Lena: Remember to be ready at the back door in 30 minutes.

I read Lena’s messages and checked the time.

We had gone over the plan several times, but it didn’t stop the acid in my stomach from rising up into my throat from sheer nerves.

“No phones out,” the guy in charge of the servers said as he walked past me.

I shoved it in the pocket of my apron. Or smock. Or whatever it was called.

I was a server tonight. An elegant one. The whole gala at this swanky downtown hotel was entirely too fancy. And it had already started. I had even ditched my glasses for contacts. The only reason Sophia paid for them was for events like this. Tonight, they’d be part of my transformation. No one at school had ever seen me without glasses.

“Here,” another server said. She handed me one of the trays in her hands. It had some kind of unrecognizable appetizer on it. Something wrapped in salmon.

We walked out of the kitchen’s double doors and into the crowd of suits and cocktail dresses. We weren’t too far from Homecoming. Only a few blocks. But I felt like I was in a different world.

I kept checking my phone in the back when no one was watching.

Pretty soon, it was time.

That was the funny thing about time. When you were really dreading something, it seemed to speed up.

And I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pull this off.

If Sophia found out I left this thing to go to Homecoming, she would kill me. Forget going to college.

Forget ever leaving my room again.

And it would be so easy for her to find out.

First, she could catch me before I even successfully snuck out.

She could realize I was gone before I got back.

The kitchen manager could realize I was missing and tell her.

Lindsay or Courtney could recognize me at the dance and tell on me.

There were a dozen ways this could go wrong.

I took a deep breath and tried to relax.

If everything went according to plan, she would be out of the way pretty soon, and I would get to meet Baller929, finally see his face.

Like clockwork, there was an announcement from the stage, where a small orchestra had just stopped playing. A saxophone player took a long swig of water before stepping off the stage.

Someone else, not from the band, stood in front of the microphone. “Will the person driving the red Mercedes please come to the front, please? Your car is about to be towed.”

No one was listening, though. Everyone was engrossed in polite chatter and laughter.

He said it again. “The driver of the red Mercedes, your car is about to be towed. Please come up to the front as soon as possible.”

I chanced a glance at Sophia.

A tall young guy, one of her assistants, came up to her and whispered in her ear.

She finally said something to the group before turning away in a rush.

This was it. My chance to get away. I put the tray I was holding down on a table and passed through the double doors to the back. I walked without looking at anyone and like I was on my way to get something.

Meanwhile, my breathing was unsteady, and I could hardly think straight.

I kept waiting for someone to call my name, tell me to come back, ask me where I was going, but no one did. I swung open the small locker in the back, grabbed my bag, and stepped outside. The door banged shut behind me.

I exhaled.

“There you are!” Lena ran up to me, looking stunning dressed as Wonder Woman. She had the curtain of dark hair and mile-long toned legs for the part, not to mention the full red lips.

She was only missing the sword and shield.

“We were wondering which door it was,” she said.

Rey and Harper were right behind her. They looked great too. Rey was Jane Austen, the famous writer, but I only knew that because she told us yesterday. Like every other day, she had a journal in hand except she wore an old-style dress instead of her usual colorful skinny jeans and converse.

Harper was a cool-looking unicorn with neon pink and purple hair and a furry white dress to match.

All of a sudden, my costume idea seemed boring.

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Harper said.

Rey stared at me. “You look great without your glasses.”

Harper interjected, “Not that you don’t rock your glasses.”

I beamed. “Thanks! So, were you able to do it?” I asked Lena.

“Your stepmom’s car’s being towed away as we speak,” Lena replied proudly. “And it’ll be quite a while before she can get it back. My cousin will make sure of that.”

We all laughed.

“You’re the best,” I said.

“Don’t thank me,” she said. “Thank Martinez Towing Services. Family owned since 2001.”

I smiled. “We should get going.”

Lena led us to a waiting car that belonged in one of the Fast and Furious movies.

A guy in his twenties, presumably Lena’s cousin, sat in the driver’s seat.

I opened the back door to get in and smiled at him. “Thanks.”

Lena got in the front with him, and the rest of us squeezed into the back.

I checked my phone. There was a message.

Baller929: Can’t wait to finally meet you tonight.

My heart faltered for a moment.

I twisted in my seat to show Harper the message. She smiled too.

Meanwhile, Rey scribbled away at her journal.

“Rey, what could you possibly be writing right now?” I asked with a laugh.

Lena turned back to look too.

Rey spoke without putting her pen down or looking at us. “The most important thing of all.” She finally looked at us. “I’m documenting the entire night.”

