A Novel by V.C. Andrews

Author:V.C. Andrews [Andrews, V.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

9

I WAS HOPING to see Ryder later in the day, but he didn’t come around, and I didn’t dare go into the main house with Bea Davenport on the warpath. Of course, I didn’t see Sam. Ordinarily, I anticipated her sneaking over to see me, especially today to find out about my time at the prom. But now I imagined that she wouldn’t try to come over even if Bea Davenport had gone to one of her lunches with her posh friends. Surely by now, Bea had poisoned Sam even more against me, claiming I was a very bad influence on both her and Ryder, maybe even dangerous.

A little after four, Alison called to see what I knew about the events that had occurred. She hadn’t gotten up until nearly two and had a message on her phone to call Ryder. She said she had a half dozen other messages from her girlfriends, who had sounded frantic, but she called him first, and he told her all that had happened.

“He’s so upset,” she said. “And so am I. He was supposed to take me to lunch today. We had planned it.”

“I think he’s upset about more than just lunch.”

“Paul Gabriel is just so stupid. He deserves whatever he gets, ruining it for everyone else. You must have been desperate for a date.”

“I wasn’t desperate.”

“But I suppose you’re feeling sorry for yourself more than anyone else now,” she said.

“No. Why would I just feel sorry for myself?”

“This was your first prom, you got chosen to be queen, and now all everyone’s talking about are the terrible things. I’m glad now I wasn’t chosen prom queen. Not one I want to remember. My parents heard about it already. They know Paul drove us, of course, so they’re very upset and . . .” She paused. I could sense that, as my mother often said, the second shoe was about to drop.

“What else, Alison?” I prodded.

“They asked all sorts of questions about you because you were his date. I tried to assure them you had nothing to do with any drugs or alcohol, but . . .”

“I should expect some people will think I did?”

“I can only tell people what I saw. Even the smartest people generalize when something like this happens.”

“You mean once our teachers find out, they’ll assume the worst about me, too? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Alison said, but not with any conviction.

She wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t know. Gossip was gossip. Once it was spilled, it ran in all sorts of directions and stained everyone it touched. How could I go to the prom and to the party with Paul Gabriel and not be involved with the drug he took? I just got away with it, that was all.

It occurred to me that if, as Dr. Davenport had said, the police started their investigation seriously, I’d logically be the first one they questioned. What would Bea Davenport do next once her friends got wind of it all and her phone started to ring? Her precious reputation might be damaged.

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