Ruby Reinvented (19 page)

C
ASSANDRA AND KATIE are sitting at a table on the second floor of the library. Katie's typing furiously on her laptop, a pile of books in front of her. Cassandra's looking out the window, twirling her hair.

The sight of Cassandra makes my stomach drop into my socks, but I walk toward her anyway. At least I can be honest about something.

I take a deep breath as I reach their table. “Hi, guys.”

“Oh, hi, Bea.” Katie smiles at me over her pile of books.

“Hey, can I borrow Cassandra for a minute?” Suddenly I don't know what to do with my hands. Putting them on my hips seems too casual. Crossing my arms seems too defensive. So they just hang there at my sides, completely useless.

Cassandra purses her lips, as if she's deciding whether
or not to talk to me. Finally she pushes her chair back and stands up.

She follows me to the poetry area, which is usually pretty empty.

“What's up?” One hand is on her hip, and her other elbow leans on the shelf. Her head is cocked to one side, and she's looking at me like she doesn't quite trust me. Which she shouldn't.

“Well, I, uhhh, I have something to tell you.” I shift my weight from one leg to the other. I still don't know what to do with my hands, so I shove them into the pockets of my jeans.

“I'm waiting.” Cassandra raises her eyebrows.

“I just wanted you to know that Connor asked me to the Spring Fling.” I can't quite look at her face, so I stare at the
Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
just behind her head.

She squints at me. “And you said no, right?”

“Not really.” I push my hands deeper into my pockets. “I said yes.”

Now both hands are on her hips, and her chin juts out over her chest. “You what?”

“I'm sorry.” I finally get the nerve to look her in the eyes. “But I like him. And I guess he likes me. . . .”

“It's obvious that
friendship
means nothing to you.” The words shoot out of her mouth like daggers. I flinch.

“What?” I didn't even realize we were actually friends.

Cassandra turns on her heels, and her hair whips me in
the face. “You can forget about your stupid fashion show. I was willing to help you because Summer likes you. But I knew from the minute I met you that there's something off. And now I know the truth. You are a horrible friend.”

She turns the corner out of my sight.

I don't even bother to hold back the tears, which stream down my face. I wipe them with the back of my hand. It's not that I care what Cassandra thinks, because I don't. It's just that she's right.

I am a horrible friend. And a liar.

I go all the way around the library so I don't have to walk past Cassandra and Katie. I put my head down so nobody can see how red my eyes are.

Summer's at her desk when I get back to our dorm room. She jumps off her chair when she hears me come in. She takes one look at me and groans.

“Oh no. I guess she didn't take it well?”

I plop into my chair. “She hates me. And she's out of the fashion show.”

Summer stands next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder. “She's angry now, but she'll get over it. I'll talk to her.”

I shake my head. “She told me I'm a horrible friend.”

“Don't listen to her. She's just mad because she didn't get her way for once.”

I want to tell her that Cassandra's not wrong. If she knew the truth she'd totally agree.

“Don't worry,” Summer says. “We'll get someone else to do the fashion show. There's going to be a line of volunteers when everyone sees how awesome your dresses are.”

I smile. For the next three weeks I'll focus on the fashion show. That will take my mind off the fact that, sooner or later, the dream life I found here will come to an end, and I'll be back to being the lonely daughter of celebrities. Oh sure, I'll have people to hang out with once everyone learns who my parents are. But I won't have friends—not true friends anyway. Summer will hate me. And Connor will never talk to me again.

I shake the thought away. I decide that no matter what Cassandra says, I'm going to enjoy my fantasy life while I can.

Summer hits the shower just before eight, and my parents FaceTime me a few minutes later. For once they're actually in the same room.

“We got another e-mail about Parents' Weekend,” Dad says.

“I wish we could change our schedule around.” Mom purses her lips.

“Really, it's not a big deal. Please don't worry about it. I don't want you guys stressing out about this.” I smile my biggest smile.

“If you're sure, Bea,” Dad says. “Because if you're not—”

“I am, Dad. Really.”

“Are we missing anything special?” Mom cocks her head to one side.

“No, just a rubber-chicken dinner.” I never told them about the fashion show. I want to keep this part of me only for myself.

“Awwww,” Dad says. “Rubber chicken is my favorite!”

