PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

“I can’t believe Gage’s parents own this place!” I shouted to Ivy, trying to make myself heard over the music. Kiran, Taylor, and Natasha Crenshaw all danced in our small circle at the center of the dance floor as well, and every time one of us spoke, we all smiled and nodded, but I hadn’t heard a word anyone said all night and I was sure they hadn’t either.

Ivy leaned in toward me, resting her hands on my shoulders as we danced and leaning toward my ear. “I know! They have seaside resorts all over the country!”

“And one day it’ll all be mine!” Gage announced, appearing at our sides with two bottles of champagne clutched in each hand, his fingers woven around their necks. He spread his arms wide, his linen jacket opening to reveal the tight white T-shirt underneath.

Ivy rolled her eyes as he slung one arm around her shoulder under the huge, crystal chandelier. “I got two for you and two for me. Whaddaya say we go up to my personal suite and have a chug contest?”

Shoving him away with both hands, Ivy shook her head. “We practically just got here!”

He winked at her. “I’ll be back in an hour then.”

With that he plunged into the crowd, kissing a few cheeks and hugging it out with some guys as he went, clearly in his element. Suddenly a pair of slim arms encircled my neck from behind.

“Hey, Tiff,” I said as she rested her chin on my shoulder. “What’s up?”

“We’re going outside for a breather,” she said, tilting her head toward a crowd of Billings Girls behind her. “Wanna join?”

I glanced at Ivy and she nodded, out of breath. “We’re in.”

Together we wove our way through the dancing throng on the marble floor, eventually coming to the huge French doors, which opened up onto a wide, wooden plank deck overlooking the ocean. We all tottered in our heels over to the stone railing, laughing and trying to catch our breath. Down below, more Easton students milled on the beach, hanging out on the cushy lounge chairs set up to face the water. The ocean crashed, and out near the horizon lights twinkled on the decks of distant boats.

“Champagne, ladies?” A handsome waiter in a light blue shirt and white pants paused nearby with a tray full of glasses.

“You know us so well,” Vienna trilled, selecting one for her and one for London.

Rose and Portia giggled as we all took our own glasses. I looked around at the circle of my friends—Kiran, Taylor, Natasha, Ivy, Tiffany, Rose, Portia, London, Vienna, Shelby, Constance, Lorna, Kiki, and Astrid—everyone dressed in their colorful cocktail gear, everyone smiling and glowing, and felt completely and utterly at peace. The only people missing were Noelle, who was off with Dash somewhere, and Amberly, who was a freshman and therefore not eligible to attend the party.

“Well?” Kiran said. “What should we toast to?”

Everyone looked at me. “How about—”

“Um, Reed?”

Everyone lowered their glasses as I turned away. Diana Waters and Shane Freundel, two junior classmates of mine, approached tentatively. Diana bit her lip and glanced over at Kiki, her former roommate and one of her best friends.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, clutching her purse in both hands. “I just wanted to ask you before we all left for the summer . . . how do we apply to be in Billings next year?”

I smiled. Junior girls had been coming up to me all day asking me this same question, and every time someone did, I felt more and more like a rock star—and more certain I’d done the right thing by bringing Billings back. But now I felt the mood among my friends shift. Some of them were probably realizing, not for the first time, that they were out of here—and that they were bound to be replaced in Billings.

“Every rising junior and senior girl will receive an application sometime in the next month,” I said. “As long as you get it in on time, you’ll be considered.”

“Cool. Thanks,” Shane said.

She glanced around longingly at my friends. It was a look I knew well. I’d seen it on the faces of tons of girls over the past couple of years—people who wanted nothing more than to know what it was like to be a part of the Billings inner circle. I licked my lips, feeling guilty for excluding anyone, but now was not the time. They’d have their chance next year. For now, my senior friends deserved to get to celebrate with their sisters.

“Well. See ya,” Diana said finally.

The two girls strolled off slowly, as if hoping to be stopped and invited back, but I resisted the urge and turned around again, reforming the circle.

“It’s so weird that we’re not gonna be here next year,” London mused, brushing her hair away from her face with her fingertips.

“Promise you won’t let in anyone heinous, Reed,” Shelby said, spreading her manicured fingers wide.

I laughed. “I promise to try.”

“So are we gonna toast or what?” Portia asked.

I nodded and lifted my glass, looking around at Kiran, Taylor, and Natasha; at Ivy, Tiffany, and the other seniors; at Constance, Lorna, Kiki, and Astrid. “To all Billings Girls,” I said, my voice almost cracking. “Past, present, and future.”

“To the Billings Girls!” my friends shouted.

We all laughed as our glasses came together in the center of the circle, clinking against the starry sky.