We walked into the venue and headed for the bathroom first.

I had to change out of this ridiculous outfit. I looked like I was here to serve punch or something.

The bathroom was empty, and luckily enough, was super roomy with a sitting area.

Lena lay the dress over the couch, and I walked into the nearest stall.

“I found the perfect shoes for you,” she said.

“Your sister’s?” I called, taking off my shirt.

“Not quite.”

I folded my clothes and tucked them inside my bag. “I’m ready.”

The sound of Lena’s heeled boots echoed in the bathroom as she made her way over to my stall. She threw the dress over the door, still in a clear plastic bag.

I carefully took it out, making sure it didn’t hit the floor.

It was pretty clean in here, but still.

I pulled pink silk over my head and shoulders and slid it down to my hips and legs until the wide skirt sat at my waist.

My stomach did a flip as I realized that Baller929 was just a matter of feet away, waiting for me.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the tiny stall.

“What do you guys think?” I asked quietly.

Harper blinked, and Rey looked up from her journal, but neither of them said a word.

Lena came over and squatted down to mess with the bottom of the dress. “You look great.”

Harper and Rey nodded, but I could tell they were trying to be nice. The dress was a little too long, and it didn’t fit my frame quite right. It was a pretty dress, but I realized it wasn’t my dress.

“Here, put the shoes on. I bet they’ll help with the length,” Lena assured me.

They were definitely Cinderella shoes. They were glittery with a tall slingback heel. I was glad I had painted my toenails this morning.

“These are…wow,” I breathed.

“They were made for you,” Lena said. “I saw them at a shoe store the other day, and I knew they’d be perfect for you.”

“You did that for me?” I asked, my eyes suddenly wet.

Lena shrugged like it was no big deal and smiled.

But it was a big deal.

Harper and Rey stepped closer to fully admire the dress. Then Rey went back to the couch to pull something out of her bag.

“The shoes really pull the outfit together,” Rey said, walking toward us. She handed something to me. “Plus they’ll go perfectly with this mask.”

I gasped. “Rey, this is amazing! You made this?” I asked, taking the gold glittering mask in my hands.

She nodded. “Anything for one of my best friends.”

I hugged her, making sure I didn’t mess up the mask.

When we pulled away, I studied the intricate design. It was more than a mask. It was a piece of art.

I tried it on, pulling the thin band of elastic behind my hair. It covered the area around my eyes instead of my entire face. It was just the level of anonymity that I needed for tonight.

Lena admired me. “Rey, there are no words.”

“You have a gift,” Harper agreed.

I took the mask off and placed it carefully on the couch with our stuff.

Harper clasped her hands in front of her chest. “It’s gonna go great with your makeup and hair.”

Lena checked her phone. “Speaking of, we need to get on that. It’s starting to get late, and we can’t keep Prince Charming waiting, can we?” She walked over to her bag and rummaged inside. “Oh no. I left my makeup bag in my cousin’s car.”

She immediately dialed his number and told him to come back. A minute later, she hit end on the call. “He’ll be here in a few. Luckily, he’s close.”

Harper grabbed my brush from my bag. “In the meantime, I’ll brush your hair.”

“Okay,” I said, sitting down.

Lena was already pulling out a curling wand, a straightener, and bottles of spray along with other stuff I didn’t recognize.

“I love this bathroom,” Lena said, plugging in the straightener.

Her phone dinged with a message. “That’s my cousin. He’s outside. I’m going to go get my bag.” Selena was already walking towards the door.

“I’ll come with you,” Harper said.

“Good idea,” I chimed in, still admiring my shoes.

The door swung shut behind them, but I didn’t turn away from the beautiful heels.

This pink dress still didn’t quite suit me, but overall, the shoes definitely made up for it. And hopefully, my hair and makeup would too.

Rey stood up, closing her journal. “Do you mind if I go scope out the dance? I need some background detail.”

I gave her a smile. “Go right ahead. I bet we’ll catch up to you.”

Then she was gone, and it was just me. I blinked at the girl staring back at me in the mirror, hardly recognizing her in a dress.

I took a deep breath, and suddenly, my heart ached for my dad. I wished he was here, taking too many photographs and embarrassing me in front of my friends.

Not that he would do that. I knew he would have been a really cool dad. The kind other girls wished they had.

I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, imagining they were his.

The door banged open.

I let my arms hang by my sides and pretended to wash my hands, head down. I didn’t want anyone to see my face tonight, except maybe Baller929.

