What's Your Status? (44 page)

“Enough,” I said firmly. “No. We’re done.”

“Really?” Dell asked, his voice getting more strangled. “Oh,
really
?”

“Really,” I said quietly. “No more, Dell. You’re out a lot of money tonight on your site.”

“I’m aware of that!” he snapped.

“No, I’m not sure you are,” I said. “Brian?”

“I’m happy to report that the Putnam Young Investors Club made a ten-thousand-dollar profit tonight,” he said. “Much obliged.”

I watched the color drain from Dell’s face.

“Here’s what we propose,” I said. I looked around at the group, and they all nodded. Clearly, Brian had gotten the word out. “We’ll give you half. You can use the rest to pay off the people who used the site. And if we give it to you, it means we’re done. No more revenge. No more schemes. You walk away. And we’re finished.”

“Fini,”
Lisa added helpfully.

Dell looked like he was considering the alternative. But after a moment of staring down at the ground, his hands clenched into fists, he nodded. “Fine,” he muttered. “Fine.”

“And how do we know you’re not going to go back on your word and do something else next month?” Dave asked, crossing his arms.

“Because I won’t,” Dell said, shaking his head. For the first time ever, he looked defeated. And it didn’t seem like an act, either. “I promise. We’re done.”

“What?” Isabel asked, looking at Dell, furious. “That’s
it
?”

“That’s it,” he said quietly. Isabel glared at him, then at all of us, then turned on her heel and stomped up the staircase. Dell looked at me for a long moment, then dropped his gaze and headed for the stairs himself, walking slowly away in silence.

“Oh my God,” Schuyler breathed when the sound of his footsteps faded away. “So that’s it? We did it?”

“It looks like it,” I said, not quite able to believe it myself. “So who was the streaker?” I asked, looking around at the various guys. “Come on.”

“There was a
streaker
?” Sarah asked as my phone vibrated.

mad_mac → the crew
Look out. The Eagle is flying.

So much for thinking we were home free. “Guys,” I said, “we’re not out of the woods yet. Get this stuff out
of the conference room and into the van and get back to the prom ASAP.”

“What’s going on?” Ginger asked.

“Dr. Trent,” I yelled as I pushed open the door to the stairs. “He’s on his way.”

CHAPTER 27

Song: Do You Wanna Dance?/The Beach Boys

Quote: “And say my glory was I had such friends.”

—William Butler Yeats

I ran up the stairs and stepped into the area outside the Putnam ballroom just in time to see Dr. Trent heading toward the service stairs. Trying to intercept him, I increased my pace.

“Hi, Dr. Trent,” I said cheerfully.

“Madison,” he said, looking surprised, and maybe—was I imagining it?—a little disappointed to see me there.

“Great prom, huh?” I asked. I realized that as he was facing the staircase, he would have a clear view of everyone as they came up. So I walked around to stand next to him, forcing him to turn his back on the staircase to keep facing me. “I was really happy that Kittson won. It’s just fitting, right?” I babbled as I saw the door to the service entrance open slowly and Schuyler slink out. “I mean, she worked so hard and all.”

“Yes, well…” Dr. Trent said. He turned to look at the staircase just in time to see the door close, and he
frowned. “I have to go check on something downstairs. Don’t go anywhere, Madison. I want to have a talk with you.”

“Yes. But!” I yelled, forcing Dr. Trent’s attention back to me as the door opened again and Ginger and Sarah slipped out.

“What?” Dr. Trent asked, looking perplexed.

“Um,” I said. Dr. Trent turned to look at the door again, only to see it slam closed once more. While his back was turned, I quickly updated my status.

promgirl → the crew
GO OPERATION PDA!!!!

“Madison, what is going on?” he asked, looking at me over the top of his glasses.

“Going on?” I asked, stalling. “I don’t know what you could possibly mean. What do you mean? What does that mean, precisely?”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Dr. Trent said, looking at something behind me. I turned and saw Jimmy and Liz stumbling through the ballroom doors, arms around each other, kissing madly. “That is not appropriate,” he said, heading up to them. “Excuse me!”

promgirl → the crew
CLEAR NOW RUN!!

The staircase door opened and Mark, Ruth, Dave, Lisa, and Brian made a run for it, slinking behind
armchairs until they made it to the ballroom doors. There, they slowed down and walked more casually.

“Can you hear me?” Dr. Trent yelled to Jimmy and Liz, who were still making out furiously. “This is your assistant headmaster! And this is not acceptable behavior!”

“Come on, Liz,” I said, tapping her on the shoulder. She immediately stopped kissing Jimmy and turned to look at me.

“Hi, Mad,” she said. “Hi, Dr. Trent. I—oops!” She dropped her bag, and I immediately bent down to pick it up, placing the one I’d been carrying all night on the ground next to it. Liz picked up that one. “Thanks,” she said.

“No, thank
you,
” I said emphatically, and she smiled at me.

“Please,” Dr. Trent said, looking at Jimmy and Liz. “Have a little more respect for where you are. This isn’t a video arcade.”

Jimmy frowned at that, but Liz nodded emphatically. “Right you are, Dr. Trent.” She pulled Jimmy back into the ballroom and Dr. Trent turned to me.

“Now, Madison,” he said. “There’s something I need to check downstairs. But I want you to wait here. I need to speak with you.”

“Sure,” I said easily, hoping that they’d gotten all the evidence removed from Conference Room B. I looked at the ballroom doors, where Lisa, Dave, and Schuyler were still lingering, watching.
Are we okay?
I mouthed to them, and Lisa gave me a thumbs-up just as Dr. Trent came
back, looking out of breath and annoyed. “Something wrong?” I asked him.

“No,” he said, though he didn’t look happy about it. “Everything appears to be…in order.” He looked down at me. “Now. Madison. I have heard some very disturbing reports over the course of the night that you have not been where you were supposed to be. That you’ve been wandering the hotel, even though you knew the consequences of this. I’d hate to have to punish you, especially since the prom was carried off successfully. But I’m afraid those are the rules.”

“Who said I was where I wasn’t supposed to be?” I asked. “Do you have any proof?”

“I think I will,” he said with a faint smile. “Do you have your phone with you?”

“Of course,” I said, taking it out of my bag.

“Pull up your Status Q page, please,” he said. I did, smiled at what I saw, and handed him the phone.

mad_mac
I love the prom!!

mad_mac
aren’t proms fun?

mad_mac
Jimmy looks so cute tonight!

mad_mac
I mean, Nate.