never to visit it.”
I sighed, slumping my shoulders forward. “I’m sorry, guys. I’m just really distracted tonight.”
“It’s okay,” Constance said, lifting her coffee to her lips with bothhands and blowing across the surface of the liquid. “Everyone’s a little stressed right now. Wanna vent?”
“A good venting always works for me,” Lorna added.
A heavy feeling flooded my chest, something like gratitude mixed with guilt. Here my friends were, trying to be friends, but I had no interest in telling them what was going on. Because I didn’t really understand yet what was going on.
“Thanks, guys, but I think I’m just going to go back to my room and try to get some work done,” I told them, getting up and shoving my books into my bag. “Maybe I’ll feel better if I can get through some of my to-do list.”
“Okay. Well, call us if you need us,” Astrid offered.
“I will.”
I turned around and started across the crowded, noisy room, leaving my iced tea and any chance I had at a helpful study group behind. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t sit there anymore and stare at my downward-spiraling boyfriend. And I knew that as hard as my friends might try to help me, that was all I’d be doing.
Then, halfway to the door, I paused. Why didn’t I just ask Josh what was going on? Ask him if he’d gone off his medication? He was my boyfriend. We were in love with each other. He’d understand that I was just concerned, right? I looked at him over my shoulder and bit my lip.
Or he’d tell me I was crazy, to mind my own freaking business, and bite my head off for basically accusing him of acting like a mental patient.
Screw it. I had to talk to him. I had to put all this uncertainty to rest. I’d taken one step toward him when my phone beeped. I paused with a frustrated groan and yanked it out of my bag.
The noise of the room suddenly quieted to a dull hum in my ears and I paused. The text was from MT.
GET 2 THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. NOW.
I whipped around, my phone clutched in my hand, searching the room. Of course, every other person there was typing on their phone. I tried to stay perfectly still—tried to focus. Suddenly the door near the counter marked STAFF ONLY swung shut. Someone slipped out of the solarium by the side door, which was hardly ever used, and let it slam. And then I saw something partially hidden behind the potted trees near the corner. I took a tentative step back to get a better angle, my pulse racing, expecting to catch a glimpse of blond hair, but it was just a mop and bucket left behind by the janitor. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down, scanning the room once more, but no one was watching me. They were all in their own little worlds. Just like I was in mine. Alone with my mystery texter.
I turned around and headed for the door. Out in the hallway I nearly slammed into Noelle and Ivy, who were locked in an argument.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” Ivy blurted.
Noelle shoved her hands into her hair. “Oh my God! You weren’t even there!”
“Guys?” I said approaching them.
“I didn’t need to be there to know what you were doing there!” Ivy replied.
“Guys!” I shouted.
They both clammed up and turned to me.
“What?” they snapped in unison, clearly annoyed at having their latest battle interrupted. But when they saw the look on my face their whole demeanor changed. Ivy’s eyes flicked to my phone, still clutched in my hand.
“Reed? What’s wrong?” Noelle asked, her brow creased.
Ivy took a step toward me. “Is it—?”
I nodded. “I need you both to come with me,” I told them firmly. “Now.”
SLANDER
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this!” Noelle said between gasps as the three of us rushed across campus. The sky above was dark as low clouds crowded out the moon and stars. A chilly wind whipped my hair back from my face.
I glared at her. “First of all, the last time I was getting
I sighed, slumping my shoulders forward. “I’m sorry, guys. I’m just really distracted tonight.”
“It’s okay,” Constance said, lifting her coffee to her lips with bothhands and blowing across the surface of the liquid. “Everyone’s a little stressed right now. Wanna vent?”
“A good venting always works for me,” Lorna added.
A heavy feeling flooded my chest, something like gratitude mixed with guilt. Here my friends were, trying to be friends, but I had no interest in telling them what was going on. Because I didn’t really understand yet what was going on.
“Thanks, guys, but I think I’m just going to go back to my room and try to get some work done,” I told them, getting up and shoving my books into my bag. “Maybe I’ll feel better if I can get through some of my to-do list.”
“Okay. Well, call us if you need us,” Astrid offered.
“I will.”
I turned around and started across the crowded, noisy room, leaving my iced tea and any chance I had at a helpful study group behind. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t sit there anymore and stare at my downward-spiraling boyfriend. And I knew that as hard as my friends might try to help me, that was all I’d be doing.
Then, halfway to the door, I paused. Why didn’t I just ask Josh what was going on? Ask him if he’d gone off his medication? He was my boyfriend. We were in love with each other. He’d understand that I was just concerned, right? I looked at him over my shoulder and bit my lip.
Or he’d tell me I was crazy, to mind my own freaking business, and bite my head off for basically accusing him of acting like a mental patient.
Screw it. I had to talk to him. I had to put all this uncertainty to rest. I’d taken one step toward him when my phone beeped. I paused with a frustrated groan and yanked it out of my bag.
The noise of the room suddenly quieted to a dull hum in my ears and I paused. The text was from MT.
GET 2 THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. NOW.
I whipped around, my phone clutched in my hand, searching the room. Of course, every other person there was typing on their phone. I tried to stay perfectly still—tried to focus. Suddenly the door near the counter marked STAFF ONLY swung shut. Someone slipped out of the solarium by the side door, which was hardly ever used, and let it slam. And then I saw something partially hidden behind the potted trees near the corner. I took a tentative step back to get a better angle, my pulse racing, expecting to catch a glimpse of blond hair, but it was just a mop and bucket left behind by the janitor. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down, scanning the room once more, but no one was watching me. They were all in their own little worlds. Just like I was in mine. Alone with my mystery texter.
I turned around and headed for the door. Out in the hallway I nearly slammed into Noelle and Ivy, who were locked in an argument.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” Ivy blurted.
Noelle shoved her hands into her hair. “Oh my God! You weren’t even there!”
“Guys?” I said approaching them.
“I didn’t need to be there to know what you were doing there!” Ivy replied.
“Guys!” I shouted.
They both clammed up and turned to me.
“What?” they snapped in unison, clearly annoyed at having their latest battle interrupted. But when they saw the look on my face their whole demeanor changed. Ivy’s eyes flicked to my phone, still clutched in my hand.
“Reed? What’s wrong?” Noelle asked, her brow creased.
Ivy took a step toward me. “Is it—?”
I nodded. “I need you both to come with me,” I told them firmly. “Now.”
SLANDER
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this!” Noelle said between gasps as the three of us rushed across campus. The sky above was dark as low clouds crowded out the moon and stars. A chilly wind whipped my hair back from my face.
I glared at her. “First of all, the last time I was getting
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