Paradise Lost (Private 9)

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on the counter, ready to be grabbed if I needed it. Then I sat down on one of the stools and held my phone in both hands, waiting.

If someone broke in here, I would be ready. And if the Langes came back, I'd just pretend I was getting a midnight snack.

Turning over my phone in my hands, I willed it to ring or beep or something. If Josh called me right now, I would forgive him. If Upton called me right now, I would listen to his explanation. I needed to talk to someone, to hear them tell me how silly I was being. I needed to feel safe. I closed my eyes and willed them to hear my psychic plea.

But nothing happened.

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CHAPTER 31 ONE LAST MEAL

The next morning, I woke up and the light in my room was all wrong. It was too bright. Apparently, I had overslept, which made sense considering I'd sat in the kitchen until 2a.m. when the Langes finally had come home from their party. I couldn't believe that Upton hadn't called me. Had he even noticed I was gone? Or had he spent the rest of the night getting mauled by Sienna?

My heart squeezed and I clenched my jaw, resolving not to think about it. I was done with Upton Giles. From now on, he could kiss whomever the hell he wanted to kiss. I was not going to care.

I glanced over at the window, wondering if my bird had tried to wake me up earlier, and I sat up straight, a surprised shout escaping my throat.

The little blue bird lay on the floor in front of the window, dead.

"Reed? Are you okay?"

Noelle burst into my room, dressed for the day in jeans and a green

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jersey top. I looked at her, my mouth agape, clutching the sheets to my chest.

"It's my bird," I said, pointing at the floor.

She walked tentatively around the bed until she could see him. Her hand went to her chest.

"God, Reed. You scared the crap out of me," she complained.

"He's dead," I replied. "What happened to him?"

Noelle threw her hands up and slapped them down at her sides. "What do I look like, a bird coroner? You didn't have to scream."

"I didn't scream," I replied. "Besides, have you ever woken up with a dead animal in your room? " I shot back. She had no response to that one as she sat down on the edge of my bed. "This sucks," I said, tears filling my eyes. "Why did he have to die here? If he'd just never come back I would've figured he'd found someone else to sing to."

A tear spilled down my cheek, and I knew it was possible I was being dramatic. But I'd had a rough night, and this was just the capper.

Noelle looked at me and clucked her tongue. "Okay, Snow White. Do you want to take him outside and bury him?" she offered, putting her arm around my shoulders.

I was surprised she'd come up with the idea, and I whipped aside my sheets before she could change her mind. "I'll get dressed."

"This is unbelievable," Noelle said, shaking her head. "You're supposed to be catering to me, remember?"

"How about a day off for bereavement? " I suggested.

"Fine. Whatever. One day." She sighed and stood up as I rushed for

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the bathroom. "Maritza! Can you come in here with the dustpan? " she shouted. "And some kind of small box?" I was just about to close the bathroom door when she added, "Oh! And that little vacuum thing? "

"What do we need a vacuum for? " I asked, peaking out of the bathroom as I dried my eyes.