Keeley wasn't artistic. Whoever put her name on the volunteer list to decorate for the dance was in for a reckoning. The dance was in a downtown hotel's banquet hall—this was a private school; they had standards—but the decorations were being made in an art classroom after school for a week.

One socialite, there solely for college application volunteer hours, complained, "Isn't this underwhelming? It would be easier and look better to buy everything. A kindergartener could have done this."

She eyed Keeley's "masterpiece"—two balloons taped together in a heart shape and plastered with papier-mâché—with distaste. It would look better painted, once the balloons were removed. She hoped. At least no one else's looked much better.

The student advisor, the mastermind behind the heart-shaped decorations, planned to hang them upside down from the ceiling, covered in glitter, for a disco-ball effect under the stage lights. Everyone was too tired to argue.

Most participants were on student council (needing volunteer hours), or there to goof off with friends in the same predicament. Keeley was the only one without a personal reason to be there.

At least no one she was avoiding was on the committee. That list had expanded from Aaron and Lacy to the man she believed killed her—Maximillian Lynch, Lacy's loyal lapdog, according to the student directory.

Just thinking about him gave her goosebumps. Every time she saw him, she felt the terror of that car accident, even though he hadn't been the killer yet.

Keeley absentmindedly continued her papier-mâché work, pondering her dilemma. One of her enemies had orchestrated her attendance at the dance, so she assumed they'd be there.

Aaron had pointedly asked her about the dance—making him a likely suspect—though it seemed more Lacy's style to burden a "commoner" with unwanted work. Lacy thrived on others' misfortunes; Aaron, being wealthy, seemed too detached to care.

He'd acted strangely since her "rebirth." He'd been in his rich-heir world until Keeley disrupted it. She never fit in with his friends, family, or lifestyle, despite her efforts. She'd changed so much for him, to no avail.

Weariness settled over her. This dance felt fatal. At least she'd be with Jeffrey and Lydia, easygoing friends. She might even have fun if she avoided her would-be captors. Constant vigilance was exhausting.

She couldn't wait for the school year to end. Lacy, Aaron, and Max were all going to Boston for college. All she had to do was attend NYU as planned, and she'd be free. Aaron would likely end up with Lacy (it was inevitable), and she could live in peace.

Keeley's phone dinged. She washed her hands to check it—hoping it was her dad. The unsaved number was instantly recognizable: Aaron. The text read: "Go to the dance with me."

She replied: "I already have a date." She would have refused even without a date. Jeffrey seemed increasingly appealing.

Aaron's next text: "Who could you possibly go with that's better than me?"

His arrogance enraged her. "Anyone would be better than you!" she retorted.

Keeley ignored his subsequent texts. Later, on the subway, she checked her phone. Four messages detailed his net worth, accomplishments, and a family profile from a financial magazine. The last message said, "Nobody's better than me," with a winking emoticon.

Insane. Completely insane. There was no one worse!

Unfortunately, Aaron didn't take rejection well. Her refusal, and the words she used, ignited a fire she couldn't extinguish.

It started subtly. A large bouquet of orchids sat on her desk the next morning. No card, but a smug aura emanated from her deskmate. He said nothing, lounging with panther-like sophistication and power.

To avoid a scene, Keeley took the orchids home and gave them to her elderly neighbor, a flower enthusiast.

The next day, it was a pair of bow-shaped rhinestone earrings. Keeley gave them to Lydia, as they resembled a pair she'd seen in a mall store. Lydia returned them, pale, after a classmate complimented them. They were Tiffany's, costing over $7,000.

Keeley nearly dropped the box. Over $7,000 for a girl he barely knew?! What was he doing?

Avoiding confrontation, she slipped the box back into his backpack when he bent over.

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