One question after another from her classmates made Lily Blackwood’s soft cheeks flush a deep pink. She stood there looking small and overwhelmed, her fingers twisting the edge of her sleeve.
“All right,” a calm male voice cut through the chatter. “Lily still has a competition to prepare for. If you have questions, ask me.”
The moment the words left his mouth, the girls abandoned Lily and swarmed around Derek Sinclair instead. The boy who had been the center of attention only seconds earlier was suddenly left alone.
Lily blinked, not quite understanding what had just happened.
Naomi Hart leaned in and whispered against her ear, “Lily, take the chance and go. Don’t let them catch you again.”
Lily snapped out of her daze and hurried toward the waiting area. She had only ever made friend
