Page 55 of The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

"Do you want to dance?" Another stupid question, considering there was no music playing. I wanted to kick myself.

"I'm sorry," he said, not bothering to even look at me. "I'm looking for someone. She should have been here by now."

My heart leapt in anticipation. Ella was right. Jake was looking for me.

"There she is. Excuse me."

My mouth dropped open as I watched him make his way through the crowd. He had blown cute, hot me off for old me. Ella was right! But wait. How could that be if I was standing right next to him? Did he think he had spotted me? Could there actually be someone else here that would somewhat resemble how I ordinarily looked? People stepped aside and with a sinking heart, I saw where he was heading.

Straight to Ella in her shiny dress.

Of course. Mercedes was right. My mom was right. I was so used to disappointment where Jake was concerned that I didn't feel nearly as devastated as I expected to. I mean, I still wanted a blackhole to spontaneously form and swallow me whole. I never wanted to go back to school again. I would probably go home, lie on the bathroom floor and cry for hours. But it hadn't quite hit me yet. I felt numb.

I hated that Mercedes was right. I hated that Jake had played me and that he was in love with Ella. I hated that I had fallen for his act like a completely clueless moron.

"And I am pleased to announce the winner of the race for student council president. It was extremely close, but our winner is…Mattie Lowe!"

A cheer went up from the audience, but all I could see was Jake towering over Ella, and her smiling up at him. My heart hurt.

"Where is Mattie? Ms. Lowe? Give us a wave!"

I couldn't stand there all night staring at both of them.

I found the closest exit and let myself through the doors. Fortunately, it led straight outside, and I gulped in the cold night air. I ripped off my stupid heels and walked to the parking lot.

I couldn't even be happy that I won.

Because while I had won the presidency, I had lost the boy.

* * *

I had the valet call me a cab. Once I got home, I threw my shoes on the floor and unzipped my dress. I realized that I still had my mask on. I ripped it off, and heard the little beads bouncing on the floor. In the kitchen I found my dad's secret Ben & Jerry stash and took a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough back to my room.

I sat in the middle of my bed and wiped my tearstained cheeks with the back of my hand.

I wondered how anyone could be so pathetic. I didn't even want to eat my ice cream. I looked over at my sketchbook and picked it up. I put it back down. I didn't even want to draw, and I had never been that depressed before. I just wanted to cry more.

So I did.

I didn't know how many hours passed before I heard the front door slam. I hadn't bothered to turn on the lights and was lying in the dark, crying and berating myself for having been such an idiot.

"Tilly!" Ella sounded furious.

I didn't answer. She stormed into my room, throwing on the light switch. "What happened?"

Like she didn't know. Like she hadn't flirted with Jake and smiled at him like he was the only guy in the room. Not that I could really blame her. He had been her boyfriend. I wondered what had happened with Trent. Wondered if he was hurting as much as I was. I should call him. But I hoped if I just stayed still that maybe she'd think I was asleep and leave me alone.

No chance of that. She came around to the opposite side of the bed so she could see my face. "I'm waiting."

"Jake didn't want me." I said dully.

"Duh, that was the entire point."

I sat up. "No, I mean he didn't want Mattie. He told me that he was looking for someone. And then he saw you and the crowd parted like he was Moses and they were the Red Sea and you had your little perfect moment there in the middle of the dance floor."

She looked incredulous. "Are you serious?"

I nodded.

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