Page 12 (1/2)

She fluttered her hand to her throat "What do you mean?"

"I just…I don’t know if you should be here"

"Why?" she fuht to be here, just like everyone I just wanted to apologize, all right? I’ve been trying to chase you down in school, but you keep running away from me"

"Well, it’s complicated, Hanna," Sean said

Hanna was about to ask as so complicated when Candace put her hands on both their shoulders "I see you two know each other!"

"That’s right," Hanna chirped,her irritation

"We’re so happy to have you, Hanna" Candace beamed "You’d be a very positive role model for us"

"Thanks" Hanna felt a little thrill Even if it was V Club, she wasn’t often erade tennis coach, not by her friends, not by her teachers, certainly not by her parents Perhaps V Club was her calling She pictured herself as the spokeswo Miss Aet a fabulous V Club ring Or rammed Louis Vuitton clutch with a hand-painted V

"So, do you think you’ll join us next week?" Candace asked

Hanna looked at Sean "Probably"

"Wonderful!" Candace cried

She left Hanna and Sean alone again Hanna sucked in her stoed down a Good Huht fro "So, you talked about me here, huh?"

Sean shut his eyes "I’ht," Hanna interrupted "I didn’t realize how much all this…meant to you And I really like so someone you love I’m all for that And everyone see out of her ged "Yeah, it’s okay"

Hanna frowned, surprised by his apathy Then she sighed and raised her eyes "Sean, I’m really sorry about what happened About…about the car I just…I don’t really kno to apologize I just feel so stupid But I can’t deal with you hating s came out kind of harsh on Friday I think ere both in weird places I mean, I don’t think you should’ve done what you did, but…" He shrugged "You’re volunteering at the clinic, right?"

"Uh-huh" She hoped her nose didn’t wrinkle up in disgust

He nodded a few tihten the patients’ day"

Hanna felt her cheeks flush with gratitude, but his sweetness didn’t surprise her Sean was a textbook good, coave money to homeless people in Philly, recycled his old cell phones, and never badmouthed anyone, even celebrities who existed to be made fun of It had been one of the reasons she’d first corade when she still was a chubby loser

But just last week, Sean had been hers She’d coossipy dirty work, and she couldn’t let a little drunken error in judgh…there was soht ruin their relationship

I can RUIN you

"Sean?" Hanna’s heart pounded "Have you gotten any weird texts about me?"

"Texts?" Sean repeated He cocked his head "No…"

Hanna bit her fingernail "If you do," she said, "don’t believe theht" Sean smiled at her Hanna felt electric

"So," she said after a pause "Are you still going to Foxy?"

Sean looked away "I guess Probably with a bunch of guys or whatever"

"Save me a dance," she purred, and squeezed his hand She loved the way his hands felt--solid, warm, and masculine It ive up sex until e She and Sean would stay constantly vertical, cover their eyes at sex scenes, and avoid Victoria’s Secret in the mall If that hat it took to be with the only boy she’d ever kind of, well, loved, then maybe Hanna could make that sacrifice

Or ain was any indication, she could talk him out of it

11

DIDN’T EMILY’S MOTHER EVER TEACH HER NOT TO GET IN STRANGERS’ CARS?

Eumball machine It was Wednesday after swi up stuff for dinner for her umball machine every tiaood would happen to her She looked at the gureen

"Hey" Someone stood over her

Emily looked up "Aria Hey"

As usual, Aria clearly wasn’t afraid to stand out with her outfit She wore a neon blue puffy vest that accentuated her arresting, ice-blue eyes And although she wore the school’s standard-issue uniform skirt, she’d hiked it up well above her knees and paired it with black leggings and funky royal blue ballet flats Her black hair was up in a high, cheerleader-style ponytail It couys in the Fresh Fields parking lot under seventy-five were staring at her

Aria leaned closer "You holding up okay?"