Private (Private 1)

P R I V A T E

147

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked.

“Actually, it’s about parents’ weekend,” I said.

I was going to die from this pain. I really was. I squirmed and clutched at my bedspread.

ANGER

“Your mother and I are so looking forward to it,” he said.

Oh, God. Come on!

“Tell him!” Noelle whispered, kicking my foot.

I shot her a look of death. If I hadn’t been so overwrought

already, that never would have happened. She simply stared back, When Noelle arrived at my room that night, she spent ten minutes urging me on.

blatantly looking around, picking up books, studying posters,

“Well, that’s the thing,” I said. I squeezed my eyes shut. “I don’t squinting at pictures. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had think you should come.”

started opening drawers. And I probably would have let her. Privacy A laugh. Then a pause. “What? Why?”

was not an issue. All I could think about as she conducted her

Even in my guilt, I rolled my eyes. “You know why, Dad.”

search was whether or not everything would meet with her

“Reed, your mother wants to come,” he said. “She even bought a approval. Finally she sat down on Constance’s bed and regarded me new outfit.”

with an open expression.

I swallowed hard. The outfit was not for me. I knew the way her

“Let’s do this,” she said.

mind worked. She was all about appearances. She wanted the other I nodded and sat across from her. The cell phone was slippery

parents to think she belonged. But her nature would win out over from my palm sweat. Just dialing on the tiny buttons was difficult.

her facade. There was no way she would get through the weekend

My father answered on the second ring, sounding alert and para-

without showing her true colors—without spewing them all over

noid. He always sounded this way when he answered the phone.

me. Just the mental picture was all I needed to go on.

“Hello?”

“It doesn’t matter, Dad. I don’t want her here,” I said.