Hex Hall | Page 2

th e d oor a n d lo oked u p a t m e w ith a n gry , b lo odsh ot e y es. " W hat's w ro ng? W ell, le t's s e e, S ophie , it's p ro m n ig ht o f m y s e n io r y ear a n d d o y ou s e e a d ate
a n yw here n ear m e?"
" U m . . . n o. B ut y ou a re in th e la d ie s' r o om , s o I th ought- -"
" W hat? " s h e a sk ed a s s h e s to od u p a n d w ip ed h er n ose w ith a h uge w ad o f to ile t p ap er. " T hat m y d ate 's o ut th ere w aitin g f o r m e?" S he s n orte d . " P le ase . I lie d to m y
p are n ts a n d s a id I h ad a d ate . S o th ey b ought m e th is d re ss" --s h e s la p ped a t th e y ello w ta ffe ta lik e it w as a b ug s h e w as tr y in g to k ill- -" an d I to ld th em m y d ate w as
m eetin g m e h ere , s o th ey d ro pped m e o ff. I ju st . . . I c o uld n't te ll th em I d id n't g et in vite d to m y s e n io r p ro m . I t w ould h av e b ro ken th eir h earts ." S he r o lle d h er e y es.
" H ow p ath etic is th at? "

" It's n ot th at p ath etic ," I s a id . " L ots o f g ir ls c o m e to p ro m a lo ne."
S he g la re d a t m e. " D o y ou h av e a d ate ?"
I d id h av e a d ate . S ure , it w as R yan H elle rm an , w ho m ig ht h av e b een th e o nly p ers o n a t G re en M ounta in H ig h le ss p opula r th an I w as, b ut it w as
4 R ach el H aw kin s
still a d ate . A nd m y m om h ad b een s o e x cite d th at s o m eo ne h ad a sk ed m e. S he s a w it a s m y f in ally m ak in g a n a tte m pt a t F ittin g I n .
F ittin g I n w as r e ally im porta n t to m y m om .
I w atc h ed F elic ia s ta n din g th ere in h er y ello w d re ss, w ip in g a t h er n ose , a n d b efo re I c o uld s to p m yse lf , I s a id s o m eth in g to ta lly s tu pid : " I c an h elp ."
F elic ia lo oked u p a t m e th ro ugh p uffy e y es. " H ow ?"
I lo oped m y a rm th ro ugh h ers , p ullin g h er to