Winter White (9 page)

“No,” Mira said, and smoothed her hair, pushing it behind her right ear. She smiled as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “How are you guys?”

Violet looked at her warily. She pushed her long, straight dark brown hair away from her face to keep it from blowing in the breeze. “We’re good. Pretty much the same as we were five minutes ago in the Butterflies meeting.”

“Sorry,” Mira shifted awkwardly. “Force of habit.”

“Ready to go to the game?” Nicole asked Izzie, bouncing up and down on her heels like an overeager Labrador retriever.

Izzie looked at Mira hesitantly. “We’re kind of in the middle of something.”

Violet’s phone started to ring, distracting them. Mira watched as Violet’s face paled. “It’s my mom. She probably found her cashmere sweater I stuffed in the back of my closet. I wore it without asking, and a pen exploded over it.” She winced as the phone kept ringing. “I better walk ahead and meet you guys at the stadium. I don’t want any of you to hear my mom practically reach through the phone and strangle me.”

“Good luck!” Nicole yelled. She was tall, even taller with her blond hair piled high on her head in a bun, and she towered over Mira. “Want to come to the game with us?”

Nicole was the second person to ask her in the last five minutes. She looked down at her black ballet flats, the same ones Savannah always wore. It was nice of them to offer, but she felt awkward all the same. These were Izzie’s friends. She couldn’t glom on to them now that she had none of her own. “Thanks, but I’m heading over to the art studio. This abstract painting assignment I have due next Tuesday is kicking my butt.”

“Is the art studio even open?” Izzie asked, looking around the deserted campus. “I know there is a game going on, but it’s kind of creepy, isn’t it? One minute—”

Swoosh!

Mira’s arms were pulled behind her back, and a blindfold was placed over her eyes before she could figure out what was happening. Something told her she wasn’t in danger, so she didn’t fight back. The others apparently didn’t have the same gut feeling. Nicole was screaming, and Izzie was yelling things like “
Get off me, punk!
” Mira could hear Izzie’s fists flying. She felt someone bang into her and fall to the ground.

“Would one of you tell this one to stop?” a girl complained. Mira didn’t recognize her voice. “You’re not being abducted, sugar! We’re trying to take you to your first cotillion initiation!”

Cotillion initiation! Yes!
Something to look forward to. She wasn’t expecting it to start today, but maybe the ritual was just what she needed to get her mojo back.

Nicole stopped fighting at the word
initiation
, but Izzie was still resisting.

“Oeuf!”
Someone must have just gotten socked in the stomach. “This one thinks she’s a street fighter. Someone help me hold her!”

“She’s the new Monroe girl,” another girl said. “She probably
is
a street fighter! Wow, honey, you’ve got some strength! Save it, though. You’re going to need it.”

“I am not a Monroe!” Mira heard Izzie grunt. “But if you hurt me or my friends, I swear, I’ll…”

“Izzie, calm down!” Mira yelled as plastic handcuffs were
placed on her wrists. “Didn’t you hear them? This is for cotillion! It’s our initiation.”

“Initiation?” Izzie growled. “
What
initiation?”

Mira bit her lip. Maybe she had forgotten to mention this part.

On purpose.

“What does kidnapping have to do with white gloves and dresses?” Izzie asked again, getting suspicious. Mira was glad she was blindfolded so Izzie couldn’t find her and deck her, too. “Mira?” she warned. “Unless they duct-taped your mouth shut, I know you can answer me.”

The girls in charge laughed. “This one is going to be fun to watch.”

“Uh, I kind of left initiation out,” Mira squeaked. “Just go with it. Please?”

She heard Izzie sigh. “Your IOUs are stacking up.”

Someone tugged on Mira’s arm, and she let herself be led along. She wondered where they were taking them. “Just relax. This part is fun.”

“Fun,” Mira heard Izzie repeat, sounding like it was anything but.

“You’re going to love it,” Nicole seconded. “I have been dying to do cotillion initiation ever since I signed up to be a deb. I love a good dare.”

“You see?” Mira said, trying to sound confident since the
girls in charge of the initiation could hear her every word. “This is tradition, like the dance itself.”

“You and your stupid traditions! I didn’t sign up for any initiations,” Izzie grumbled. “I didn’t sign up for any of this! I’m supposed to be at the game right now watching Brayden, and now God knows where we’re going! Thanks.”