I roll my eyes. “You're such a goofball.”

We say our good nights, and I shut down the iPad. Even though I'm thrilled my parents won't be here to ruin my new life, I still really miss them.

 25 

C
ASSANDRA PRETTY MUCH ignores me for the next two weeks. She barely talks to Summer or Katie, either, which is so unfair, since they had nothing to do with Connor asking me to the dance. But since both of them still want to be friends with me, she doesn't want anything to do with either of them.

“I feel horrible that Cassandra's blowing you off,” I say to Summer while we're eating lunch. Cassandra sits with a group of seventh-graders on the other side of the cafeteria.

“She'll get over it.” Summer shrugs. “And if she doesn't, then she wasn't a very good friend to begin with.”

“It doesn't bother you?”

“Meh.” Summer shoves the last forkful of rice and beans into her mouth.

I wish I had Summer's attitude. She doesn't care what people think or what they say. She's nearly always cheerful. I wonder how she'll feel about me after she learns the truth.

“Hey, guess what?” Summer puts her fork down. “You know Antoinette from tech class? She would totally love to be in your fashion show.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Think you can make one more dress in a week?”

“Sure,” I say. “I've sketched out a bunch of ideas.” Sketching helps me get my mind off of stressful things. I've done a
lot
of sketching lately.

To keep my mind off everything, I throw myself into the dresses for the next week. Three of Holly's friends asked last minute if they could join in, so I spend every spare minute I have stitching and sewing, with Summer oohing and aahing over my shoulder. I even manage to squeeze in some time to make my own dress for the Spring Fling. I choose a vintage design made of white linen fabric with a rose pattern, and add princess seams for a tailored fit. I even include a boned bodice to make the skirt extra poofy (I pulled the boning out of one of Mom's old dresses years ago when she was a runway model). When I close my eyes, I can see Connor spinning me around, my dress flying out around me like a scented flower garden since I plan on spraying the hem with rose perfume for the complete Spring Fling package.

We have a quick fashion show rehearsal on Wednesday after dinner, but since the dresses aren't completely finished it's not a dress rehearsal. Summer organizes the whole thing, and everybody does a great job. They're ready for Saturday night.

I finally finish the dresses on Friday afternoon. Summer runs around campus giving them to the girls who'll be modeling them, while I put the finishing touches on my own dress for tonight's Spring Fling. I haven't even shown Summer my dress yet. It's so frilly and flowery and floofy. I'm afraid she'll laugh, and then I won't have the guts to wear it. And I really want to wear it.

Our dorm room door shoots open, and Summer flies in. “Omigod, Bea. The girls flipped out over your dresses. They're so excited to wear them.”

“Really?” I'm so happy to hear this that I don't even think to hide my own dress, which is laid out on my bed. Summer looks at it and gasps.

“Is this what you're wearing tonight?”

I stare at her face for a few seconds but can't tell if she's happy or horrified. “Well, yeah, I think so. Maybe. I don't know. . . .”

Summer leaps over to my bed and touches the fabric. “It's pure awesomeness.”

All the tension flies out of my shoulders. “Yeah?”

“Totally.” She rubs her fingers on the hem. “You are so
amazingly talented.” She breaks into a huge smile and runs over to hug me. Something inside me breaks, and I start crying like an idiot.

“Bea?” Summer takes a step back. “What's the matter?”

“Oh, Summer, I'm a horrible person.” The words spill out along with my tears.

“What are you talking about?”

I can't believe I'm doing this. Two hours before the Spring Fling and I've turned into a babbling mess. Something about her hug and the way she looks at me. Summer's the best friend I've ever had. I can't lose her. I have to tell her the truth, and I have to tell her now.

“Summer, I haven't been completely honest with you.” I take a deep breath and hang my head. “My parents aren't really dead.” I'm surprised at how small my voice is.

Summer just stares at me for what feels like days. The words that finally come out of her mouth almost knock me over.

“I know.”

 26 

I
JERK MY head up and look at her. “WHAT?”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Yes. I know your parents aren't really dead.” She rolls her eyes, and her head bobs up and down as she talks.

I stare at her, my mouth hanging open. I finally find the word I'm looking for. “How?”

Summer scoots back on my bed so her back is against the wall. “I've known since the weekend you stayed at my house.”