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* * *
When I walked out the back door of Pemberly the next morning, my gray cashmere scarf pulled up
around my chin, the first thing I saw was a horde of students gathered in the middle of the quad.
And at the center of the crowd were Noelle Lange and Amberly Carmichael.
I slowed my steps, not wanting to appear too interested, but dying to know what was going on. As
I watched, Amberly tossed her blond hair--which she had clearly straightened this morning--and
handed a small white card to Trey. He said something that made her laugh before tucking the card
away in his back pocket. Then I noticed that everyone walking away from the circle was clutching
one of these cards, and those still in the circle seemed to be clamoring for them. What in th
e
world was going on?
Noelle whispered something to Amberly and they both laughed again, the sound echoing merrily
across campus. Watching them made my stomach sink. They looked perfect together, all tucked
into
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their designer coats, puffing clouds of steam into the cold air as they chatted and laughed--like
perfectly matched best friends. Surrounded by people, they were clearly the belles of this ball. It
was almost like watching Noelle and Ariana from afar last year. They looked that close. That
untouchable.
A few weeks ago that had been me. A few weeks ago Noelle and I had been close like that. We had
been the center of Easton together. And now... now I was merely a loser on the outskirts of
Nowheresville. A nothing.
I wondered if Noelle had gotten my e-mail. If she'd read my apology. If I could just get her to talk
to me, maybe I could also get her to forgive me for what I had done with Dash. Then she could
make the Reed-as-murderer rumor go away. Then I could come back to Billings with a clear
conscience and name and everything would go back to normal.
Of course, there was no way to know if she'd read my e-mail unless she decided to come to me.
And right now it looked like I was the furthest thing from her mind.
A group of Billings Girls broke off from the crowd and started toward the cafeteria, clutching their