So Into You [The Jane Austen Academy Series #2] (13 page)

The other costumes were amazing—no matter how long she’d been at Jasta, Ellie was always amazed at the tenacity and effort that the students threw into every party.

She recognized the Red Hot Chili Peppers, whose "lead singer" was arguing with a teacher that being shirtless was part of the costume. There were at least five girls dressed as Katy Perry with candy-colored costumes. A lot of her classmates took the opportunity to just dress in ragged jeans, T-shirts, and shaggy hair—they were probably rock stars she didn’t recognize (her parents had been more the type to listen to chanting monks when she was growing up.)

"They’re phoning it in," Emma said about the random T-shirt costumes.

"Those costumes are pretty awesome," Ellie said, pointing to Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith.

"But they’re not hair bands," Emma said smugly.

Then there was Edward and Lucy Gaga, who were forced to dance at arm’s length to accommodate the bubbles. She could tell Edward was making a game of it, squeezing closer to her as if it would pop some of the balloons, and Lucy kept squealing, pushing him away like she wasn’t enjoying it. Although Ellie couldn’t imagine why—it looked like so much fun.

"They look awful together," Emma said, having spotted where Ellie’s attention had gone. "Why are they even bothering with slow dancing? How do they expect to get close with all those plastic Gaga bubbles in the way?"

Ellie swallowed the desire to chime in and make fun of them. The universe had given Edward to Lucy a long time ago and she had no right to mess up their destiny. She’d already come close to throwing herself at a guy who wasn’t available—at being one of those girls who just couldn’t take a hint. Who read too much into what she saw in Edward’s eyes.

Emma grabbed her wrist so tight it hurt. "Don’t look, don’t look—he’s coming this way."

"Who?" Ellie asked, of course swinging her head around.

"Don’t!" Emma yanked her arm so she spun.

Ellie heard footsteps coming up behind her and she cradled her arm against her chest, rubbing at the bone.

"That’s so funny," Emma said in an artificially high tone—as if Ellie had said something funny, which she was sure she hadn’t.

"Emma," Josh said from behind Ellie.

"Oh Josh, I didn’t see you there," Emma said.

"Nice costume."

"I know."

Ellie finally turned around. Josh had also skipped on the costume to just wear a tight dark tee and dark jeans. He naturally looked like a rock star without even trying.

"Hey, Ellie," Josh said. "So Emma . . . could we talk or something?"

"We are talking," Emma said.

"Alone." Josh’s gaze flitted to Ellie.

Ellie wasn’t sure what Emma wanted—if she should stay or go—but Emma always did what she wanted, so Ellie kept quiet.

"To apologize," Josh added.

"Well, fine," Emma said airily. "I’ll be right back, Ellie."

Josh put his hand against the small of Emma’s back as she teetered with him out of the gymnasium. Ellie looked up at the clock—only ten minutes until the costume contest.

* * *

The judges walked up the steps to the stage—Bergie first, in a tight pink Lycra pantsuit that may or may not have been a costume, and the school librarian and softball coach next. Ellie watched nervously as Kat set them behind judging tables and gave them scoring paddles.

She swiveled her neck every which way—but couldn’t see Emma or Josh anywhere. Every now and then she’d catch a glimpse of a shaggy black wig, only to realize it was Tran on the dance floor or Knight making his way through the crowd.

She’d chewed her cheek raw. Emma might be loud and flashy, but she was also reliable. Emma would not miss the costume contest unless something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Can I get all the costume contestants to form a line at the stairs to the left of the stage," Kat asked, foregoing the microphone for her own booming voice. "Right here." She made flight attendant arms to stage left then shimmied into the first spot and waved Fanny onstage next to her.

Ellie glanced around the dance floor again. Emma was nowhere in sight—which meant she was in trouble and it was up to Ellie to find her. She pushed her way toward the exit and caught Knight’s worried eyes over the heads of the crowd—the chunky boots put her a full head over most of her classmates. Knight quickly made his way to her, waving off Tran when he tried to join.

"Where is she?" Knight asked.

"I don’t know . . . but I’m worried."

"This isn’t like her," Knight agreed.

Ellie didn’t hide her expression of surprise—did Knight really think he knew Emma so well after hanging out a few times?

"Well, it’s not," Knight said as if in answer. "When did she leave?"

"About ten minutes ago. Josh came."

Knight swore softly. "Josh is bad news. Do you think they’re . . ." He swallowed. "Together?"

Ellie shook her head. "Emma wouldn’t miss the costume contest for that."

"You’re right . . . not when she knows how much you need it."

Ellie’s own anxiety thrummed through the veins of her fingers. They left the gymnasium and took the pebbled path outside. The wind picked up through her wig, tangling the dark curls.

She glanced at Knight beside her. "You and Tran could still enter. Win the prize money for yourselves."

He raised one brow, crusting his white face powder, and continued to follow her up the path toward the dorms. They went straight to Emma and Ellie’s room—empty.

"Wait," Ellie said. She unzipped the boots from knee to foot and kicked them off to replace them with flip-flops, then stripped her wig and shook out her blonde curls. She’d move faster this way—and she was beginning to think that whatever had happened to Emma, they needed to find her.

Knight agreed. He half-ran down the academic corridor to the boys’ dorm as Ellie followed. He disappeared into his room and came out in jeans and a loose blue T-shirt and sneakers, his face clean. Without the white makeup, he seemed boyish and worried.

He knocked on Edward and Josh’s door—when no one answered, he flung it open. Empty, too. Knight scratched his head and turned around the room in a circle like he expected Emma to pop out from a hiding place. Ellie hugged her elbows.

"Where are they?" she asked herself. "Maybe the woods? He took her to this spot she told me about once."

