Private (Private 1)

lectern.

The dean stepped up to the lectern and tilted the microphone

Noelle looked almost regal and certainly in control. Even though toward him. “Welcome, students, to Easton Academy.”

hundreds of people were staring straight at her, she didn’t blush or waver or even blink. She was confident, gorgeous, composed.

The pair placed their books on a table at the front of the chapel.

“Tradition, honor, excellence,” they said in unison.

Then they turned to the room and everyone echoed them.

“Tradition, honor, excellence.”

Chills rushed over me at the sound of all those voices in unison.

Noelle and Dash turned and bowed together toward the teachers,

then each took a seat on opposite sides of the altar, Noelle in front of the girls, Dash in front of the guys.

I had no idea what all this ritual meant, exactly, but I loved it. It was totally different from anything I had ever known before. I was so enraptured that it took me longer than most to notice the slight commotion and laughter at the back of the chapel. When I turned around, Thomas Pearson was just slipping in as the dean closed the doors. He took a seat in the back pew, where one of his friends gave him a fist bump and laughed. Sunglasses hid his eyes. The dean

shot him a look of death, but then walked briskly back to the front of the room. I waited for Thomas to remove the glasses, hoping he might search me out as well, but instead he grew serious and

trained his attention on the stage.

P R I V A T E

43

coffee filled the room. “This class is American History. In history we have what are known as facts. I teach the facts. We will not be reading opinion or propaganda in this class. We will not be dis-cussing the whining woes of every Tom, Dick, and Harry in every SADIST

socioeconomic strata of every country around the world. I’ll let your college teachers deal with the gray areas. In the meantime, I will prepare you by having you memorize facts. Dates. Names. Places.

Facts.”

I don’t think I had ever known anyone who enunciated as

“Good morning, class! I trust you are all tickled pink to see me.”

perfectly as this man. His jaw must have been working more

The teacher banged the door closed behind him and those who

muscles than my entire body. The word facts came out like weren’t already in their seats scrambled. Constance sat down next

“fak-t-ss.” He took a sip of his coffee and placed the cup down to me just as the teacher placed his beaten leather briefcase and a on his desk.

tall silver Thermos on his desk. He had the straightest posture I

“So let us find out what you know.”

have ever seen and seemed to fill up the entire room. Gray hairs Gulp.

peppered the tight black curls on his head and he wore a blue sport He walked to the center of the room, facing us. “You. What’s

coat and striped tie over tan pants. He clapped his hands together your name?”