“A bunch of us get together and have some drinks beforehand, then we pretty much dance all night,” Amber says. “It’s really fun.”
“Oh. Um, when is it?” I ask, even though I’m thinking, Dancing? Drinking? No way Mom will let me go.
“Tomorrow. So will you come?” Amber presses. “Since Tucker failed in his duties, I’m asking for him.”
Tomorrow. After another dare tonight. I have no idea if I’ll be standing by then, and if there’s yet another dare that same night, I’ll be screwed.
“I don’t really have anything to wear for something like that,” I say, then immediately regret it. I sound so pathetic. Sadie doesn’t even try to rein in her smile.
“You can borrow something of mine,” Farrah says. I look up sharply. She smiles past me at Sadie. “You can come to my house after school, and we’ll get ready together.”
“I thought we were getting ready together,” Sadie says.
“Thanks, Farrah,” I say, paving over Sadie’s jealousy. “That’s really nice of you to offer. But I can’t.”
“See, she doesn’t even want to go,” Sadie says.
“Sure she does,” Farrah answers, full of sudden determination.
I open my mouth to argue that I really can’t, especially not after what happened this morning, but Farrah holds a finger up. “Stop right there. I’m not taking no for an answer. Meet me at my car tomorrow after the last bell.” She pops up from the table suddenly, and I check the time: twenty minutes to the end of lunch.
“I’ll talk to you later,” I tell Tucker. I hurriedly climb off the bench seat and jog after Farrah, struggling to get on my backpack and not huff for breath in front of the entire student body.
“Thanks for saving me back there,” I say as I fall into step beside her.
“No problem. Sadie’s such a bitch.”
“It was worth it just to see the look on her face.” After a beat I add, “So will you get ready with her anyway?”
“What?” She turns to face me.
“Tomorrow night. For the event.”
“You’re coming over.” She says it like I’m slow on the uptake.
She actually wants me to go to her house. Get ready together.
“Oh,” I say simply. “So that wasn’t, like—”
“A pity invite? No. Well, I did hate the way Sadie was talking to you, but I think it’ll be fun to hang out.”
So I’m going to this event.
If Sadie is a part of the Society, this isn’t going to end well for me.
“So what’s this meeting about?” Farrah asks before I can worry too much about it.
I look around to make sure no one is listening in. “My mom’s car exploded after the swamp last night. A total write-off.”
I see a flash of surprise in her eyes.
“And I got a text after that said cheaters always get caught. Farrah, they were talking about the dare—how I didn’t cross back on my own. This was a punishment.”
Saying the words out loud makes my insides feel not quite solid.
Farrah doesn’t answer, but I swear I see a shiver roll down her body.
We reach the library.
As far as I’m concerned, the school board should be grateful to Hartley for burning the old one down. The new library is a vast improvement over the orange shag carpet and cheap plywood bookcases of yore, a study in modern design filled with sharp angles and clean lines, high-tech computers, and row after row of sleek white bookshelves.
But even the new look doesn’t make the library a popular hangout. The place is deserted. Besides a boy bent over in the periodicals and two girls hunkered in a corner with giant headphones on, we’re the only students in sight. Which is perfect for our purposes.
We wind our way through the bookshelves to the back of the room, where desks are set up for students to study. They’re all empty, save for one. Lyla and Nikki sit around a table, while Hartley supervises with her arms crossed over her chest and her boot against the wall.
Nikki shoots up the moment she sees me. “I don’t even know why I’m here. I’m not part of this anymore, and I have things to do.”
“Sit down,” Hartley says, but her leg bobs as if she can’t wait to get out of here too.
“Thanks for coming,” I say. “I’ll be quick.”
“I have a biology exam in five minutes.” Nikki drops heavily into her seat, cradling her arm in her lap. Her cast is pristine, and I almost smile, imagining her telling people their signatures won’t match her outfit.
Farrah remains standing a little ways from the group and casts nervous glances back at the stacks.
I take a seat at the only empty spot at the table. “Okay. So last night after Lyla dropped me off at home, my mom’s car exploded.”
“Jesus,” Lyla mumbles.
Nikki’s jaw hangs open. I give them a moment to digest this.
“I thought it was just a fluke,” I continue, “but then I got a text.” I pull out my phone, open to the message, and pass it around the group.
“What does this mean?” Lyla asks.
“It means I was punished for getting in a boat instead of letting the gator eat me.”