Private (Private 1)

But the longer I waited, the more the area emptied out and soon But he wouldn’t do that to me. He wouldn’t. Not after everything.

I felt so conspicuous I couldn’t take it anymore. Thinking of Kiran’s Not after his confession and apology. Something had to be wrong.

easy sophistication, of Noelle’s self-assuredness, I plastered a I whipped my cell phone out and speed-dialed Thomas. I smiled

smile across my face and turned to Thomas’s dad. Hey, I could still at his parents, then turned away. It went directly to voice mail and emulate them, even if they hated me.

I snapped the phone shut. For the first time, I wished I had the

“Hi! You must be Mr. Pearson,” I said, stepping toward him.

number to his other phone. Anything to get hold of him.

He looked me up and down, his brows drawing together. Behind

“Where is Thomas, dear?” his mother asked, running her eyes him, his wife rose on unsteady feet. “Yes. And you are?”

over me. I tucked my phone away.

“I’m Reed Brennan.”

“I don’t know. He must be running late,” I said. I racked my

No flicker of recognition. Not even a blink. My underarms

brain for some kind of excuse. “He . . . uh . . . has this big paper due prickled with heat.

and I know he stayed up late last night working on it.”

“Thomas’s . . .”

“Thomas? Up late studying? That’s rich,” his father said.

The word caught in my throat. I found that with the infamous

My face burned. I was no good at this. I could barely handle my Pearsons staring me down, I couldn’t choke it out.

own parents. At that moment, the chapel bells rang out, signaling

“Thomas’s what, dear?” Trina said, catching her husband’s arm

the start of morning services. I looked around. The entire quad was in her grip.

deserted.

220

K A T E B R I A N

The tone of the bell reverberated through my bones as I looked

up to the high eaves of Ketlar House. I hadn’t talked to Thomas in almost twenty-four hours. Hadn’t even seen him since his visit yesterday morning. Somehow I knew that Thomas wasn’t inside

those walls, looking out. I knew it in my soul.

A MESSAGE

“That’s it. I’m going in there and dragging him out if I have to,”