Keeley was hospitalized for two days due to severe dehydration caused by the drug she'd been given. During that time, doctors ran numerous tests to rule out brain damage or other complications. Ultimately, she received a clean bill of health.
It was a welcome relief. Being confined to a hospital bed had been incredibly boring. When she finally checked her phone, she found a flurry of frantic missed texts from Lydia and Jeffrey. She'd completely forgotten their Saturday plans.
Keeley apologized, explaining she'd been incapacitated by the flu and hadn't heard her phone ring. She felt it was best not to worry them. Neither Lydia nor Jeffrey could comprehend the world of the ultra-wealthy; they wouldn't believe her story about Lacy attacking her because of Keeley's complicated relationship with Aaron.
Initially, Keeley was too tired to be angry, but her fury grew during her hospital stay. Associating with Aaron never ended well! It wasn't enough that he'd ruined her life once; he had to cling to her, provoking Lacy's wrath just when Keeley thought she was safe. The selfish idiot!
Her life had been turned upside down. Was he happy now? He'd played his game, and she, as always, got hurt. Aaron never changed; he genuinely didn't care about anyone, and consequences meant nothing to him.
A small voice cautioned her to be fair: Aaron hadn't known Lacy would do this; he hadn't intentionally provoked her. He didn't know what she was capable of. However, his bizarre actions regarding Keeley had resulted in her hospitalization.
She wanted to confront him, but lacked proof. Accusing him of causing Lacy to drug her would make her seem crazy. With only two weeks left of school, she decided to avoid him.
Luckily, after giving him an inch on her birthday, Aaron ignored her for days after her return to school. This was good; she needed to focus on studying, and his unpredictable behavior since her "rebirth" made that difficult.
Keeley and her friends forwent their usual lunchtime banter, focusing instead on studying. Lydia, excelling in Spanish (Keeley's weakest subject), helped her practice conversation, while Keeley shared her government flashcards. Jeffrey was engrossed in calculus.
They postponed their post-finals bowling trip, originally planned for the day after Keeley's birthday, using it as motivation to study hard. Even studious scholarship students experienced senioritis.
Keeley felt she might go insane before graduation. Graduation felt so close, yet time crawled. The police investigation had stalled; the hotel room provided no leads because the perpetrators wore gloves. While she hadn't expected them to be caught, the unknown reason for the drugging made her uneasy.
Lacy was furious. How could Aaron have been so careless? Keeley was supposed to be found unconscious on her doorstep, in her own clothes. Hospitalization by her family would have suggested self-ingestion. Now, with the police involved, Lacy couldn't use the photos to get Keeley expelled; the setup would be obvious. Worse, the photos could be traced back to her. Her entire plan was ruined.
Fortunately, she hadn't released the photos before Monday's police questioning at school. She'd planned to do so after school. The police didn't name names but asked about suspicious activity at the prom and whereabouts between 3 and 10 PM. Lacy assumed they avoided planting ideas.
The principal cooperated, allowing mass questioning in the counselor's office; the officers promised to avoid creating school scandal. They arrived in plainclothes and an unmarked car. Teachers discreetly called students out one by one, forbidding discussion outside the "interrogation room." Lacy was completely surprised when called.
The officers treated her kindly, assuming her innocence. "We're sorry to disturb you; we'd like to ask a few questions about prom night. There was an unpleasant incident, and we appreciate your help."
She could refuse to answer without a lawyer, but that would seem guilty. Sweating, she smiled. "Of course, I'd be happy to help."
"Where were you and what did you do between 3 and 10 PM last Friday?"
Lacy calmly fabricated a story. "School ended at 2:50. My chauffeur took me to La Belle Salon for hair, nails, and makeup. I went home for twenty minutes before Maximillian Lynch picked me up for dinner at Rizzoli's on 5th Avenue. We were there over an hour, arriving at the dance slightly before eight. We chatted with friends before dancing until around 11:30, then went home."
The officers seemed convinced. The older one shuffled papers and leaned forward. "Miss Knighton, did anyone leave the dance for more than ten minutes?"
Lacy had seen Eve Martin and her boyfriend leave with champagne, but kept quiet. "No, I was focused on having fun."
They seemed suspicious. "Thank you for your time. You may return to class."
Lacy nearly fainted, relieved. It had been too close. She texted Max in code: "Don't forget to buy me lollipops after school," a childhood reference to remaining silent.