"Fine, then," he said gruffly. He lifted his chin and announced to the room, "Miss Reed Brennan
would like to make a toast!"
The level of buzz in the room grew as I awkwardly pushed my chair back and stood. This was it. My
big, brilliant win-Noelle-back plan. I had publicly humiliated her with the Dash video. The only way
I
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could think of to make up for it was to publicly praise her.
My knees were quaking like a Jell-O mold in an earthquake, and for the first time, I was annoyed
with myself for not bringing my notes along. I had thought it would be more sincere if I spoke from
the heart, without the aid of index cards. But now that I could see the disapproving faces at the
Billings table, I couldn't remotely recall what I'd been going to say.
My heart pounded quick and shallow. Everyone here was against me. I couldn't do this. What was I
thinking? In about two seconds people were going to start hurling half-eaten rolls at me.
Then I looked at Noelle. She was watching me with amused interest, her arm crooked over the
back of her chair, her legs crossed at the knee, the full, scalloped skirt of her black dress drap
ing
elegantly toward the floor. This was for her. I had to remember that. This was all for her.
"I would like to toast Noelle Lange," I announced in a loud, clear voice.
That really got the room going. Chairs squeaked, people laughed, incredulous voices filled the
room. How was I ever going to get them to shut up? I glanced at Sabine helplessly, but her mouth
was hanging open in total shock. Constance and Astrid looked blown away as well. All right, so I
hadn't warned them that this was coming, but couldn't they understand? Didn't they know that
sometimes a girl just had to lay it all on the line?
"Excuse me!" Headmaster Cromwell shouted. "I expect the same silence and courtesy for each and
every one of your schoolmates!"
A hush fell on the cafeteria. An energized, anticipatory hush, but
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a hush nonetheless. Noelle reached for her water glass, took a nonchalant sip, and replaced it on
the tablecloth before returning her attention to me, one eyebrow raised. I could just imagine what
she was thinking: