Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

He shook his head slowly. "No. Of course not."

He pulled a pen from his pocket and lowered his shaking hand to her paper. Deliberately, he crossed out the

C+ and scrawled a large, red A across the center of the page. He didn't even look at her as he handed the

paper back. But she never once took her eyes off him.

"Thank you. I assume you'll update your grade book as well?" she said with a smile. "Of course."

"By the way, for what it's worth, I really enjoyed the book." She stuffed the paper into her bag. "It taught me

a lot."

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"Good." He nodded, still looking down. "I'm glad. Anything else I can help

you with?"

"That's all for now." She hovered over his desk for a few moments more, daring him to look her in the eye.

He didn't. "But I'll let you know."

She dropped the phone into her bag. Before she stepped into the hallway, she stole one last glance at Mr.

Holmes. He was hunched over his desk, raking his hands through his hair. Destroyed. But she didn't feel the

slightest bit guilty. He'd gotten exactly what he deserved.

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STUPID

***Ariana hurried toward Mitchell Hall later that night, just minutes before Mr. Barber's world history class

was supposed to end. Her chest rose and fell in anticipation as she ran up the stairs and threw open the doors.

The hallway was empty, and she could hear the muffled sounds of scraping chairs and laughter coming from

the end of the hall. Her timing was perfect. She slowed to a stroll-a Billings Girl couldn't be caught running

in the halls-and stopped outside the last doorway on the left.

The door was open a crack, and she felt a flood of warmth as she heard Thomas's voice leaking from the

classroom. He'd be so happy when she told him. Told him that she'd taken care of everything, that their plan

was no longer in jeopardy.

They could still be together in the fall. No one would stand in their way.

She wound a lock of hair around her index finger and smiled. She

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had it all figured out. Finally, her life was unfolding the way it was meant to unfold. Thomas was her happily-

ever-after.