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

"I was thinking that you guys . . . you know, you’re cool."
    "Stating the obvious," Tran said.
    "Which you should feel free to do," Knight added.
    Ellie rolled her eyes and wrapped the measuring tape tighter around Tran’s waist so he grunted, then she moved to his left leg. "But despite that, I’m not into you guys at all, and I don’t think you’re into me. So I was just wondering why . . . sometimes it can seem that way and sometimes it doesn’t."
    Tran let out a breath, for the first time looking at her seriously. "You feel like you imagined the whole thing, right?"
    "Yes!" Ellie said. "Yes! I almost feel crazy."
    "You’re not crazy," Tran said.
    "To be fair, Tran’s not licensed to diagnose that," Knight said.
    Ellie threw Knight a glare, but he only laughed and went back to his book.
    "I don’t know what it is—why it’s different," Ellie said.
    "It’s in the eyes," Tran said.
    Ellie glanced up to meet his gaze. It was dark, serious—but he was right. Looking at him, there was nothing there. No sizzle. Not the same way it felt when Edward looked at her.
    "You can feel the difference, can’t you?" Tran said.
    Ellie nodded. The question was—did Edward feel it, too?

Chapter Seven
     
     
    "I look ridiculous," Ellie said.
    "We look ridiculous," Knight added as the four squeezed together to admire themselves in the skinny full-length mirror on Emma’s side of the room.
    The skintight black leggings disappeared into even tighter black knee-high boots. The matching sleeveless tops were rimmed with shiny silver sparkles. The outfits were too tight, too revealing, and too self-conscious. But it wasn’t half as crazy as their makeup and hair.
    "My head itches." Tran scratched the shaggy, shoulder-length black wig.
    "You’ve all had your whine quota," Emma announced. "One each—that’s it."
    Ellie opened her mouth wide, caught Emma’s raised brow, and pursed her lips shut. The white pancake makeup stayed put, as did the cat whiskers at her nose and the black spots painted over her eyes.
    Emma had a black star painted over her right eye.
    "At least you don’t have spikes coming out of your face," Tran said. He raised his eyebrows up and down so the black bat-wing design appeared to flap.
    "Oh yeah, these silver radar antennas around my shoulders are much better," Knight said.
    "Over quota," Emma warned.
    "We . . . match," Ellie said helpfully.
    "Yeah, we all look equally crazy," Tran retorted.
    Emma gasped. "How have none of you heard of KISS?"
    "I’m behind on my History Channel," Knight said.
    "If Emma designed it," Ellie said confidentially, "then it’s the best costume. That much I know."
    "Thank you," Emma said, bumping her hip.
    "It’s weird not to see you as blondes," Knight tousled Emma’s black wig.
    "Yeah, you’re the Blondies," Tran said.
    Ellie swallowed—Edward was the one who had given them that nickname. But tonight was not about Edward. "Tonight," she said, "we’re KISS and we’re gonna win this thing."
    "One thousand dollars," Emma said. "And we get Ellie for a while longer."
    "What do we get?" Knight asked.
    "Yeah," Tran teased. "What’s in this for us?"
    "The pleasure of my company," Emma said.
    "Weak!" Tran said.
    "Sold." Knight grinned at Emma. Ellie got the feeling that despite the white-caked makeup and black stripes on his face, there were real feelings behind what he was saying. But Emma just grinned back and began fluffing everyone’s wigs.
    If Emma hadn’t picked up on any signals, then they must not be there.
     
    * * *
     
    They walked into the gymnasium—although balloon factory was probably a better term. Every spare inch of space was covered in silver and blue balloons. One entire wall shimmered with a sea of balloons undulating like a dragon’s tail to the dance beat pumping from the speakers.
    "Kat knows how to throw a party," Emma said.
    "Don’t say that in front of Anne," Ellie warned.
    Kat was belting out a song in the karaoke arena while Fanny clapped from