Page 75 of Revelation (Private 8)
cracked."
I moved away from the hallway wall, hazarding a step toward him. "I know. I know it's insane. But I
need to know what happened, and the records are sealed and I think..." I looked at him
desperately, not sure how he was going to take this. "Trust me. I just... need to be sure."
Josh stared at me, looking me over as if he was trying to figure out what to make of me. As if he'd
never seen me before. I tried my best to plead with my eyes. Finally, he tipped his head forward,
brought the heels of both hands to his forehead, and let out a kind of groan.
"I already know why she got kicked out," he said.
I felt as if the doors at the end of the hall had just burst open and the wind had knocked me
sideways.
"You know? How?" I asked, my heart pounding anew.
Josh looked up at me through his lashes. One perfect curl had fallen forward over his forehead.
Even with all the intrigue, all I wanted to do right then was kiss him.
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"Cole told me over the summer," he admitted, swallowing hard. He crossed his arms over his
chest, shoving his hands under his arms and looking off down the hall. Whatever it was Astrid had
done, I could tell by his face that it appalled him even to think about it. My throat suddenly went
dry. Had Astrid really done something awful?
"What?" I asked, barely audible. "What was it?"
Josh reached back and scratched the back of his neck. His face was turning redder and redder by
the second. Whatever he had to say, he really didn't want to say it.
"Josh," I prompted.
"Fine! Astrid slept with her history instructor, okay?" he blurted finally, keeping his voice down so
the people in the studio wouldn't hear. "That's why she got kicked out of Barton."
My heart completely stopped beating. Astrid and a professor? I immediately envisioned her
making out with the dreaded Mr. Barber--our current history teacher--and almost heaved right
there on Josh's boots. But wait. This was good news. Astrid hadn't hurt anyone.
At that moment, the door at the end of the hallway swung closed with a bang and we both looked
up to find Astrid herself standing there in a hot pink rain slicker and matching hat, clutching her big
black portfolio. It was blatantly clear from the stunned look on her face that she had just heard
