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I yanked the roo and then calling the new number

"Please pick up," I whispered The elevator opened, revealing a crowd of young wo and slurring their words, half of theo to bed or just stay up so they wouldn’t ht ho Three rings later, voicemail chimed in

You’ve reached Trent You knohat to do

"Ugh," I huffed, letting h The door opened, and I walked with purpose to the Bellagio shops

After searching through too fancy, too trashy, too , I finally found it: the dress I would hen I becath Fairly plain, really, except for the sheer bateau neckline and a white satin ribbon that tied around the waist I stood in themy eyes study each line and detail It was beautiful, and I felt beautiful in it In just a couple of hours, I would be standing next to Travis Maddox, watching his eyes take in every curve of the fabric

I walked along the wall, scanning the nu on the fourth, I placed it back into its cubby, flustered A veil was too proper Too innocent Another display caught ers run over the different beads, pearls, stones, and metals of various hairpins They were less delicate, and moreback to one in particular It had a small, silver comb, and the rest of it was just dozens of different-size rhinestones that so why, I held it in my hand, sure it was perfect

The shoes were in the back of the store They didn’t have a huge selection, but luckily I wasn’t super picky and chose the first pair of silver strappy heels I sao straps went over roup of pearls to cae the belt Thankfully they had size six in stock, and I was on to the last thing on ant pair of pearl earrings At the top, where they fastened to h for a special occasion, and anecklace Never inwouldn’t change that for ht about the first time I stood in front of Travis He eaty, shirtless, and panting, and I was covered in Marek Young’s blood That was just sixmarried And I’m nineteen I’?

I stood at the register, watching the receipt being printed out for the dress, shoes, hairpin, and jewelry, trying not to hyperventilate

The redhead behind the counter tore off the receipt and handed it to eous dress Nice choice"

"Thank you," I said I wasn’t sure if I s the bag against my chest

After a quick stop into the jewelry store for a black titaniulanced at ood tian to vibrate I placed the bag between ers grew desperate, clawing and shoving everything to the side to get to the phone in time

"Hello?" I screeched "Trent?"

"Abby? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," I breathed as I sat on the floor against the side of the closest slot machine "We’re fine How are you?"

"I’ve been sitting with Cami She’s pretty upset about the fire She lost soulars"

"Oh, God, Trent I’m so sorry I can’t believe it It doesn’t seeht "There were so many Their parents probably don’t even know, yet" I heldtired "It’s like a war zone down there What’s that noise? Are you in an arcade?" He sounded disgusted, as if he already knew the answer, and he couldn’t believe ere that insensitive "What?" I said "God, no Wewe hopped on a flight to Vegas"

"What?" he said, incensed Or maybe just confused, I couldn’t be sure He was excitable

I cringed at the disapproval in his voice, knowing it was just the beginning I had an objective I had to set s aside as best I could until I achieved what I came for "Just listen It’s important I don’t have a lot of time, and I need your help"

"Okay With what?"

"Don’t talk Just listen Pro tell ht last night A lot of people died Soo to prison for it"

"You thinkin’ it’s gonna be Travis?"

"Hie, and anyone else they think coordinated it Thank God Shepley wasn’t in town"

"What do we do?"

"I asked Travis to oing to help hias Maybe if we can prove ere off getting married a few hours later, even if a few dozen drunken frat boys testify that he was at the fight, it will sound just crazy enough to create reasonable doubt"