Page 26 of Revelation (Private 8)
get on her bad side right now. I'm fine. Just... face forward."
Constance and Sabine turned their backs to me reluctantly and I slumped against the hard pew. A
few other juniors filled in the seats
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to my right, all eyeing me with curiosity, wondering why I was in their row. I supposed the news of
my expulsion from Billings hadn't completely made the rounds yet. Either that or they were still
obsessing over the Reed-and-Dash-seminude show they had all gotten to see. I had been the
subject of whispers and stares ever since the night of the fund-raiser.
"Good morning, faculty and students of Easton Academy!" Headmaster Cromwell announced,
taking his spot behind the podium.
"Good morning, Headmaster Cromwell," we dutifully recited.
With a nod, our fearless leader got right down to the morning announcements. He wore a gray
suit and blue tie this morning, along with his ever-present American flag tie tack. His white hair
was perfectly slicked back from his face and his voice boomed throughout the chapel as always,
but I noticed something different about him. There was something almost jaunty in the way he
spoke and held his head. Like Mr. Serious was actually excited about something.
How was that possible, when we had another murder on our hands and the Easton Police
Department taking over offices in Hell Hall so they could question students?"And now, a final
announcement that I'm hoping will bring a bit of levity to our lives here at Easton," he said, looking
across the room. A never-before-seen sparkle danced in his normally dead blue eyes. "This year I
have decided to reinstate an old Easton Academy tradition--the Easton Academy Holiday Dinner."
Instantly, the entire chapel filled with an excited buzz. Everyone, it seemed, knew what this dinner
was--all except me.
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"For those of you who are new to our community, the Easton Academy Holiday Dinner is a catered
banquet held in the dining hall. There will be traditional holiday fair and decorations, the Easton
Academy Chorale will treat us to a holiday concert, and everyone will have a chance to relax and
unwind before finals. All students and faculty are invited. In my day this dinner was the social
event of the season. I'm hoping it will be that again."
The buzzing intensified as the girls around me started gabbing about how their mothers and
