The Golden Lily Page 0,42

didn't break out. It was actually kind of amazing that Angeline hadn't gotten into one yet here at Amberwood. I should have counted myself lucky that her only transgressions were dress code violations and talking back to teachers.

"Probably not," I said neutrally. "I don't know. I've never been to a dance either."

"You're going to this one, aren't you?" asked Eddie. "With Brody?"

"Brayden. And I don't know. We haven't even had our second date. I don't want things to move too fast."

"Right," Eddie said. "Because there's no bigger sign of commitment than a Halloween dance."

I was about to get him back by suggesting maybe he and Angeline should go together after all when Jill and Micah joined us. Both were laughing and had a hard time settling down to explain what was so funny.

"Janna Hall finished a men's suit in sewing club tonight," said Jill between giggles. Once again, I felt a rush of joy at seeing her so happy. "Miss Yamani said it's the only guy's outfit she's seen in there in five years. Of course, Janna needed a model, and there's only one guy in there..."

Micah attempted a tormented look but was quickly smiling again. "Yeah, yeah. I did the manly thing and stepped up. That suit was awful."

"Aw," said Jill. "It wasn't that awful - okay, it really was. Janna didn't try to go by any size guidelines, so the pants were huge. Like, tents. And since she didn't make any belt loops, he had to hold it all up with a sash."

"Which barely held when they made me do a runway walk," said Micah, shaking his head.

Jill gave him a playful nudge. "Everyone probably would've loved if it hadn't held."

"Remind me to never ever sign up for an all-girls club again," said Micah. "Next semester, I'm taking something like shop or karate."

"You won't do it again? Not even for me?" Jill managed a look that was amazingly both pouty and alluring. That, I realized, was more effective than any charm spell or compulsion.

Micah groaned. "I'm helpless."

I didn't consider myself particularly sentimental - and still disapproved of their timid romance -

but even I smiled at their antics. At least, I did until I caught sight of Eddie's face. He wasn't giving away much, to be fair. Maybe hanging around Dimitri had provided some tips on the guardian poker face. But Eddie wasn't Dimitri yet, and I could see the faintest signs of pain and longing.

Why did he do this to himself? He'd refused to tell Jill how he felt. He took the noble stance that he was her protector and nothing more. Some part of me could understand that.

What I couldn't understand was why he kept torturing himself by endorsing her going out with his roommate, of all people. Even with his hang-up over Micah and Mason, Eddie was forcing himself to constantly watch the girl he wanted with someone else. I had no relatable experience, but it had to be agonizing.

Eddie caught my eye and gave a small shake of his head. Let it go, he seemed to be saying.

Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

Angeline soon piped in with more talk about the dance, interrogating Jill and Micah about whether they'd be going. She also brought up her plans to go "with" Eddie. That pulled him out of his melancholy mood, and although I knew she annoyed him, I wondered if that was better than continually being tormented by Jill and Micah's relationship.

Of course, the conversation came to a halt - as did Eddie's problem - when Micah frowned and pointed out what the rest of us had missed. "Why would you go to the dance together?

Aren't you guys cousins?"

Eddie, Jill, and I froze. Another cover story mess-up. I couldn't believe this had now slipped past me twice. I should have mentioned this as soon as Angeline brought up the dance. In the school's eyes, we were all related.

"So?" asked Angeline, missing the point.

Eddie cleared his throat. "Um, third cousins. But still. We're not really going together. It's more of a joke."

That effectively killed the topic, and he couldn't help smiling triumphantly.

Brayden picked me up immediately after school the next day so that we could make the windmill tour on time. Ms. Terwilliger had even let me go a few minutes early, after promising I'd get her a cappuccino on our way back to Amberwood. I was excited to see Brayden and the tour, yet as I got into his car, I felt a brief