“You could always just not go.”

“But everybody’s going to be there.”

Ashley rolled her eyes and flashed her friend a grin. “And when has that argument ever worked on me in, like, the history of ever?”

“I keep hoping that one day you’ll consider your standing in the social hierarchy of this school,” Nicole replied.

“I don’t see how getting drunk with a bunch of rich kids and putting myself in a compromising position improves my standing in the social hierarchy.”

“You act like you’re not a rich kid.”

“Yeah, but for them, that’s like their whole personality,” Ashley said and laughed. “I’m more layered than that.”

“You should be more concerned with being more laid than layered, girl.”

Ashley laughed. “You’re terrible. And a horrible influence, by the way.”

“And that’s why you love me.”

The fact of the matter was that Ashley Barlow was a rich kid. Her father, Elliot Barlow, was a US Senator from the state of Virginia and, before that, had been a successful criminal prosecutor. Though her life was privileged, her father had taught her the value of hard work. Unlike most of the student body at the Weatherton Academy, Ashley had learned to never take anything for granted and valued her education. Unlike most of her classmates, she wasn’t here just to party before going off to college, where she’d continue to party. Her father provided for her, and she never wanted for anything, but he didn’t hand her everything on a silver platter either. He expected Ashley to work.

Most of the kids she went to school with were content to cruise through life taking whatever was given to them. Most of them didn’t have a work ethic to speak of, let alone any ambition. Ashley had goals. She had dreams. She was going to make her mark on the world, and she had ambition to spare. What she didn’t have was time to spare, getting drunk to the point of throwing up and blacking out at parties, having sex with anybody who paid attention to her, or worrying about her place in the school’s social hierarchy. It was something Nicole didn’t seem to understand, no matter how many times Ashley had tried to explain it to her.

Nicole gave her a sly smile. “I have it on good authority that Tanner will be there.”

“Why would I care if Tanner goes to the party or not?”

“Because the entire school knows you have a crush on him,” Nicole said. “This might be your chance to make a move on him.”

Ashley’s cheeks flushed at the thought of Tanner Hicks. She’d had a crush on him since freshman year. She was a junior now though—he was a senior—and he’d never once seemed to notice that she even existed. Ashley didn’t think it was her place to make a move. If he had the slightest bit of interest in her, it was up to him to show her that. He hadn’t in three years, and she didn’t think one party was going to change that.

“If Tanner was interested in me, he would have let me know by now,” Ashley said. “He hasn’t. And I’m not going to chase a boy.”

“Please, Ash. Come to the party with me.”

“If you want to go to the party, go. You don’t need me to hold your hand.”

“No. But I might need you to hold my hair,” she replied with a giggle.

Ashley shook her head and frowned disapprovingly. “I have to get to my piano class.”

“I’m teasing you, Ash,” Nicole said. “Come on, I need you to be my wing-woman. I need you to help keep me out of trouble.”

Ashley put a notebook into her bag, then zipped it up and closed her locker. She turned and headed for the doors, keeping to the side of the hallway to avoid being trampled by a group of boys who were playing an impromptu game of football in the middle of the hallway.

“You can stay out of trouble by not going to the party and putting yourself in a bad spot,” Ashley said over her shoulder. “Or get Megan to go with you.”

A frustrated growl burst from Nicole’s throat. “You’re my best friend. You’re the only one I trust to keep me from doing something stupid.”

“Well, I clearly haven’t been doing my job then.”

Nicole laughed and playfully slapped her arm. “Come on. I need you.”

“Why are you so determined to hang out with the popular kids?”

“Why aren’t you?” Nicole countered. “Don’t you ever want to be one of those people the other kids look up to? The kind of person they want to be?”

“Honestly? No. It holds zero interest for me. I’ve got more important things to worry about than my popularity.”

“Come on, Ash. Take the night off from being a nerd and have a little fun for a change.”

They exited the school and descended the stairs that led to the walk that would lead them to the main gates. The initial post-final bell crush of students had abated, and the area out front was relatively clear. On the street just outside the gate, she saw the car waiting for Nicole. Anxious to bring this conversation to an end, she led her friend to the car and opened the back door for her.

“Your ride’s here,” Ashley said.

“Please, Ash? Please come to the party with me?”

She sighed. “I’ll think about it.”

“I won’t even say anything if you want to bring Tyler with you.”

“I’m not going to bring Tyler. We’re not even talking much anymore.”

“That’s not what I heard.”

“Then you heard wrong,” Ashley replied testily.

“Fine. I heard wrong,” Nicole said. “Just say you’ll come to the party with me.”

“I said I’ll think about it.”

“Are you going out with Archie?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, I’m not going out with Archie,” Ashley answered, her voice terse and annoyed. “Look, I told you I’d think about it. Okay?”

Nicole pulled a face. “Fine. Think about it. But you should know I’m going to keep bugging you until you say yes. I will wear you down until you say yes just to get me to shut up.”

“Go home,” Ashley said.

Nicole tossed her bag into the back seat of the car, then climbed in after it. “I’ll text you later.”

“Love you,” Ashley said.

“Love you too.”

Ashley closed the car door and shook her head as she watched it speed off down the street. She knew Nicole was going to try to wear her down and convince her to go to a party she had no interest in and held absolutely no appeal for her. She was realistic enough to know, though, she was rarely ever able to say no and hold firm to it when Nicole was pressuring her. Knowing how dogged Nicole could be, Ashley knew she was going to have to come up with a good excuse. Maybe she could get her dad to send her out of the country for the weekend.

Ashley turned and headed down the street. Ordinarily, her dad sent a car to pick her up from school as well. But on Mondays and Wednesdays, she had piano lessons with Aurelio Simon, a famous pianist who had spent almost twenty years with the New York Philharmonic. His studio was just a couple of blocks from her school, so she walked there after classes ended for the day, then her driver picked her up when she was done with her lessons. That brief walk from school to the studio was about the only taste of freedom she ever got.