Ex-Factor (Diamond Girls) by Elisa Dane Page A

boy, but I hoped for her sake she had the sense to find me before the night was over. Aunt Trish expected her to come home with me, not her current crush.
    I jammed my student ID into my back pocket and followed the girls into the gym, mouth open and mute as I gaped at my surroundings. Grant High’s gymnasium was twice the size of my old school’s, clean, odor free—not including the rank students currently filing in—and currently sported what looked like a billion soft white twinkle lights dangling from the ceiling of the darkened room.
    A large screen, much like you’d see at a concert, rode high on the front wall, perfectly showcasing corresponding videos to the songs the DJ played.
    “Pretty cool, huh?” Erin shouted into my ear and smiled.
    Cool was an understatement. I nodded as I continued staring. I’d never seen anything like it. But, then again, I hailed from a town where pawn shops lined every street corner, and a night on the town for most consisted of dinner at Bubba Joe’s and a lap dance at the nearest topless bar. Indigo Falls, California was about as different from Lincoln Township, Nevada as you could get.
    “C’mon,” Erin said, grabbing me by the elbow. “Let’s hit the little girl’s room and freshen up while people are still filing in.”
    I pressed my lips together and single-filed it behind her with Claire and Tayla falling in behind me.
    The girls’ bathroom was crowded—shocker—but we managed to squeeze in front of a mirror at the far end of the tiled room. Having brought nothing but a set of keys, ten bucks, and my school ID, I stood in silence as my three new friends primped, fluffed, and pouted over their reflections.
    I glanced at my own reflection for a brief moment and pursed my lips. My hair had held up fairly well, and the glitter Livvie had slathered beneath my eyes sparkled in the dim fluorescent lighting. I was no beauty queen, but I’d do.
    Erin rolled her lips together after applying a fresh coat of gloss, then found my gaze in the mirror and proceeded to drop a bomb on me. “So, I’m thinking it’s time to take my relationship with Eli to the next level. I’m gonna… I’m gonna have sex with him tonight after the dance.”
    Holy hell. My eyes grew wide, and I stood quiet for a moment, unable to find my words. Part of me had feared this was coming, especially after her worried text earlier. Erin was smart and had a good head on her shoulders, but she was also a girl, and we girls tended to do stupid things when in love. And Erin, in my opinion, was head-over-heels in love with Eli.
    “Jesus, Erin,” Claire snapped. “I can’t believe you just said that out loud.” She glanced over her shoulder and frowned. “And in a crowded girls’ bathroom, no less. Now everyone is going to know.” She gave me a hard look and jabbed a finger toward Erin. “Say something, Nev. Please. Help me talk her out of this. Tell her what a bad idea it is to get sexy with jerky Slut Boy.”
    Erin’s expression turned grim, and she poked Claire in the sternum with the tip of her nail. “Stop it right now, C. I mean it. You are in no position to lecture me about sex. I seem to recall a certain horny exchange student popping your cherry last year.”
    Claire crossed her arms over her chest and sucked in a shocked “how could you” breath. “Those were extenuating circumstances, Erin, and you know it. Finn Grueger was mega hot, and he was leaving. You know my weakness for hot guys with accents, especially Australian.”
    Their heated squabble in forced, tense whispers temporarily faded away as reality hit me. This is it . Claire had publicly denounced Erin’s over-sexed love interest. She’d called him out as a slut and a jerk first, which meant, technically, it was safe for me to agree. I could finally tell my sweet new friend what I thought of her obnoxious love interest, and hoped in doing so she’d reconsider her decision and opt to keep her cherry intact.
    “Okay,