Page 33 of The Lake of Lost Girls

It was time for her to shut up for good.

“Lift me up,” I murmured, giving the guy a seductive smile.

He let out a whoop and then he and one of his brothers hoisted me upside down over the keg nozzle.

Afterward everyone wanted to talk to me—to hang out with me. I was the life of the party. And it felt amazing.

It was the first time I stayed out later than Daisy, who was already asleep by the time I came home. Too drunk to get undressed, I fell asleep on top of my covers. I slept through my alarm, missing my first two classes.

Daisy seemed shocked when she found me still in bed after returning from class at lunchtime. She forced me to go with her to get something to eat, though the thought of food made me want to throw up.

“I told them she was sleeping with Dr. Daniels,” Daisy announced, sipping on her cranberry juice. The Commonswas busy and we were sitting together in our usual spot in the middle of the cafeteria. Only this time, one of the chairs was empty.

The silence of Phoebe’s absence was ten times louder than her presence ever had been.

“I did, too,” Blair said. Erica and the others all nodded.

“They needed to know. Because that’s two missing girls who were screwing Dr. Handsy and he should be held accountable,” Daisy stated and I was glad she’d told them.

“They’re probably dead,” Tina announced without an ounce of sensitivity.

Erica glared at our pledge sister. “You can’t go around saying something like that, Tina. If the police thought they were dead, there would be a full-blown investigation or something.”

Tina looked contrite. “Well, I know they took him in for questioning.”

“They questioned us, too, stupid,” Erica scoffed. Now fully chastised, Tina shut her mouth.

“It’s scary, though, right?” Daisy put down her empty carton of juice and looked serious. “I mean, if he did hurt them …”

“I can’t see it. He’s practically an old man!” Blair mocked.

“He’s notthatold,” Tina countered. “But, yeah, it’s pretty scary. It goes to show you can’t trust men.”

“Especially good-looking, middle-aged professors.” Tina chuckled, stopping abruptly when Erica glared at her again. “Sorry.”

“But what if it’s not Dr. Daniels. What if …” Daisy paused, a look of pure terror on her face.

“What, Daisy?” Blair whispered. Everyone was on a fearful alert.

“What if it’s … someone else? Someone watching and waiting for us?” There was a collective intake of air.

Not this again.

My head was pounding and this was the last thing I wanted to listen to.

“Come on, Daisy, be real. There’s no one out there preying on college coeds. I think seeingScreamso many times has gone to your head,” I laughed. There was a hard edge to my voice that everyone seemed surprised by.

“Yeah, who’s to say anything happened to them?” Tina agreed, eager, like me, to put this nastiness out of our minds.

Daisy didn’t seem convinced. “I don’t know … things aren’t making sense. Especially with Phoebe …”

I felt the room closing in around me. The drone of voices buzzed like flies in my ears. I needed to get up. I needed to move. My skin was slick with sweat from the alcohol that was trying to leave my system.

“Seriously, that’s enough, Daisy!” I snapped. At my roommate’s shocked—and hurt—expression, I forced myself to calm down. “Stop freaking everyone out, okay? It’s not cool. Go to the health office if you need to talk to someone.”

Erica whistled under her breath and I knew I had crossed a line. Daisy wouldn’t meet my eyes. I had never spoken to her—oranyone—like that.

“Daisy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I’m just hungover—” I started to say, but she waved a hand, cutting me off.

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