as she worked the combination lock. “What on earth do you two have in common?” she asked. “Aside from an intimate knowledge of Josh Hollis, of course.”
Ivy’s jaw dropped open. I almost threw up on my shoes. She did not just go there.
“Oh, I don’t know. We’ve both been backstabbed by you,” Ivy shot back, her dark eyes aflame. “We’ve both been deserted by Billings on occasion.”
Noelle smirked as she popped open the small gold door. “Interesting that those are your bonding points, considering what you’ve been doing behind closed doors.”
Ivy and I exchanged a look. How did Noelle have any idea what we’d been doing? But then, she knew everything, didn’t she? She’d been reminding me of that since the first day I met her. Noelle extracted her mail and blithely flipped through it before slamming the door of her box closed.
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Ivy,” she said, walking casually toward us. She tucked the mail into her bag and lifted her brown hair over her shoulder. “You were not Billings material then, and you are not Billings material now.”
She delivered this criticism calmly, matter-of-factly, like she was reporting on the weather. Ivy’s ivory skin turned red so fast I actually flinched.
“You guys, listen, I know you’ve got some issues,” I said, looking from one angry face to the other. “But can’t you just try to get along? For me?”
It was as if I hadn’t even spoken. As if I wasn’t even there. The two of them simply stared at each other for a few seconds, before Ivy finally turned on her heel and headed for the door.
“I’ll be outside, Reed,” she said, shoving it open with one hand.
Noelle snorted a laugh. I turned to look at her.
“What is your problem?” I demanded.
“The problem is, Reed, she never should have been invited to join in the first place,” Noelle replied. She shook her head and sighed, as if I was just so naïve. “I hope you didn’t show her the book.”
My heart switched places with my stomach. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t. But I imagine that the person who left that thing for you wouldn’t want you sharing it with outsiders,” Noelle replied, adjusting the strap on her brown leather bag.
The door swung open and a pair of freshman girls walked in, chatting loudly. The moment they saw Noelle and I there, facing off, they stopped in their tracks, turned around, and walked right back out. Our reputation was just that intimidating, I guess, but I hardly cared. I was too busy fretting about what might happen if Noelle was right. What if whoever had given me the book was somehow keeping tabs on me and knew I’d included a non—Billings Girl in the proceedings? Would they take the book back?
I saw Noelle watching me out of the corner of her eye.
“Whatever,” I said, not wanting her to see me sweat. “If you don’t want to be involved, you shouldn’t be commenting on how I do things.”
Noelle smiled her knowing smile. “You’re right. I have better things to do with my time.”
Then she turned her back on me and started for the door. Searing hot frustration bubbled up from my very core.
“It’s going to be amazing,” I said. “At some point, you’re going to be sorry you turned me down.”
Noelle paused. She turned around and looked me in the eye. “Have fun playing pretend with your little friend.” Then she whipped around again and walked out.
THE POTENTIALS
Candlelight flickered on the basement walls of Hell Hall, casting eerie shadows along the hulking piles of ancient wooden desks and rickety, broken chairs. This was, apparently, the place all Easton Academy furniture came to die, but tonight, it was going to play host to the start of something new. Something amazing. Something of which the teachers and administrators, who had their offices upstairs, would never approve.
I sat atop a huge metal desk, which Ivy and I had covered with one of the old, dusty, burgundy-colored
Ivy’s jaw dropped open. I almost threw up on my shoes. She did not just go there.
“Oh, I don’t know. We’ve both been backstabbed by you,” Ivy shot back, her dark eyes aflame. “We’ve both been deserted by Billings on occasion.”
Noelle smirked as she popped open the small gold door. “Interesting that those are your bonding points, considering what you’ve been doing behind closed doors.”
Ivy and I exchanged a look. How did Noelle have any idea what we’d been doing? But then, she knew everything, didn’t she? She’d been reminding me of that since the first day I met her. Noelle extracted her mail and blithely flipped through it before slamming the door of her box closed.
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Ivy,” she said, walking casually toward us. She tucked the mail into her bag and lifted her brown hair over her shoulder. “You were not Billings material then, and you are not Billings material now.”
She delivered this criticism calmly, matter-of-factly, like she was reporting on the weather. Ivy’s ivory skin turned red so fast I actually flinched.
“You guys, listen, I know you’ve got some issues,” I said, looking from one angry face to the other. “But can’t you just try to get along? For me?”
It was as if I hadn’t even spoken. As if I wasn’t even there. The two of them simply stared at each other for a few seconds, before Ivy finally turned on her heel and headed for the door.
“I’ll be outside, Reed,” she said, shoving it open with one hand.
Noelle snorted a laugh. I turned to look at her.
“What is your problem?” I demanded.
“The problem is, Reed, she never should have been invited to join in the first place,” Noelle replied. She shook her head and sighed, as if I was just so naïve. “I hope you didn’t show her the book.”
My heart switched places with my stomach. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t. But I imagine that the person who left that thing for you wouldn’t want you sharing it with outsiders,” Noelle replied, adjusting the strap on her brown leather bag.
The door swung open and a pair of freshman girls walked in, chatting loudly. The moment they saw Noelle and I there, facing off, they stopped in their tracks, turned around, and walked right back out. Our reputation was just that intimidating, I guess, but I hardly cared. I was too busy fretting about what might happen if Noelle was right. What if whoever had given me the book was somehow keeping tabs on me and knew I’d included a non—Billings Girl in the proceedings? Would they take the book back?
I saw Noelle watching me out of the corner of her eye.
“Whatever,” I said, not wanting her to see me sweat. “If you don’t want to be involved, you shouldn’t be commenting on how I do things.”
Noelle smiled her knowing smile. “You’re right. I have better things to do with my time.”
Then she turned her back on me and started for the door. Searing hot frustration bubbled up from my very core.
“It’s going to be amazing,” I said. “At some point, you’re going to be sorry you turned me down.”
Noelle paused. She turned around and looked me in the eye. “Have fun playing pretend with your little friend.” Then she whipped around again and walked out.
THE POTENTIALS
Candlelight flickered on the basement walls of Hell Hall, casting eerie shadows along the hulking piles of ancient wooden desks and rickety, broken chairs. This was, apparently, the place all Easton Academy furniture came to die, but tonight, it was going to play host to the start of something new. Something amazing. Something of which the teachers and administrators, who had their offices upstairs, would never approve.
I sat atop a huge metal desk, which Ivy and I had covered with one of the old, dusty, burgundy-colored
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