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“A party? She’s throwing me a party, isn’t she?” It all makes sense now.
The pamper session. The new outfit she insisted on buying me afterwards. And the fact that she just so happened to invite Hadley over to keep me company while she went to see James.
“She’s crazy. My mom is actually batshit crazy.” I bury my face in my hands. This is the worst thing that could happen right now. I don’t want a party, let alone a surprise party at James’ house.
“She’s not crazy. She just wanted to do a nice thing for you.”
“Fuck,” I breathe. “Tell me she didn’t invite the entire class?”
Hadley’s silence has me cussing like a sailor. “Calm down,” she says, laying a hand on my arm. “It won’t be that bad.”
“Not that bad?” I grind out. “It’s like she doesn’t even know who I am. She can’t think for a second that I’d want to actually celebrate with any of the kids from school?”
“Hmm, she may have roped in Bexley and Michaela to help with the guest list.”
“What the fuck?” I leap up. I don’t know where I’m going, but I can’t sit. Not when I have all this restless energy zipping through me.
“I can’t believe this. The Jaggers’ is the last I want to be right now, Hads.”
“I know. But if it’s any consolation, Ace isn’t there.”
“What?” My stomach dips. “How do you know that?”
Her expression falls. “I may have helped deliver some stuff to the house earlier.”
“Hadley!” I hiss. “And here I was thinking we were friends.”
“Hey, we are. But your mom was so excited about it, I didn’t have the heart to dash her plans. Besides, I didn’t know asshole features was going to do that to you. I’m sorry.”
“I know.” I flop back down on the couch. “Why would anyone come, though? It’s not like I’m friends with anyone.”
“People don’t need an excuse to party. Besides, it’s James Jagger’s house. Kids have been chomping at the bit to get a look inside that place for years.”
“So people are only coming because it gives them behind the scenes access. Nice.”
“You know, not everyone at school is as bad as you make them out to be.”
“You mean like Hayden?” My brow rises.
“Not just Hayden. Some people try to be your friend, Remi. But after being constantly pushed away, eventually they stop trying.”
She’s not wrong.
But it doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.
It’s been so easy to close myself off. To protect myself. After what happened with my dad and Michaela, and then Mom’s ex-boyfriend, I didn’t know who to trust anymore.
So I decided to trust no one.
Hadley has always been an exception to the rule. The second she arrived at Sterling Prep in junior year and we got paired together for math, I knew she was different.
“Look, I know you’re hurting, and I know a party is the last thing on your mind. But what’s the alternative? Sitting here, getting drunk, and crying over Ace? Please, you’re better than that.”
“What are you thinking?” Because the picture she paints does sound all kinds of lame.
“I’m thinking, you put on the most killer outfit you can find, you let me do your hair and make-up, we finish that bottle of wine, and we crash your party the way it deserves to be crashed. In total style and with zero fucks given.”
I grin back at her. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
