Untouchable (Private 3)

"God, Reed. What Ariana is trying to say is that Taylor snapped, okay?" Noelle said. "The pressure finally got to her and she lost it. It's not uncommon around here."

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"Her parents checked her into a. facility," Ariana whispered. Nose scrunch. "Nothing drastic. Just sort of a spa retreat thing. So she can regroup."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. This doesn't make any sense," I said. "Taylor wasn't under any pressure. She doesn't even need to study and she gets straight A's. Taylor was fine."

"Sorry. Fine?" Noelle said. "Have you not noticed the random waterworks and near breakdowns?"

I blinked. Okay. Girl had a point. But I had thought Taylor was just upset about Thomas's murder and that whole Harvard summer program thing. Was that really enough to push Easton's resident genius over the edge and into a "facility"?

"She's going to be fine," Kiran announced. "She just needs some time off. I bet she'll be back next semester."

"I'm sure she will be," Ariana said comfortingly.

"Well, can I talk to her?" I asked. "I've been trying to e-mail her."

"They usually cut you off from the outside world in these places. You know, so you can concentrate on getting better," Natasha told me. "She probably won't get back to you for a while."

Now I was seeing Taylor in a straitjacket, locked up in some padded cell, staring at the wall. This couldn't be right. She had seemed perfectly fine when she had walked out of here. How could things like this happen?

"Afew weeks, at least," Noelle added.

"But. . . but I--"

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"Look, Reed, Taylor is not coming back. Get used to it," Noelle said firmly. Then she smiled. "But we're here. And I vote for a change of subject!"

"Like how fabulous your new things are!" Kiran announced. She swung the Dior coat out and draped it over my shoulders, then stepped back to admire it. "Ah, yes. Now that is a coat."

I absently touched the luxurious fabric. Why were they being so blase about this? Taylor was one of them--one of us. Or maybe I was overreacting. Maybe the whole thing really wasn't a big deal. Maybe this kind of thing really did happen all the time in their world. Judging by the way they were brushing it off, that seemed to be the general consensus.

Kiran grabbed me and pulled me in front of the full-length mirror. "Look at yourself!"

"Here!" Noelle said, handing over the glasses.

Kiran placed them on my face. Instantly, I was transformed into one of those waify fashionistas who were always stuck on the covers of US Weekly and People. I look

ed like a paparazzi-shy movie star.

"I've got it," Natasha said. She took Ariana's scarf and tied it around my head, covering most of my forehead and matting my hair down.

"Dear God, it's Sienna Miller," Kiran said.

"Please," I scoffed.

"You do look famous," Ariana said.

"If you walked through an airport right now, people would mob

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you for your autograph," Noelle said. "That's how famous you look."

These girls really seemed intent on steering us all away from thoughts of Taylor. And although I knew I wasn't going to be able to rid my mind of her completely, I also knew I would never get them to talk about her if they didn't want to. I took a deep breath and decided to let it go. For now.

"You know what she really needs? A signature scent," Kiran said.