Read Online The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth by Shelley Adina - Free Book Online
Authors: Shelley Adina
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with. Something concrete and weirdness-free.
We got our yogurt and fruit and I got a tall glass of watermelon juice, icy cold. I bit into a big boysenberry as Ashley opened her binder. “Here’s what we have so far.”
Guest lists, ticket sale projections, table arrangements, caterer. So far, so good. Seating chart, yup. Band. “No band yet?”
“Not yet. The music committee is having a hard time with a booking.”
“With all the great bands in town? Ashley, there’s only, like, a month to go.”
With a glance at Carly and Shani, who were keeping their conversation low so they didn’t interrupt us, she leaned closer. “Vanessa was managing that herself. She didn’t share her progress with us and we took it for granted she had it handled.”
“Oh, boy.” I sighed. “I’ll talk to her and see where she was on it.”
“Good luck with that.” An unspoken
You’ll need it
hung in the air between us.
No point in wasting time. “The committee meeting’s at two, right? In your room?” Ashley nodded. “I’ll find her, get a status, and meet you then.”
“Are you sure you want to do that? We can just start from scratch, you know. Tinker Davis’s dad owns a record label and a bunch of clubs. She’s already said she can call in some favors.”
I shook my head. “Vanessa might already have someone booked and is just holding out to make us come to her. I’m not proud. I’ll do it.”
My yogurt churned uneasily in my stomach as I climbed the stairs a few minutes later, smiling at people and returning greetings. Since when did everyone know my name? And they all said it correctly, too. The days of
Me
lissa seemed to be gone forever. I guess I could be thankful for that.
Outside the door of Vanessa’s room, I took a breath to settle myself, and knocked.
Silence.
Then I heard sounds of someone moving around. The toilet flushed, and then the door opened. Her face as white as an exam sheet, eyes huge and almost bruised-looking, Vanessa swayed in the doorway. The acrid scent of vomit wafted past me. “What?” She bit the end off the word.
“Are you okay?”
She rolled her eyes. “Does it look like it?”
“Do you have the flu?” I took a step back. The smell was awful, but even worse was the vulnerability in her face. It made an uncomfortable contrast with her tone, like she was forcing herself to keep up the usual attitude.
“What are you, School Nurse Barbie? I’m pregnant, you idiot. It happens.”
“I thought that went away after the first couple of months.”
“I’m a special case. What do you want?”
It took me a minute to remember why I was there, and why it was important. “I came by to check on the status of the band for the Cotillion.”
She leaned on the doorjamb as if she needed something to hold her up. “There is no band. I stopped caring right about the time they voted you in.”
“Uh. Okay.” Another step back. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Without answering, she closed the door in my face, and I heard the sound of retching from inside.
I retreated down the corridor as fast as I could. Why on earth would anyone put herself through this? I mean, Vanessa and I have never been less than despised enemies, but this was enough to make even me feel sorry for her.
You’re probably the only one.
True enough. With Dani gone, she had her room to herself, at least.
Which means there’s no one to look after her.
She looked pretty bad. Probably hadn’t been able to eat. And the baby would need food.
“
Inasmuch as you do it unto the least of these my brethren, you do it unto me.”
That’s what Jesus said. He probably didn’t have this exact situation in mind, but His words still applied.
I glanced at the clock and headed back to the dining room. Fifteen minutes. That should be enough time. I located the kitchen manager and asked her what I would need. She filled a tray and I took it back to the first-floor dorm.
Vanessa opened up a little faster this time,
We got our yogurt and fruit and I got a tall glass of watermelon juice, icy cold. I bit into a big boysenberry as Ashley opened her binder. “Here’s what we have so far.”
Guest lists, ticket sale projections, table arrangements, caterer. So far, so good. Seating chart, yup. Band. “No band yet?”
“Not yet. The music committee is having a hard time with a booking.”
“With all the great bands in town? Ashley, there’s only, like, a month to go.”
With a glance at Carly and Shani, who were keeping their conversation low so they didn’t interrupt us, she leaned closer. “Vanessa was managing that herself. She didn’t share her progress with us and we took it for granted she had it handled.”
“Oh, boy.” I sighed. “I’ll talk to her and see where she was on it.”
“Good luck with that.” An unspoken
You’ll need it
hung in the air between us.
No point in wasting time. “The committee meeting’s at two, right? In your room?” Ashley nodded. “I’ll find her, get a status, and meet you then.”
“Are you sure you want to do that? We can just start from scratch, you know. Tinker Davis’s dad owns a record label and a bunch of clubs. She’s already said she can call in some favors.”
I shook my head. “Vanessa might already have someone booked and is just holding out to make us come to her. I’m not proud. I’ll do it.”
My yogurt churned uneasily in my stomach as I climbed the stairs a few minutes later, smiling at people and returning greetings. Since when did everyone know my name? And they all said it correctly, too. The days of
Me
lissa seemed to be gone forever. I guess I could be thankful for that.
Outside the door of Vanessa’s room, I took a breath to settle myself, and knocked.
Silence.
Then I heard sounds of someone moving around. The toilet flushed, and then the door opened. Her face as white as an exam sheet, eyes huge and almost bruised-looking, Vanessa swayed in the doorway. The acrid scent of vomit wafted past me. “What?” She bit the end off the word.
“Are you okay?”
She rolled her eyes. “Does it look like it?”
“Do you have the flu?” I took a step back. The smell was awful, but even worse was the vulnerability in her face. It made an uncomfortable contrast with her tone, like she was forcing herself to keep up the usual attitude.
“What are you, School Nurse Barbie? I’m pregnant, you idiot. It happens.”
“I thought that went away after the first couple of months.”
“I’m a special case. What do you want?”
It took me a minute to remember why I was there, and why it was important. “I came by to check on the status of the band for the Cotillion.”
She leaned on the doorjamb as if she needed something to hold her up. “There is no band. I stopped caring right about the time they voted you in.”
“Uh. Okay.” Another step back. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Without answering, she closed the door in my face, and I heard the sound of retching from inside.
I retreated down the corridor as fast as I could. Why on earth would anyone put herself through this? I mean, Vanessa and I have never been less than despised enemies, but this was enough to make even me feel sorry for her.
You’re probably the only one.
True enough. With Dani gone, she had her room to herself, at least.
Which means there’s no one to look after her.
She looked pretty bad. Probably hadn’t been able to eat. And the baby would need food.
“
Inasmuch as you do it unto the least of these my brethren, you do it unto me.”
That’s what Jesus said. He probably didn’t have this exact situation in mind, but His words still applied.
I glanced at the clock and headed back to the dining room. Fifteen minutes. That should be enough time. I located the kitchen manager and asked her what I would need. She filled a tray and I took it back to the first-floor dorm.
Vanessa opened up a little faster this time,
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