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Once I was finally over her, I realized I’d also grown up, filled out Girls on canaled uncomplicated desires, and my refusals to share any shred of personal information only amplified their interest I didn’t particularly care if they liked s position or not A fe lines in the sand, and I simply walked away I never lied to anyone I never pro more from anyone

Until Emma The friendship we developed was unlike any relationship I’ve ever had So easy, so companionable, but that physical pull was there, too, from the firstfor a 17-year-old girl, and I fought it, hard The first ti that they tumbled over into protectiveness The resolve came naturally: I wouldn’t touch her--beyond e’d already done--until she was a legal adult, until she specifically asked uard was down

Which was exactly why that photo of Reid and Eh me

Ehth School Musical III, either

When Marcus called to tell me he still wanted me to accompany him to his prom, I sed back clichéd reassurances: It’s not you, it’s me We can still be friends I didn’t h I didn’t vocalize any of these, I did tell hiuilt o-ahead to transform into a total dick by the next weekend

The doard spiral began when he arrived to pickas friends, so I didn’t want thenored that entreaty and had the caed and ready

"I re dreao "I was a total princess, all the way down to the glass slippers" She put a hand to her mouth like she was about to reveal a secret "Actually, those shoes were acrylic and unco to look sympathetic

Chloe blinded us with e onto my wrist in the entryway She led us out back and posed us in front of the pool landscaping that made Dad walk around for days with his jaw clenched, rades she’d authorized

Snapping photos like she had aspirations as a high-fashion photographer, Chloe was oblivious to the ice-cold wall between her subjects "Marcus, put your ar in the et off a few of shots before breaking froh pictures You know, Marcus o to his prom as part of this experience…" I hoped Marcus and I would share a knowing look about Chloe--not uncoht somewhat before it was entirely wrecked But he stood, one hand in the trousers of his tux, flicking a fingernail and looking bored, andmushroomed

Marcus’s arts-heavy prep school is relatively s by the response his arrival generates, he’s clearly one of the in-crowd The venue is the tented rooftop terrace of the Citizen Hotel--the city’s oldest skyscraper Though the view is only a very faht Distance alters everything

Introducing roup of friends by way of, "This is Eeneral direction, he doesn’t introduce any of them to me Unbelievably, no one steps forward, either I’ no one’s na conversations--so there’s nothing to do but stand next to Marcus, my dress and his tux accoutrements so perfectly ether Trapped at the receiving end of stares and whispers in a crowd of people where I don’t know a single person beyonda taxi, or Dad, to come pick etting what I deserve for leading Marcus on, as convincingly as Emily objected to that conclusion "Marcus doesn’t own you," she said after I told her what had happened with Graha altercation with Marcus "I don’t see a ring on your finger, not that you’d ever want one froht you liked hi at et our annual almost-summer pedicures "I tolerated him Derek and I didn’t think he was for you"

I sputtered before answering, "You and Derek discussed--?"

"Hells yeah" She was, as usual, unapologetic "We hoped it would fade out before you ended up in New York with hi onto you Derek thinks he just wanted you for your film and theatre connections With the bonus of your smokin’ little bod, of course"

I almost spit berry smoothie onto her dashboard "God, Elad we didn’t have to resort to breaking you guys up" She parked the Sentra and yanked up the brake

"You mean you and Derek would have--"

"How many times in this conversation must I say hells yeah? Wouldn’t have been that hard, either You weren’t all that attached to hiuy"

I leveled a look at her "No Graham is off-limits I don’t care if the two of you hate him"

She smiled and pinched my arm "Now that’s more like it"

When I co pointedly ignored by every person here Then e indoor/outdoor space One of the photographers snapping shots of pro his caiving lance around surreptitiously, looking for the other photographers, who are progressing through the crowd, setting up shots of s candid shots of couples dancing and teachers chaperoning Sliding s One, his camera is badass in co And two, he’s still aile shot inabout this

Eto placate Marcus by going to his proossip sites She’s right, of course I can’t unsee the photos ofbeside Marcus, being snubbed by everyone at that dance I can’t unread the stories clai that it was my choice to isolateon Reid Alexander

My best friend stomps back and forth across my roolares at the laptop screen "What a bunch of jealous pricks!" E around the bush

"Marcus’s friends or the gossip sites?" I’m not sure which infuriates her

"Cal on her hand as she paces by hi suddenly, she slides onto his lap "Derek, please do me a favor" She nuzzles the side of his closely-shorn blond head and his eyes close

"Anything"

"Please beat the shit out of Marcus"