“I’m so sorry, Char,” she whispered. Charlotte trembled in her grip, then hugged her fiercely back.
“We’re sorry we didn’t give you a chance to explain,” Madeline said, throwing her arms around Emma and Charlotte. Emma could feel both girls crying again.
“I don’t blame you,” she said. “Sutton was your best friend. And I lied to you for months.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t have a choice,” Charlotte sniffled. “I can’t believe you were trying to solve her murder all on your own.”
“I can’t believe Ethan—” Lili started, but Laurel shot her a dirty look.
“Too soon,” she hissed.
After a long moment, the girls broke apart awkwardly. Emma knew it was strange for them. She’d gotten to know them, but they didn’t know her at all. Would they even like someone like Emma? She was so
different from Sutton. But in spite of everything, she’d had fun with the Lying Game girls. They’d made her take risks she’d never have taken in her old life, and given her courage in a time when she’d
needed it most. She liked to think that she’d rubbed off on them, too, a little. Since she’d stepped into Sutton’s life, the clique had become a little warmer and more accepting of one another.
“This is my friend Alex. From Henderson,” she said, and Alex nodded slowly. Emma tensed a little—this worlds-colliding moment felt weird. Alex was the kind of girl the Lying Game had loved to punk. And
Sutton’s friends were the kind of girls Alex used to call “fashion victims” and “trend whores.”
Lili looked Alex up and down. “I love your boots,” she said. “I had a pair of knee-highs, but the dog ate them.”
“That sucks,” Alex said. Lili nodded seriously.
“Henderson is near Las Vegas, right?” Charlotte asked. “We went there once, last summer, on a Lying Game trip. Sutton talked her way into getting us the Presidential Suite at the Bellagio.” She smiled
sadly. “It must be fun living there. There’s so much to do.”
“It’s okay,” Alex said. “Not as much fun without Emma.”
“So . . . will you stay in Tucson, now that this is all over?” Madeline asked Emma tentatively, and she nodded.
“I hope so. The Mercers asked me to live with them.” She glanced at Alex. “I’ll miss you so much, but I’ve never had family before. I need to do this.”
“I know,” Alex said. “I get it. Besides, it’s not like you’re that far from me. Maybe you’ll take another Lying Game trip soon, and come visit.” She struggled a little over the name of their clique,
but no one else seemed to notice. Emma smiled.
Charlotte exchanged a glance with Madeline, who gave a tiny nod. “Speaking of Lying Game, we were thinking sleepover, this weekend. Would you want to come?”
Emma flushed with pleasure. “I’d love to.” She paused, then went on. “There’s one thing I won’t do, though.”
Madeline cocked her head curiously, but Laurel looked like she knew what Emma was about to say.
“No more pranks. I can’t do it anymore.”
The girls were silent for a long moment. Charlotte looked down at her black Jimmy Choos, and Madeline hugged herself. Behind them, the Twitter Twins’ jaws had dropped in shock. Alex just raised an eyebrow
questioningly. But Laurel nodded.
“I’m with Emma on this,” she said. “It’s hurt too many people. And my snuff film prank was the one that Ethan used to . . . you know . . .” She trailed off.
Madeline took a deep breath. “You’re right. Maybe it’s time to be just boring old popular girls for once. We are fabulous enough not to need a gimmick, you know.”
Charlotte swept her hair behind her shoulder. “I’ve been thinking it’s time for a while now. We’re not kids anymore.”
Emma glanced at Lili and Gabby, who looked mutinous. Lili leaned in to whisper something in Gabby’s ear, and Gabby nodded. They had only gotten into the club a few months ago and clearly weren’t happy to be
done with it so soon.
Oh, well. The Twitter Twins could go rogue, as long as they didn’t prank Emma.
“Anyway, we don’t have time for pranks right now,” Charlotte said. “I need to find a new swimsuit for Barbados. I can’t just sit in a cover-up the whole time if I’m going to get any color.” She smiled
shyly. “Emma, you’re still invited if you want to come. A little beach, booze, and boys might be just what the doctor ordered to recover from . . . from all this.” She gestured helplessly around. Emma
patted her shoulder gratefully, truly touched.
“Thanks, Char. But I need to spend this Christmas with my family.” She met Laurel’s eye, and they both smiled.
“More for us,” Madeline said brightly. “We’ll bring you back some rum.”
Emma laughed. Suddenly, the sun on her face and the December breeze playing against her bare legs felt almost heavenly.