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about you a lot. I guess that's not surprising, because they're Mia's friends too, but isn't it weird
how much they like you now? Like, I hear them always waiting to see what you want to do
before they make plans and stuff. And a bunch of them are defending Rose now, which is really
crazy. Not that I believe any of that stuff about her, but I never would have thought it was
possible—”
Underneath Natalie's rambling was the seed of suspicion, and Lissa picked up on it. Natalie
probably never would have dreamed of compulsion, but Lissa couldn't risk innocent questions
turning into something more. "You know what?" she interrupted. "Maybe I will swing by Erin's
after all. I bet Carly's hair won't take that long.”
The offer derailed Natalie's train of thought. "Really? Oh wow, that would be great. She was
telling me how sad she was that you're not around as much anymore, and I told her…"
On it went. Lissa continued her compulsion and return to popularity. I watched it all quietly,
always worrying, even though her efforts were starting to reduce the stares and gossip about
me.
"This is going to backfire," I whispered to her in church one day. "Someone's going to start
wondering and asking questions.”
"Stop being so melodramatic. Power shifts all the time around here.”
"Not like this.”
"You don't think my winning personality could do this on its own?”
"Of course I do, but if Christian spotted it right away, then someone else will—”
My words were interrupted when two guys farther down the pew suddenly exploded into
snickers. Glancing up, I saw them looking right at me, not even bothering to hide their smirks.