Read Online The Complete Private Collection: Private; Invitation Only; Untouchable; Confessions; Inner Circle; Legacy; Ambition; Revelation; Last Christmas; Paradise ... The Book of Spells; Ominous; Vengeance by Kate Brian - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kate Brian
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laugh until Noelle silenced her with a glance.
A couple of other guys walked over and slapped hands with Dash. One of them sat on the table behind him while the other pulled out another chair and brought it close, as if to be too far away from Dash would have deprived them of oxygen. I recognized both of them from the football game and wondered if Thomas would be far behind.
“This is Josh,” Dash said, thumbing over his shoulder at a cute blond kid with a baby face.
“Hey,” Josh said with a nod and smile.
“And that loser is Gage.”
The taller, trendier kid scoffed. Dash punched him once in the arm—hard, if the contortion of Gage’s face was any indication—and that was that.
The double doors opened and I glanced over automatically. Constance and Diana walked in with Missy, Lorna, and the others. Constance scanned the room and I knew she was looking for me, wondering why I had left so early and without her. I felt a stab of guilt as she finally found me and did a double take. I managed an apologetic smile as she walked by me, looking stunned. Missy and Lorna whispered to each other and, if possible, Missy’s nostrils flared even wider. The envy was clear.
So far this was a good morning.
“Do you play a lot of sports, Reed?” Taylor asked out of nowhere.
Here we go again. I tore my gaze away from Missy’s. Taylor was systematically gutting her bagel, piling all the dough up in a mountain on the side of her tray.
“Just soccer and lacrosse,” I said.
“Just like you, babe,” Dash said, slinging his arm over Noelle’s chair.
Noelle stared at me. “Again I can’t help but say, ‘Gee.’”
Wow. Guess that respect I gained on the soccer field yesterday really didn’t translate to the real world.
Leanne laughed again and Natasha squirmed in her seat. “Leanne, would you kindly remove your nose from my ass? It’s starting to chafe,” Noelle snapped.
This time, Leanne looked as if she might cry. She got up, pulled her backpack onto her shoulders, and shot me a scathing look before walking off.
“Nice one, Noelle,” Natasha said, rising as well. “She just wants you to like her.”
I was surprised at the frankness of this statement.
“I’m sorry, Natasha,” Noelle said innocently. “But I’m afraid that’s going to be impossible.”
Natasha rolled her eyes and followed Leanne through the double doors. So all was not harmonious behind the walls of Billings. Somehow, knowing this only made it all the more intriguing.
Someone grabbed the door just before it closed behind Natasha and my heart caught, hoping to spot Thomas. All I saw were a bunch of guys from yesterday’s classes. I sat back in my seat and glanced instinctively at Ariana. Sure enough, she had lowered her book and was studying me openly.
“What?” I said, flushing slightly.
“Dash, is Thomas coming to breakfast?” Ariana asked.
My heart practically stopped. What was she, a mind reader? She looked at me meaningfully and I knew for certain that she had asked the question on my behalf.
“Oh God, Ariana. You’re not going there, are you?” Noelle asked.
“Why? What’s wrong with Pearson?” Dash asked.
“I think the more appropriate question is what’s not wrong with Pearson,” Noelle said.
“I was just asking a question,” Ariana said coolly. “So, is he coming?”
Dash laughed as he shoveled down a forkful of eggs. “Does he ever?” He glanced at me. “Pearson is not a morning person. Ask Josh.”
I had no idea why he had directed this comment at me. HadThomas said something about me? Or had Dash read my mind and realized who I was looking for as well?
“I’m his roommate. I can attest,” Josh said, raising a hand. “Man likes his sleep.”
Ariana placed her book aside and picked a piece of toast up from her plate, crunching into it. She smiled at me as she chewed and I smiled back through my embarrassment, silently thanking her for asking the question I never would have had the guts to
A couple of other guys walked over and slapped hands with Dash. One of them sat on the table behind him while the other pulled out another chair and brought it close, as if to be too far away from Dash would have deprived them of oxygen. I recognized both of them from the football game and wondered if Thomas would be far behind.
“This is Josh,” Dash said, thumbing over his shoulder at a cute blond kid with a baby face.
“Hey,” Josh said with a nod and smile.
“And that loser is Gage.”
The taller, trendier kid scoffed. Dash punched him once in the arm—hard, if the contortion of Gage’s face was any indication—and that was that.
The double doors opened and I glanced over automatically. Constance and Diana walked in with Missy, Lorna, and the others. Constance scanned the room and I knew she was looking for me, wondering why I had left so early and without her. I felt a stab of guilt as she finally found me and did a double take. I managed an apologetic smile as she walked by me, looking stunned. Missy and Lorna whispered to each other and, if possible, Missy’s nostrils flared even wider. The envy was clear.
So far this was a good morning.
“Do you play a lot of sports, Reed?” Taylor asked out of nowhere.
Here we go again. I tore my gaze away from Missy’s. Taylor was systematically gutting her bagel, piling all the dough up in a mountain on the side of her tray.
“Just soccer and lacrosse,” I said.
“Just like you, babe,” Dash said, slinging his arm over Noelle’s chair.
Noelle stared at me. “Again I can’t help but say, ‘Gee.’”
Wow. Guess that respect I gained on the soccer field yesterday really didn’t translate to the real world.
Leanne laughed again and Natasha squirmed in her seat. “Leanne, would you kindly remove your nose from my ass? It’s starting to chafe,” Noelle snapped.
This time, Leanne looked as if she might cry. She got up, pulled her backpack onto her shoulders, and shot me a scathing look before walking off.
“Nice one, Noelle,” Natasha said, rising as well. “She just wants you to like her.”
I was surprised at the frankness of this statement.
“I’m sorry, Natasha,” Noelle said innocently. “But I’m afraid that’s going to be impossible.”
Natasha rolled her eyes and followed Leanne through the double doors. So all was not harmonious behind the walls of Billings. Somehow, knowing this only made it all the more intriguing.
Someone grabbed the door just before it closed behind Natasha and my heart caught, hoping to spot Thomas. All I saw were a bunch of guys from yesterday’s classes. I sat back in my seat and glanced instinctively at Ariana. Sure enough, she had lowered her book and was studying me openly.
“What?” I said, flushing slightly.
“Dash, is Thomas coming to breakfast?” Ariana asked.
My heart practically stopped. What was she, a mind reader? She looked at me meaningfully and I knew for certain that she had asked the question on my behalf.
“Oh God, Ariana. You’re not going there, are you?” Noelle asked.
“Why? What’s wrong with Pearson?” Dash asked.
“I think the more appropriate question is what’s not wrong with Pearson,” Noelle said.
“I was just asking a question,” Ariana said coolly. “So, is he coming?”
Dash laughed as he shoveled down a forkful of eggs. “Does he ever?” He glanced at me. “Pearson is not a morning person. Ask Josh.”
I had no idea why he had directed this comment at me. HadThomas said something about me? Or had Dash read my mind and realized who I was looking for as well?
“I’m his roommate. I can attest,” Josh said, raising a hand. “Man likes his sleep.”
Ariana placed her book aside and picked a piece of toast up from her plate, crunching into it. She smiled at me as she chewed and I smiled back through my embarrassment, silently thanking her for asking the question I never would have had the guts to
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