Page 87 of Private (Private 1)

---

Outside, the air chilled my bones and the sky was as black as

“I thought you’d want to help me, but if you’d rather I fail . . . ”

death. No moon. No stars. I tripped myself twice on the short run Ariana said, playing the martyr.

across to Billings and prayed the girls weren’t watching me

“No. It’s fine,” I said, my throat dry. “How do I do it?”

fumbling and stumbling. About ten seconds later I found myself

“You’re a smart kid,” Noelle said, patting me on the shoulder.

standing near the back wall of Billings, facing Noelle, Ariana,

“You can figure it out.”

Kiran, and Taylor. I gasped for breath.

They weren’t even going to give me a hint? What the hell kind of

“You were almost late,” Kiran said, her glossy lips pursed.

people were they?

“Sorry,” I replied, trying to stand up straight.

“Now go,” Noelle said. “If you’re not back here in fifteen min-

“We need you to do something for us,” Noelle said.

utes, we’ll be forced to report you to security.”

Shocker. I didn’t actually think I was here for an appreciation One look in her eye told me she was not kidding.

party.

“Go,” she said again.

“What?” I asked.

I thought about what they were asking me to do. I thought about

“Ariana has a physics test tomorrow,” Taylor said. “We need you what would happen if I got caught. I thought about my life back to get it for her.”

home and my life here and how everything I had ever wanted would The ground dropped out from underneath me. “What?”

be within my grasp, but only so long as I was connected to the

“I didn’t have time to study,” Ariana said blithely.

Billings Girls.

“And I didn’t have time to tutor her,” Taylor said.

Of course, I did all this thinking in two seconds flat. Then I

I stared at her. Was this reall

---