Page 167 of Save You

Just three years ago, it was absolute hell finding clothes that even fit, let alone looked good.Plus-size things are often weirdly cut—I might be fat, but I have a waist, and most designers seem to think that everyone who’s overweight will have the same body shape.Which is obviously not true.And that makes me all the happier about the progress I’m making with my blog.Because it’s given me the chance to wear a dress like this, on an evening like this, and feel more glamorous than ever in my life before.

If I had to express my feelings in letters, it might look something like: KDJGDHUSGUAOHBS!

Which makes me realize that I may have been spending a bit too much time on my laptop.

“Ember?Are you coming?”

I hurry over to Ruby as she squints at the clock on her phone.We’ve got plenty of time, we must be ages early, but my sister is really antsy.She’s always like this before the events she organizes for Maxton Hall.I can’t help wondering where she gets the energy to plan these parties.I’m busy enough keeping up with schoolwork and my blog, and I don’t have A levels this year, with the pressure of getting the grades for Oxford on top of that.Sometimes it feels like she’s a machine—a machine with occasional deep, dark circles under her eyes.Mum keeps asking if this isn’t all a bit too much, but Ruby insists that she’s enjoying all the work.And I believe her.

“It’ll be fine,” I say, but I don’t think my voice is as soothing as I hoped.I’m too distracted and jittery myself for that.

“Thanks.”Ruby gives me a worried sideways glance.“You’ll stick to our deal, right?”

“I’ll stay by your side and not speak to anyone unless you say they’re OK,” I parrot back to her.

Ruby nods with satisfaction.

I roll my eyes.Ruby’s in a panic that I’ll make friends with people she doesn’t approve of.But that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.The kids at this school have politicians, actors, aristocrats, bankers, and all that as parents, and it’s the ideal opportunity to make connections.I’m good at small talk and making friends, provided people are prepared to seemeand not stick me in some stupid pigeonhole because of my weight.

As we walk into Boyd Hall, Ruby links arms with me.

“Whoa!”I breathe, looking around.

The entrance to the hall is one of the fanciest places I’ve ever been.Hard to believe it’s just a school.At my school, events are held in the sports hall, but the floor here is marble rather than puke-green lino.The walls must be fifteen feet high, adorned with white stucco and golden accents.In the center, a wide staircase with curving wooden banisters leads up to a gallery.

I can’t take it all in.Everywhere I look, there are expensive suits and haute couture dresses in chiffon, silk, and tulle, and my heart is beating faster with every second.And this is just the lobby.

We hand our jackets in at the cloakroom, then I pull Ruby into the actual hall, which takes my breath away altogether.

Boyd Hall looks like something out of a fairy tale.On the way here, Ruby told me about all their work yesterday, and everything they had to build and decorate, but I never imagined that it would look this dreamy.

There are waiters holding trays with flutes of champagne or orange juice flitting between the tables, and there’s a pianist in a tailcoat at the grand piano by the stage, playing something classical that fills the entire room.

“I can’t believe you organized all this,” I whisper, digging my elbow gently into Ruby’s ribs.She narrows her eyes and studies the round tables in the center of the hall, where some of the guests have already taken their seats, then scans the long tables to our left, where the buffet is presumably going to be served later on.I know that look—Ruby is checking whether everything looks the way she had in mind.

“Ruby!”exclaims a voice I definitely don’t know.

I turn my head and see a pale boy with chin-length dark hair and attractive onyx eyes framed by thick lashes.He has a strikingjaw and high cheekbones that don’t really fit the boyish grin and cheerful look in his eyes.

“Kieran, hi,” Ruby replies, adopting a smile that I’ve never seen on her before.It’s polite, professional, but kind of reserved.Whatever it is, it isn’t my sister’s smile.

“The caterers arrived ten minutes ago and they’re setting up next door,” Kieran says before he sees me.“Hi.I’m Kieran.You must be Ember.”He holds out his hand and I take it on autopilot.I glance at Ruby in confusion.I’d assumed that nobody here at this school would know about me or our family, seeing that Ruby’s always made such a massive mystery of Maxton Hall at home.I thought she was really strict about keeping her school and home lives apart on both sides.So it’s a bit surprising that this boy knows my name.

“Nice to meet you, Kieran,” I say.

When Kieran lets go of my hand, he smiles at Ruby and his cheeks flush unmistakably.

Aha.

Clearly Ruby has more than one admirer at this school.I’m not surprised that she hasn’t mentioned it to me.Ruby practically never speaks about her feelings.I sometimes wonder how she can exist like that without exploding.I could never bottle up my emotions—either positive or negative—the way she does.If I don’t like a thing, I say so.Loudly.When I’m happy, you can tell.Ruby is way more controlled than me, and much less impulsive.

I’m so lost in thought that I don’t even notice Ruby and Kieran walking over to the stage.I hurry after them, but all they do is spend ten minutes talking about everything they have to remember this evening.I sneak a glance around, but Ruby keeps darting looks at me like she’s afraid I’ll take the first opportunityI get to throw myself into the arms of some random Maxton boy.I wonder how long it’ll take for her to relax a bit, or else to be too busy to watch my every step like a hawk.

When the gala finally officially begins, I’m sitting at a half-empty table right at the back, so that I can hardly see what’s happening on the stage.These are the events team’s seats, Kieran explains a little later, and there are indeed a handful of people who turn up at irregular intervals, sit down for a bit and have a drink, and then leap up three minutes later and vanish again.

Right now, there’s a young man talking about depression and how it was only thanks to the Family Center that he got through it.It’s a very moving speech and everyone is under his spell.I can see a few people dabbing their eyes with fine handkerchiefs, while others nod, frowning deeply.Beside me, Kieran too seems absorbed.

“Hey,” I whisper.“I’m going to get a drink.Want anything?”