Revelation (Private 8)

she really think I had pushed

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Cheyenne over the edge? Was she punishing me? Did she blame me for Cheyenne's expulsion?

"Where is she?" I said, glancing over at the Billings table. "I have to talk to her."

"Rose? You didn't hear?" Sabine said, stabbing at a chunk of melon with her fork.

"Hear what?" I asked, my throat closing.

"She went home yesterday morning," Sabine replied. "She has mono or something, so they sent

her home so she wouldn't spread it."

"Mono?" I repeated. That seemed a tad convenient. Right when I was onto a breakthrough, the

girl who coul

d sort it all out had fled campus? My pulse raced through my veins like a brakeless

freight train. It was all too big of a coincidence. It had to be Rose and Ivy. It had to be.

But why?

'You should go to the police," Sabine said, her eyes serious. "I mean it, Reed. If someone is stalking

you, that's a serious crime, no?"

I scoffed. "They won't listen to me. I've already asked them to investigate Ivy and they won't

bother. I need to get some concrete evidence."

"Well, did you take pictures of the damage to your room?" Sabine asked. "Show them that."

My face burned in embarrassment. It hadn't even occurred to me to take pictures. I had been too

busy freaking out and trying to clean it up so that I wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

"No. No pictures," I said.

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"Oh." Sabine chewed slowly. "Well then, next time... I mean, if there is a next time," she said

comfortingly, "make sure you get pictures."

"I will."

I folded my arms on the table and rested my chin atop them, realizing I actually felt relieved. Just

like that, I could put Ivy back at the top of my list. I no longer had to figure out a whole new list of

stalker suspects. I wouldn't have to look over my shoulder every second--only when Ivy was

around.

Another laugh from the Billings table caught our attention. Sabine rolled her eyes as she took