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Then, as quickly as it had started, the wind died down and the pictures stilled The three girls in front of oddesses They were just norerly "That's e can do with only three

Iine e could accomplish with four"

I stared at them Had that been their sales pitch? Look!We're really scary! Come be scary too!

"Wow," I finally said "That wasyeah Really so"

"So are you in?" Chaston asked

She and Anna were still s off to the side, bored

"Can I get back to you?" I asked

Chaston's and Anna's smiles vanished "Told you so," Elodie said

And then, like I suddenly ceased to exist, they walked out

I collapsed into one of the wingback chairs,as the rain died down

That's where Jenna found

"Sophie?" she asked, poking her head in

"Hey" I attempted a smile

Which must have been pretty pathetic, because Jenna immediately furrowed her brow "What's up?" But before I could explain about the Witches of Clinique, Jenna rushed on, her words co out of her mouth "Look, I'm sorry about earlier None of that was any ofto my feet "Jenna, it's not you Really We're cool"

Relief washed over her face Then she glanced down It happened so quickly that I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw her eyes darken for a split second I looked at lass had hit otten about that It was deeper than I'd expected Now, as I looked down, I could see splotches ofthe carpet

I looked up at Jenna, as obviously trying not to stare atsensation crawled over the back ofthe wound "Yeah, I was looking at the pictures and a couple of thelass broke and I cut myself I'm really clumsy"

But Jenna had already turned to the wall to see that none of the pictures had fallen; that just three of theuess," she said softly "You had a run-in with the Trinity"

"Who?" I said, lah "I don't even know--"

"Elodie, Anna, and Chaston And the fact that you didn't want to tell me about it means they must have told you about Holly"

Great Was my only chance at friendship here destined to be thwarted at every turn?

"Jenna," I started, but noas her turn to cut me off

"Did they tell you I killed Holly?"

When I didn't answer, she made this sound that I think was supposed to be a sarcastic laugh, but she was clearly holding back tears

"Right, 'cause I'm a monster who can't control herself and would eat herher best friend" The corners of her mouth had started to tremble a little "They're the ones who are into the really dark stuff, but I'm the monster," she continued

"What do youaway again "I don't know," she mumbled "Just so to do to getover the carpet, skin on fire Whatever

"stuff" they'd tried, it had clearly worked

Jenna started sniffling I felt sorry for her, but I couldn't stop thinking about that look I'd seen on her face before

It was hunger

I pushed the thought away and stepped closer to her "Screw them"

Except I didn't say "screw" There are certain times when only really bad words ork, and this was one of theh her "Da nod that we both burst into giggles

As wehall, I looked over at Jenna, as now babbling about hoesoirls, horong they'd been; there was no way Jenna could hurt anyone

But even as I laughed at her rapturous descriptions of pie, I felt a s about her eyes as she'd watchedhall was co that it was a converted ballroo fancy: crystal chandeliers, shiny dark wood floors, a wall of mirrorsthe full-on fairy-tale ballroo as the rest of the house Oh sure, there were chandeliers, but they were covered hat looked to be big trash bags And there was a wall ofsheets of canvas

The dining hall was a jumble of tables of all sizes and shapes shoved into the ht next to a Formica and steel table that looked like it had been stolen froht I spotted a picnic bench Wasn't this school run by witches?