Free So Into You [The Jane Austen Academy Series #2] by Cecelia Gray

date for Sunday. Lizzie was probably patching things up with Dante’s parents right now. And Emma was on her way to the Teen Movie Awards with Josh.
    Her parents were halfway to Guatemala, securing the yoga practice of their dreams. Maybe they’d even be able to help out with tuition by the time Thanksgiving rolled around.
    Sure, she was bone-tired, but everything was going to work out.
    The universe was finally lining up for her.
    The head cook refilled her tray with more plates and Ellie headed back into the cafeteria. She worked quickly, setting down trays and meeting everyone’s parents, slowly working her way toward Edward’s back.
    When she returned for the tray of food for him and his parents, she asked for extra fresh ground pepper on the salad. She approached him and his parents from behind, chewing a hole in her cheek.
    "I swear," he said, "the school is sponsored by costume designers or something. Every dance, every school event, involves dressing up."
    "It sounds like fun," his mother said.
    "More fun than I had at school," his father said. "We didn’t have time to dance—or meet girls—at the military academy."
    "Yeah, my friend Rick transferred in from a military academy and says it’s different."
    Edward’s mom caught her eye then and smiled. "Oh, food is here."
    "Hello, Mrs. Ferris," Ellie said, setting a plate in front of her.
    Edward spun around. "Ellie. What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming."
    "Have we met?" Mrs. Ferris asked.
    "I’m not here with my parents," Ellie explained. "But I’m serving." She smiled at his parents. "I’m Ellie."
    "Ellie’s best friend is dating my friend Dante," Edward explained.
    Ellie knit her brow at him as she placed a plate in front of his dad—what a strange thing to point out to his parents.
    "Is that Elizabeth?" his mother asked.
    "She goes by Lizzie," Ellie said.
    "Well, she’d have to," Mr. Ferris said. "Edward. Elizabeth. Ellie—there are too many of you with E’s."
    "My roommate’s name is Emma—Edward calls us the Blonde-E’s—or Blondies."
    "A nickname," the girl sitting next to his mother said. "How cute."
    Ellie hadn’t noticed the girl there before. She was slight and pale, with choppy dark hair that had a dyed streak of blue that matched her eyes.
    "You must be Edward’s sister," Ellie said, reaching for the last plate on her tray.
    The girl laughed. "No, I’m Lucy—his girlfriend."
    The plate crashed to the floor. Edward sprang up, his parents, too—and the next thing Ellie knew, she was apologizing and gathering shards of glass in her hands. One nicked her palm and a bead of blood squeezed out.
    She was sure Edward, Lucy, and Edward’s parents were talking to her—telling her not to worry about it—but she couldn’t hear them over that ringing in her ears.
     
    * * *
     
    The next time Ellie looked up at her surroundings, she was sitting on a foam hospital-style bed, and the school nurse was taping a Band-Aid strip to her palm.
    "Just a small cut," she was saying. "You don’t even really need the Band-Aid, but it’s a cute one. See—fish!"
    Ellie glanced down at the colorful purple and blue scales.
    The nurse dipped her head. "Are you all right or do you want to wait here a moment?"
    "Can I stay for a few minutes?"
    "Of course. Lie back. I’ll send a note with the runner that says you need the rest of the day off work. Okay?"
    "Thanks," Ellie mumbled. The nurse pulled a curtain across the bed and stepped back into the front office. Ellie fell back on the hospital bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
    Edward had a girlfriend.
    Lucy. With dark hair and a dyed blue streak and perfect teeth.
    A girlfriend he probably actually kissed. Lots. And well.
    She was such an idiot. She’d been running after a guy with a girlfriend. Throwing herself at him. No wonder he’d looked so uncomfortable. She covered her face with her hands and groaned.
    "Ellie!"
    Ellie popped up at the sound of Lizzie’s voice at the same moment