Friends ForNever by Katy Grant Page B

fine.”
    â€œStop beating yourself up. We were just as bad as you were,” I told Sarah. I thought about how much I’d enjoyed dissing Whitney. It had felt good, in a sick sort of way. It made me feel like I was part of something—a gossip club.
    â€œThe thing is, Whitney is annoying,” Nicole hissed. “Everybody thinks so. Maybe it was good for her to hear us saying stuff that we could never say to her face.”
    â€œYou’re annoying!” Sarah’s voice rose with emotion. “Darcy’s annoying! I’m annoying! That guy over there in the black ‘Rock Star’ T-shirt is annoying!” Sarah pointed at the guy and yelled, “Hey, you! Yeah, I’m talking to you. Wipe that annoying look off your face before I do it for you!” When the poor guy realized Sarah was talking to him, his face turned seven different shades of red before he scooted behind a group of boys.
    â€œSarah, would you get a grip?” I told her, pulling her away. “Look, um . . . there’s a way we can fix this. Let’s go apologize to Whitney right now.” I could do it if Sarah and Nic went with me. But I definitely didn’t want to face her alone.
    Sarah shook her head adamantly. “No. Absolutely not. I will never be able to face her again. I’m going to go live on the moon. That way I’ll never accidentally run into her and have to look her in the eye. I deserve a cold, dark, deserted life.”
    â€œThis makes no sense to me,” Nicole argued. “I can see why she’d be mad at Darcy and me, but you say mean things to Whitney all the time . To her face. She’s probably not even mad at you.”
    â€œIt’s not the same! She expects me to mock her to her face. She doesn’t expect me to go behind her back and tell other people that she’s driving me crazy! Can’t you see the difference?”
    â€œHi, Ugly.” Blake had snuck up on us, since we were so totally focused on our girl crisis.
    â€œWho is this hobbit?” Sarah snapped. “Shoo! Go find some dwarves to play with!”
    â€œSarah, this is my little brother, Blake. Have you danced yet, you little dweeb?”
    Blake clutched his throat with his hands and made gagging noises. “You think I’d dance with any of you Pink Haven losers?”
    â€œHi, Blake. Wow, you sure have gotten cute.” Nicole put her arm around Blake’s waist. “I’ll dance with you, Handsome.”
    Blake evaporated into thin air. The next time we saw him, he was on the other side of the dining hall, hiding behind a bunch of boys. He obviously knew them. I was glad to see he was making a few friends.
    Now Whitney had stopped dancing, and she was standing with Jordan Abernathy and Molly Chapman. She didn’t seem to notice that the three of us were across the dining hall watching her.
    â€œShe’s probably over there right now, telling them what happened,” Nicole speculated. “I bet she’ll try to turn the whole camp against us.”
    Sarah shook her head. “If you believe that, you don’t know Whitney.” She wrapped her arms around herself, like she was trying to ward off cold weather. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. “Even if I said I was sorry, I still hurt her . . . so much . . . I don’t think she can ever forgive me. I can’t forgive me,” Sarah finished off, her voice just above a whisper.
    She walked out the door to the porch, leaving Nicole and me standing there.
    Nicole let out a long breath. “Wow. I can’t believe the drama!”
    â€œWell, we were hoping for a new project. Maybe this is it. Getting Sarah and Whitney back together again.”
    Nicole raised her eyebrow. “You think? I’d say Humpty Dumpty stands a better chance than those two.”

Monday, June 23
    â€œSarah, you have to come with us,” I insisted.
    â€œNo, thanks. I’m not going to be