Ashes to Ashes
: Chapter 47

I DROP INTO THE SEAT NEXT TO ASHLIN, AND I wish I had my freaking camera out, because the face she makes is classic.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Ash.” I glance around, faking like I’m confused. Alex has just walked through the doors into the library, with PJ and Lillia right behind him. I hear Derek shouting out to someone down the hallway. “Oh, shit. Wait up. Is some kind of meeting happening here right now?”

“Yeah,” Ash says. “It’s prom committee—” She swats my arm. “Kat!”

I crack up. “What? You told me that I’m not allowed to bitch unless I show up to a meeting, so . . .”

Ash shakes her head. Derek and PJ both slap me five as they settle into their seats. It’s been like this ever since spring break. We’re friends.

Lillia gives me a smile, but then looks down at her lap when Ash leans across her to talk to Derek like she’s not even there. Those two are still on the outs, I guess.

We shoot the shit for a few minutes until Alex clears his throat and asks, “Does anyone know if Reeve’s coming?” Everyone shrugs their shoulders and avoids looking at one another.

Lillia keeps her eyes down, sweeping invisible crumbs off the tabletop. Neither of us have a clue how people found out about what Reeve did to Mary. I’ve been telling as many blabbermouths as I can to get their facts straight, the girl didn’t actually die, but it hasn’t really helped stem the tide. Gossip has a life of its own, and people are going to believe what they want. It’s hitting Reeve harder than hard. I feel bad for the guy, but what else can I do? He did do some effed-up shit. The thing I can’t figure out is who let that secret out. It definitely wasn’t Lillia. And even if Alex knew, he wouldn’t do that.

Finally Derek says, “Um, he might not be in school today. Or, if he is, he skipped our English quiz.”

Alex twists in his seat so he can see the clock on the wall. “Okay. Well, we’d better get started.” Alex opens the meeting by using his empty soda bottle as a gavel. “Let this meeting of Jar Island prom committee officially come to order. It looks like we’ve got someone new with us today. Would you care to introduce yourself?”

Lillia laughs, and I roll my eyes. Alex is so corny sometimes. “Shut up, Alex. Look. Basically I’m here because I think it’s a stupid-ass idea to have prom at a freaking nightclub all the way in Boston. I think we should have it here, on Jar Island, like we do every year.”

PJ shrugs his shoulders. “I doubt we’ll be able to get a new location. It’s already crawling with tourists again. This stuff needs to be reserved a year in advance.”

I fold my arms. “Well, then no one’s going to come.”

Ash sighs. “I hate to say it, but Kat might be right. Nobody’s buying tickets because they can’t afford it.”

Lillia says, “Even if we did replace another location, we don’t have any funds to reserve it. We’ll lose our deposit on the club for sure. They made us sign a contract and pay them in full.”

“What about our gym?” PJ suggests. “I bet the school would let us use it.”

No one says anything. Me either, actually, because a high school prom in our ugly gym sounds lame.

Lillia, being a good sport, clears her throat. “I mean, sure. I guess we could ask the janitors to clear out the mats and light some scented candles to get rid of the smell.”

Ashlin moans, “OMG, this is going to be the most low-rent prom in history. Even worse than the time they had prom at that nursing home rec room a couple of years ago. Remember it smelled like Depends? I wonder if they’re booked. . . .”

I glance across the table at Alex. “What about your house?”

“Huh?” He snorts. “My house is big, but we can’t fit the entire senior class in it.”

“Then we’ll rent a big tent and pitch it in the backyard. Didn’t your uncle have his wedding there?”

“Third wedding. Yeah. And he invited a ton of people.” He cocks his head to the side. “This could work. My mom loves to put on an event. She was talking about throwing me a big graduation party. Maybe she could do this instead.”

“All right, cool,” I say. “But we’re going to have to kick planning into high gear to get everything ready. I’ll take the lead.” I open up my notebook and start delegating work and subcommittees and all that shit for the next thirty minutes straight, and everyone’s nodding their heads, totally on board with me taking over.

A few weeks ago I planned on graduating without ever attending prom, and now I’m basically running the show.

The bell rings, and we head out. Ash drops her makeup bag on her way out of the room, and Lillia picks it up and runs it to her. Ash takes it and quietly says thank you, but it’s not exactly warm.

If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that life’s too fucking short. I wasted too much time being angry and bitter. I wish I could go back in time and say a thousand things to Rennie. It’s too late for that, but it’s not too late for Ash and Lillia.