Page 97 of Private (Private 1)

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“Really? You aced all of it?”

there in front of me. Right there in front of everyone. This was why he

“Well, not art history,” I said. “I only got a B on that test. But I was so popular. So powerful. This was why he was always surrounded still think it was totally unfair.”

by students. They weren’t his friends. They were his clients.

“But a B is great, Reed! You did it,” Taylor said, grabbing me up

“Oh, shit,” Thomas said, seeing my face.

in a hug.

I turned around, flinging Taylor’s hand from my arm, and ran.

“Not without you, I couldn’t have,” I told her, grinning. “I’m so

“Reed! Wait!” Thomas shouted. “I’ll catch up with you guys

relieved, you have no idea. I mean, after my last meeting with

later,” I heard him add to his clientele.

Naylor I really thought I was out of here.”

I flew around the corner and jogged off. Away from the cafeteria.

“Have you told Thomas yet?”

Away from them all. Where I was going, I had no idea. I just had My heart thumped. Apparently I hadn’t been that great at keep-to go.

ing the depth of my relationship with Thomas a secret. Of course,

“Reed!”

from the look of excitement on Taylor’s face she didn’t seem to Thomas grabbed my arm. I snatched it away.

mind as much as, say, Noelle might have.

“What’s the big deal?” he said.

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I whirled on him. “What’s the big deal? Are you kidding me?”

“No. It’s not,” he said. “Reed, I wouldn’t lie to you about that.

He knew about my mother. Knew she took pills and knew what

I wouldn’t lie to you about the important stuff.”

they did to her. What she did to me. How could he stand there and Because being a drug dealer was not important.

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