Private (Private 1)

Ariana looked up briefly from her book and gave me a wan smile.

And as always, Taylor clammed up.

“Hi, Reed!” Taylor said brightly, as she always did. She was

Just then the double doors opened and Thomas walked in with

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K A T E B R I A N

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Dash, Gage, and Josh. My heart caught and immediately began

Thomas glared at him for a second, then laughed snarkily and

racing. I was expecting to maybe catch him in the last ten minutes of kissed my cheek. What was that all about?

the meal when he usually appeared, grabbed food, and bailed. But

“What is up with the selection today?” Dash asked. “There’s no

there he was, trailed by his friends. Right on time.

hot food.”

I told myself not to expect anything. Maybe the kiss meant

“Maybe because it’s ninety-five degrees outside?” Kiran sug-

nothing. Maybe he had forgotten I existed. Maybe he—

gested, checking her reflection in her ever-present compact.

“Hey, new girl,” he said, sliding into the chair next to mine. He

“Think fast,” Josh called out.

pushed my hair back from my face with his fingertips and when I I ducked out of the way as a cellophane-wrapped baguette sand-turned to him, kissed me right on the lips. “I guess I should start wich zoomed past my face. Thomas grabbed it effortlessly.

calling you Reed now.”

“Premade? We’re so lucky to be the over privileged souls we

Now. As in, ‘Now, because everything as changed.’ ‘Now, are,” he joked.

because you are my girlfriend.’ Whoa.

My stomach shifted slightly. I wondered if he knew that I didn’t

“Yo, Josh. You going up there?” he asked, resting his arm on the fall into that category. If any of them knew. If they’d care.

back of my chair. Shivers all over.

“I cannot wait for parents’ weekend,” Gage said, tearing into his Josh hesitated in the aisle as Gage and Dash walked ahead. “Yeah.”