This morning the blonde, model-pretty Melinda looked as perfect as she always did. She was the queen of the “Royal Party,” which is what a group of the most popular kids at Erin Heights were called.

“Nikki!” Melinda greeted me enthusiastically.

“Hey, what’s going on? You look like you’re ready to explode.”

“There’s a new guy starting today in our grade,” she said. “Wait till you see him. He’s gorgeous.”

“New guy?” I repeated. “That’s why you look like you just won the lottery? There’s a new student. Big deal.”

She had a serious perma-grin thing going on. “I think I’m in love.”

I relaxed a bit. Happily, this seemed to be an issue that had nothing to do with me. I could deal with any new student Melinda thought was hot.

Not a problem.

I shifted my heavy backpack to my other shoulder. “I thought you only liked older guys.”

She shrugged. “I’m making an exception to my over-sixteen rule. Rumor has it he’s a foreign exchange student, but he doesn’t have an accent.”

“You’ve talked to him?”

“Not yet. But Larissa bumped into him and he said ‘Excuse me’ and asked for directions to the principal’s office. She’s so lucky.”

I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes. Larissa and I didn’t get along that well. “That’s definitely one of the words I’d use to describe her.”

Melinda worked on the combination to her locker and swung it open.

“Nice crown.” I nodded at the top shelf inside.

“Thanks. I want to keep it close. It makes me happy.” She ran her fingers over the shiny silver plastic headpiece tipped with snowflakes. She’d been crowned Winter Queen last Friday night at the school’s formal dance. “I’m still dying to know how everything went with you and Chris. You guys left so early and I haven’t seen you since.”