Chapter 3

"Do you have any idea how much money her parents have?" Brooke asked.

"Apparently Claire doesn't," a guy behind her said. "Why else would she make such a big deal out of it?"

Madison glanced around at the people defending her. By the time she looked back at me, her smile had returned.

"I know you have a problem with my family having money, Claire. But this isn't a lot to me."

"Then you won't have a problem tomorrow."

"I won't. You can stop worrying about me."

I turned toward the doors. My friends came with me.

Outside, one leaned close enough that only we could hear.

"Didn't she spend half an hour yelling at her parents last week because they couldn't send her another hundred dollars?"

"I heard that, too," the other said. "Where's she getting fifteen thousand?"

"We'll find out in the morning."

It was already dark, and rides back to campus could take a while from out here. There was no reason for us to wait outside.

I led them around to the private entrance at the back of the resort.

My parents kept space for our family here, as they did at their other hotels. I didn't need a membership card to sleep in a room they'd set aside for me. Giving me the first one had been Mom's little opening-day ceremony.

We soaked in the private pool, ate dinner, and stayed up talking until we were too sleepy to finish our sentences. By the time we woke, checkout was approaching.

A message from the front desk said Madison's group was getting ready to settle its bill.

We went to the lobby.

Brooke spotted us first.

"You're still here?"

A classmate looked from her to me. "Don't tell me you couldn't get a ride. Did you sleep outside?"

My friend started to smile. I knew exactly what she was remembering: the warm water, the quiet rooms, the three of us deciding whether to order dessert.

Brooke shook her head at us.

"Well, you could've been nicer to Maddie. We had suites, a huge dinner, good wine. You missed out."

"That spa treatment alone," someone said. "I could get used to this."

"You should invite us next time you celebrate anything."

Madison looked pleased enough to offer us a little charity.

"Don't be mean. They're still my roommates." She turned to us. "If you're hungry, you can get breakfast. I'll cover it."

"After the way they treat you?" Brooke said. "You're too nice."

"We're fine," I told Madison. "Go ahead and settle your bill."

She gave a little shrug, as though she'd done her best for us.

"Okay. Let's check out."

She reached into her bag and handed the receptionist my card.