Page 127 of Inception

“No, I picked out theperfectdress for you,” she grinned, placing a hand on her hip. “You didn’t leave me much choice since you bailed on our shopping date. You really need to get your priorities straight, you know that?”

If only she knew, I thought, as I pulled her into a hug. “Thanks, Tay. I owe you.”

“Anything for mybestie.”

My warm fuzzy feelings were quickly extinguished when Nikki appeared at the door. Her hair was twisted up in a messy bun and she had a pencil sticking out of it as though she were some model student, ready to solve math problems on demand.

She greeted us with a sneer. “I hate to break up this little special-needs party, but Mr. Bradley wants you to get your raggedy butts to class a-sap,” announced Nikki, obviously pleased with her paraphrasing skills. “That is, if you’re done groping each other.”

“Ha. Ha.” Taylor rolled her eyes at her and headed inside. Trace followed close behind with me on the tail end.

Nikki reached out and grabbed my arm, holding me back.

“I may have underestimated you,” she whispered, only loud enough for the two of us to hear. “But I won’t make that mistake again.”

She let go of my arm and walked away, leaving me standing outside alone with no inkling about what she was referring to. Trace reappeared, holding open the door for me.

“You coming?” he asked.

I nodded, glancing up at the mammoth building as I made my way over to him, noting the long row of windows on the top floor where our History class was. A class in which I had a perfect view of. A thick block of ice formed in the pit of my belly as realization set in.

She’d seen us.

39. THE DANCE

Spring Fling arrived with little more than a whimper. At least it did for me. I couldn’t get a hold of Tessa, which wasn’t altogether that unusual under normal circumstances, but with everything we were facing, it only served as fuel for my already out-of-control anxiety. How was I supposed to get excited about the dance when the people I loved most in the world were in danger? How could I not panic when I knew our lives were hanging in the balance? Thatanyday could betheday?

Stop it! Tessa’s fine—everything’s fine, I told myself as I dialed her number again. But with every ring that went unanswered, the apprehension gnawed deeper at my insides.

“Would you please hang up the phone and try on your dress?” nagged Taylor, oblivious to it all. She was standing in front of my vanity mirror, holding the dress she picked out for me; a stunning red gown with a sweetheart neckline and mermaid skirt.

It really was theperfectdress.

I held up my “just a minute” finger and waited for the phone to go to voicemail before giving in to her badgering. It’s not like I had any more wiggle room. We had less than fifteen minutes before the limo arrived to pick us up.

Lucky for me, my hair and makeup were already done courtesy of Taylor who had booked the two of us an after-school appointment at a swanky salon just off of Main Street. It was the first time I had my makeup done professionally, and even though I felt like a cake getting a layer of icing applied to my face, I had to admit, the finished result was pretty nice.

“This dress is going to look killer with that Smokey Eye,” said Taylor as she helped me step into the dress and then zipped up the back for me. “And red’s his favorite color, too.”

I turned to the mirror to catch a glimpse of the finished product. “Wow, look at us, Tay.”

We were a sight to be seen. My curve-hugging red dress, her flowing royal-blue one; my smoldering makeup, hers shimmering.

“We’re freaking goddesses,” smiled Taylor, and for faintest of seconds, I actually felt like one.

Gabriel arrived several minutes ahead of the limo that Caleb and Carly’s dad had arranged for us. I was beyond surprised to see Trace with him, looking devastatingly handsome in a black and white tux. So handsome in fact that I almost didn’t notice Gabriel’s lack of formal attire.Almost.

“What's going on?” I asked as the two of them simultaneously took me in from top to bottom and then back up again.

“Wow,” said Trace, his eyes filled with hunger.

Gabriel cleared his throat. “Trace is stepping in tonight,” he informed. “I'm tracking.”

I could feel the excitement bubbling inside me at the prospect of spending the evening with Trace. The sentiment, however, was short lived as suspicion set in. “Why tonight?” I wondered, peeling my eyes away from Trace who was starting a fire in me with just his stare. “You're not planning anything, are you? You'd tell me if something was going down, right? I have the right to know, Gabriel. I'm in this—”

“Nothing is going on. It's simply a good opportunity. You'll be safe amongst friends and faculty, and with Trace,” he added, nodding over to him. There was no falter in his words.

I had no reason to doubt him.

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