“You okay?” the object of my thoughts, the subject of all my desires, whispers in my ear.

I guess I’m frowning as hard as Wade. “Yeah, I’m fine. I spaced out for a moment there.”

Ella squeezes my shoulder. “Okay, well, I’m going to hang with Lauren for a bit. You know, since technically I’m not your date and your actual date is glaring big holes in my back.”

Ella’s only gone five seconds when someone softly taps my shoulder. I turn around to find Abby Wentworth standing there.

My chest instinctively softens at the sight of her pale pink dress and flowing white-blonde hair. What had drawn me to Abby was how gentle and delicate she is. She reminded me so much of my mom, and being around her was…comforting.

But now that I’m with a girl who’s so full of fire, I don’t think I could ever go back to one with the strength of a puff of steam.

And especially not a girl who would say all that shit about me to the cops.

The reminder has me stiffening. “What’s up?” I mutter to my ex.

“Can we talk?” Even her voice is delicate. Everything about Abby is so damn fragile.

“Got nothing to say to you,” I grunt, drawing startled glances from my friends. They’re all aware that I’ve always had a soft spot for this girl. But not anymore. The only thing I feel for Abby now is pity.

“Please?” she begs.

I get up only because I don’t want to embarrass her in front of everyone, but the moment we’re out of earshot, I pin her with an angry scowl.

“You told the cops I hurt you,” I hiss out.

Abby’s pale blue eyes widen. “Oh. I-I…” She visibly swallows and then her expression collapses. “You did hurt me!” she moans. “You broke my heart!”

Frustration bubbles up inside me. “For fuck’s sake, Abby, this is my life we’re talking about. I read your statement. You implied that I physically abused you and we both know that’s a goddamn lie.”

Another anguished moan rips out of her throat. “I’m s-sorry. I know it looks bad, but I swear to you I’ll go back and give another statement and make it clear that you never—”

“Don’t bother,” I snap. “I don’t want you to say another word, you hear me? You’ve already done enough.”

She flinches as if I’ve hit her. “Reed,” she whispers. “I…I really miss you, okay? I miss us.”

Oh shit. Discomfort wedges into every crevice in my chest. What the hell do I even say to that? We broke up more than a year ago.

“Everything okay here?”

Saved by Satan.

I’ve never been more relieved to see Jordan Carrington in my life, and maybe that’s why I lay a hand on my date’s arm as if she’s actually my date.

“Everything’s fine,” I say tersely.

But Abby viciously shakes her head. For the first time since I’ve known her, pure anger blazes in her eyes. “Everything is not fine!” she snaps at Jordan, and it’s also the first time I’ve ever heard her raise her voice. “I can’t believe you came with him tonight! How could you, Jordan?”

Her friend doesn’t even blink. “I already explained why I—”

“Because of your stupid image?” Abby is seething, her cheeks redder than apples. “Because you want to be crowned the queen of some stupid dance? I told you I didn’t want you to go with him, and you totally ignored my feelings! What kind of friend does that? And who cares about your stupid social status!” She’s shrieking now, and nearly the whole room is staring at us. “I was with Reed because I love him, not because it helped my reputation!”

Again, Jordan is unfazed. “You’re making a scene, Abigail.”

“I don’t care!”

We all cringe at the deafening pitch of her voice.

“You don’t deserve him!” Abby yells between panted breaths. “And neither do you!”

It takes me a second to realize that Ella is at my other side.

“Why did you have to move here?” Abby growls at Ella. “Reed and I were doing fine before you got here! And then you showed up in your cheap clothes and your trashy makeup and your…your…whore ways—”

Jordan snickers.

“—and you ruined everything! I hate you.” Her desperate, furious gaze swings back to me. “And I hate you, too, Reed Royal. I hope you rot in jail for the rest of your stupid life!”

Abby finishes in a breathless rush.

Silence has fallen over the room. Every pair of eyes is glued to my unhinged ex-girlfriend. When she realizes it, she releases a horrified gasp and slaps a hand over her mouth.

Then she runs right out the door, her pink fairy princess dress flapping behind her.

“Well.” Jordan sounds amused. “I always knew she wasn’t the meek little thing she pretended to be.”

Ella and I don’t respond. I stare at the doorway Abby just barreled through, a weird lump of pity forming in my throat.

“Should we go after her?” Ella finally asks, but she doesn’t sound like she wants to.

“No,” Jordan answers for me, her tone haughty and her head held high. She possessively clutches my arm and yanks me away from Ella. “Come on, Reed. I want to dance. It’ll be good practice for when we’re crowned king and queen.”

I’m still too stunned by Abby’s outburst to protest, so I just led Jordan lead me away.

32

Reed

“So. That was…intense,” Ella murmurs when we walk into my bedroom a couple of hours later.

I stare at her. Intense? Talk about an understatement.

This entire night was a disaster, starting with the photos Jordan and her parents made me pose for and ending with Abby falling apart in front of a room full of people. I almost fell over in relief when Jordan didn’t press me about taking her to the after party. I guess the stupid Snowflake Queen tiara was enough to satisfy her, and luckily I didn’t even have to participate in the nausea-inducing king and queen waltz, because Wade beat me out for the king title. The only highlight of the night was watching Wade grope Jordan’s ass during their big dance, while she kept hissing for him to stop.

Ella and I were able to escape by ten o’clock, and since Steve’s not picking her up until eleven, we have an entire hour of alone time. But we’re both a little shell-shocked as we sit side by side on the edge of my bed.