“Mira Monroe, please explain the initiation to Isabelle Scott,” a charge barked.

“Izzie,” she heard her new sister correct the girl.

Mira thought carefully about what she wanted to say, since she had an audience. “Cotillion is like a sorority, and when you pledge for a sorority, you have to prove your worth during rush week. This is the cotillion version.”

“I have to be tested before I can wear a white gown? I’m out.” Mira heard Izzie start to struggle again.

“Izzie, you go along with this, or you’re out of cotillion,” warned the girl. “You should know no one gets hurt, no one has to do anything dangerous, and no one—I repeat, no one—talks about cotillion initiations. Got it?”

“Please?” Mira had been reduced to begging and not the pretty kind. It was the kind she used when she was young and wanted a new Barbie at Target. “You’re going to love this! You think well on your feet. Please? Mom so wants you to do cotillion. You’ll kill her if you drop out. Please Izzie? Puh-leeze?”

Izzie groaned. “You owe me big-time, Mira.”

Mira knew that was Izzie’s way of saying yes. She was glad Izzie wasn’t able to see her smile.

It felt like they walked forever. At one point, Nicole asked where they were going, and she was told not to ask questions. When Mira heard cheering, she knew they were near the stadium. That’s when they came to a halt.

“Now that everyone is here, let me welcome this year’s recruits to their first cotillion hazing!” People started clapping.

Mira didn’t recognize this voice, either, but she was so excited and cheered along with all the other girls who had apparently been assembled. Her heart was pumping out of her chest. She couldn’t believe it was finally her turn to be part of this society.

“I don’t have to tell you guys how this works,” the girl continued. “If you’ve lived in Emerald Cove long enough, you know. Cotillion initiation is a tradition as important as cotillion itself. If you pass our tests, you make your debut in some overpriced gown while your dad tears up and escorts you down your first aisle. If you screw up—or talk about our hazing to anyone—don’t even
think
of showing your face at the Emerald Cove Castle on the Cliffs December thirteenth. Got it? We will be everywhere these next few weeks, watching you, giving you assignments. Sometimes you won’t even know we’re there. Think of me as a guardian angel with a mischievous streak. Do as I say, know the cotillion code, and
I’ll put in a good word with the powers that be. I might even upgrade your status to potential cotillion captain. Cotillion captains are picked by former debs, so you’ve got a shot at my job if you do yours well enough. None of you will know who I am till I see fit. In the meantime, listen and you’ll learn a lot.”

“Excuse me?” Savannah’s drawl was undeniable. “I was told Mary Beth Pearson was captain this year, but you don’t sound like Mary Beth.”

The girl laughed. “Mary Beth Pearson? She wishes. Don’t speak unless spoken to, Savannah Ingram. You already have two marks against you.”

“Me?” Savannah stammered. “What did I do?”

“You’re
you
. Be warned, princess. I’m watching you personally.”

Savannah shut up, and Mira tried not to grin. She suspected Izzie might be smiling for the first time since she was handcuffed.

“Recruits, your first assignment starts now. If you haven’t already guessed, we’re near the Emerald Prep football stadium. The Cardinals are down seven-to-one, and this crowd could use some cheering up. You’re going to do that by singing for them.”

That was all they had to do? That didn’t sound so bad.

“Now for the fun part—you’re not a halftime show. You’re a distraction. You’re going to stand up in the bleachers during the game, block their view of Taylor Covington
making a pass and Ryan Hodgkins scoring a touchdown, and you’re going to sing your little hearts out. You’re going to keep singing the whole song, even if they scream and throw things at you.
And
you’re going to sing Lady Gaga.”

Mira heard nervous laughter. Okay, she could still do this. Singing as a group wasn’t so bad, was it? She felt her cheek poked and she jumped.

“Ladies, you’ll notice someone is touching your face.” Someone screamed. “If you’re going to sing Lady Gaga, you should look like Lady Gaga, don’t you think?”

Someone squeezed cold gel onto Mira’s hair and started pulling it.
Oh God!

“Your hair and makeup needs to be Lady Gaga–fied, which is what we’re making it. Next, we’ll bring you to the stadium, remove your blindfolds, and send you inside. We’ll be watching you, and you’re being judged, so don’t even think of trying to sneak out without doing this task.” Mira felt sick, but maybe that was the cloud of hair spray covering her. “When you’re done, you can go. You’ll get your next assignment soon.”