Ellie glanced quickly around the room, looking for clues. Her eyes were drawn to Edward’s things. She felt a bite of satisfaction that he didn’t have a picture of Lucy up on his desk or by his unmade bed.

"Did you hear that?" Knight asked.

Ellie strained her ears to listen closer.

She did hear something—a lilting sing-song voice drifting in through the window. She looked into the woods.

Emma balanced precariously in the high-heeled boots in full KISS costume on a tree branch, singing at the top of her lungs.

"What the—"

"She’s drunk," Knight said, over her shoulder.

"Emma wouldn’t."

"Well, she is."

Ellie took off running. She rounded the corner outside and saw Knight was already at the base of the tree—perhaps having climbed through the window so as to not waste time.

He started scaling the tree as Ellie reached them.

"Ellie!" Emma said with a giggle. "You look so silly in those tight clothes—where’s your wig? You need it for the costume contest."

"Stop moving," Ellie commanded. "Stay where you are—sit tight." She glanced desperately at Knight, who was halfway up. How in the world had Emma managed to get up there in that costume?

"But seriously, Ellie—we won’t win if the costume isn’t complete."

"Then I’ll put it back on when you get down," Ellie said—how could Emma think about the contest at a time like this when she was one slip away from breaking her neck?

"I don’t wanna come down."

Emma dropped. Ellie swallowed a scream, thinking Emma was going to fall out of the tree, but instead she landed on her butt with a thud and sat on the drooping branch.

Knight reached the top and began to slowly walk out toward her.

Emma buried her face in her hands. "Everything is all wrong."

"It’s okay, Emma, just don’t move," Ellie begged.

But Emma gestured wildly with her hands. "Josh dumped me—again—
again!
—after I offered him a second chance." With each wild wave of her hand, the branch swayed. Knight locked his jaw in concentration as he edged out toward Emma.

"Just stand still," Ellie said.

"I’ll be still as stone," Emma promised, struggling to stand. "I’ll stand perfectly still."

"Emma—don’t!"

Just as Emma stood, her foot slipped out and she caught air with a scream.

Ellie’s throat closed up on a cry.

Knight lashed out, his hand around Emma’s waist, but they both dropped. He managed to grab the branch with one hand, grunting as the weight of them slammed against the trunk. But at least he had her.

Ellie sank to the grass in relief.

"Emma, I need you to grab the tree branch," he instructed.

Thankfully, Emma did as she was told, having swung from contrition to despondency. She was like a rag doll as Knight propped her over his shoulder and made his way gently across the branch to the trunk, then slid down.

Ellie got to her feet and met them at the base, propping up Emma’s head.

Knight rubbed his shoulder, wincing.

"Are you okay?" Ellie asked.

Knight nodded but his forehead creased in pain.

"Knight, your shoulder . . ."

"Let’s just take care of Emma," he said, looking down at her.

"Hey Ellie," Emma breathed. Ellie reared back at the reek of alcohol.

"Where did you get hard alcohol?" Ellie asked.

"Josh," Emma mumbled, her head drooping even further with sleepiness. "Betcha didn’t know that’s all a few unforgettable nights with the utterly forgettable Emma is worth. A consolation prize—like
can’t have me, so have this drink
." She made a rude noise. "The drink is worth more than Josh, thank you very much."

As much as Ellie wished Emma weren’t so dramatic, hatred for Josh pulsed in her veins—hatred that couldn’t be overcome with a million soothing mantras.

"Let me have her." Knight set his arms beneath Emma’s knees and lifted her up against his chest. He cradled her as they walked back to the dorm room and set her on the bed.

Emma stirred as she dug her face into her pillow. "Thanks, guys. You’re the best friends ever."

Knight winced.

Ellie grabbed Emma’s makeup remover pads, knowing Emma would never under any circumstances intend to fall asleep without washing her face. She gently ran the pads over Emma’s forehead and cheeks, taking off the white cake of powder. Just as she began to pull off Emma’s boots, Knight backed out of the room—flustered.

"I guess I’ll let Tran know there will be no costume glory for him tonight."

"Tell him thank you," Ellie said as she used the makeup remover pads on her own face. "And thank
you
, too. I’m sorry it didn’t work out."

"I hope you find a way to stay, Ellie," Knight said.

"Thanks." But as Ellie watched Emma sleep, she saw her dreams of another quitting the kitchen job and coasting through the next test drift away. And as she swallowed her anger at Emma and her irritation at Lizzie, she wasn’t sure how many reasons she had to stay.

* * *

Emma groaned, opened one sleepy eye, then promptly closed it.

"Rise and shine," Ellie said from the foot of her bed, with Anne and Lizzie beside her.

Emma pressed her knuckles into her eye sockets and groaned again.

"Since when do you get drunk?" Anne asked.

Emma winced. "It was only supposed to be one drink—to take the edge off."

"It must have been the whole bottle, judging by how you were acting," Ellie said.

Emma moaned again. "What happened to me?"

"Josh happened to you," Lizzie said. "So we’re going to un-happen him."

"If this is a crazy intervention where you take me out in the real world and show me a great time—please—stop," Emma said. "My head can’t take it."

"This is the other kind of intervention," Ellie said. "Where we order pizza into the dorms, watch all of Josh’s movies, and post horrible reviews about him online."

Emma opened her eyes again. When Ellie handed her a blueberry breakfast shake, she took it and sat up.

"I’m in," she said. Then her expression fell. "Oh, Ellie—the costume contest."

"We probably wouldn’t have won anyway," Ellie said.

At Emma’s wail, she realized this was not the right thing to say. But she wasn’t so sure she cared about the right thing.

"Are you mad, Ellie? You should be so mad! I messed everything up—over some stupid guy."