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he was so convinced that nothing would come of it? So convinced of her innocence.

Oh, how I hoped it was the former.

"Well, at least it gets you off the rumor mill," Diana said with a small smile. "You must be happy

about that."

"You have no idea," I told her with a laugh.

Soon everyone would know that I was innocent. Soon Noelle and Josh would realize that I had

been right all along. That I had saved them both from being hurt. Soon everything would be back

the way it was supposed to be.

Well, almost the way it was supposed to be. I spotted Amberly on the other side of the room,

wearing a light blue sheath and holding court with Missy and Lorna. With her around, there would

be no room for me in Billings, even if Noelle miraculously decided to forgive me. Part of me

wanted to grab the cocktail sauce from a passing waiter's tray, go over there, and dump it over her

platinum blond head--get back at her for destroying my room the way she had, for invading my

privacy, trashing my things, trying to take my place. But I simply clenched my fingers and told

myself to chill. Now was not the time or the place. There was always tomorrow for a catfight.

Tonight I was focusing on the positive.

A sudden tinkle of silver bells brought the conversation in the room to a complete halt.

Headmaster Cromwell stepped up in front of the tree. For a man who had just watched two of his

students get hauled off by the cops, he was looking calm and composed. Happy, even.

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"If everyone will take your seats, the first course is about to be served," he announced, with the

proud air of someone who was pulling off the event of the season.

"I'll see you guys later?" I said to Marc, Sabine, and the other Billings Girls.

"Definitely," Constance replied.

With a smile, I wove my way toward the Pemberly table with Diana, Shane, and Sonal. It was so

nice to feel as if I had friends again. But at the same time, my heart started to pound with

trepidation. The start of the meal meant that the moment of truth was coming. I hugged myself

and hoped that I was prepared. Before long, my fate would be decided.

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