Revelation (Private 8)

Her dig got right under my skin. I was losing control of this thing. Losing big time. But I wasn't

about to give up just yet.

"Let me back in Billings, Noelle," I said under my breath. "Let me back in or I'll do it. I'll e-mail all

the files to everyone we know."

Noelle narrowed her brown eyes. "Go ahead," she said. "There's nothing on there that I'm

ashamed of. And as for the others, if they have skeletons, that's their problem. Go ahead and send

it. The aftermath might actually be fun."

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"So you're saying you'd rather have all your housemates and friends humiliated--in some cases

devastated--than let me back in," I said, disbelieving.

Noelle smiled ever so slowly, causing my heart to drop to my toes.

"Yes, Reed. That is exactly what I'm saying."

149

MINI ARIANA

I was getting nowhere. With Noelle, with Josh, with my schoolwork. That night I sat at a table on

the first floor of the library, staring straight ahead at the spines of the books on the opposite shelf.

Didn't even try to pretend I was studying. There was no way I could concentrate.Noelle was never

going to let me back into Billings. Josh was never going to let me back into his life. And no one

other than Marc would believe what I knew to be true about Ivy. I might as well just flunk out of

school. What could possibly be the point of staying here anyway?

"Hi, Reed."

Sabine slipped into the chair across from mine and glanced at my textbook. "English? Good. I'm so

behind in English. Want to work together?"

I looked at her eager face, her hair pulled back in a thick French braid, and sighed. "Sure. But I

need to refuel. I'm just going to go get

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some chocolate." I grabbed my wallet from my bag and stood up. "You want anything?"

"No, thanks," Sabine said cheerily. So cheerily I was starting to wonder if she thought she could

raise my mood by osmosis. So far, not working. But I applauded her effort.

I walked along the wall to the little alcove where the vending machines were housed and waited