Eons ago, she, Penelope, Daph, Isha, and Isha’s (best) friend Raina had all decided to get ready together here, in Jaya’s dorm room. None of them had thought it through—the fact that five girls with all their dresses, makeup, shoes, and handbags couldn’t fit comfortably into Jaya’s suite had completely escaped them. Daph was currently behind the bed getting changed, and Jaya could hear Isha and Raina squealing and chattering away in the bathroom together.

Jaya turned back to the mirror and smoothed down the skirt of her peacock-blue ball gown. It was an Alexander McQueen, and she’d been besotted with it in the store a few months ago, when she’d been planning to go to Homegoing with the intention of faux-wooing Grey. The thought made her heart hurt; she muscled past it. Looking at herself in the full-length mirror now, she felt… foolish. Like someone who’d once been naive enough to have plans to wear this dress with confidence. Someone who’d thought she could be just another teenager at a dance. Jaya adjusted the rose pendant at her throat. Two rubies were still hanging on.

Her thoughts automatically went to Grey, and her stomach flipped nervously. Now, more than ever, after what Kiran had said on the phone, she hoped Grey would keep his distance. She’d consider staying here, in her room, if Daph wouldn’t pitch a fit.

Jaya mustered a smile for Penelope. “Thank you,” Jaya said, squeezing her hand. “You look stunning too. Are there any boys you’re hoping to ask to dance?”

“Well,” Penelope said, her cheeks getting pinker. “Not exactly… not boys. I want to ask Trinity.”

Trinity Damilus was the tall, extremely statuesque senior Penelope had sat next to on the bus ride into Aspen. Trinity’s mother was the world-famous Haitian interior designer, Stéphanie Damilus. “I’m sorry, Penelope,” Jaya said. “I shouldn’t make assumptions like that.”

“Thanks.” Penelope smiled. “I’m excited. We’ve been flirting all semester. We’re in the same music theories class.”

“Then she’s definitely going to say yes,” Jaya said. “Not that you need it, but here’s something that might help.” She rummaged in her drawer and pulled out a pink diamond necklace. “I got this in Mexico a few years ago. It’ll hang really nicely with your neckline. And rumor has it, it used to belong to the dukes of Moctezuma de Tultengo—an old royal family in that region.”

Penelope took it, her eyes dancing. “Wow, this is stunning. Thank you.”

Jaya waved a hand. “Don’t mention it. I hardly ever wear it, and it deserves better.” Was she just ensuring other people were happy since she had no hope of that herself? Glancing at her somewhat-haggard reflection in the mirror, Jaya decided not to look too deeply into her motivations.