Page 120 of I Don't Need Your Love

Addie and I smile. “Right.”

I check the time on my phone. “You think the guys are ready?”

“Bet they just started getting ready ten minutes ago,” Sophie says with a laugh.

I text Ryder, and sure enough, he and Caleb have been ready for over ten minutes.

“Boys,” Addie says with an eye roll as we leave our room.

The dorm is buzzing with excited chatter, and some freaking out, too. I think I hear someone yell that her dress ripped as shetried putting it on and she needs someone to deliver her a new dresspronto. Another one is crying in the bathroom because her boyfriend broke up with her literally hours before the dance. Ouch, that sucks.

“I didn’t know how intense dances can be,” Sophie says. “I guess it’s different going with a guy or going with friends. We’ve always gone as a group before you guys got awesome boyfriends and we didn’t pay attention to all this drama.”

“Let’s just hope our boyfriends don’t break up with us minutes before the dance,” Addie says with a nervous laugh.

“That will never happen,” Raven assures her. “You guys are too amazing and your boyfriends will never let you slip through their fingers. That would be the biggest mistake of their lives.”

I do a spin. “It certainly would be.”

We chuckle as we continue toward the exit of the dorm, trying to block out the cheers and the cries. Sheesh, Sophie’s right—we never paid attention to all this drama when we went to dances as a group.

“I’m guessing things were calmer at your old school?” I ask Addie.

“We had our fair share of drama, for sure. But nothing like this. Maybe that’s what happens when you have a million girls in one dorm. I have to say, I don’t mind it. It makes me feel like I’m part of the school, you know? I share in their happiness and pain even if they don’t know I exist.”

“I guess that’s true,” I muse. “I might feel invisible in my classes, but I sure as heck go through the same torture they go through when teachers surprise us with a pop quiz. We’re all in the same boat despite where we come from.”

“Until we get out in the real world,” Raven reminds us. “Then we certainly don’t go through the same things they do.”

Addie nearly knocks into someone who’s coming from the opposite direction. She’s about to apologize, but then sherealizes that it’s Clarissa and her minions. Clarissa stiffens when she sees who it is and flares her nostrils.

It’s a miracle we’ve managed to avoid running into her these past few weeks. Of course all of us share classes with her, but we thankfully never had a reason to interact with her. Especially Addie. I wouldn’t be surprised if she wants to give her a good slap across the face. I sure as heck do.

She checks out Addie from top to bottom, then does the same to us. She’s wearing a super-fitted black dress that makes her look really pretty. But that doesn’t matter to me. It means nothing if a person is beautiful on the outside but rotten on the inside.

“Cutedresses,” she says. “Did your mommies pick them out?”

“Actually, my grandfather sent us racks and racks of dresses from the store you always shop at,” Addie tells her. “Should I inform them how much youlovethem? I’m sure they’llloveto cater to you the next time you drop in for a dress.”

Clarissa purses her lips. “Oh, did you really shop at one ofmyfavorite stores? Howcute. My bad. I thought the dresses were ugly, but turns out it’s the people who are wearing them that are ugly.”

“Oh, wow, we’resohurt,” Raven says. “Getting dissed by a girl who almost committed murder. How will we ever sleep at night?”

“Who’s your date?” Sophie asks. “Them?” She nods to her minions.

“We have dates,” Clarissa says. “Not that it’s any of your business. Doyouhave dates?” She nods to Raven and Sophie.

“We sure do.” Sophie locks her arm through Raven’s. “And we’re sure to have ten times more fun than you. Evil snake,” she mutters under her breath.

Clarissa rolls her eyes. “Let’s go, girls. These losers are such a waste of time.” They walk away.

“Witch,” Sophie grumbles. “I wish I didn’t have to lay eyes on her for even a second.” She places her hand on Addie’s arm. “You okay?”

She smiles. “I’m great. I don’t feel intimidated by her anymore. It felt good to stand up to her. She has no power over us.”

“We’re a force to be reckoned with!” Sophie says.

“Definitely,” I say. “No one will dare mess with us because we take care of our own.” My phone beeps. “Oh, shoot. The guys are wondering where we are.”