Betrayed by Kristin Cast, P.C. Cast

chips. She made me feel normal and grounded and like everything wasn’t so overwhelming and confusing. I smiled at her. “
Moulin Rouge?
Doesn’t that have Ewan McGregor in it?”
    â€œDefinitely. I hope we get to see his butt.”
    â€œYou talked me into it. Let’s go. And remember—”
    â€œJeesh! I know I know. Don’t say anything about any of this to anyone.” She paused and waggled her brows. “So just let me say it one more time.
Loren Blake has the hots for you!
”
    â€œAre you done now?”
    â€œYeah.” She grinned mischievously.
    â€œI hope someone brought me some brown pop.”
    â€œYou know, Z, you’re weird about your brown pop.”
    â€œWhatever, Miss Lucky Charms,” I said, pushing her out the door.
    â€œHey, Lucky Charms are good for you.”
    â€œReally? So, tell me, what are marshmallows—a fruit or a vegetable?”
    â€œBoth. They’re unique—like me.”
    I was laughing at silly Stevie Rae and feeling better than I had all day when we trotted down the stairs and into the front area of the dorm. The Twins and Damien had staked out one of the big flat-screen TVs, and they waved us over. I could see Stevie Rae had been right, they were munching on real Doritos and dipping them in full-fatted green onion dip (it sounds gross, but it’s really yummy). My good feeling got even better when Damien handed me a big glass of brown pop.
    â€œTook you guys long enough,” he said, scooting over so that we could sit by him on the couch. The Twins, naturally, had commandeered two identically big chairs they’d pulled over by the couch.
    â€œSorry,” Stevie Rae said, and then added with a grin at Erin, “I had to have a bowel movement.”
    â€œExcellent use of proper descriptions, Stevie Rae,” Erin said, looking pleased.
    â€œUgh, just put in the movie,” Damien said.
    â€œHang on, I have the remote,” Erin said.
    â€œWait!” I told her right before she clicked play. The volume had been turned down, but I could see Fox News 23’s Chera Kimiko. Her face looked sad and serious as she talked earnestly into the camera. At the bottom of the screen ran the blurb
body of teenager found
. “Turn up the volume.” Shaunee clicked off the mute.
    â€œ
Repeating our lead story this morning: the body of the missing Union running back, Chris Ford, was discovered by two kayakers late Friday afternoon. The body had become snagged in the rocks and sand barges used to dam the Twenty-first Street area of the Arkansas River to create the new recreational rapids. Sources tell us that the teenager died of loss of blood associated with multiple lacerations, and that he might have been mauled by a large animal. We’ll have more on that for you after the official medical examiner’s report is released
.”
    My stomach, which had finally settled down and was acting normal, clenched. I felt my body go cold. But the bad news wasn’t over. Chera’s beautiful brown eyes looked earnestly into the camera as she continued.
    â€œ
On the heels of this tragic news comes the report of another Union football player who has been listed as missing
.” The screen flashed a picture of another cute guy in Union’s traditional red and white football uniform. “
Brad Higeons was last seen after school Friday at the Starbucks at Utica Square where he was posting pictures of Chris. Brad was not only Chris’s teammate, he was also his cousin
.”
    â€œOhmygoodness! The Union football team is dropping like flies,” Stevie Rae said. She glanced at me and I saw her eyes widen. “Zoey, are you okay? You don’t look so good.”
    â€œI knew him, too.”
    â€œThat’s weird,” Damien said.
    â€œThe two of them were always at parties together. Everyone knew them because they’re cousins, even though Chris is black and Brad is