"Definitely not," I said with a laugh.
"Thenyoumust come," Noelle said. "Please?"
"What'll my dad and Scott do?" I asked.
She ducked her chin. "Are you kidding? They're going to be in New York for the first time. I'm sure there's some kind of ball game they could go to or some famous pizza they'll just have to eat."
I cracked up laughing. It was like she knew them. "Okay, okay. We're in."
"Good. I'll book it right now."
She pulled her iPhone out of her bag and started to scroll through the address book. I sat back and looked out the window again. There was nothing visible now other than blue sky and the even bluer ocean. Somewhere, miles and miles in front of us, were the U.S. and
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Connecticut and Easton Academy. We were on our way home. Tonight I would get to be with my family, and tomorrow my mother and I would spend the day with Noelle and her mom blissing out at Bliss. And the day after that, we'd be back on campus, back in Billings and back to our normal lives.
206
FRESH START
"Okay, so the first thing we do is go to housing and make sure your transfer goes through," Noelle said, tugging her rolling luggage behind her as we made our way around the circle in front of Bradwell. It was freezing out, and we were both wrapped up in warm wool coats again. It was hard to believe that a few days ago I'd actually been overly warm. "We have to get them to send someone over and move the extra furniture out of the triple and into my room. Then tonight we'll have a little party to welcome you back."
My heart skipped a beat at the thought of being in the same room with all the Billings Girls again. "You're sure they're all okay with this?"
"Are you kidding? They're more than ready to grovel at your feet," Noelle said, pushing her huge sunglasses up on top of her head. "I've already got Rose and London on food and decorations, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them had some gifties for you to say they're sorry."
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I laughed and rolled my shoulders back as we came around the side of Bradwell. I was trying to ignore the pitter-patter of my heart, the blood racing through my veins. Somewhere on this campus was Josh Hollis How was I going to feel when I saw him? What was I going to say? What would he say? I had to play it cool. I definitely could not mention the fact that he'd gone radio silent for more than two weeks. If I did, I'd sound like a pathetic, pining loser and that was not how I wanted to come off.
I was Reed Brennan. I was a Billings Girl again. I had a super-hot European boy pining for me. The rest of the world could kiss my butt.
"I can't wait to see Constance's face when we tell her she doesn't have to be in a triple anymore," I said as Noelle hooked a right around the back of the building and started up the pathway toward Billings. "She is just going to--"
My mouth snapped shut as I walked right into Noelle from behind, tripping over her luggage. I almost fell flat on my face, but managed to stop my forward momentum by grabbing her arm.
"What just happened?" I said with a laugh. But Noelle's face was as white as bleached wood. Her jaw hanging open in a way she never would have approved of if she could have seen it. That was when I heard the beeping. The grinding. And smelled the unmistakable stench of diesel fuel.
My heart in my throat, I followed Noelle's gaze, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. Or, more accurately, didn't see.
Billings House was gone.
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There was a patch of sky where the tall structure used to be. All that remained standing was about half of the west wall. The wall that was once the outer wall of my room. Two ugly yellow backhoes were clearing away stone and brick and dust and rubble. The rubble that used to be Billings. That used to be my home.
Confounded into silence, I looked at Noelle for an answer. She was shaking from head to toe. She dropped her luggage and took two unsteady steps forward.
"What...? What...?"
For once, Noelle didn't know everything.
It wasn't until that moment that I noticed the other students. Dozens of them, dotting the quad. Everyone was bundled up in their winter coats, surrounded by their boxes and laundry bags and luggage. And everyone was watching. Watching those two vehicles dig and shove and maneuver awkwardly around the destruction zone. Some people were wide-eyed, hands covering their mouths as they looked around in confusion. Others were openly laughing, and a few of those noticed us in our dumbstruck tableau and started to point.
"Noelle," I said, grabbing her arm. "What happened? What's going on?"
My touch seemed to snap her back from whatever bad place she'd spun off to. She yanked her phone out of