"All right! That's it!" Kiran said, breaking the silence. She stepped away from the group and turned to face us. "That guy is not coming to my party."
"What?" Paige blurted. "You've got to be kidding me."
"It's just too much drama," Kiran replied, holding up both hands. "I will not ring in the New Year with a fight. Daniel is out."
"I don't believe this. You're disinivitingpeople now? What is this, seventh grade?" Paige said with a laugh.
"It might as well be," Kiran said.
Paige crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine. If Daniel's not coming, I'm not coming."
"Me as well," Sienna added, lifting her chin haughtily.
"Fine. All of you stay home," Kiran said, waving a hand in Poppy's direction. "I'm sick of you and your negative vibes anyway."
82
"Us!?" Poppy screeched, bringing a hand to her chest. "If anyone's brought negative energy to this island it's her!" She pointed a finger at me, leaning forward for emphasis.
"We've so heard this riff already, and I am beyond over it. It's Kiran's party, and if she says you're out, you're out," Noelle told them. "And I, for one, say brava on the decision." She turned to Paige and Daniel's parents while looping her arm around my back. "Mr. and Mrs. Ryan, thanks for a lovely afternoon, but I think you'll agree we should be going now."
Mrs. Ryan pursed her lips. Her curly auburn hair trembled ever so slightly. "Yes. I believe that would be best," she said, glancing at Upton and his bottle of wine.
"Happy New Year, ladies," Noelle said over her shoulder. "Maybe your resolutions should be to quit being such whiny bitches."
Then she tugged me toward the center hall, getting us out of there before either of Paige's parents could react to the fact that their daughter had just been insulted right in front of them in their own home. The other girls, as well as Dash, Gage, West, and the Hathaways, trailed behind us. I suppose they figured they'd better take our side if they wanted in on the party. I heard Upton murmur a few words to the Ryans, then he jogged to catch up with us.
"That went well," he said facetiously.
"Whatever. I'm sick of their crap," Noelle replied. "If they're gonna dish it, they better be ready to take it."
Then she shoved open the heavy door and we all stepped out into the sunshine.
83
KISS BUSINESS
"All right, people! We have business to discuss!"
Kiran and Taylor emerged on the patio outside the great room at Noelle's house, several flutes of champagne in hand. Amberly rushed forward in her slinky pink dress to relieve them of a couple of the glasses and passed one to Tiffany. Kiran handed one to me and left one on a glass-topped side table next to Noelle, who was checking her eyebrows in a compact mirror as the sun set over the ocean.
"B
usiness? I thought this was a pre-party party!" Tiffany replied, taking a swig of her champagne.
"It is. But we need to figure out who will be kissing whom at midnight," Taylor said with a wicked grin. She plucked a caviar-and-toast-point hors d'oeuvre from the silver platter on the table and popped it into her mouth. "You know, just so there's no confusion."
"Well, we all know who Reed will be kissing," Tiffany said, slinging her arm around my neck.
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They all made the obligatory smoochy noises until my face was about to sear off my head. I adjusted the thin strap on my red dress and turned to look out at the ocean, waiting for the blush to subside. But now, all I could think about was Upton and how we planned to take it way beyond the kissing-at-midnight stage tonight, and the blush became permanent.
"Well, don't any of you bitches get any ideas about Dash," Noelle said.
"Obviously," Kiran said, rolling her eyes. She lifted one perfectly manicured finger. "I call Graham!"
"What!? No fair! You didn't even give us a chance," Amberly pouted.