Page 3 of I Hate You More

“I’m fine.”

“Then let’s get back to the plan,” she said, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward the dance floor. “I think it’s time to see if we can find a certain someone who weknowis going to love your makeup.”

Declan was nowhere to be found on the dance floor though. Tessa and I searched for a bit but gave up when we came across some of our other friends. We started dancing with the group, but I couldn’t stop looking around, hoping Declan would finally appear. Several times when the crowd parted, I caught sight of Chase, and I could have sworn he was watching me. He was standing at the edge of the dance floor, his expression cold and detached, as he surveyed the crowd like we were all beneath him. He wasn’t dancing with any girls, and I highly doubted it was due to a lack of trying on their part.

When our eyes met, he immediately looked away. I wasn’t sure what he was up to, but normally, he did his very best to pretend I didn’t exist. I kind of wished he’d kept that up after our confrontation earlier in the night.

Fairview High had actually found a good DJ for once, and I was starting to build up a sweat as we danced through song after song. I began to lose hope of finding Declan. Tessa kept reassuring me it would be fine, but how could it be when he wasn’t anywhere to be seen? Our plan was fraying at the seams, but Tessa refused to give up on it. She reminded me there were still hours left at the dance and Declan would come find me. Hewouldbe here, and in the meanwhile, we should have fun and keep dancing.

I did as she suggested and threw all my energy into having fun with my friends. I loved dancing, so it wasn’t hard to take her advice. It was one of the few things I felt like I was actually good at. I’d taken lessons for many years, and when music was playing, it felt like it was running through my veins. I easily let the songs take over my body and danced away anything that was bothering or distracting me. I was having the time of my life, but eventually, a slow and romantic song came on, and people started coupling up, so I decided it was a good time for a break.

I touched Tessa’s elbow. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

She nodded, and I began weaving my way through the crowd of dancing students toward the gym exit. As fun as it had been to dance with my friends, I was beginning to feel deflated about Declan as I saw all the couples happily swaying in each other’s arms. A part of me wondered if he was avoiding me, but another part of me was beginning to suspect he wasn’t at the dance at all.

He’d been going out of his way to talk to me for weeks now, and whenever we saw each other at school, he always gave me one of his sweet smiles. Declan didn’t have the kind of good looks that girls in our school drooled over, but he was cute and kind—definitely not a heartbreaker like someotherboys in our class. I knew there was something between us, but his absence from the dance ruined everything. How could Operation First Kiss be a success without the boy?

Tonight was supposed to be a fairy tale, but I was beginning to feel like perhaps it was merely a dream that would only ever play out in my head.

As I left the gym, I started down the corridor that led to the bathrooms. It was deserted, and I only had the dull hum of music in the background for company.

I thought I was alone, with all the other students still packed onto the pulsing dance floor, but then I heard the sound of two boys talking. The voices were coming from around the corner up ahead, and I didn’t think anything of it until I heard one of them say my name.

“I heard you asked Ally Lockwood to the dance tonight.”

I stopped in my tracks, not daring to move. I had almost reached the intersection of two corridors, and it sounded like whoever was talking was standing just around the corner from me. The boy who had said my name had a deep voice, but I hadn’t heard it clearly enough to guess who it could be. Who on earth would be talking about me?

“Not quite.” I recognized Declan’s voice, and my heart started racing. “I wanted to, but I didn’t get a chance. I’ve been trying to find her all night.”

I beamed as I listened in. Declanhadwanted to find me. Perhaps my night really would have a fairytale ending after all.

The other boy uttered a harsh laugh, and my smile faltered. “Why would you want anything to do withher?”

“I don’t know,” Declan stuttered in reply. “She’s sweet, and she has the prettiest eyes.”

“She’s also a complete loser, and you’re way out of her league,” the other boy shot back. “Why would you settle for sweet and pretty when you could have Jenna Fox? I hear she’s been asking about you tonight.”

“She has?” The shock in Declan’s voice made my stomach drop to my toes. Jenna was the most popular girl in school. I’d never have a chance at dating Declan if she was into him.

“She has,” the other boy confirmed. “And you’d be crazy not to follow up on that. Ally Lockwood spends her whole life with her eyes glued to her latest book. She’s more invested in imaginary worlds than the real one. Wouldn’t you prefer a girl who’s after arealboyfriend rather than some make-believe one?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Tears burned the corners of my eyes, and my chest grew tight as I struggled to draw in a breath. I didn’t know why anyone would be so cruel, and it took everything in me not to start sobbing.

I was so caught up in the hurt I was feeling that I didn’t hear the boys moving. My gaze darted up as they turned the corner and froze when they saw me. Guilt flared in Declan’s eyes, but the boy next to him made my heart race with anger and pain.

“Ally,” Chase said, his eyes growing wide with shock as he realized what I’d just overheard.

I felt like I’d been doused in cold water, and a chill ran down my back as I stared at him. I couldn’t understand how he could say such hurtful things. What had I done to make him hate me so much?

I didn’t wait for an explanation, and as soon as the moment of terrible surprise wore off, I turned and ran in the opposite direction. I fled down the corridor, my feet slapping loudly against the floor. The thrumming of music had dulled to a soft drone in the background, but the strong beat of my heart pounded like a drum in my ears.

I didn’t return to the dance. Instead, I barreled out the front doors of the gym and burst into the parking lot. The cool night air caressed me as I came to a stop. I cradled my arms around my body and looked up into the night’s sky, tears staining my cheeks as I tried and failed to control my sobbing.

It hurt that Declan had been so quick to dismiss me, but it was Chase’s cruel and spiteful judgment of me that caused the tears to run down my cheeks. Was I really so unworthy of someone popular like Declan? Was I as pathetic as Chase seemed to believe?

It wasn’t just his words that hurt though. It was the fact he’d gone out of his way to destroy any chance I had with Declan. Declan had wanted to ask me out, but that would never happen now because Chase had decided to step in.

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