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ance with each of us.”
“Yeah, and they’ve been taking ballroom dancing since they were little so we have to bring our A–games.”
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“God, I would give anything to dance with Lucas.”
“I don’t think we can choose, it might just be random.”
“Well, I know for a fact that Nathan will dance with me first. He’ll probably want to dance with only me.” That smug voice that carries across the room is unmistakably Valerie’s, and I look up from my notepad instinctively to glare at her.
Unsurprisingly, I’m not the only girl pissed off by her statement.
“You sure you can dance, Val?” Gabriella asks from across the room, her voice dripping with disdain. “Your ankle isn’t bothering you?”
The girl next to Gabriella–Jamie–snorts. “What ankle? Did you see her dancing earlier? Makes me wonder what all that drama at the stables was.”
Valerie rolls her eyes, not even having the good grace to look embarrassed. “My ankle is better now, thanks for asking,” she says sarcastically. “Nathan took good care of me,” she adds smugly.
“Bitch,” someone mutters, but either Valerie doesn’t hear or chooses
not to react.
I force her out of my mind as I return to my notepad.
June’s dress is coming together nicely, and designing it has opened something in me that I’ve ignored for a while. Not only is it exhilarating to design again, but it’s also an amazing learning
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experience.
I’ve never designed anything formal like what we’re expected to wear and every time I take my ideas to the tailors, I attentively listen to her corrections and take her notes to heart.
The idea of working on this, of seeing my designs come to life on my sister’s and my body fills me with so much excitement, I can hardly contain it.
Around me,
the conversation drifts to our outfits for the ball. The girls excitedly talk about their custom designs, most of which, unlike
me,
have left the work to their tailors.
“I heard that Lara’s mom is making her dress, and she’s also going to be attending the ball.”
Lara, as usual, isn’t with us today, but I have no doubt she’s training just as hard—maybe even harder for the ball.
“I’m not surprised. She’s been modeling for her mom since she was twelve.” Apparently, Lara’s mother, Lily, was a supermodel back in the nineties, and now she’s one of the biggest fashion icons in the world. I’ve seen some of her designs, and they simultaneously inspire me and make me feel grossly inept and untalented.
Someone groans. “Ugh, it doesn’t matter what we wear. No designs come close to Lily Ellington’s.”
“Mine will,” Valerie says, her voice sounding a little sharp. I snort under my breath. She really can’t stand not being the center of
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attention or topic of conversation.
“Okay, good for you,” Jamie says with an eye roll.
“I’m not going to say what it is; it’s a surprise. But I bet I’ll look much better than Lara and her mom.”
Eliza coughs loudly. “Cough–No one cares–cough.”
I bite my lip to smother my laughter, but most of the girls don’t bother to hide their amusement at Valerie’s expense.
I lean forward to catch a glimpse of her, and I’m very pleased to see her face redden. If she were a cartoon, smoke would come out of her
ears.
I didn’t realize she’d stepped on so many toes. I’m a little proud that not everyone is succumbing to her high school mean–girl act, and they see her for who she is.
If only Nathan were as clairvoyant.
Our break is over soon enough, and we spend another hour going over the dances until my feet hurt.
Afterward, we return to our rooms to freshen up.
Jessica and Lily are already there, and Lucy helps June undress, taking
her to the bathroom.
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“How was dance practice?” Jessica asks conversationally.
Maybe due to the guilt of my sister getting hurt on their watch or the fact that I’m kind to them and don’t treat them like maids, Jessica and Lucy have been really nice, and they’re almost like friends.
“Exhausting,” I answer, dropping onto the bed unceremoniously.
The notepad falls from my hand onto the bed, and Jessica reaches for it. “May I?”
I nod.
She stares at the design in awe. “This is beautiful, Miss April.”
I sit up. “You think so?”
She nods sincerely. “You have quite the talent.”
I blush, resisting the urge to preen. “Thank you.”
“Is this for you, or your sister?”
“For June,” I answer. “I haven’t started on mine yet.”
“Would you like some help?” she asks. “I’ve seen many parties in this place; I know what kind of dresses the women wear.”
I take the notepad from her, shaking my head. “Thank you, Jess, but
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no thanks,” I say kindly. “I already have a pretty good idea of my
dress.”
And it might not be the incomparable work of a glamorous fashion icon or the stunning surprise Valerie promises.
But it’ll be my design; I’ll make it with my own hands, and it’ll be a dream come true.
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