Noelle lowered her eyes, staring at the photograph in the newspaper. In it, she looked disheveled and utterly humiliated.
However, right now, she was calm. She did not say anything as she picked up the newspaper and threw it into a nearby trash can. Then, she opened the car door again.
"Let's go," she told Levi, her voice calm.
Levi did not dare start the car. He just looked at Hendrix cautiously.
Hendrix was staring at Noelle impassively.
Noelle did not look at him. She didn't even give him a second glance as she rolled the window up.
When that happened, Hendrix turned and went into the house without hesitation.
He wasn't looking at Noelle, but Noelle was staring after him, watching his back as he left. She knew what he was telling her. He wasn't going to go to the party with her, so if she got ridiculed, she would be on her own.
Then again, Noelle was used to this. After all, she'd always been alone.
…
The party was much livelier than Noelle had expected.
The Quinlans had
