jeans and shoes as I had yesterday. So far, my fashionista friends either had not noticed or had refrained from saying
anything, but that
wouldn't last long. Tomorrow I'd have to venture into my wardrobe again, but for now, I got up and closed the door without so much
as a peek inside. I didn't want to think about those clothes. Didn't want to think about what they meant. Avoidance was key to sanity.
"Everybody decent?" Noelle asked, striding right into our room without waiting for the answer. She dropped down on the edge of my
bed, leaning back on her hands and kicking her legs out, crossing them at the ankle. She was wearing camel-colored suede ankle boots
with little silver buckles across the backs. Here was a girl who hadn't worn the same shoes twice since she'd arrived on campus a
month ago. "So, the good news is, Dash is going to be in the city next week too," Noelle announced.
My heart leapt through my back into my bra strap, then slingshot its way through my body into my ribs. Dash was going to be
there. Dash still existed. I'd been starting to wonder, considering he had yet to respond to my e-mail. I guess talking to his current girl-
friend was more important than explaining himself to the girl he'd totally led on. For some reason, the thought of Noelle and Dash
whispering sweet nothings to each other over the phone as if he and I had never happened made my fists clench.
It wasn't that I wanted Dash. Not anymore. Especially not now that he had sat on my message for so long and hadn't bothered to call
or write back. I had been enthralled by him, sure. I could admit that to myself. But that was all. And all before I realized exactly how
much Josh meant to me. As for the pinch of anger, it was just that once again Noelle had won. She always, always won. "The bad
news is he wants me to have dinner with Charles and Fiona," she said, rolling her eyes. "I would never force him to have a meal with
Wallace and Claire. Mostly because my mother would probably come on to him after three glasses of pinot, but still. Ugh. Now I'm
going to have to be all... polite." "I'm confused. Who are Charles and Fiona?" Sabine asked, neatly folding a cream-colored sweater.
"Dash's parents," Noelle said in a snotty tone, as if Sabine should have known that from birth. "The McCaffertys? " She watched
Sabine with narrowed eyes as Sabine picked up another sweater and refolded it neatly. "What's up, Frenchie? Are you dropping out?
Hopping a Cessna back to island paradise ? "
Sabine blushed at Noelle's obviously hopeful tone. "No. She's deciding what to bring to New York next weekend," I told Noelle,
crossing over to my desk. I picked up my phone to check for messages, but there was nothing. Not from Josh. Not from Dash. "Sabine
is coming with us." Noelle laughed as she pushed herself up from the bed, lifting her heavy hair over her shoulder. "Uh, no." Sabine
shot me an alarmed glance. "Uh, yeah," I replied, matching Noelle's tone. Noelle looked at me, incredulous. "Reed, it's going to be
hard enough to get Cromwell to give us four passes. There's just no way." My blood started to boil in my veins. Why did Noelle al-
ways have to be so bossy? Couldn't she let me make one decision without trying to override it?
"If we can get him to give us four, we can get him to give us five," I said coolly but firmly. "I invited Sabine, and she's coming."
My tongue wanted to add an "Is that okay with you?" out of habit, but I didn't let it. Instead I bit down on it until I tasted blood. Noelle
glared at me, as if waiting for me to crack, but I didn't. I simply stared back. "Fine, Madame President," she said finally. Then she