Private (Private 1)

away, watching miserably. Moments later, the two delivery men

Diana asked me as we took our seats at the end of our usual table.

returned, wheeling a lime-green Vespa between them, right into the

“Are you kidding? Our whole room is covered with huge art

cafeteria. This got everyone’s attention, including the ever-present books she took out of the library,” Constance said, taking a sip of teachers, who jumped to their feet to interrogate the delivery guys.

her sparkling water. “All she does is stress over them.”

Instantly everyone was on their feet, theorizing. How did they get that Did she think I wanted her to tell everyone what I did in the pri-past the gate? Had they paid off security? No one was allowed to have vacy of my own room?

motor vehicles on campus. Would they let her keep it? Like they were

“I just don’t want to do someone everyone’s done before,” I

going to take anything away from Kiran Hayes. Meanwhile, Kiran had said, lifting one shoulder. “I’m going for originality.”

already straddled the Vespa, slipped on the sleek white helmet, and

“News flash: Mrs. Treacle is fourteen thousand years old,”

was checking out the features along with Dash, Gage, and Josh, obliv-Diana said. “You are not going to find someone she’s never seen ious to all the talk going on around her.

done before.”

A few days later, one of Ariana’s poems was published in the

Constance laughed. “I am so glad I took journalism,” she said.

86

K A T E B R I A N

P R I V A T E

87

“Reporting for The Easton Chronicle is so much more fun than mem-past Dash and Kiran, I kept waiting for somebody to trip me, for orizing a bunch of boring paintings. Plus, my mom knows Mr.

the ground to go out from under me. But nothing happened, and

Ascher, so I’m definitely going to get a front page story.”

finally I sat.

Goody for you. Every time I started to like Constance, she said

“If you want to sit over here, just sit over here,” Noelle said. “No something that reminded me how annoying she could be.

one’s stopping you.”

I sighed and glanced over at the Billings table, wondering how I I had a feeling it was the best invitation I was ever going to get. I was going to take a whole year of eating three meals a day over here tried not to look as thrilled as I was.

when I had already experienced what it was like to be over there. As

“Hi, Reed,” Taylor said, her cheeks pink.