Prep and Prejudice

Chapter One

Thirteen Years Ago. Manila.

Tonight is the night. She can feel it in her bones.

Tonight is the night that Manolo is going to kiss me. And I'm going to let him. Tonight, at Monica Gallego's party.

Andrea stares at her reflection in the mirror, brings a hand to lips stained bubblegum-pink. Fourteen. First kiss at fourteen.

There's a knock on her bedroom door. She turns to see her mother walking towards her.

"You look nice." She puts her hands on Andrea's shoulders, and the loose, asymmetrical neckline falls to one side, revealing a thin, pale line from her swimsuit.

"You're so tanned from the beach. Did you have a good time at La Playa?"

Hills dotted with mango trees; an infinity pool overlooking the bay; sunshiny days with Manolo-what's not to love?

"Yes, I did, Mom. Thanks for letting me go."

"Well, it's not like I could tell Claudia no. She asked specifically for you to join them." Her mother runs her hands over the soft pink material. "Is this new?"

"Pilar lent it to me." Just for tonight.

"That's nice of her." Their eyes meet in the mirror, and her mother kisses the top of her head. The doorbell rings. "That must be her."

Andrea turns to grab her purse off the bed, and then kisses her mother on the cheek.

"Have fun," her mother calls out behind her. Andrea looks back, her hand already on the doorknob.

"Thanks." I will.

* * *

"You. Look. Fabulous!" Pilar exclaims the second Andrea gets into the backseat with her. "You look better in that top than I do. You should keep it!"

She begins to protest, but Pilar raises a hand to stop her. Her thin gold bracelets glint under the passing streetlights as the vehicle begins to move. "It's yours, okay? I love seeing you all dressed up. Especially tonight!" She claps her hands in delight. "Manolo's going to flip when he sees you."

Andrea tugs at the hem of her short white skirt as she settles into the leather seats. "Are you sure it's not too much?" She feels like a toddler in her mother's clothes.

"Absolutely." Pilar squeezes her hand reassuringly. "You're going to have the perfect night with Manolo, I just know it. I mean, it's been leading up to this, hasn't it? He was talking to you all weekend. You were his volleyball partner three times-and everybody knows you suck at it, hahaha!"

Andrea blushes, remembering all the botched serves and awkward passes.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure it wasn't your serve he was interested in." She opens her purse and reapplies some bright red lipstick. "So. While you work on Manolo, I'm going to get to know Erik better," she declares, referring to the son of Monica's dad's Dutch business partner.

Pilar lays out her seduction plan, giving details that make Andrea gasp and cover her mouth-and wonder what Lino, the family driver, is thinking. Heaven knows she's scandalized.

And maybe a little jealous. She watches her friend talk and laugh, flip her shiny hair over one shoulder, her bare arms slim and golden-and she wishes she could be just as brave.

* * *

It's a bit dark inside the sprawling, Asian-inspired Gallego home, but when Andrea's eyes finally adjust to the soft lighting, the first person she sees is Manolo. She'd be able to spot him anywhere-even in a crowd this big, in a place this dark and loud.