I could have hit her. I could have smacked her right then and there. And I might have, if several teachers and police officers hadn't been milling around the quad at that very moment.
“You don't owe them anything, Reed,” Natasha said. “Do what's right. Or you know what I'm going to have to do.”
She turned and strolled off, carefree, as if we'd been discussing the weather. When I turned around, I was face-?to-?face with Josh. My hand flew to my chest. I really didn't think I could take much more of this.
“Sorry,” he said, adjusting the strap on his backpack. “I scared you.”
“It's fine,” I said, pushing past him. I didn't have any room for more of his jabs.
“Reed! Can I just apologize?” he asked.
I stopped and blew out a breath. Then I turned to face him.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded.
He looked almost desperate as he stepped toward me. “I don't know. I'm sorry. It just came out.”
89
“Well, Noelle was right. It's really none of your business what I do,” I told him.
“Reed, come on. Don't say that,” he said.
“Why not?” I asked.
r />
“Because. I was hoping we could be ... I don't know . . . friends,” he said, lifting his shoulders. 'You're one of the only normal people at this school and I... I like you."
It was such a simple, sweet statement that I felt my tension start to ebb. 'You do?"
Josh smiled. He had a perfect, boyish smile. “Yeah. I do.”
“Then why did you say that?” I asked him. “It kind of stung, you know.”
“I know. I'm sorry. I can be judgmental sometimes. It's a flaw,” he said. “I will work on it, though. If you'll forgive me.”
Somehow, I found myself grinning. “Okay, fine. You're forgiven.”
“Really? Thank you. I really am sorry--”
I held up a hand. “Let's just not talk about it anymore, okay?”
“Fair enough. Well, better get to class.”
Right. Class. Somehow that supposedly important aspect of being here at Easton had dropped fairly low on my priority list.
“See you later?” he asked.
“Definitely,” I replied.
Then I turned and walked off smiling toward my class building. Unbelievable. In two seconds Josh Hollis had actually almost made me forget entirely about Natasha's threats.
Almost.
90
ACCUSATION