The three Alpha Phi girls squealed. They ran across the library lobby and surrounded Elinor against the marble pillar.
The blonde girl in the front reached out. She grabbed Elinor's right arm and squeezed it hard.
"Oh my god, congratulations!" the blonde girl yelled. "You finally made him settle down!"
The girl on the left pulled out her phone. She aimed the camera lens right at Elinor's face to record her reaction.
Elinor's eyes went dead. She ripped her arm out of the blonde girl's grip.
"Put the phone down," Elinor commanded. Her voice was like a whip.
The three girls jumped. Their excited smiles vanished. The girl with the phone slowly lowered her hand.
Elinor took a breath. She spoke loudly. She made sure the students studying at the nearby tables could hear every word.
"I have absolutely nothing to do with that circus outside," Elinor said coldly.
The blonde girl blinked. She stuttered. "But... everyone in the Ivy League circle knows the Hamptons only want you."
Elinor let out a short, harsh laugh. She looked the girl dead in the eye.
"Go ask a girl named Carrie Hutchinson," Elinor said.
The students sitting at the tables gasped. The sound of people sucking in air echoed through the quiet lobby.
Elinor did not look at them again. She pushed past the three girls and walked straight out the back doors of the library.
Outside on the main quad, Howell pulled at the collar of his shirt. He was sweating.
He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his phone. He opened a heavily encrypted messaging app. Carrie's name sat at the top of the screen.
His thumbs hit the screen hard. Where are you? The whole school is waiting. Come out here so I can show them I chose you.
Behind the administration building, Carrie stood in the shadows. She stared at her screen. A twisted, victorious smile stretched across her face.
She typed back slowly. Howell, I am so scared. Everyone is chanting Elinor's name. I don't belong out there...
Howell read the message. His chest puffed out with a sick need to protect her. He typed back instantly. Forget that boring robot! Today is about us!
Griffin Wallace walked up to Howell. He looked confused.
"Dude, where is Elinor?" Griffin asked.
Howell scoffed. He looked at Griffin with pure arrogance. "These flowers aren't for that cold machine."
Griffin's face dropped. His skin turned pale. He stuttered. "Wait. If they aren't for her... Howell, she has a fatal pollen allergy. I heard my mom talking to your mother at the Hampton estate gala last year. She specifically warned the staff that Elinor absolutely cannot be near the rose gardens! If she walks by here, this will kill her."
Howell's face froze for exactly one second. Then he rolled his eyes and waved his hand.
"She is probably hiding in some expensive piano room," Howell snapped. "She won't die."
Griffin took a step back. A chill ran down his spine. The cruelty in Howell's voice made him sick.
Suddenly, a massive commotion erupted at the edge of the crowd.
Carrie walked out into the sunlight. She wore her cheap pink cardigan. She rubbed her eyes to make them look red. She walked forward like a terrified deer.
Howell's face lit up. He raised the megaphone to his mouth.
"Carrie!" Howell shouted. His voice boomed across the quad.
The thousands of students expecting Elinor Clemons went completely silent. The cheering stopped. The silence was deafening and awkward.
Everyone stared at Howell. Then they stared at the plain, poorly dressed girl walking toward him. They looked at Howell like he had lost his mind.
Outside the back of the library, Elinor heard the megaphone. She heard the name.
She stopped walking. She closed her eyes. The sheer stupidity of the situation made her nauseous.
She opened her eyes and started to walk away. But the dead silence on the quad suddenly broke. The crowd realized what was happening. Panic and confusion set in.
A massive wave of students started running away from the quad, flooding directly onto the narrow path where Elinor was standing.
