Untouchable (Private 3)

I felt a pang of guilt oncoming and steeled myself for it, let Thomas's face pass before my mind's eye. At moments I wished there was something I could do to bring him back. I did. But at other moments I wished that I would have just stayed broken up with him before his disappearance. Then maybe my new crush wouldn't be overshadowed by guilt and sadness. I wished I could just be happy. I was human, after all.

The door to my room opened and I jumped. Noelle stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

"You scared the crap out of me," I said, my hand to my chest.

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Noelle's nose wrinkled quickly. "I've always hated that phrase. I mean, just the visual." She shuddered. "That would be so unsanitary."

I rolled my eyes and pushed back into my pillows, setting the heavy book aside. "What's up?"

Obviously, something was up. She wouldn't have been here unless something was up.

"Not much."

Noelle walked over to my desk. She picked up a framed picture of me and my brother, put it back. Plucked the top off my one ceramic jewelry box, which held my four pairs of earrings, then placed it down. Slipped the novel Natasha had given me from atop a pile of books and flipped through it. I waited patiently as she pawed my things. It wasn't as if there was anything interesting for her to find.

"So, you and Hollis," she said finally.

A pleasant warmth spread through me at the mention of his name. I drew my legs in, knees to chin, and held them. Was she actually here for girl talk? First the Thanksgiving phone call and now this. Crazy.

"Okay, you got me," I said. "How did you know?"

"Have you not been paying attention? I know everything."

It always stunned me when she made statements like that. Who had that kind of ego? That kind of absolute certainty? I envied it to no end. She had moved on to my collection of classic novels on the shelf above my desk and was inspecting their well

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worn spines. Not that I'd had a chance to crack any of my old favorites since arriving at Easton. Too much to do--studying, playing soccer, getting hazed, mourning boyfriends: My plate had been pretty full.

"Do you not approve?" I asked with a bit of a challenge.

Noelle raised one eyebrow at me. "Do you care?"

Of course I care. You know it. I know it. Who are we kidding?

I decided, however, to ignore the obvious and move on.

"He's so amazing, Noelle," I said. "He makes me forget all about Thomas. In fact, he makes me wonder what I was ever doing with Thomas."

"Something we all wondered."

I decided I'd ignore that as well.

"It's just that he's so good, you know?" I said. "He's like Thomas's polar opposite."

"I wouldn't go that far," Noelle said flatly.

My heart kind of halted. "What?"

Noelle sighed and moved over to my bed. She sat down near my feet and looked at me in that way that made me feel like I was the kindergartener and she was the teacher.

"Reed, there's something you should know about Hollis."

Oh. Dear. God. What now? Please tell me it's something good. Like he's the undercover heir to the British throne or his dad is the guy who came up with Google. Please tell me this warning will be along the lines of 'You may have to get used to jetting around the globe and meeting loads of interesting people. Can you handle that?"

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