"What are you talking about?"

Her eyes seemed to dance. They were sparkling. "Come on, like you don't know."

"I don't. What are you talking about?"

"Logan's friends with Mark, but they're not that great of friends. I assumed we were invited because of you."

"You weren't."

"Oh." Her back straightened and her shoulders stiffened. Then she let out a soft laugh. "Regardless, I'm throwing an intimate dinner. I've extended invitations to Mason and Logan, but I wanted to invite you in person."

"An intimate dinner?"

"I throw them all the time, but it's usually only for our close friends."

"The Academy Elite," I mused and tried to remember what book I needed for the next class. It was fifth period… My hungover brain was still going slow.

She laughed again. "That's right. I'd forgotten you knew about that name. That's what your friend calls us, right?"

"And Adam's."

"Hmmm?"

I looked up and held her gaze. "She's Adam's friend too. He's got a soft spot for her."

"Oh, I know. I know." The corners of her mouth turned downwards, but they flipped up a second later. "So I would love if all three of you guys would come to my dinner tonight."

I sighed and turned to her. "Look, don't do this."

"Do what?"

"Mason and Logan won't come to your dinner."

"But you haven't even talked to them about it yet."

"Have they ever come before?"

"I've never invited them…" A small frown had come back to her as she started to look around. A small audience had appeared around us. They weren't close, but they were within hearing distance.

Here we go again…

"They won't come. I know them. They don't care about anyone except themselves. Trust me."

She looked down at her feet. "They seem to care about you…"

I lifted a shoulder. "If they do, they do, but don't invite them. They won't come and it'll make you look bad. You told me this morning you didn't want a war, but that's what you're starting. It won't work with Mason and Logan. Everyone knows they're jerks because they don't care about anything or anyone."

When she looked back up, she was transformed. A fierce determination shone through her emerald eyes and pinned me down, but she edged closer and lowered her voice to a whisper, "You're right. You're completely right. Thank you. I know this came from a good spot with you so I'm not going to invite them. I never was."

"I thought you said—"

She gave me a tight smile. "I didn't. I was testing you. I wanted to know what'd you do and you proved me right. You proved some others wrong."

"What are you talking about?" I shook my head. Was she mad? "There's no dinner?"

"There's a dinner, but do you really think I'm crazy enough to invite the Kade brothers? Everyone knows they don't care and we all know that we weren't really invited on that trip. You invited Adam, he invited us, and no one else cared if we went or not. That's how we went on the trip. You're completely right. Mason and Logan don't care about us, though I think they should. Everyone knows they should've gone to this school. They should be our friends, but they're not. They made their choice."

I eyed her up and down and noted how her hands were in small fists, how her jaw was stiff, and how her shoulders were bunched together. A massive knot was going to form between them.

I spoke softly, "You're a bit pissed with them, huh?"

"What?" She looked taken aback.

"Nothing." I grabbed my fifth period book. "So no dinner tonight?"

"Oh no. I'm having a dinner and you're invited. You don't have to come; no offense will be taken if you don't. We all know you're probably tired." She lingered on my bruise. "But if you do, Adam will pick you up."

I grinned now. "He's not picking up Cassandra?"

Miranda grimaced. "Between you and me, I hope those two don't do more than their flirting. He doesn't care enough about her, and she deserves someone who's going to be there for her. Adam cares like that about you."

Oh no…

She laughed and waved at me. "Don't worry. I'm not going to play matchmaker. Everyone can tell that Sallaway did a number on you, but I do hope you'll come to dinner tonight."

"Can Becky come?"

Her eyes held mine steady. She didn't blink. "No."

So that's how it was going to be. I should've known.

Miranda looked over my shoulder and she chuckled to herself. "Look at that, I did you another favor."

Another one? I looked over and saw Jessica, Jill, Lydia, and Ashley at some lockers. All four of them stared at us with different emotions. Jessica was livid, as was Jill. Lydia was trying to fight off a smile at me and Ashley surprised me when she grinned.

Miranda added, "They wanted to confront you about why you wouldn't let them come on the trip, but now that I've deemed you one of my friends," she laid a hand on my shoulder. "They wouldn't dare." Her laugh was confident, it bordered on the verge of being cocky. "Welcome to the Elite, Samantha. I hope to see you at dinner tonight."

As she strolled down the hallway and linked elbows with Emily Connsway, the only female in their group who hadn't gone on the trip, Miranda stopped and lifted her head for a kiss from Peter Glasburg. He hadn't gone on the trip either. When both of them looked over and gave me a grin, I was jolted enough to jerk my hand up in a wave.

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