Whoever it was immediately went into the first stall and locked it. I looked in the mirror as they went in, but I wasn’t fast enough to see who it was.

I dried off my hands when I heard the door open again, and this time there was laughter. I recognized the voices immediately.

Lindsay and Courtney.

I froze at their reflections.

They were in full costume from head to toe as Belle and Sleeping Beauty.

I turned away, but it was too late. They spotted me.

“Ella?” Lindsay asked, a full cup of punch in her hand. She looked odd with the brunette wig on. Belle didn’t suit her at all.

Courtney was right behind her as Sleeping Beauty.

I didn’t say anything.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at our mom’s gala thing?” Courtney demanded. “Does she know you’re here?”

I stuttered, not knowing what to say.

They gasped and laughed, realizing the truth before I could come up with some kind of excuse.

“You left, didn’t you?” Lindsay said. “You snuck off.”

They walked closer. Lindsay took a drink of her punch.

Courtney crossed her arms, staring me up and down. “So you thought you could sneak away and be what? What are you supposed to be anyway?”

Lindsay laughed. “Let me guess. One of those homeless people? Where’d you get that dress? Goodwill?”

Courtney laughed with her.

I clenched my teeth together and blinked back tears. Please let them leave, I wished silently.

Lindsay crossed her arms. “Why don’t we do you a favor, Ella? We won’t tell our mom you were here, but you should probably get back to where you belong.” She stepped closer until she was almost in my face. “Serving people,” she whispered and turned to leave.

I exhaled in relief.

“One more thing,” she said, turning back around.

Her cup of punch came at me. Then it splattered all over Lena’s dress.

I shrieked and backed away, but it was too late.

Courtney sneered. “That should definitely help get you back where you’re supposed to be.”

Tears filled my eyes and overflowed, reflecting the hurt erupting inside me. I had a dress full of red punch, and they were already walking away with satisfied smirks on their faces.

I didn’t know how long I stood there, but then Lena and Harper were in front of me, taking me in. I wished I could have just left rather than have them see me like this.

“Oh my gosh!”

“Who did this to you?”

“Ella! Who did it?”

But their voices didn’t quite register. I barely heard the sounds of someone else coming and going.

I’d never been more humiliated.

Somehow, I ended up on the couch, my face buried in Lena’s shoulder.

“Whoever did this is going to pay,” she said, rubbing my back.

I could hardly hear her over my sobs.

Someone else came in. Rey’s voice reached my ears. “What happened? I was only gone a few minutes.”

“Lindsay and Courtney Porter happened,” Lena said.

“What are we going to do?” Harper asked quietly.

I took a couple of deep breaths and sat up. “I need to go. My stepmom—she’ll find out for sure.”

I tried to wipe away the tears, but they wouldn’t stop streaming from my eyes.

“No way,” Lena said. “We’re going to fix this.”

But even she looked stumped.

I shook my head. “You guys have done enough. Clearly, this whole thing wasn’t mean to be.”

I stood up and faced them. “It’s okay. Really,” I said, grabbing my bag and stuffing my things inside. “If Baller929 is the kind of person I think he is, then he’ll understand.”

Harper offered me a kind smile, and Lena gave me a hug. I turned to the stall near the couch, ready to take this dress off and head back to the gala where I belonged.

“What’s that?” Harper asked, pointing to the sink.

We all looked. There was something resting on it. We made our way over.

It was something teal, sequined, and full of tulle.

“Did someone leave that here?” Lena asked, then went to the door and poked her head out. “Whoever it was, they’re gone,” she confirmed, letting the door shut behind her. “Did you see who it was, Ella?”

I shook my head.

“I didn’t see either,” Harper said, looking at each of us in turn.

“Me neither,” Lena said. “Rey, you came in last.”

“I didn’t see anybody,” she replied, perplexed.

Lena held up the dress, letting it come unfolded.

We all gasped and stared at the jaw-dropping blue-green shade of the dress. It boasted a full skirt of tulle beyond a sleeveless bodice covered in sequins. The sweetheart neckline completed the look.

A smile grew on Harper’s face. “Did someone leave this here for you?”

Rey poked her hand in a fold of fabric. “Look, it has a pocket!” she said in disbelief.

“This is the most perfect dress,” Harper said.

Lena walked over to the couch and came back, mask in hand. “Ready to make an entrance? For real this time?”

I smiled bigger than I had in a long time. “I can’t believe someone gave up their dress for me.”

More tears fell down my face. Happy tears.

“You deserve it,” Lena said.