After much poking and hair pulling, they were marched over to the stadium. They were instructed to sing their cotillion theme song the entire way as a warmup. After being warned not to open their eyes till they counted to fifty, their blindfolds were removed.

“Forty-eight,” the girls counted in unison. “Forty-nine… fifty!”

Everyone opened their eyes and immediately started laughing. Or more like screaming. Everyone’s hair was teased up as high as it could go. Some had crazy ponytails sticking out of weird parts of their head. Others had white makeup. A few had Gaga-like sunglasses. There were fifteen girls total. Everyone Mira had suspected would be there—Lea, Lauren, Savannah, Nicole, and Izzie—plus a few other girls she didn’t know very well. When Mira and Izzie finally spotted each other, they started to crack up.

“Do I look atrocious?” Izzie asked.

“Actually your makeup is kind of nice.”
And mild for Gaga.
Izzie’s face had been completely covered in glitter, and her short hair had been slicked back.

“How is mine?” Mira asked anxiously.

Izzie grimaced. “I would have made you look much worse.”

“So I don’t look bad?” Izzie wouldn’t answer her. “What is on my face?”

Nicole walked over. Her blond hair had been teased into a bird’s nest, and someone had slapped on her a bright blue hat that had an old telephone glued to the top. Her makeup was almost fluorescent.

“Where is Violet?” Izzie asked, her glitter almost blinding in the afternoon light.

“She isn’t doing cotillion,” Nicole said. “Her mom thinks it’s archaic. I texted her and told her what was going on,
though. She cracked up. She said she’s going into the stadium to take pictures of us.” She glanced at Mira. “Cool hair.”

Mira touched her head. “I wish I could see. Izzie won’t tell me anything.”

“You don’t deserve to know,” Izzie told her, still pouting.

Nicole pulled out a mirror and showed Mira her face.

“
Oh. My. God
,” Mira said, inhaling sharply. She did not even look like her. She had green hair!
Green hair!
A long purple streak went down one side and her cheeks were painted bright purple. Her eyebrows were a pasty white.

“Do you think this stuff washes out?” Mira asked, trying to mask the panic in her voice. Nicole gave her a look that didn’t seem too promising.

“Now that is funny,” Izzie said, and pointed to Savannah.

Savannah’s normally angelic face had been transformed into a fiery devil. She was wearing a red wig with devil horns, and her whole face was painted red except for heavy black eye makeup. Mira didn’t recognize the Gaga look, but maybe it wasn’t one. Maybe it was just supposed to represent how evil Savannah was. Either way, Savannah was practically in tears, and Lea, who looked like Gaga’s alter ego, Jo Calderone, tried to calm her down. Izzie took a picture with her phone before Savannah could stop her.

Savannah stomped over. She looked more terrifying than usual with her red face and devil horns. “Delete that!” she hissed. “Right now!”

Izzie slipped the phone back in her pocket and jut out her chin. “Make me.”

Savannah was smart enough not to try that. “They made me over this way on purpose, you know. Only potential cotillion captains get put through the paces, and I am definitely going to be cotillion captain one day.” Her eyes became slits, which was pretty creepy with that makeup. “And then I’m going to make everyone else’s life hell.”

Izzie rolled her eyes. “I kind of suspect the reason you look like the devil is because our cotillion captain, whoever she is, knows you
are
the devil.”

A simultaneous symphony of pings kept Savannah from responding. Everyone reached into their bags for their phones. It seemed all the girls had received the same text.

Enough whining about your makeovers. Get in there already! You have seats on the left side of the bleacher section. Row B. Remember to smile! We’re watching!

With some nervous laughter, their oddly dressed group reluctantly filed into the stadium. Mira wasn’t surprised to see the place packed. Ninety percent of the crowd wore red (the Cardinals) or blue (the Holy Rollers), but their team spirit was no match for the Lady Gagas. People stopped cheering and stared at the girls as they walked by. Even some of the players on the field noticed them! They found their
seats and stared at the scoreboard. The Cardinals were now up fourteen-to-seven, and it was third down.

“They’re going to kill us if we stand up and sing right now,” Lea said anxiously. She had a huge lightning bolt cap on her head.

“We don’t have a choice,” Lauren said, but she didn’t budge, either.