“So the party’s tomorrow night!” Savannah purred. “What are you going to wear, Hannah?”

With Harrison gone, arranging the final details for his party, Hannah found herself sitting on the Golden Gate with Savannah, Madison and Blakely. She ate her PB&J while they sipped their juices. They were cleansing. Apparently they fasted for 36 hours before any posh event and were appalled that Hannah didn’t know proper starvation etiquette.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t had time to really shop. I’m sure I’ll find something in my closet though.”

All three girls put their green sludge down staring at Hannah like she’d said she was planning on showing up naked.

“You can’t just wear anything to a Cohl ball!” Madison whispered.

“It’s a masquerade. You do know that, right?” Blakely sneered.

“Of course.”

Savannah piped up. “I have an idea! Why don’t you all come to my place tonight and we’ll try on our dresses for the party. Hannah, you can shop in my closet,” she offered sweetly. “I have plenty of masks from prior years.”

“I’ll supply the cocktails!” Blakely added.

“Cocktail party!” they sang in unison, clinking their juice glasses together, leaving Hannah to feel like the outsider she was.

* * *

Hannah gawked as she pulled up to Savannah’s house after school. She would never get used to this kind of ostentatiousness. Savannah’s home was almost a carbon copy of Cody’s McMansion and Hannah found herself wondering if they were doled out once you reached a certain tax bracket.

At least the interior of Savannah’s home was more inviting than Cody’s. Colorful art in gaudy gold frames hung on the walls, bright floral arrangements graced nearly every surface and blaring music danced toward Hannah from somewhere upstairs. A staff member led her to Savannah’s room, where she, Blakely and Madison were lounging around in their expensive underwear sipping champagne among the carnage of lavish dresses. It seems the contents of Savannah’s closet had exploded, and exhausted by the idea of trying on anything else the girls turned to gossip and booze.

“Hannah! I’m so glad you made it,” Savannah shouted over the house music passing a glass of bubbly her way. “We’d begun to think you’d stood us up,” she pouted.

“No, I just had to go home first. Clear it with my dad. You know how it is.”

All three girls cocked their heads, perplexed by Hannah’s comment. They reminded Hannah of cats watching a fish tank. Apparently the concept of parental control wasn’t something they worried about.

Hannah told her dad she’d been invited to Savannah’s to work on plans for the commencement ceremony. She hated lying to him and rather than trying to explain her father’s complex parenting style to the girls, Hannah decided to drown her guilt with a sip of champagne.

It was divine! Hannah actually sighed out loud.

“I know, right?” Blakely grinned, topping off her own glass.

“So, what do you want to wear to the ball?” Madison asked, pointing to the piles of dresses lying about Savannah’s overly magenta room.

“I don’t know. Which ones are you girls wearing?” Hannah asked taking another swig of liquid courage in anticipation of trying on dresses in front of the Goldens.

They were already raking their eyes over her in a predatorily way. She suddenly found herself longing for Cody’s fashion advice. He’d at least been constructive with his criticism. Somehow she knew these girls wouldn’t hold back.

“Oh, we ordered our dresses from our favorite designers months ago,” Savannah replied with a haughty laugh. She grabbed a garment bag from her closet.

“Yeah, like we’d wear off the rack,” Blakely scoffed.

The girls each pulled long slinky gowns from the garment bag. Savannah’s was unsurprisingly magenta, Blakely’s a shimmering jade and Madison’s, classic black.

“We pulled out a couple options for you, but feel free to have at it,” Savannah said motioning to her closet.

Hannah gulped. “Okay. Thanks.” She entered the cavernous closet and tried not to drool.

“So,” Madison pried. “You never told us how your date with Harrison was last night.”

“Oh, it was great,” Hannah replied a little too eagerly.

The girls giggled and Hannah popped her head out of the closet. “What?”

“Oh nothing, it’s just we’ve heard that swoon before,” Savannah laughed. “A Cohl has charmed the panties off another one.”

