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He and Emma shared a look, and it made me feel even more alienated than before. I knew they had it for each other, so why didn’t they just come out and tell me? I was their best friend after all. I could be trusted.
It felt like Noah’s ark around here, everyone pairing two by two, while the only person who seemed to have the hots for me wasn’t even a person. Scratch that. Alcántara didn’t have the hots for me so much as he was jonesing for a taste of my blood.
I’d flirted with a vampire, and he’d flirted back. I was so screwed. It sucked to be me—pun intended.
I placed my hands flat on the top of the box. It felt like a thousand pounds on my lap.
Emma gave one of her stoic shrugs. “I don’t think it means anything. ”
“Maybe it’s because you’re his favorite,” Yas teased in a singsongy voice.
I gave him a look that could kill. “You shut up, or next time we’re on the dance floor, I’m stomping on you with my fancy new stiletto heels. ”
“I’d like to see you try, shortie. ” He nodded at my package. “Well? You gonna open it or not?”
The box was a nice one, thick cardboard covered in shiny gold fabric, just as I imagined an old-fashioned hatbox might be. I slipped the lid off.
But I slammed it shut again. There was indeed a dress inside…with a rose on top.
“What?” Yas reached for it, and I held it out of his reach. “What’s your problem? Can’t hide nothing from us, girlie. ”
“There’s…” I opened it again, just a peek. “There’s a flower. ”
Emma nudged the lid farther. “A rose. ”
The petals were like lush suede, and a red so deep they looked almost black. Thorns covered it, like sharp, deep purple claws emerging from the long stem.
“Dude. ” Yas inched away from me.
“I didn’t get a flower,” Emma said, sitting more still than usual beside me.
I thought, Yeah, I’ll bet, but my mouth was too dry to say it.
Careful not to snag its thorns on the fabric, I set it aside to study the dress. It was very red, like the rose.
“My dress is green,” Emma said. I must’ve had some expression on my face, because she quickly added, “But the dress is the same. I think they all are. Like a uniform. Except we all have different colors. ”
“Oh goodie. ” I shook it out to get a better look. “Mine just happens to be the color of blood. ”
I had to admit, it was pretty, with a satin bodice and a frothy tulle skirt that looked about knee length. “I suppose there are worse things than looking like a slutty ballerina. But…crap. It’s strapless. ” I held it up to my chest. “It’s not as though I have anything to hold it up with. ” I shot a nod to Yas, realizing I’d gone to a place normally reserved only for girl talk. “Sorry. ”
Putting a brave look on his face, he said, “Fret not, little D. It stays up. ”
“Wait. ” My hands flopped back into the box, crumpling the dress. “You saw Emma’s dress?”
They shared another look, and this time it was obvious. It was a look look.
“That’s it. ” I crammed it and the rose in the box and stood abruptly. “I can’t deal with this without food. I just need to drop this thing in my room. ”
There was an awkward moment of silence. A few students walked by, headed in the direction of the dining hall, and Yasuo suddenly looked eager to join them. “I’ll just see you ladies there. Give you some girl time, you know?”
“Yeah, sure,” I replied, but then I spun on Emma the moment we were inside. “How does he know how your dress fits?”
“I…tried it on. He wanted me to stand in the window so he could see. ”
“What is this—an eighties teen-angst movie? Since when is Yasuo standing under your window?” My reaction was selfish and irrational, but still, I couldn’t help getting stormy. Yas and Emma were having secret interludes, and the realization stung. I unlocked my door, tossed in the detested dress, and shut it again. “Did you guys hook up? Why didn’t you tell me?”
She turned that true beet red that only redheads managed. “Of course not. ”
