Private (Private 1)

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and planned a trip into town for the weekend. I overheard the

“Real ly?” Noelle crossed her arms over her chest and strode phrases “four-ply cashmere,” “so hot,” “new credit card.” They

over to me, looking me up and down. A few other girls from

were stressed about nothing. I was stressed about a zillion and one Billings, those not of the four, stood back and glanced at one another various things of all shapes and sizes and urgencies.

quizzically. “You’re our peeping Tom?”

And then I saw them. The Billings Girls had emerged from the

Missy bleated a laugh.

lunch line and were walking down the aisle right toward us. Noelle

“I thought she’d be more butch,” Kiran said. Taylor laughed,

led the way, with Kiran, Taylor, and Ariana trailing behind, her head then snorted, then covered her mouth with her hand. Kiran rolled bent as she read from her book. For the first time, I could see them her big, beautiful, perfectly lined eyes and smiled. At me.

up close and each was more perfect and beautiful than the last.

“Don’t mind her. We’re still working out the kinks,” Noelle

I held my breath as Noelle sauntered by, her eyes sliding over

said. “What’s your name?”

me and an amused smile playing around her lips. Kiran and Taylor

“Reed,” I said.

chatted their way past and then came Ariana. She wore a white tank

“I’m Noelle. This is Kiran and Taylor and Ariana,” she said. I

and a long, flowing aqua-colored skirt that grew darker in color noticed that she did not bother to introduce any of the other girls from waist to foot. Around her neck was a sheer purple-and-lavender from her dorm. So they were second string.

scarf, the ends of which hung down over her chest and grazed her

“Hi,” I said. They smiled. I was on top of the world.

stomach. I would have looked ridiculous in an outfit like that—like

“Now that you know who we are, maybe you can have a little

a kid playing dress up—but she belonged in those clothes. She respect and quit licking the glass.”

brought with her an exotic scent that still somehow felt familiar.

Laughter surrounded me and Noelle smirked at my now blood-

I was just trying to place it when she lowered the book, looked less complexion. The Billings Girls smiled superiorly, looking at directly into my eyes, and said, “Oh. Hello.”

me with practiced condescension.

All her friends stopped. So did my heart.