“No it wasn’t like that,” Hannah defended.

“Sure . . .”

“No really, we just had dinner.”

“Where’d he take you?” Blakely asked trying on a pair of silver stilettos.

“His yacht.”

“His yacht!” Madison exclaimed. Savannah elbowed her for the outburst.

“Okay you can give up the innocent act,” Blakely scathed. “If you’ve been on his yacht, you’re a Cohl-hole.”

“A what?”

Savannah laughed. “That’s what we call the girls that have slept with one of the Cohl boys.”

“Yeah and you have that look,” Blakely accused.

“Takes one to know one,” Savannah teased.

“Omigod! I haven’t slept with anyone!” Hannah blurted.

The room stopped, all eyes targeted her.

“Are you a virgin?” Madison whispered.

Shit! Hannah downed the rest of her champagne, stalling. There was no use lying now. It was probably written all over her face anyway. Maybe she could get some advice out of it. But it was going to take a lot more champagne. Hannah held out her empty glass and nodded, biting her bottom lip.

The girls erupted with shrieks and laughter. But to Hannah’s surprise they didn’t seem to be laughing at her. They actually seemed delighted.

“Well then, we’re going to help you make tomorrow a night you won’t forget!” Savannah grinned, handing Hannah another glass of bubbly. “Come on girls! Forget the dress. She’ll be focused on getting it off anyway.”

“Or just getting off!” Madison giggled.

For the next hour they refilled Hannah’s glass while filling her head with the do’s and don’ts of first time sex. And they weren’t bashful. Savannah pulled up videos on YouTube and Blakely even gave animated demonstrations. Hannah felt like she’d been through sex boot camp by the time they were done. They really seemed to take their mission, which they’d dubbed, ‘Banana for Hannah’, seriously.

She should have come here and left Cody out of it.

“What’s this about Cody?” Savannah asked.

Oh shit! Had she said that out loud?

Hannah’s head was swimming. She set down her empty champagne glass.

“Cody?”

“You just said you should have left Cody out of it.”

“I did?”

“Yes,” Savannah pressed. “What’s the deal with you two anyway? I thought you were done.”

“Yeah and now we know you weren’t using him for sex,” Madison chimed in.

“Shame,” Blakely added indifferently. “He is a loser, but it would’ve been nice to use him to pop your cherry so you don’t ruin Harrison’s Italian sheets.”

“Cody and I are done,” Hannah said hoping to end the subject. “I mean there really wasn’t anything to begin with.”

“Are you sure?” Savannah asked, her icy stare pinning Hannah.

“Yes.”

“Good. Cause I’d hate to see Harrison get hurt if you weren’t serious about him. He’s one of our dearest friends you know?”

Hannah gulped down her fear and nodded.

Savannah sighed. “I told you it was just gossip, girls,” she mused turning to admire her reflection.

“What’s gossip?” Hannah asked.

“Oh you know Cody. He’s just running his mouth about the two of you.”

Hannah’s blood went cold. “What’s he saying?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure no one will take anything he says seriously.”

“God, you’re so lucky Harrison almost hit you with his car,” Madison added, smiling sweetly. “Otherwise you would still be slumming it in wasteville with Cody.”

“Yeah,” Hannah whispered, her vision tunneling. How much champagne had she drank?

Blakely snorted. “Too bad Harrison didn’t hit Cody with his car. Then we could forget about him already.”

“I think I should go home,” Hannah blurted out.

“Blakely, you’ve upset her! You always take things too far,” Savannah scolded. She put her arm around Hannah and steered her into the en suite bathroom. “I’m sorry about that, sweetie.” She put her hands on her hips. “You look a little flushed. You’re not a virgin to alcohol too, are you?”

“No. I just feel a little lightheaded.”

“Good, because I’d hate for you puke on my bathroom floor.” Savannah giggled. “How about I give you a ride home. I don’t want to take any chances of you getting a DUI and missing your big night tomorrow.”

