Page 55 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

She nodded. “Could I have a minute first?”

“Yes, ma’am, just send them over when you’re through.”

“I will.”

As Officer Hilliard walked away, Mom stared at the three of us, not saying a word, her face blank slate. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking. I was the first to crack under the pressure of that stare, but Colton wasn’t far behind.

“I’m so sorry, Mom,” I said. “Please don’t be mad.”

“Sadie…I’m not mad,” she said finally. “I’m just surprised. You never do anything wrong, so this is new territory for us.”

“I’m sorry,” I said again, feeling my eyes fill with unshed tears. If there was one thing I hated, it was disappointing her.

“Mrs. Day,” Colton said, “this one’s on me. Like you said, Sadie doesn’t do anything wrong. I’m the troublemaker—just ask Hilliard. I messed up and got Sadie in trouble, and I’m sorry for that.”

Mom looked to Colton. “According to my daughter, you also gave her one of the best nights of her life. She told me everything.”

Colton looked to me. “She did?”

“Yes,” Mom said, “and you’re not a troublemaker, Colton. You made a mistake, and we all do that. Lord knows, I’ve made a ton of them. Next time, just tell Sadie all the facts and let her decide what she wants to do.”

“I’ll do that,” he said, putting his hands into his pockets. “Thanks, Mrs. Day.”

Mom’s gaze met mine.

“Okay then,” she said as if she’d decided something. “Okay. Sadie, since this is your first time getting into any sort of trouble and you appear to be sincerely repentant, I don’t see any need for more punishment.”

“You don’t?” I said.

She shook her head. “You’re going to have to clean up the mess you made at the principal’s house—which you volunteered to do in the first place. I think you’ve learned your lesson.”

I threw my arms around her, burying my head in her neck. “Thank you so much, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you, too, baby,” she said and hugged me back. “Promise me I won’t see you riding in the back of any more police cars.”

“Promise,” I said.

We walked to the curb in a silent row. Officer Hilliard was waiting and had opened the door for us. Colton looked resigned, and Kyle looked stunned as we piled into the police car.

“Someone tell me how I got roped into this again?” Kyle asked.

“You’re my best friend,” I said, ducking into the car after Colton, ending up in the middle seat between him and Kyle. The police car was compact and the metal cage separating the front from the backseats reminded me of all thoseBlue Bloodsre-runs I used to watch. “We stick together through thick and thin.”

“And toilet paper,” Kyle mumbled.

As Officer Hilliard closed the door, Colton let his head fall back on the seat, closed his eyes and chuckled.

“What?” I asked.

“I still can’t believe you left Principal Wexler a thank you note,” Colton said.

“I didn’t know what we were doing was illegal.”

He opened one eye to look at me. “Fun illegal or bad illegal?”

I rolled my eyes as he chuckled again, and Officer Hilliard got in on the driver’s side, started the car. We pulled away from my house, began the drive to Principal Wexler’s. Things were quiet in the car for several minutes until Colton broke the silence.

“For real though, Sadie, I’m sorry,” Colton said. “For not telling you—”

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