Paradise Lost (Private 9)

"Yes, it does," I said, grinning at the thought of the many benefits I was sure to reap when Upton saw me in my new couture gown.

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CHAPTER 25 FIGMENT

I awoke the next morning to the sound of my sweetly singing bird, the waves crashing in the background, a stiff breeze rustling the reedy leaves on the palm trees outside my window . . . and thoughts of Groton. It was Saturday morning--the last Saturday before Christmas--so right about then my father probably was making pancakes and bacon, shouting at my brother to come down and eat, while my mother was wrapping last-minute gifts on the dusty ping-pong table in the basement. I laughed and pulled my lavender-scented pillow over my face. They would die if they could see where I was.

I made a mental note to call them later.

Shoving the sheets aside, I grabbed my bag of birdseed and placed some on the windowsill next to the bird.

"I picked up a breakfast feast for you."

The bird hopped over to the seed and inspected it for a moment. Then he looked at me, let out a few chirps, and gobbled it up. I rolled

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over on my bed and looked at the blue gown I had selected from the fashion show the night before. This morning, we were all bringing our dresses into town for a fitting with the seamstress whom Vogue had sent down for the Tassos shoot. The dress would be altered to fit me perfectly.

My bird was still eating when Noelle walked in without knocking. Old habits were hard to break, I supposed.

"Rise and shine, Glass-Licker. It's time for our appointments with the seamstress," she said, going straight to the mirror and pushing her thick hair back from her face. In a very out-of-character move for this time of morning, Noelle was already showered, her hair blown dry, and she was dressed in a sleeveless white dress and leather sandals.

"Okay. I'll jump in the shower," I said with a yawn, lying back on my sheets.

"Reed, this is no time to be lazy!" Noelle scolded lightly. She walked over to the end of the bed and pulled on my ankles, yanking me down across the mattress. "Vogue is letting us use their seamstress as a personal favor to Tassos. We can't be late."

"All right, all right."

Just then, the bird finished his meal and started to sing again. Noelle glanced over at the window, noticing him for the first time, and her face screwed up in annoyance.

"That's your bird? He's totally irritating."

"No, he's not!" I protested, sitting up. "I love him."

"Oh my God, you're such a loser," Noelle said with a laugh. "All I

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know is that if I had to wake up to that every morning, I'd be committing bird-i-cide."

I arched my brows. "Bird-i-cide? Really?"

"Don't judge me. It's early," she said. "Now get the hell up."

The bird suddenly squawked and took off, as if something had startled him. My heart hit my throat, and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. Something outside the window, down on the beach below. My stomach churning with nerves, I jumped up and placed my hands on the windowsill, craning my neck to see out.

"What's the matter?" Noelle asked, coming up next to me.

"I swear there was someone out there," I said. "Someone was staring at my window, and they spooked the bird."

Noelle stood on her tiptoes and looked up and down the beach in both directions. The bushes just outside blocked some of the view, making it impossible to see very far. "Reed, there's no one there."

"Maybe I just imagined it," I said lightly, stepping back from the window.

But I knew I had seen something--someone. A chill raced down my back, and I hugged my arms. Had someone been watching us? Was someone spying on me? And if so, who could it have been? And why?

"Come on. Shower time," Noelle said, grabbing my shoulders and steering me toward the bathroom.