Page 129 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

“That’s exactly how I felt with Kade,” Zoey tells me.

“And me with Mason,” Rylee adds. “Mia, you like Declan Hart.”

“I…I don’t know…”

“You do,” Zoey insists. “Maybe that’s why you’re being so stubborn. Because you’re scared to admit that you like him.”

In a daze, I walk to Rylee’s bed and slowly sit down. Is it true? Have I been convincing myself to push Declan away because I don’t want to admit I have feelings for him because I’m scared I’ll get hurt again?

“You had a crush on Declan because you thought he was one of the sweetest guys you ever met. Right?” Rylee asks.

“Yeah…”

“That guy is still there. He’s the same guy. So it makes sense that you still have a crush on him.”

“Agreed,” Zoey says.

I just sit here and think. My friends have a point. I changed my image of Declan when I thought he was a jerk, but he’s been the same guy all this time. The same sweet, caring, considerate guy who was always so nice to me. His charm may wow many people, but he never tried to charm me. He was always himself when he was around me. I know he showed me his true, authentic self when he and I were together.

“So…I’m in love with Declan Hart?” I whisper.

“Whoa, love?” Zoey asks, holding up her hands. “You might be getting way ahead of yourself. You have a major crush on Declan Hart that may lead to something more.”

“He’s the guy you were hoping for!” Rylee flings her arms around me.

“Wait a sec.” I pull out of her hug. “You guys are forgetting one thing. Who says Declan even likes me?”

“He does,” they both say.

I give them a look. “How can you know that?”

“It’s so obvious, Mia!” Rylee looks like she wants to shake some sense into me. “He always wants to hang out with you. He walked away from the popular crowd to be with you.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. It just means that the popular crowd sucks.”

Now they give me a look.

“What? Declan just liked me as a friend,” I insist. They’re about to argue, but I say, “Look, he needed a friend to help him navigate his crazy life in Edenbury. That was my role.”

Zoey and Rylee exchange a frown.

“Was your role?” Rylee asks.

I lift my shoulders.

“So you’re not over what happened?” Zoey asks.

I’m about to respond, but Zoey’s phone rings. She sweeps it into her hand and scans the screen. “It’s Lily.” She answers the call with a smile. “Hey, Lily. Ooh, Xavier is with you, too? Hi, Xavier.”

“Hi, Zoey. Are you getting ready for the masquerade ball with your friends? We were hoping to catch you all together.”

“We’re all here. Squeeze into the frame, guys.”

I smash myself to my friends and greet Lily and Xavier. They look so happy together. Lily has light brown hair and gray eyes and Xavier has blond hair and green eyes. Both their faces shine like they’re the happiest people in the world.

“What’s up?” Rylee asks.

“We have good news,” Lily says with a huge smile. Exchanging an excited look with Xavier, she holds up her left hand, showing off a diamond ring.

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