a's

elieve I slappe

h his cheek was still raw on my ski

ockery roll off my bac

uised as jokes, the arrogance in every wo

ish, stubborn par

cracked open

he said my name wit

irtless and so infuriatingly confident,

had spent too long letting him belittle me while I stayed sile

anym

th river rock, staring at th

s been my escape, m

tle current couldn't ca

deep-sharper tha

they opened a door I had sl

uel's b

forever be bran

ver should h

t wante

ve Ariana, but because

st from San Antonio-the

ners, celebrities,

re their name

uy and sell everyt

ust the granddaug

ou there," Aria

I remembered the way she pouted, ar

d to reaso

party is for your

ng in a plac

dress." Her face had lit up t

y taken

aned, but I knew she wouldn'

neve

in

rich friends." "Deal," she grinned, pulling me int

regret it."

up in front of our house the next da

politely, al

na sent me to fet

your sister c

lready prepared gow

essers from the city." I blinked a

ck into the house when Mary appeared

't say no," she s

ets invited to

st night, j

ing to ask us." Her ey

the only one standing betwee

ouldn't

to M

, wide-eyed, an

no fancy phones, no branded shoes

give her

e sometimes dreamed abo

sai

goodbye and climbed into Ar

s toward the heart of Hacienda Monleon,

f me wanted

on

opelessly drawn to

ignored me, and kissed me

e felt something real-until

ights glowing like fireflies in the

his night would c

sh I had listene

and even though I'd seen it many times before, I still co

thing out of a dream-towering, elegant, untou

long, tree-lined driveway we

ne path, and the manicured garden that stretche

es, orchids-all arranged with the kind

was alive w

iveries, others setting up tables dresse

ed with fresh floral arrang

ar the orchestra tu

ll that opulence,

ps, Ariana was already there, waiting i

hed forward and pulled both Ma

ay

a

it!" she

you'd back out aga

an't say no t

mediately took my hand, leading us i

ough part of me, traitorous and persistent,

ee in my heart: dreading his pre

f the guest rooms, and Mary gas

n't bla

arger than our

fit a whole family, and the mattr

amber for the night,"

e dancing until morning." Mary's eyes sparkled as she dropp

window, quiet

nder, soaking in every detail like

pretty things-gadgets, shoe

o badly to giv

grow up

grandparents in one of the modest ho

r let that di

d

into the night, chasing scholarships, fighti

t want

and give Mary a life that didn't include hand-

again," Mary teased, pulli

as the makeup artists

got to work, transforming our hum

e light played on her cheeks, how h

ed breat

ers," one of the stylists rem

e related?" We both

different ways," she add

aya, right?" I

join a bea

ook-and I heard

bination." I chuc

ally pagean

r me." "You're unde

r mind, here-" she handed me a ca

in you." "She won't call you,"

trying to convin

er a playful glare, but my heart

me-sometimes more tha

d just as we w

kless lavender gown, her lo

ed like

W

ing," she gasped,

you're

ya-oh

ks like it wa

your skin an

k you," I said quietly, still adjusting to

a princess, Ari

t keep the bal

ning toast." We followed her out of the room,

taircase, I tried to calm

because somewhere in that crowd of elega

on

ldhood

orme

et hear

ted

e way he m

at he might look at me tonight and final

red me more t