Flawless by Sara Shepard

it’s complicated, Hanna,” Sean said.
    Hanna was about to ask what was so complicated when Candace put her hands on both their shoulders. “I see you two know each other!”
    “That’s right,” Hanna chirped, momentarily burying her irritation.
    “We’re so happy to have you, Hanna.” Candace beamed. “You’d be a very positive role model for us.”
    “Thanks.” Hanna felt a little thrill. Even if it was V Club, she wasn’t often embraced like this. Not by her third-grade tennis coach, not by her friends, not by her teachers, certainly not by her parents. Perhaps V Club was her calling. She pictured herself as the spokeswoman of V Club. Maybe it was like being Miss America, except instead of a crown, she’d get a fabulous V Club ring. Or maybe a V Club bag. A cherry-monogrammed Louis Vuitton clutch with a hand-painted V .
    “So, do you think you’ll join us next week?” Candace asked.
    Hanna looked at Sean. “Probably.”
    “Wonderful!” Candace cried.
    She left Hanna and Sean alone again. Hanna sucked in her stomach, wishing she hadn’t hogged down a Good Humor chocolate éclair bar she’d impetuously bought from the Y’s ice cream truck before the meeting. “So, you talked about me here, huh?”
    Sean shut his eyes. “I’m sorry she mentioned that.”
    “No, it’s all right,” Hanna interrupted. “I didn’t realize how much all this…meant to you. And I really like some of the stuff they were saying. About, um, the person being someone you love. I’m all for that. And everyone seems really sweet.” She felt surprised the words were coming out of her mouth. She actually kind of meant them.
    Sean shrugged. “Yeah, it’s okay.”
    Hanna frowned, surprised by his apathy. Then she sighed and raised her eyes. “Sean, I’m really sorry about what happened. About…about the car. I just…I don’t really know how to apologize. I just feel so stupid. But I can’t deal with you hating me.”
    Sean was quiet. “I don’t hate you. Things came out kind of harsh on Friday. I think we were both in weird places. I mean, I don’t think you should’ve done what you did, but…” He shrugged. “You’re volunteering at the clinic, right?”
    “Uh-huh.” She hoped her nose didn’t wrinkle up in disgust.
    He nodded a few times. “I think that’s really good. I’m sure you’ll brighten the patients’ day.”
    Hanna felt her cheeks flush with gratitude, but his sweetness didn’t surprise her. Sean was a textbook good, compassionate guy—he gave money to homeless people in Philly, recycled his old cell phones, and never badmouthed anyone, even celebrities who existed to be made fun of. It had been one of the reasons she’d first come to love Sean back in sixth grade when she still was a chubby loser.
    But just last week, Sean had been hers. She’d come a long way from being a loserish girl who did Ali’s gossipy dirty work, and she couldn’t let a little drunken error in judgment at a field party ruin their relationship. Although…there was something—or someone —else that might ruin their relationship.
    I can RUIN you.
    “Sean?” Hanna’s heart pounded. “Have you gotten any weird texts about me?”
    “Texts?” Sean repeated. He cocked his head. “No…”
    Hanna bit her fingernail. “If you do,” she said, “don’t believe them.”
    “All right.” Sean smiled at her. Hanna felt electric.
    “So,” she said after a pause. “Are you still going to Foxy?”
    Sean looked away. “I guess. Probably with a bunch of guys or whatever.”
    “Save me a dance,” she purred, and squeezed his hand. She loved the way his hands felt—solid, warm, and masculine. It made her so happy to touch him that maybe she could give up sex until marriage. She and Sean would stay constantly vertical, cover their eyes at sex scenes, and avoid Victoria’s Secret in the mall. If that was what it took to be with the only boy she’d ever kind of, well, loved , then maybe Hanna could make that