeline to one of the food tables we passed on our way in. They’re covered in charcuterie boards on steroids. There are carved out watermelons filled with fruit salads, tiered trays with mini sandwiches, dessert shooters, and all the meat, cheese, and crackers needed to feed an entire school. And that’s exactly what Hardy’s parents are doing. The crowd in the living room is so dense I can’t tell who’s here.
I load a small plate with sandwiches, a large scoop of fruit, and a mini key lime pie. Then I find an empty spot alongside the wall and start eating. I hope to find someone I feel comfortable talking to, but Lily and Hardy are my only friends. Sure, the girls on the cross country team are nice enough to me, but I wouldn’t feel like I could squeeze into a conversation.
I think about the dance floor outside, and when the DJ starts playing something I recognize, I decide I’m going to dance even though I’m alone. What’s the worst that can happen? It won’t make these people like me less. Most of them already don’t like me.
I roll my shoulders back and lift my chin as I step ontothe cement. My shoes are slightly too big, but being off the grass makes it easier to move. I push myself toward the center of the dance floor so that I’m more hidden from the people just standing around, and I start moving my hips to the beat. I close my eyes and let myself get into the music. When I recognize the next song, I keep dancing.
Then someone bumps into me. It’s not just a shoulder that hits me. It’s a full-body jostle. Before I can register what happened, a cool sensation touches my stomach and starts to spread. Whoever knocked into me spilled their drink all over my clothes. I don’t know whether or not it was an accident or a planned attack. My hands shake as my fingers touch the huge wet spot.
Lily got this dress from the boutique downtown, the one where all the dresses cost a couple hundred dollars. I know because the tags were still attached when she pulled it out for me to try on. It costs more than my clothing budget for an entire year, and she hasn’t even worn it.
I grab a couple of cocktail napkins from one of the tables and blot at it, but it’s no use. All the food I shoveled down my throat threatens to come up as I think about the hit my bank account will take. I have enough saved that I can pay Lily for the dress, but I’ve worked hard for every dollar, and I'd like to keep that money for when I go to college.
My heart pounds as I hurry inside and to the guest bathrooms downstairs. They’re all occupied. One even has a line.
I glance at the stairs. Hardy’s roomis on the second story, and he has a private bathroom off his bedroom. He’s let me use it other times I’ve been at his house, so I doubt he’d care now. Better to just do it than to interrupt his conversation with Lily.
I jog up the stairs, still pressing the napkins against the fabric. I sneak inside his room and, without turning on the bedroom lights, race to his bathroom. I close the door behind me and pull the dress over my head. Under the faucet, the water runs pink as I frantically rinse the fabric out. I turn my head back toward the door to make sure it’s locked. The rumors would be insane if anyone accidentally caught me half naked in Hardy’s bathroom. This is already embarrassing enough as it is.
I turn my attention back to the dress. The mark is much lighter after gently rubbing hand soap into the fabric. After years of babying my clothes, I know enough to feel confident that I can get the rest out at home. I sigh in relief knowing my savings are safe for now.
After wringing it out, I slide the dress back over my head. The damp fabric makes it difficult to get on, like a wet bathing suit. I tug at the waist and twist and turn it until it looks okay. Then I walk out.
The lights in Hardy’s bedroom are still off. I’m relying on the light spilling in from the hallway to guide me through his room. I’m almost out when a figure races in and shuts the door, plunging the room into darkness.
My body stills. I wasn’t able to get a good look at who walked in before the door shut, but it was a guy, and now I’m standing here alone with him in the dark.
I listen for footsteps that never come, just heavy panting as he stands next to the door. I breathe as slowly as possible hoping it doesn’t make noise. My heart pounds in my ears, violently enough that I’m sure it’s audible, but the intruder doesn't seem to notice.
It occurs to me then that I should probably make my presence known. It’s not like this is a robbery or a kidnapping, just an inconvenient run-in. It’s weird that I didn’t say anything, but the longer I stand there, the more difficult it becomes.
With any luck, the mystery guy will leave any minute, none the wiser that I was ever here. He’ll leave, I’ll wait a few minutes and head back downstairs. It’s fine. Everything is fine.
Until it isn’t. My phone buzzes with a missed text. The sound breaks through the silence, and my screen illuminates the room revealing Connor.
10
MOST LIKELY TO SNEAK AROUND IN THE DARK
“Connor?”
I jerk back, wishing Ella didn’t shriek my name so loudly. Does she want the entire party to know we’re in a dark room together? I look back at the door, more specifically the small crack at the bottom. It’s still dark in Hardy's bedroom, and I’m looking for any shadows in the small sliver of light coming from the hallway. As far as I can tell, the coast is clear—except for being in the same room as Ella.