“My car—”

“I’ll have one of our staff return it tomorrow.”

“Oh, I don’t want to impose.”

“Nonsense. Come on, the girls can entertain themselves for a while.”

When they walked back into the bedroom, Madison and Blakely were trading stories about the legendary conquests of the Cohl boys. Their shrill voices did nothing to ease Hannah’s dizziness. She wanted to go home and lay down. All this talk about tomorrow was overwhelming her.

“I’m taking Hannah home,” Savannah announced to the room, scooping up the silver gown they’d picked out for her.

“Bye,” the girls purred in unison.

* * *

As soon as Savannah pulled out of her driveway she took Hannah’s hand and whispered hurriedly. “Listen, I didn’t want to say too much in front of the girls—they can be gossipy—but Cody has been spreading vicious rumors about you.”

“What? Why?”

Savannah shrugged. “I really think it might be in your best interest to nip it in the bud before word gets around at the ball.”

“But how? The ball is tomorrow,” Hannah moaned.

“Shit, you’re right. Oh, Hannah, I’d just hate for Harrison to find out. You two are so cute together and he could really use a sweet girl like you.”

Hannah closed her eyes feeling angry and tired. Just when things were starting to line up for her, Cody was going to ruin it all. This was her payback for blackmailing him. She rubbed her eyes to get some clarity and Savannah mistook it for crying.

“My god, don’t cry! We can solve this.”

“How?”

“What if I take you over there right now?”

“To Cody’s? Now?” Hannah glanced at the dash display. “It’s 10 o’clock.”

“So, it’s Friday night. Do you want to fix this, or not?”

“What do I even say to him?”

“I don’t know. Just tell him to leave you alone and stop spreading rumors. Cody and Harrison have a rocky history. You don’t want to let this catch fire.”

“It would help if I knew what kind of rumors he was spreading.”

“He said he slept with you, alright!”

“What?”

“I didn’t want to have to say it because I knew you’d be upset.”

“But I didn’t sleep with him!”

“I know. I believe you. It’s Harrison we have to worry about.”

After an awkward silence Savannah drawled out a sentence. “You know . . . it really is a shame you haven’t slept with Cody.”

“Why?”

“Well, I think Blakely was right. It’d take the edge off things with Harrison and then Cody’s rumors wouldn’t be rumors. It might shut him up.”

Hannah glared at Savannah. “I’m not sleeping with Cody to shut him up.”

“It was just a thought!”

Savannah pulled into Cody’s driveway. The house was dark as usual.

“So you go do your thing. I’m gonna head downtown. The girls just texted. They decided to go to Bar None. Our favorite college band is playing. They are drool-worthy! Just text me when you’re done and I’ll come back and get you so you can come party with us.”

“Thanks for all your help tonight, Savannah. I really appreciate it. But I’m all partied out. I only live a few blocks away. I can walk it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, this won’t be pleasant. I’m sure the fresh air will do me good.”

“Okay, well text me later. I wanna know how it went.” Savannah blew her a kiss. “Oh and I’ll send your dress over with your car in the morning. See you tomorrow.”

Hannah watched Savannah’s sporty silver Mercedes zip out of Cody’s driveway. She turned toward the door took a deep breath before pushing the buzzer. It took her three tries to hit it. All of this stress must have been making her vision hazy. She needed to get this over. Just like ripping off a Band-Aid. She would make him a new deal. Keep his mouth shut or the school gets his test scores.

* * *

Savannah was barely out of the driveway before she tapped out a text message.

WORRIED ABOUT HANNAH. SHE’S DRUNK – SAVANNAH

She hit send, and grinned like a Cheshire cat when she saw an immediate response pop up.

WHERE – HARRISON

“This is going to be fun,” she said to herself.

CODY’S – SAVANNAH

WTF!!! – HARRISON