An hour after he left, Spencer realized Colin wasn't coming back. He was probably consoling Ramona—he was totally the type of guy to do that. Melissa was nowhere to be found, so Spencer made her way back to Nana's house, a secret smile playing on her lips. She couldn't wait for tomorrow, to see how her new relationship would unfold.
The windows at Nana's were dark, and the Mercedes rental was in the driveway. Spencer turned the knob and jumped when Melissa scattered out of the dark living room and flipped on the entryway chandelier, casting flickers of moving light around the marble floor.
"Hi," Spencer said. She set her clutch on the bottom stair and kicked her shoes, massaging her heels.
Melissa flashed a bright smile. "Hey! So…how'd everything go?"
"Great!" Spencer blurted, settling onto an ornate antique bench antique bench. Melissa dropped next to her. "Thanks so much for encouraging me to go talk to him!"
Melissa widened her eyes. "Did you guys hook up?"
Spencer shook her head. "But we will soon. He told me he'd made up his mind about something. He's breaking up with her, Melissa, I just know it."
She wrapped her arms tightly around her sister, tears unexpectedly filling her eyes. She squeezed her sister's hands. "Promise me things stay this way."
"Stay what way?" Melissa asked.
"Between us. Promise me we…" Spencer trailed off to choose her next words carefully. "We don't fight anymore. We help each other. I really miss you."
Suddenly, the doorbell chimed. Spencer felt a thrill of anticipation. Could it be…?
She jumped up, licking her lips and smoothing her hair as she raced to the door. "Play it cool," Melissa reminded her.
She flung open the door and broke into a smile. It was Colin, his chiseled jawline and straight, strong nose casting shadows under his neck from the porch light.
"Hey." His mouth opened up into a slow, smooth smile. Dazzled, Spencer ushered him inside. "Ramona and I are over."
Those words should have made Spencer swoon with joy. Only Colin had breezed right past Spencer and was now standing close to Melissa, a look of rapture on his face.
Spencer stood frozen in place. Why was he telling Melissa all this? She didn't care. Spencer cared.
"Really?" Melissa whispered.
"I couldn't stop thinking about you," Colin said in a husky voice, Melissa's hand.
Spencer reeled back like she'd been punched. The antique clock on the mantel in the living room chimed twice. What was going on? Was this a joke?
"Can we take a walk? It's a beautiful night," Colin suggested.
"Let me get my purse. Wait here," Melissa breathed. She turned and darted up the stairs. Spencer glanced at Colin, who was staring dreamily after her. She let out a tint squeak and then took off after her sister, two steps at a time, grateful for all the laps her coaches had made her run.
She burst into Melissa's bedroom, where she was coolly applying some lip gloss, her purse flung over her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Spencer cried. She didn't even bother keeping her voice down.
Spencer watched a nasty smile spread across Melissa's face in the mirror. "What does it look like, Spence?"
"But…" Spencer tried to speak, but no sounds came out. "But you gave me all that advice on how to get him."
Melissa shrugged. "Everyone knows that if you really want a guy to notice you, just pretend he doesn't exist."
Spencer's gut churned so violently, she was afraid she might puke up the Hawaiian feast.
"But I thought you and I were friends!" Spencer whimpered, tears rushing to her eyes.
"We were never friends," Melissa snapped, dropping her gloss onto her dresser, where it rolled around and then off onto the lush carpet. She glared at Spencer. "I never forgave you for anything you've done to me. And I never will."
She shot Spencer a cruel smile, then stalked out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and out into the night with Colin, leaving Spencer far behind.